The Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli Factor RqlI Constrains the Genotoxic Effects of the RecQ-Like Helicase RqlH.

ABSTRACT: Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli colonize the human gut and can spread to other body sites to induce diseases such as urinary tract infections, sepsis, and meningitis. A complete understanding of the infection process is hindered by both the inherent genetic diversity of E. coli and the large number of unstudied genes. Here, we focus on the uncharacterized gene rqlI, which our lab recently uncovered in a Tn-seq screen for bacterial genes required within a zebrafish model of infection. We demonstrate that the ΔrqlI mutant experiences a growth defect and increased DNA stress in low oxygen conditions. In a genetic screen for suppressor mutations in the Δrql strain, we found that the shortcomings of the Δrql mutant are attributable to the activity of RqlH, which is known in other ba

SUBMITTER: Russell CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4670107 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature