Identification and Characterization of Novel Compounds Blocking Shiga Toxin Expression in Escherichia coli O157:H7.

ABSTRACT: Infections caused by Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing E. coli strains constitute a health problem, as they are problematic to treat. Stx production is a key virulence factor associated with the pathogenicity of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and can result in the development of haemolytic uremic syndrome in infected patients. The genes encoding Stx are located on temperate lysogenic phages integrated into the bacterial chromosome and expression of the toxin is generally coupled to phage induction through the SOS response. We aimed to find new compounds capable of blocking expression of Stx type 2 (Stx2) as this subtype of Stx is more strongly associated with human disease. High-throughput screening of a small-molecule library identified a lead compound that reduced Stx2 express

SUBMITTER: Huerta-Uribe A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5127787 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature