Enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infections: translocation, translocation, translocation

Global analysis of posttranscriptional regulation by GlmY and GlmZ in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a significant human pathogen and is the cause of bloody diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The virulence repertoire of EHEC includes the genes within the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) that are largely organized in five operons, LEE1 to LEE5, which encode a type III secretion system, several effectors, chaperones, and regulatory proteins. In addition, EHEC also encodes several non-LEE-encoded effectors and fimbrial operons. The virulence genes of this pathogen are under a large amount of posttranscriptional regulation. The small RNAs (sRNAs) GlmY and GlmZ activate the translation of glucosamine synthase (GlmS) in E. coli K-12, and in EHEC they destabilize the 3' fragments of the LEE4 and LEE5 operons and promote translation of the non-LEE-encoded effector EspFu. We investigated the global changes of EHEC gene expression governed by GlmY and GlmZ using RNA sequencing and gene arrays. This study extends the known effects of GlmY and GlmZ regulation to show that they promote expression of the curli adhesin, repress the expression of tryptophan metabolism genes, and promote the expression of acid resistance genes and the non-LEE-encoded effector NleA. In addition, seven novel EHEC-specific sRNAs were identified using RNA sequencing, and three of them--sRNA56, sRNA103, and sRNA350--were shown to regulate urease, fimbria, and the LEE, respectively. These findings expand the knowledge of posttranscriptional regulation in EHEC.

Vaccination of Cattle against Escherichia coli O157:H7

Human infection with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157) is relatively rare, but the consequences can be serious, especially in the very young and the elderly. Efforts to control the flow of STEC O157 during beef processing have meaningfully reduced the incidence of human STEC O157 infection, particularly prior to 2005. Unfortunately, despite early progress, the incidence of STEC O157 infection has not changed meaningfully or statistically in recent years, suggesting that additional actions, for example, targeting the cattle reservoir, are necessary to further reduce STEC O157 illness. Ideally, preharvest interventions against STEC O157 should reduce the likelihood that cattle carry the organism, have practical application within the beef production system, and add sufficient value to the cattle to offset the cost of the intervention. A number of STEC O157 antigens are being investigated as potential vaccine targets. Some vaccine products have demonstrated efficacy to reduce the prevalence of cattle carrying STEC O157 by making the gut unfavorable to colonization. However, in conditions of natural exposure, efficacy afforded by vaccination depends on how the products are used to control environmental transmission within groups of cattle and throughout the production system. Although cattle vaccines against STEC O157 have gained either full or preliminary regulatory approval in Canada and the United States, widespread use by cattle feeders is unlikely until there is an economic signal to indicate that cattle vaccinated against STEC O157 are valued over other cattle.

Late establishment of the attaching and effacing lesion caused by atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli depends on protein expression regulated by Per

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is classified as typical (tEPEC) or atypical (aEPEC) based on the presence or absence of the E. coli adherence factor plasmid (pEAF), respectively. The hallmark of EPEC infection is the formation of the attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions on the gut mucosa. We compared the kinetics of A/E lesion formation induced by aEPEC and tEPEC. The examination of infected HEp-2 cells clearly demonstrated delayed A/E lesion formation by aEPEC in comparison to tEPEC. This delay was associated with the expression of locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE)-encoded virulence factors (i.e., intimin and EspD). Indeed, the insertion of a plasmid containing perABC, a transcriptional regulator of virulence factors involved in A/E formation, into aEPEC strains increased and accelerated the formation of A/E lesions. Interestingly, the enhanced expression and translocation of LEE-encoded proteins, such as those expressed in LEE5 (intimin) and LEE4 (EspD), in aEPEC (perABC) was independent of bacterial adhesion. The secretion kinetics of these two proteins representing LEE5 and LEE4 expression correlated with A/E lesion formation. We conclude that the lack of Per in the regulation network of virulence genes is one of the main factors that delay the establishment of A/E lesions induced by aEPEC strains.

Comparative genomics to delineate pathogenic potential in non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from patients with and without haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in Norway

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) cause infections in humans ranging from asymptomatic carriage to bloody diarrhoea and haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Here we present whole genome comparison of Norwegian non-O157 STEC strains with the aim to distinguish between strains with the potential to cause HUS and less virulent strains. Whole genome sequencing and comparisons were performed across 95 non-O157 STEC strains. Twenty-three of these were classified as HUS-associated, including strains from patients with HUS (n = 19) and persons with an epidemiological link to a HUS-case (n = 4). Genomic comparison revealed considerable heterogeneity in gene content across the 95 STEC strains. A clear difference in gene profile was observed between strains with and without the Locus of Enterocyte Effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island. Phylogenetic analysis of the core genome showed high degree of diversity among the STEC strains, but all HUS-associated STEC strains were distributed in two distinct clusters within phylogroup B1. However, non-HUS strains were also found in these clusters. A number of accessory genes were found to be significantly overrepresented among HUS-associated STEC, but none of them were unique to this group of strains, suggesting that different sets of genes may contribute to the pathogenic potential in different phylogenetic STEC lineages. In this study we were not able to clearly distinguish between HUS-associated and non-HUS non-O157 STEC by extensive genome comparisons. Our results indicate that STECs from different phylogenetic backgrounds have independently acquired virulence genes that determine pathogenic potential, and that the content of such genes is overlapping between HUS-associated and non-HUS strains.

Surface adhesins and exopolymers of selected foodborne pathogens

The ability of bacteria to bind different compounds and to adhere to biotic and abiotic surfaces provides them with a range of advantages, such as colonization of various tissues, internalization, avoidance of an immune response, and survival and persistence in the environment. A variety of bacterial surface structures are involved in this process and these promote bacterial adhesion in a more or less specific manner. In this review, we will focus on those surface adhesins and exopolymers in selected foodborne pathogens that are involved mainly in primary adhesion. Their role in biofilm development will also be considered when appropriate. Both the clinical impact and the implications for food safety of such adhesion will be discussed.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Virulence Gene Regulation

Coordinated expression of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli virulence genes enables the bacterium to cause hemorrhagic colitis and the complication known as hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Horizontally acquired genes and those common to E. coli contribute to the disease process, and increased virulence gene expression is correlated with more severe disease in humans. Researchers have gained considerable knowledge about how the type III secretion system, secreted effectors, adhesin molecules, and the Shiga toxins are regulated by environmental signals and multiple genetic pathways. Also emergent from the data is an understanding of how enterohemorrhagic E. coli regulates response to acid stress, the role of flagellar motility, and how passage through the human host and bovine intestinal tract causes disease and supports carriage in the cattle reservoir, respectively. Particularly exciting areas of discovery include data suggesting how expression of the myriad effectors is coordinately regulated with their cognate type III secretion system and how virulence is correlated with bacterial metabolism and gut physiology.

Nlrp3 activation in the intestinal epithelium protects against a mucosal pathogen

Polymorphisms in the intracellular pattern recognition receptor gene NLRP3 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3) have been associated with susceptibility to Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Following tissue damage or infection, NLRP3 triggers the formation of inflammasomes, containing NLRP3, ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD domain), and caspase-1, that mediate secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. However, the precise role of NLRP3 inflammasomes in mucosal inflammation and barrier protection remains unclear. Here we show that upon infection with the attaching/effacing intestinal pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, Nlrp3(-/-) and Asc(-/-) mice displayed increased bacterial colonization and dispersion, more severe weight loss, and exacerbated intestinal inflammation. Analyses of irradiation bone marrow chimeras revealed that protection from disease was mediated through Nlrp3 activation in nonhematopoietic cells and was initiated very early after infection. Thus, early activation of Nlrp3 in intestinal epithelial cells limits pathogen colonization and prevents subsequent pathology, potentially providing a functional link between NLRP3 polymorphisms and susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease.

The ability of an attaching and effacing pathogen to trigger localized actin assembly contributes to virulence by promoting mucosal attachment

Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) colonizes the intestine and causes bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure by producing Shiga toxin. Upon binding intestinal cells, EHEC triggers a change in host cell shape, generating actin 'pedestals' beneath bound bacteria. To investigate the importance of pedestal formation to disease, we infected genetically engineered mice incapable of supporting pedestal formation by an EHEC-like mouse pathogen, or wild type mice with a mutant of that pathogen incapable of generating pedestals. We found that pedestal formation promotes attachment of bacteria to the intestinal mucosa and vastly increases the severity of Shiga toxin-mediated disease.

Taxonomy Meets Public Health: The Case of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli

To help assess the clinical and public health risks associated with different Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains, an empirical classification scheme was used to classify STEC into five “seropathotypes” (seropathotype A [high risk] to seropathotypes D and E [minimal risk]). This definition is of considerable value in cases of human infection but is also problematic because not all STEC infections are fully characterized and coupled to reliable clinical information. Outbreaks with emerging hybrid strains continuously challenge our understanding of virulence potential and may result in incorrect classification of specific pathotypes; an example is the hybrid strain that caused the 2011 outbreak in Germany, STEC/EAggEC O104:H4, which may deserve an alternative seropathotype designation. The integration of mobile virulence factors in the stepwise and parallel evolution of pathogenic lineages of STEC collides with the requirements of a good taxonomy, which separates elements of each group into subgroups that are mutually exclusive, unambiguous, and, together, include all possibilities. The concept of (sero)-pathotypes is therefore challenged, and the need to identify factors of STEC that absolutely predict the potential to cause human disease is obvious. Because the definition of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is distinct, a basic and primary definition of HUS-associated E. coli (HUSEC) for first-line public health action is proposed: stx2 in a background of an eae- or aggR -positive E. coli followed by a second-line subtyping of stx genes that refines the definition of HUSEC to include only stx2a and stx2d . All other STEC strains are considered “low-risk” STEC.

Pathogenesis of human enterovirulent bacteria: lessons from cultured, fully differentiated human colon cancer cell lines

Hosts are protected from attack by potentially harmful enteric microorganisms, viruses, and parasites by the polarized fully differentiated epithelial cells that make up the epithelium, providing a physical and functional barrier. Enterovirulent bacteria interact with the epithelial polarized cells lining the intestinal barrier, and some invade the cells. A better understanding of the cross talk between enterovirulent bacteria and the polarized intestinal cells has resulted in the identification of essential enterovirulent bacterial structures and virulence gene products playing pivotal roles in pathogenesis. Cultured animal cell lines and cultured human nonintestinal, undifferentiated epithelial cells have been extensively used for understanding the mechanisms by which some human enterovirulent bacteria induce intestinal disorders. Human colon carcinoma cell lines which are able to express in culture the functional and structural characteristics of mature enterocytes and goblet cells have been established, mimicking structurally and functionally an intestinal epithelial barrier. Moreover, Caco-2-derived M-like cells have been established, mimicking the bacterial capture property of M cells of Peyer's patches. This review intends to analyze the cellular and molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of human enterovirulent bacteria observed in infected cultured human colon carcinoma enterocyte-like HT-29 subpopulations, enterocyte-like Caco-2 and clone cells, the colonic T84 cell line, HT-29 mucus-secreting cell subpopulations, and Caco-2-derived M-like cells, including cell association, cell entry, intracellular lifestyle, structural lesions at the brush border, functional lesions in enterocytes and goblet cells, functional and structural lesions at the junctional domain, and host cellular defense responses.

EscO, a functional and structural analog of the flagellar FliJ protein, is a positive regulator of EscN ATPase activity of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli injectisome

Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are multiprotein molecular devices used by many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens to translocate effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. A T3SS is also used for protein export in flagellar assembly, which promotes bacterial motility. The two systems are evolutionarily related, possessing highly conserved components in their export apparatuses. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) employs a T3SS, encoded by genes in the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island, to colonize the human intestine and cause diarrheal disease. In the present work, we investigated the role of the LEE-encoded EscO protein (previously Orf15 or EscA) in T3SS biogenesis. We show that EscO shares similar properties with the flagellar FliJ and the Yersinia YscO protein families. Our findings demonstrate that EscO is essential for secretion of all categories of T3SS substrates. Consistent with its central role in protein secretion, it was found to interact with the ATPase EscN and its negative regulator, EscL, of the export apparatus. Moreover, we show that EscO stimulates EscN enzymatic activity; however, it is unable to upregulate ATP hydrolysis in the presence of EscL. Remarkably, EscO partially restored the swimming defect of a Salmonella flagellar fliJ mutant and was able to stimulate the ATPase activity of FliI. Overall, our data indicate that EscO is the virulence counterpart of the flagellar FliJ protein.

Effector triggered manipulation of host immune response elicited by different pathotypes of Escherichia coli

Effectors are virulence factors that are secreted by bacteria during an infection in order to subvert cellular processes or induce the surveillance system of the host. Pathogenic microorganisms encode effectors, toxins and components of secretion systems that inject the effectors to the host. Escherichia coli is part of the innocuous commensal microbial flora of the gastrointestinal tract. However, pathogenic E. coli can cause diarrheal and extraintestinal diseases. Pathogenic E. coli uses secretion systems to inject an array of effector proteins directly into the host cells. Herein, we discuss the effectors secreted by different pathotypes of E. coli and provide an overview of strategies employed by effectors to target the host cellular and subcellular processes as well as their role in triggering host immune response.

Structure and mechanism of a type III secretion protease, NleC

NleC is one of the virulence factors that is injected into infected host cells by enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EPEC and EHEC) via a needle-like protein complex called the type III secretion system (T3SS). The cytosolic NleC specifically cleaves the p65 subunit of NF-κB in the p65-p50 heterodimeric complex just after the Cys38 site in its N-terminal domain. The degradation of the remainder of the p65 C-terminal domain by the proteasome disrupts the NF-κB signalling pathway, thus dampening the host inflammatory response. Here, the crystal structure of NleC is reported at 1.55 Å resolution. In conjunction with biochemical analyses, the structure reveals that NleC is a member of the zincin zinc protease family and that the configuration of the NleC active site resembles that of the metzincin clan of metallopeptidases but without the canonical Met turn of astacin. The extended zinc-binding motif of NleC (HEXXHXXTXXXD) includes three metal ligands. The fifth zinc ligand, a conserved tyrosine (a bound water molecule is the fourth ligand), lies 45 residues downstream of the zincin motif. Furthermore, the electrostatic potential complementarity between NleC and p65 also contributes to the cleavage activity of the protease. These results not only provide important insights into the mechanism of how NleC recognizes its substrates, but also shed light on the design of new antibiotics for the food-borne diseases arising from EPEC and EHEC.

Invasion of differentiated intestinal Caco-2 cells is a sporadic property among atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains carrying common intimin subtypes

Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) strains produce attaching-effacing (AE) lesions on enterocytes due to the interaction of the adhesin intimin with its translocated receptor. aEPEC strain 1551-2 was previously shown to invade HeLa and T84 cells by means of the uncommon intimin subtype omicron. Other aEPEC strains carrying uncommon intimin subtypes have also been shown to invade differentiated T84 intestinal cells. In this study, seven aEPEC strains carrying the most common EPEC intimin subtypes (alpha, beta, and gamma) were evaluated regarding the ability to invade differentiated intestinal Caco-2 cells. Although all strains adhered to and promoted AE lesions, the numbers of cell-associated bacteria varied significantly between the different strains regardless of the intimin subtype (P < 0.05). Gentamicin protection assay and transmission electron microscopy analyses showed that in comparison with the invasive strain 1551-2, only one strain (aEPEC EC423/03, intimin beta) was invasive (P = 0.05). Although both strains persisted intracellularly until 48 h, the number of viable bacteria of EC423/03 decreased, whereas that of 1551-2 increased significantly up to 24 h and then decreased. In conclusion, invasiveness is a sporadic property among aEPEC strains carrying some common intimin subtypes.

Nutrient and chemical sensing by intestinal pathogens

Pathogenic gut bacteria, such as those comprising the Enterobacteriaceae family, have evolved sophisticated virulence mechanisms, including nutrient and chemical sensing, to escape host defense strategies and produce disease. In this review we describe the mechanisms utilized by the enteric pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 to achieve successful colonization of its mammalian host.

Proteinaceous determinants of surface colonization in bacteria: bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation from a protein secretion perspective

Bacterial colonization of biotic or abiotic surfaces results from two quite distinct physiological processes, namely bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Broadly speaking, a biofilm is defined as the sessile development of microbial cells. Biofilm formation arises following bacterial adhesion but not all single bacterial cells adhering reversibly or irreversibly engage inexorably into a sessile mode of growth. Among molecular determinants promoting bacterial colonization, surface proteins are the most functionally diverse active components. To be present on the bacterial cell surface, though, a protein must be secreted in the first place. Considering the close association of secreted proteins with their cognate secretion systems, the secretome (which refers both to the secretion systems and their protein substrates) is a key concept to apprehend the protein secretion and related physiological functions. The protein secretion systems are here considered in light of the differences in the cell-envelope architecture between diderm-LPS (archetypal Gram-negative), monoderm (archetypal Gram-positive) and diderm-mycolate (archetypal acid-fast) bacteria. Besides, their cognate secreted proteins engaged in the bacterial colonization process are regarded from single protein to supramolecular protein structure as well as the non-classical protein secretion. This state-of-the-art on the complement of the secretome (the secretion systems and their cognate effectors) involved in the surface colonization process in diderm-LPS and monoderm bacteria paves the way for future research directions in the field.

A DNA pooling based system to detect Escherichia coli virulence factors in fecal and wastewater samples

The availability of a useful tool for simple and timely detection of the most important virulent varieties of Escherichia coli is indispensable. To this end, bacterial DNA pools which had previously been categorized were obtained from isolated colonies as well as selected in terms of utilized phenotype; the pools were assessed by two PCR Multiplex for the detection of virulent E. coli eaeA, bfpA, stx1, stx2, ipaH, ST, LT, and aatA genes, with the 16S gene used as DNA control. The system was validated with 66 fecal samples and 44 wastewater samples. At least one positive isolate was detected by a virulent gene among the 20 that were screened. The analysis of fecal samples from children younger than 6 years of age detected frequencies of 25% LT positive strains, 8.3% eae, 8.3% bfpA, 16.7% ipaH, as well as 12.5 % aatA and ST. On the other hand, wastewater samples revealed frequencies of 25.7% eaeA positive, 30.3% stx1, 15.1% LT and 19.7% aatA. This study is an initial step toward carrying out epidemiological field research that will reveal the presence of these bacterial varieties.

Identification of secretory immunoglobulin A antibody targets from human milk in cultured cells infected with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC)

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) uses a type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject effectors into host cells and alter cellular physiology. The aim of the present study was to identify targets of human secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) antibodies from the proteins delivered by EPEC into HEp-2 cells after infection. Bacterial proteins delivered into EPEC-infected cells were obtained in sub-cellular fractions (cytoplasmic, membrane, and cytoskeleton) and probed with sIgA antibodies from human milk and analyzed by Western blotting. These sIgA antibodies reacted with Tir and EspB in the cytoplasmic and membrane fractions, and with intimin in the membrane fraction mainly. The sIgA also identified an EPEC surface-associated Heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in HEp-2 cells infected with EPEC. Purified Hsp70 from EPEC was able to bind to HEp-2 cells, suggesting adhesive properties in this protein. EspC secreted to the medium reacted strongly with the sIgA antibodies. An EPEC 115 kDa protein, unrelated to the EspC protein, was detected in the cytoplasm of infected HEp-2 cells, suggesting that this is a new protein translocated by EPEC. The results suggest that there is a strong host antibody response to Tir and intimin, which are essential proteins for attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogen mediated disease.

Bile salts affect expression of Escherichia coli O157:H7 genes for virulence and iron acquisition, and promote growth under iron limiting conditions

Bile salts exhibit potent antibacterial properties, acting as detergents to disrupt cell membranes and as DNA-damaging agents. Although bacteria inhabiting the intestinal tract are able to resist bile’s antimicrobial effects, relatively little is known about how bile influences virulence of enteric pathogens. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important pathogen of humans, capable of causing severe diarrhea and more serious sequelae. In this study, the transcriptome response of E. coli O157:H7 to bile was determined. Bile exposure induced significant changes in mRNA levels of genes related to virulence potential, including a reduction of mRNA for the 41 genes making up the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island. Bile treatment had an unusual effect on mRNA levels for the entire flagella-chemotaxis regulon, resulting in two- to four-fold increases in mRNA levels for genes associated with the flagella hook-basal body structure, but a two-fold decrease for “late” flagella genes associated with the flagella filament, stator motor, and chemotaxis. Bile salts also caused increased mRNA levels for seventeen genes associated with iron scavenging and metabolism, and counteracted the inhibitory effect of the iron chelating agent 2,2’-dipyridyl on growth of E. coli O157:H7. These findings suggest that E. coli O157:H7 may use bile as an environmental signal to adapt to changing conditions associated with the small intestine, including adaptation to an iron-scarce environment.

EspA-Intimin chimeric protein, a candidate vaccine against Escherichia coli O157:H7

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is an important enteric pathogen in human causing bloody or nonbloody diarrhea, which may be complicated by hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Cattle are an important reservoir of EHEC. This research aims at vaccination with a divalent chimer protein composed of EspA120 and Intimin 282 and its preventive effect of EHEC O157 colonization in mice rectal epithelium.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A divalent recombinant EspA-Intimin (EI) protein containing EspA120 and Intimin280 attached with a linker was amplified from a trivalent construct and cloned in pET-28a (+) vector. The immunization was conducted in mice after expression and purification of the recombinant EI (rEI).

RESULTS

Mice subcutaneously immunized with rEI, elicited significant rEI specific serum IgG antibodies and showed significantly decreased E.coli O157:H7 shedding compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION

The chimeric recombinant protein induced strong humoral response as well as protection against oral challenges with live E.coli O157:H7.

Detection of Escherichia coli O157 by peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) and comparison to a standard culture method

Despite the emergence of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections, E. coli serotype O157 is still the most commonly identified STEC in the world. It causes high morbidity and mortality and has been responsible for a number of outbreaks in many parts of the world. Various methods have been developed to detect this particular serotype, but standard bacteriological methods remain the gold standard. Here, we propose a new peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) method for the rapid detection of E. coli O157. Testing on 54 representative strains showed that the PNA probe is highly sensitive and specific to E. coli O157. The method then was optimized for detection in food samples. Ground beef and unpasteurized milk samples were artificially contaminated with E. coli O157 concentrations ranging from 1 × 10(-2) to 1 × 10(2) CFU per 25 g or ml of food. Samples were then preenriched and analyzed by both the traditional bacteriological method (ISO 16654:2001) and PNA-FISH. The PNA-FISH method performed well in both types of food matrices with a detection limit of 1 CFU/25 g or ml of food samples. Tests on 60 food samples have shown a specificity value of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.83 to 100), a sensitivity of 97.22% (95% CI, 83.79 to 99.85%), and an accuracy of 98.33% (CI 95%, 83.41 to 99.91%). Results indicate that PNA-FISH performed as well as the traditional culture methods and can reduce the diagnosis time to 1 day.

The Escherichia coli phosphotyrosine proteome relates to core pathways and virulence

While phosphotyrosine modification is an established regulatory mechanism in eukaryotes, it is less well characterized in bacteria due to low prevalence. To gain insight into the extent and biological importance of tyrosine phosphorylation in Escherichia coli, we used immunoaffinity-based phosphotyrosine peptide enrichment combined with high resolution mass spectrometry analysis to comprehensively identify tyrosine phosphorylated proteins and accurately map phosphotyrosine sites. We identified a total of 512 unique phosphotyrosine sites on 342 proteins in E. coli K12 and the human pathogen enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157:H7, representing the largest phosphotyrosine proteome reported to date in bacteria. This large number of tyrosine phosphorylation sites allowed us to define five phosphotyrosine site motifs. Tyrosine phosphorylated proteins belong to various functional classes such as metabolism, gene expression and virulence. We demonstrate for the first time that proteins of a type III secretion system (T3SS), required for the attaching and effacing (A/E) lesion phenotype characteristic for intestinal colonization by certain EHEC strains, are tyrosine phosphorylated by bacterial kinases. Yet, A/E lesion and metabolic phenotypes were unaffected by the mutation of the two currently known tyrosine kinases, Etk and Wzc. Substantial residual tyrosine phosphorylation present in an etk wzc double mutant strongly indicated the presence of hitherto unknown tyrosine kinases in E. coli. We assess the functional importance of tyrosine phosphorylation and demonstrate that the phosphorylated tyrosine residue of the regulator SspA positively affects expression and secretion of T3SS proteins and formation of A/E lesions. Altogether, our study reveals that tyrosine phosphorylation in bacteria is more prevalent than previously recognized, and suggests the involvement of phosphotyrosine-mediated signaling in a broad range of cellular functions and virulence.

Proteomic View of Interactions of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli with the Intestinal Environment in Gnotobiotic Piglets

BACKGROUND

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli cause severe intestinal infections involving colonization of epithelial Peyer's patches and formation of attachment/effacement (A/E) lesions. These lesions trigger leukocyte infiltration followed by inflammation and intestinal hemorrhage. Systems biology, which explores the crosstalk of Stx-producing Escherichia coli with the in vivo host environment, may elucidate novel molecular pathogenesis aspects.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Enterohemorrhagic E. coli strain 86-24 produces Shiga toxin-2 and belongs to the serotype O157:H7. Bacterial cells were scrapped from stationary phase cultures (the in vitro condition) and used to infect gnotobiotic piglets via intestinal lavage. Bacterial cells isolated from the piglets' guts constituted the in vivo condition. Cell lysates were subjected to quantitative 2D gel and shotgun proteomic analyses, revealing metabolic shifts towards anaerobic energy generation, changes in carbon utilization, phosphate and ammonia starvation, and high activity of a glutamate decarboxylase acid resistance system in vivo. Increased abundance of pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (PntA and PntB) suggested in vivo shortage of intracellular NADPH. Abundance changes of proteins implicated in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis (LpxC, ArnA, the predicted acyltransferase L7029) and outer membrane (OM) assembly (LptD, MlaA, MlaC) suggested bacterial cell surface modulation in response to activated host defenses. Indeed, there was evidence for interactions of innate immunity-associated proteins secreted into the intestines (GP340, REG3-γ, resistin, lithostathine, and trefoil factor 3) with the bacterial cell envelope.

SIGNIFICANCE

Proteomic analysis afforded insights into system-wide adaptations of strain 86-24 to a hostile intestinal milieu, including responses to limited nutrients and cofactor supplies, intracellular acidification, and reactive nitrogen and oxygen species-mediated stress. Protein and lipopolysaccharide compositions of the OM were altered. Enhanced expression of type III secretion system effectors correlated with a metabolic shift back to a more aerobic milieu in vivo. Apparent pathogen pattern recognition molecules from piglet intestinal secretions adhered strongly to the bacterial cell surface.

The Escherichia coli phosphotyrosine proteome relates to core pathways and virulence

While phosphotyrosine modification is an established regulatory mechanism in eukaryotes, it is less well characterized in bacteria due to low prevalence. To gain insight into the extent and biological importance of tyrosine phosphorylation in Escherichia coli, we used immunoaffinity-based phosphotyrosine peptide enrichment combined with high resolution mass spectrometry analysis to comprehensively identify tyrosine phosphorylated proteins and accurately map phosphotyrosine sites. We identified a total of 512 unique phosphotyrosine sites on 342 proteins in E. coli K12 and the human pathogen enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157:H7, representing the largest phosphotyrosine proteome reported to date in bacteria. This large number of tyrosine phosphorylation sites allowed us to define five phosphotyrosine site motifs. Tyrosine phosphorylated proteins belong to various functional classes such as metabolism, gene expression and virulence. We demonstrate for the first time that proteins of a type III secretion system (T3SS), required for the attaching and effacing (A/E) lesion phenotype characteristic for intestinal colonization by certain EHEC strains, are tyrosine phosphorylated by bacterial kinases. Yet, A/E lesion and metabolic phenotypes were unaffected by the mutation of the two currently known tyrosine kinases, Etk and Wzc. Substantial residual tyrosine phosphorylation present in an etk wzc double mutant strongly indicated the presence of hitherto unknown tyrosine kinases in E. coli. We assess the functional importance of tyrosine phosphorylation and demonstrate that the phosphorylated tyrosine residue of the regulator SspA positively affects expression and secretion of T3SS proteins and formation of A/E lesions. Altogether, our study reveals that tyrosine phosphorylation in bacteria is more prevalent than previously recognized, and suggests the involvement of phosphotyrosine-mediated signaling in a broad range of cellular functions and virulence.

While phosphotyrosine modification is established in eukaryote cell signaling, it is less characterized in bacteria. Despite that deletion of bacterial tyrosine kinases is known to affect various cellular functions and virulence of bacterial pathogens, few phosphotyrosine proteins are currently known. To gain insight into the extent and biological function of tyrosine phosphorylation in E. coli, we carried out an in-depth phosphotyrosine protein profiling using a mass spectrometry-based proteomics approach. Our study on E. coli K12 and the human pathogen enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157:H7, which is a common cause of food-borne outbreaks of diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome, reveal that tyrosine phosphorylation is far more prevalent than previously recognized. Target proteins are involved in a broad range of cellular functions and virulence. Proteins of the type III secretion system (T3SS), required for the attaching and effacing lesion phenotype characteristic for intestinal colonization by EHEC, are tyrosine phosphorylated. The expression of these T3SS proteins and A/E lesion formation is affected by a tyrosine phosphorylated residue on the regulator SspA. Also, our data indicates the presence of hitherto unknown E. coli tyrosine kinases. Overall, tyrosine phosphorylation seems to be involved in controlling cellular core processes and virulence of bacteria.

Differences in virulence gene expression between atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic and healthy ruminants

Differences in the pathogenicity of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strains may be due, at least partially, to different expression patterns of some virulence genes. To investigate this hypothesis, the virulence gene expression patterns of 6 atypical EPEC strains isolated from healthy and diarrheic ruminants were compared using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction after growing the bacteria in culture medium alone or after binding it to HeLa epithelial cells. Some virulence genes in strains from diarrheic animals were upregulated relative to their expression in strains from healthy animals. When bacteria were cultured in the presence of HeLa cells, the ehxA and efa1/lifA genes, previously associated with the production of diarrhea, were expressed at higher levels in strains from diarrheic animals than in strains from healthy animals. Thus, the expression levels of some virulence genes may help determine which atypical EPEC strains cause diarrhea in ruminants.

Enumeration of sublethally injured Escherichia coli O157:H7 ATCC 43895 and Escherichia coli strain B-41560 using selective agar overlays versus commercial methods

Quality control procedures during food processing may involve direct inoculation of food samples onto appropriate selective media for subsequent enumeration. However, sublethally injured bacteria often fail to grow, enabling them to evade detection and intervention measures and ultimately threaten the health of consumers. This study compares traditional selective and nonselective agar-based overlays versus two commercial systems (Petrifilm and Easygel) for recovery of injured E. coli B-41560 and O157:H7 strains. Bacteria were propagated in tryptic soy broth (TSB), ground beef slurry, and infant milk formula to a density of 10(6) to 10(8) CFU/ml and then were stressed for 6 min either in lactic acid (pH 4.5) or heat shocked for 3 min at 60°C. Samples were pour plated in basal layers of either tryptic soy agar (TSA), sorbitol MacConkey agar (SMAC), or violet red bile agar (VRB) and were resuscitated for 4 h prior to addition of agar overlays. Other stressed bacteria were plated directly onto Petrifilm and Easygel. Results indicate that selective and nonselective agar overlays recovered significantly higher numbers (greater than 1 log) of acid- and heat-injured E. coli O157:H7 from TSB, ground beef, and infant milk formula compared with direct plating onto selective media, Petrifilm, or Easygel, while no significant differences among these media combinations were observed for stressed E. coli B-41560. Nonstressed bacteria from TSB and ground beef were also recovered at densities significantly higher in nonselective TSA-TSA and in VRB-VRB and SMAC-SMAC compared with Petrifilm and Easygel. These data underscore the need to implement food safety measures that address sublethally injured pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 in order to avoid underestimation of true densities for target pathogens.

The N-terminal domain of EspF induces host cell apoptosis after infection with enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) employs a type III secretion system (TTSS) to export the translocator and effector proteins required for mucosal colonization. As an important bacterial effector protein in locus of enterocyte effacement four, the EspF protein causes F-actin filament aggregations to form attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions, and induces the destruction of brush-border microvilli and cytoskeletal rearrangements to form pedestals. However, the molecular pathogenesis of A/E lesions due to EHEC O157:H7 infection is unclear. In this study, we constructed an espF-deficient mutant (ΔespF) with a 162-bp deletion in the N-terminal domain by using overlap extension PCR. The results showed that EHEC EspF translocated into intestinal epithelial cells, targeted mitochondria and induced apoptosis. The ΔespF mutant, compared to EHEC prototype Guangzhou strain, had lower cell attachment and effacement abilities, lower caspase-9/3 and lactate dehydrogenase levels, lower bacterial adhesion, weaker mitochondria apoptosis, and a higher mouse survival rate. Our results demonstrate the probable function of the EspF N-terminal domain, which targets mitochondria and binds mitochondria heat shock protein 70 to induce cell apoptosis via A/E lesions. These findings may be invaluable in clarifying the molecular pathogenesis of EspF of EHEC O157:H7.

Modulation of host microtubule dynamics by pathogenic bacteria

The eukaryotic cytoskeleton is a vulnerable target of many microbial pathogens during the course of infection. Rearrangements of host cytoskeleton benefit microbes in various stages of their infection cycle such as invasion, motility, and persistence. Bacterial pathogens deliver a number of effector proteins into host cells for modulating the dynamics of actin and microtubule cytoskeleton. Alteration of the actin cytoskeleton is generally achieved by bacterial effectors that target the small GTPases of the host. Modulation of microtubule dynamics involves direct interaction of effector proteins with the subunits of microtubules or recruiting cellular proteins that affect microtubule dynamics. This review will discuss effector proteins from animal and human bacterial pathogens that either destabilize or stabilize host micro-tubules to advance the infectious process. A compilation of these research findings will provide an overview of known and unknown strategies used by various bacterial effectors to modulate the host microtubule dynamics. The present review will undoubtedly help direct future research to determine the mechanisms of action of many bacterial effector proteins and contribute to understanding the survival strategies of diverse adherent and invasive bacterial pathogens.

Genome-wide analysis of the Pho regulon in a pstCA mutant of Citrobacter rodentium

The phosphate-specific transport operon, pstSCAB-phoU, of Gram-negative bacteria is an essential part of the Pho regulon. Its key roles are to encode a high-affinity inorganic phosphate transport system and to prevent activation of PhoB in phosphate-rich environments. In general, mutations in pstSCAB-phoU lead to the constitutive expression of the Pho regulon. Previously, we constructed a pstCA deletion mutant of Citrobacter rodentium and found it to be attenuated for virulence in mice, its natural host. This attenuation was dependent on PhoB or PhoB-regulated gene(s) because a phoB mutation restored virulence for mice to the pstCA mutant. To investigate how downstream genes may contribute to the virulence of C. rodentium, we used microarray analysis to investigate global gene expression of C. rodentium strain ICC169 and its isogenic pstCA mutant when grown in phosphate-rich medium. Overall 323 genes of the pstCA mutant were differentially expressed by at least 1.5-fold compared to the wild-type C. rodentium. Of these 145 were up-regulated and 178 were down-regulated. Differentially expressed genes included some involved in phosphate homoeostasis, cellular metabolism and protein metabolism. A large number of genes involved in stress responses and of unknown function were also differentially expressed, as were some virulence-associated genes. Up-regulated virulence-associated genes in the pstCA mutant included that for DegP, a serine protease, which appeared to be directly regulated by PhoB. Down-regulated genes included those for the production of the urease, flagella, NleG8 (a type III-secreted protein) and the tad focus (which encodes type IVb pili in Yersinia enterocolitica). Infection studies using C57/BL6 mice showed that DegP and NleG8 play a role in bacterial virulence. Overall, our study provides evidence that Pho is a global regulator of gene expression in C. rodentium and indicates the presence of at least two previously unrecognized virulence determinants of C. rodentium, namely, DegP and NleG8.

Non-neutral evolution in non-LEE-encoded type III effectors of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli

Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) employ type III secretion system (T3SS) to secrete effector proteins into host cells and regulate their function. Here we have investigated T3SS genes of AEEC for non-neutral evolution. Our analysis revealed non-neutral evolution in three genes (nleE1, nleB2 and nleD) which encode effector proteins. These genes are located outside the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). In general, non-LEE effector genes show greater deviation from neutral evolution than LEE effector genes. These results suggest that effector genes located outside LEE are under greater selection pressure than those present in LEE.

Surface organelles assembled by secretion systems of Gram-negative bacteria: diversity in structure and function

Gram-negative bacteria express a wide variety of organelles on their cell surface. These surface structures may be the end products of secretion systems, such as the hair-like fibers assembled by the chaperone/usher (CU) and type IV pilus pathways, which generally function in adhesion to surfaces and bacterial-bacterial and bacterial-host interactions. Alternatively, the surface organelles may be integral components of the secretion machinery itself, such as the needle complex and pilus extensions formed by the type III and type IV secretion systems, which function in the delivery of bacterial effectors inside host cells. Bacterial surface structures perform functions critical for pathogenesis and have evolved to withstand forces exerted by the external environment and cope with defenses mounted by the host immune system. Given their essential roles in pathogenesis and exposed nature, bacterial surface structures also make attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. This review will describe the structure and function of surface organelles assembled by four different Gram-negative bacterial secretion systems: the CU pathway, the type IV pilus pathway, and the type III and type IV secretion systems.

SspA up-regulates gene expression of the LEE pathogenicity island by decreasing H-NS levels in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Background

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) colonizes the intestinal epithelium and causes attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions. Expression of virulence genes, particularly those from the locus of the enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island is required for the formation of a type three secretion system, which induces A/E lesion formation. Like other horizontally acquired genetic elements, expression of the LEE is negatively regulated by H-NS. In the non-pathogenic Escherichia coli K-12 strain the stringent starvation protein A (SspA) inhibits accumulation of H-NS, and thereby allows de-repression of the H-NS regulon during the stationary phase of growth. However, the effect of SspA on the expression of H-NS-controlled virulence genes in EHEC is unknown.

Results

Here we assess the effect of SspA on virulence gene expression in EHEC. We show that transcription of virulence genes including those of the LEE is decreased in an sspA mutant, rendering the mutant strain defective in forming A/E lesions. A surface exposed pocket of SspA is functionally important for the regulation of the LEE and for the A/E phenotype. Increased expression of ler alleviates LEE expression in an sspA mutant, suggesting that the level of Ler in the mutant is insufficient to counteract H-NS-mediated repression. We demonstrate that the H-NS level is two-fold higher in an sspA mutant compared to wild type, and that the defects of the sspA mutant are suppressed by an hns null mutation, indicating that hns is epistatic to sspA in regulating H-NS repressed virulence genes.

Conclusions

SspA positively regulates the expression of EHEC virulence factors by restricting the intracellular level of H-NS. Since SspA is conserved in many bacterial pathogens containing horizontally acquired pathogenicity islands controlled by H-NS, our study suggests a common mechanism whereby SspA potentially regulates the expression of virulence genes in these pathogens.

Ins and outs of microbial adhesion

Microbial adhesion is generally a complex process, involving multiple adhesins on a single microbe and their respective target receptors on host cells. In some situations, various adhesins of a microbe may co-operate in an apparently hierarchical and sequential manner whereby the first adhesive event triggers the target cell to express receptors for additional microbial adhesins. In other instances, adhesins may act in concert leading to high avidity interactions, often a prelude to cellular invasion and tissue penetration. Mechanisms used to target the host include both lectin-like interactions and protein-protein interactions; the latter are often highly specific for the host or a tissue within the host. This reflective chapter aims to offer a point of view on microbial adhesion by presenting some experiences and thoughts especially related to respiratory pathogens and explore if there can be any future hope of controlling bacterial infections via preventing adhesion or invasion stages of microbial pathogenesis.

Escherichia coli virulence factors

Escherichia coli was described in 1885 by a German pediatrician, Theodor Escherich, in the faeces of a child suffering diarrhoea. In 1893, a Danish veterinarian postulated that the E. coli species comprises different strains, some being pathogens, others not. Today the E. coli species is subdivided into several pathogenic strains causing different intestinal, urinary tract or internal infections and pathologies, in animal species and in humans. Since this congress topic is the interaction between E. coli and the mucosal immune system, the purpose of this manuscript is to present different classes of adhesins (fimbrial adhesins, afimbrial adhesins and outer membrane proteins), the type 3 secretion system, and some toxins (oligopeptide, AB, and RTX pore-forming toxins) produced by E. coli, that can directly interact with the epithelial cells of the intestinal, respiratory and urinary tracts.

A distinct regulatory sequence is essential for the expression of a subset of nle genes in attaching and effacing Escherichia coli

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli uses a type III secretion system (T3SS), encoded in the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island, to translocate a wide repertoire of effector proteins into the host cell in order to subvert cell signaling cascades and promote bacterial colonization and survival. Genes encoding type III-secreted effectors are located in the LEE and scattered throughout the chromosome. While LEE gene regulation is better understood, the conditions and factors involved in the expression of effectors encoded outside the LEE are just starting to be elucidated. Here, we identified a highly conserved sequence containing a 13-bp inverted repeat (IR), located upstream of a subset of genes coding for different non-LEE-encoded effectors in A/E pathogens. Site-directed mutagenesis and deletion analysis of the nleH1 and nleB2 regulatory regions revealed that this IR is essential for the transcriptional activation of both genes. Growth conditions that favor the expression of LEE genes also facilitate the activation of nleH1 and nleB2; however, their expression is independent of the LEE-encoded positive regulators Ler and GrlA but is repressed by GrlR and the global regulator H-NS. In contrast, GrlA and Ler are required for nleA expression, while H-NS silences it. Consistent with their role in the regulation of nleA, purified Ler and H-NS bound to the regulatory region of nleA upstream of its promoter. This work shows that at least two modes of regulation control the expression of effector genes in attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogens, suggesting that a subset of effector functions may be coordinately expressed in a particular niche or time during infection.

Recruitment and membrane interactions of host cell proteins during attachment of enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli

EPEC (enteropathogenic Escherichia coli) and EHEC (enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli) are attaching and effacing pathogens frequently associated with infectious diarrhoea. EPEC and EHEC use a T3SS (type III secretion system) to translocate effectors that subvert different cellular processes to sustain colonization and multiplication. The eukaryotic proteins NHERF2 (Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor 2) and AnxA2 (annexin A2), which are involved in regulation of intestinal ion channels, are recruited to the bacterial attachment sites. Using a stable HeLa-NHERF2 cell line, we found partial co-localization of AnxA2 and NHERF2; in EPEC-infected cells, AnxA2 and NHERF2 were extensively recruited to the site of bacterial attachment. We confirmed that NHERF2 dimerizes and found that NHERF2 interacts with AnxA2. Moreover, we found that AnxA2 also binds both the N- and C-terminal domains of the bacterial effector Tir through its C-terminal domain. Immunofluorescence of HeLa cells infected with EPEC showed that AnxA2 is recruited to the site of bacterial attachment in a Tir-dependent manner, but independently of Tir-induced actin polymerization. Our results suggest that AnxA2 and NHERF2 form a scaffold complex that links adjacent Tir molecules at the plasma membrane forming a lattice that could be involved in retention and dissemination of other effectors at the bacterial attachment site.

Intimin subtyping of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from children with and without diarrhea: a possible temporal shift in the distribution of intimin alleles

Intimins of atypical EPEC strains from children with and without diarrhea were genotyped. κ was not found and β was the most common. η- and ζ-alleles prevailed in strains from children without diarrhea and ι-allele among children older than 13 months. ε-allele emerged in 2006 and was the most common in 2007.

Membrane-deforming proteins play distinct roles in actin pedestal biogenesis by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Many bacterial pathogens reorganize the host actin cytoskeleton during the course of infection, including enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), which utilizes the effector protein EspF(U) to assemble actin filaments within plasma membrane protrusions called pedestals. EspF(U) activates N-WASP, a host actin nucleation-promoting factor that is normally auto-inhibited and found in a complex with the actin-binding protein WIP. Under native conditions, this N-WASP/WIP complex is activated by the small GTPase Cdc42 in concert with several different SH3 (Src-homology-3) domain-containing proteins. In the current study, we tested whether SH3 domains from the F-BAR (FCH-Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs) subfamily of membrane-deforming proteins are involved in actin pedestal formation. We found that three F-BAR proteins: CIP4, FBP17, and TOCA1 (transducer of Cdc42-dependent actin assembly), play different roles during actin pedestal biogenesis. Whereas CIP4 and FBP17 inhibited actin pedestal assembly, TOCA1 stimulated this process. TOCA1 was recruited to pedestals by its SH3 domain, which bound directly to proline-rich sequences within EspF(U). Moreover, EspF(U) and TOCA1 activated the N-WASP/WIP complex in an additive fashion in vitro, suggesting that TOCA1 can augment actin assembly within pedestals. These results reveal that EspF(U) acts as a scaffold to recruit multiple actin assembly factors whose functions are normally regulated by Cdc42.

O157:H7 and O104:H4 Vero/Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli outbreaks: respective role of cattle and humans

An enteroaggregative Verotoxin (Vtx)-producing Escherichia coli strain of serotype O104:H4 has recently been associated with an outbreak of haemolytic-uremic syndrome and bloody diarrhoea in humans mainly in Germany, but also in 14 other European countries, USA and Canada. This O104:H4 E. coli strain has often been described as an enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), i.e. a Vtx-producing E. coli with attaching and effacing properties. Although both EHEC and the German O104:H4 E. coli strains indeed produce Vtx, they nevertheless differ in several other virulence traits, as well as in epidemiological characteristics. For instance, the primary sources and vehicles of typical EHEC infections in humans are ruminants, whereas no animal reservoir has been identified for enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC). The present article is introduced by a brief overview of the main characteristics of Vtx-producing E. coli and EAggEC. Thereafter, the O104:H4 E. coli outbreak is compared to typical EHEC outbreaks and the virulence factors and host specificity of EHEC and EAggEC are discussed. Finally, a renewed nomenclature of Vtx-producing E. coli is proposed to avoid more confusion in communication during future outbreaks and to replace the acronym EHEC that only refers to a clinical condition.

Correlating levels of type III secretion and secreted proteins with fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle

The locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (O157) encodes a type III secretion system (T3SS) for secreting LEE-encoded and non-LEE-encoded virulence proteins that promote the adherence of O157 to intestinal epithelial cells and the persistence of this food-borne human pathogen in bovine intestines. In this study, we compared hha sepB and hha mutants of O157 for LEE transcription, T3SS activity, adherence to HEp-2 cells, persistence in bovine intestines, and the ability to induce changes in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. LEE transcription was upregulated in the hha sepB and hha mutant strains compared to that in the wild-type strain, but the secretion of virulence proteins in the hha sepB mutant was severely compromised. This reduced secretion resulted in reduced adherence of the hha sepB mutant to Hep-2 cells, correlating with a significantly shorter duration and lower magnitude of fecal shedding in feces of weaned (n = 4 per group) calves inoculated with this mutant strain. The levels of LEE transcription, T3SS activity, and adherence to HEp-2 cells were much lower in the wild-type strain than in the hha mutant, but no significant differences were observed in the duration or the magnitude of fecal shedding in calves inoculated with these strains. Examination of the rectoanal junction (RAJ) tissues from three groups of calves showed no adherent O157 bacteria and similar proinflammatory cytokine gene expression, irrespective of the inoculated strain, with the exception that interleukin-1β was upregulated in calves inoculated with the hha sepB mutant. These results indicate that the T3SS is essential for intestinal colonization and prolonged shedding, but increased secretion of virulence proteins did not enhance the duration and magnitude of fecal shedding of O157 in cattle or have any significant impact on the cytokine gene expression in RAJ tissue compared with that in small intestinal tissue from the same calves.

Potential role of chitinases and chitin-binding proteins in host-microbial interactions during the development of intestinal inflammation

The small and large intestines contain an abundance of luminal antigens derived from food products and enteric microorganisms. The function of intestinal epithelial cells is tightly regulated by several factors produced by enteric bacteria and the epithelial cells themselves. Epithelial cells actively participate in regulating the homeostasis of intestine, and failure of this function leads to abnormal and host-microbial interactions resulting in the development of intestinal inflammation. Major determinants of host susceptibility against luminal commensal bacteria include genes regulating mucosal immune responses, intestinal barrier function and microbial defense. Of note, it has been postulated that commensal bacterial adhesion and invasion on/into host cells may be strongly involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). During the intestinal inflammation, the composition of the commensal flora is altered, with increased population of aggressive and detrimental bacteria and decreased populations of protective bacteria. In fact, some pathogenic bacteria, including Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Vibrio cholerae are likely to initiate their adhesion to the host cells by expressing accessory molecules such as chitinases and/or chitin-binding proteins on themselves. In addition, several inducible molecules (e.g., chitinase 3-like 1, CEACAM6) are also induced on the host cells (e.g. epithelial cells, lamina proprial macrophages) under inflammatory conditions, and are actively participated in the host-microbial interactions. In this review, we will summarize and discuss the potential roles of these important molecules during the development of acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Identifying mechanisms by which Escherichia coli O157:H7 subverts interferon-γ mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 activation

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 is a food borne enteric bacterial pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in both developing and industrialized nations. E. coli O157:H7 infection of host epithelial cells inhibits the interferon gamma pro-inflammatory signaling pathway, which is important for host defense against microbial pathogens, through the inhibition of Stat-1 tyrosine phosphorylation. The aim of this study was to determine which bacterial factors are involved in the inhibition of Stat-1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Human epithelial cells were challenged with either live bacteria or bacterial-derived culture supernatants, stimulated with interferon-gamma, and epithelial cell protein extracts were then analyzed by immunoblotting. The results show that Stat-1 tyrosine phosphorylation was inhibited by E. coli O157:H7 secreted proteins. Using sequential anion exchange and size exclusion chromatography, YodA was identified, but not confirmed to mediate subversion of the Stat-1 signaling pathway using isogenic mutants. We conclude that E. coli O157:H7 subverts Stat-1 tyrosine phosphorylation in response to interferon-gamma through a still as yet unidentified secreted bacterial protein.