Genetic and Virulence Characteristics of a Hybrid Atypical Enteropathogenic and Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC/UPEC) Strain.

ABSTRACT: Hybrid strains of Escherichia coli combine virulence traits of diarrheagenic (DEC) and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), but it is poorly understood whether these combined features improve the virulence potential of such strains. We have previously identified a uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strain (UPEC 252) harboring the eae gene that encodes the adhesin intimin and is located in the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island. The LEE-encoded proteins allow enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) to form attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions in enterocytes. We sought to characterize UPEC 252 through whole-genome sequencing and phenotypic virulence assays. Genome analysis unveiled that this strain

SUBMITTER: Valiatti TB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7550682 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature