Distribution of Major Pilin Subunit Genes Among Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Influence of Growth Media on Expression of the ecp Operon.

ABSTRACT: Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) strains are unable to produce the bundle-forming pilus (BFP), which is responsible for the localized adherence pattern, a characteristic of the pathogenicity of typical EPEC strains. The lack of BFP in aEPEC strains suggests that other fimbrial or non-fimbrial adhesins are involved in their adhesion to the host cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of major subunit fimbrial genes known to be important adherence factors produced by several E. coli pathotypes in a collection of 72 aEPEC strains. Our results demonstrate that a high percentage (94-100%) of aEPEC strains harbored ecpA, fimA, hcpA, and lpfA fimbrial genes. Other fimbrial genes including pilS, pilV, sfpA, daaC, papA, a

SUBMITTER: Munhoz DD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5962669 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature