O-Antigen-Dependent Colicin Insensitivity of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria presents a significant barrier for molecules entering the cell. Nevertheless, colicins, which are antimicrobial proteins secreted by Escherichia coli, can target other E. coli cells by binding to cell surface receptor proteins and activating their import, resulting in cell death. Previous studies have documented high rates of nonspecific resistance (insensitivity) of various E. coli strains toward colicins that is independent of colicin-specific immunity and is instead associated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer membrane. This observation poses a contradiction: why do E. coli strains have colicin-expressing plasmids, which are energetically costly to retain, if cells around them are likely to be naturally insensitive to the colicin the

SUBMITTER: Sharp C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6351738 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature