Cytotoxin-producing Klebsiella oxytoca in the preterm gut and its association with necrotizing enterocolitis.

ABSTRACT: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating intestinal inflammatory disease of premature infants associated with gut bacterial dysbiosis. Using 16S rRNA-based methods, our laboratory identified an unclassified Enterobacteriaceae sequence (NEC_unk_OTU) with high abundance in NEC fecal samples. We aimed to identify this bacterium and determine its potential role in the disease. NCBI database searches for the 16S sequence, selective culture systems, biotyping and polymerase chain reaction were employed to refine classification of NEC_unk_OTU and identify toxin-encoding genes from the index NEC case. Bacterial cytotoxin production was confirmed by mass spectrometry and apoptosis assays. Additional fecal samples from 9 NEC and 5 non-NEC controls were analyzed using similar methods and mult

SUBMITTER: Paveglio S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7473113 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature