biostudies-literatureWang YHunan Provincial Science and Technology DepartmentNational Natural Science Foundation of China1152https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9954437biostudies-literatureUnknown15(4)Emerging evidence indicates bacterial infections contribute to the formation of cancers. Bacterial genotoxins are effectors that cause DNA damage by introducing single- and double-strand DNA breaks in the host cells. The first bacterial genotoxin cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) was a protein identified in 1987 in a pathogenic strain in <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) isolated from a young patient. The peptide-polyketide genotoxin colibactin is produced by the phylogenetic group B₂ of <i>E. coli</i>. Recently, a protein produced by attaching/effacing (A/E) pathogens, including enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic <i>E. coli</i> (EPEC and EHEC) and their murine equivalent <i>Citrobacter rodentium</i> (CR), has been reported as a novel protein genotoxin, being injectedCancersGenotoxins: The Mechanistic Links between <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Colorectal Cancer.PMC99544372021JJ20094321005803190056132170726Fu KWang YfalseGenotoxins: The Mechanistic Links between <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Colorectal Cancer.Emerging evidence indicates bacterial infections contribute to the formation of cancers. Bacterial genotoxins are effectors that cause DNA damage by introducing single- and double-strand DNA breaks in the host cells. The first bacterial genotoxin cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) was a protein identified in 1987 in a pathogenic strain in <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) isolated from a young patient. The peptide-polyketide genotoxin colibactin is produced by the phylogenetic group B₂ of <i>E. coli</i>. Recently, a protein produced by attaching/effacing (A/E) pathogens, including enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic <i>E. coli</i> (EPEC and EHEC) and their murine equivalent <i>Citrobacter rodentium</i> (CR), has been reported as a novel protein genotoxin, being injected2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Feb2025-04-25T17:02:35.376Z2025-04-25T17:02:35.376ZS-EPMC99544373683149510.3390/cancers15041152