Urinary tract infection drives genome instability in uropathogenic Escherichia coli and necessitates translesion synthesis DNA polymerase IV for virulence.

ABSTRACT: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) produces ~80% of community-acquired UTI, the second most common infection in humans. During UTI, UPEC has a complex life cycle, replicating and persisting in intracellular and extracellular niches. Host and environmental stresses may affect the integrity of the UPEC genome and threaten its viability. We determined how the host inflammatory response during UTI drives UPEC genome instability and evaluated the role of multiple factors of genome replication and repair for their roles in the maintenance of genome integrity and thus virulence during UTI. The urinary tract environment enhanced the mutation frequency of UPEC ~100-fold relative to in vitro levels. Abrogation of inflammation through a host TLR4-signaling defect significantly reduced the mutation

SUBMITTER: Gawel D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3265773 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature