Isolation and characterization of mini-Tn5Km2 insertion mutants of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 deficient in adherence to Caco-2 cells.

ABSTRACT: Adherence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) to intestinal epithelium is essential for initiation of the infection. To identify genes involved in adherence, an EHEC O157:H7 strain (O157Sakai) was mutagenized by mini-Tn5Km2, where Km refers to kanamycin resistance, and 4,677 insertion mutants were screened for their ability to form microcolonies (MC) on Caco-2 cells. The less adherent mutants were divided into three groups: those with no adherent ability (designated as class 1 mutants, n = 10), those less adherent than the wild type (class 2 mutants, n = 16), and those unable to form MC but which adhered in a diffuse manner (class 3 mutants, n = 1). The sites of insertion in class 1 mutants were all found within genes of the locus for enterocyte effacement (LEE) thought to be requ

SUBMITTER: Tatsuno I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC101558 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature