Genomic analysis of a pathogenicity island in uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073: distribution of homologous sequences among isolates from patients with pyelonephritis, cystitis, and Catheter-associated bacteriuria and from fecal samples.

ABSTRACT: Urinary tract infection is the most frequently diagnosed kidney and urologic disease and Escherichia coli is by far the most common etiologic agent. Uropathogenic strains have been shown to contain blocks of DNA termed pathogenicity islands (PAIs) which contribute to their virulence. We have defined one of these regions of DNA within the chromosome of a highly virulent E. coli strain, CFT073, isolated from the blood and urine of a woman with acute pyelonephritis. The 57,988-bp stretch of DNA has characteristics which define PAIs, including a size greater than 30 kb, the presence of insertion sequences, distinct segmentation of K-12 and J96 origin, GC content (42.9%) different from that of total genomic DNA (50.8%), and the presence of virulence genes (hly and pap). Within this region, we h

SUBMITTER: Guyer DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC108533 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature