Transcriptional modulation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli virulence genes in response to epithelial cell interactions.

ABSTRACT: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality due to diarrheal illness in developing countries. There is currently no effective vaccine against these important pathogens. Because genes modulated by pathogen-host interactions potentially encode putative vaccine targets, we investigated changes in gene expression and surface morphology of ETEC upon interaction with intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. Pan-genome microarrays, quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR), and transcriptional reporter fusions of selected promoters were used to study changes in ETEC transcriptomes. Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate alterations in surface antigen expression and morphology f

SUBMITTER: Kansal R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3536156 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature