1
|
Scheutz F, Nielsen CH, von Mentzer A. Construction of the ETECFinder database for the characterization of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and revision of the VirulenceFinder web tool at the CGE website. J Clin Microbiol 2024; 62:e0057023. [PMID: 38656142 PMCID: PMC11237473 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00570-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The identification of pathogens is essential for effective surveillance and outbreak detection, which lately has been facilitated by the decreasing cost of whole-genome sequencing (WGS). However, extracting relevant virulence genes from WGS data remains a challenge. In this study, we developed a web-based tool to predict virulence-associated genes in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), which is a major concern for human and animal health. The database includes genes encoding the heat-labile toxin (LT) (eltA and eltB), heat-stable toxin (ST) (est), colonization factors CS1 through 30, F4, F5, F6, F17, F18, and F41, as well as toxigenic invasion and adherence loci (tia, tibAC, etpBAC, eatA, yghJ, and tleA). To construct the database, we revised the existing ETEC nomenclature and used the VirulenceFinder webtool at the CGE website [VirulenceFinder 2.0 (dtu.dk)]. The database was tested on 1,083 preassembled ETEC genomes, two BioProjects (PRJNA421191 with 305 and PRJNA416134 with 134 sequences), and the ETEC reference genome H10407. In total, 455 new virulence gene alleles were added, 50 alleles were replaced or renamed, and two were removed. Overall, our tool has the potential to greatly facilitate ETEC identification and improve the accuracy of WGS analysis. It can also help identify potential new virulence genes in ETEC. The revised nomenclature and expanded gene repertoire provide a better understanding of the genetic diversity of ETEC. Additionally, the user-friendly interface makes it accessible to users with limited bioinformatics experience. IMPORTANCE Detecting colonization factors in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is challenging due to their large number, heterogeneity, and lack of standardized tests. Therefore, it is important to include these ETEC-related genes in a more comprehensive VirulenceFinder database in order to obtain a more complete coverage of the virulence gene repertoire of pathogenic types of E. coli. ETEC vaccines are of great importance due to the severity of the infections, primarily in children. A tool such as this could assist in the surveillance of ETEC in order to determine the prevalence of relevant types in different parts of the world, allowing vaccine developers to target the most prevalent types and, thus, a more effective vaccine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Flemming Scheutz
- The International Escherichia and Klebsiella Centre, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Camilla Hald Nielsen
- The International Escherichia and Klebsiella Centre, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Astrid von Mentzer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Calderon Toledo C, von Mentzer A, Agramont J, Thorell K, Zhou Y, Szabó M, Colque P, Kuhn I, Gutiérrez-Cortez S, Joffré E. Circulation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) isolates expressing CS23 from the environment to clinical settings. mSystems 2023; 8:e0014123. [PMID: 37681982 PMCID: PMC10654058 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00141-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The importance of clean water cannot be overstated. It is a vital resource for maintaining health and well-being. Unfortunately, water sources contaminated with fecal discharges from animal and human origin due to a lack of wastewater management pose a significant risk to communities, as they can become a means of transmission of pathogenic bacteria like enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). ETEC is frequently found in polluted water in countries with a high prevalence of diarrheal diseases, such as Bolivia. This study provides novel insights into the circulation of ETEC between diarrheal cases and polluted water sources in areas with high rates of diarrheal disease. These findings highlight the Choqueyapu River as a potential reservoir for emerging pathogens carrying antibiotic-resistance genes, making it a crucial area for monitoring and intervention. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the feasibility of a low-cost, high-throughput method for tracking bacterial pathogens in low- and middle-income countries, making it a valuable tool for One Health monitoring efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Calderon Toledo
- Unidad de Microbiología Ambiental, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología (IBMB), Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Astrid von Mentzer
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jorge Agramont
- Unidad de Microbiología Ambiental, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología (IBMB), Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Kaisa Thorell
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology (CMB), University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Yingshun Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, The public platform of the Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Miklós Szabó
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patricia Colque
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Inger Kuhn
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sergio Gutiérrez-Cortez
- Unidad de Microbiología Ambiental, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología (IBMB), Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Enrique Joffré
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Okuno M, Tsuru N, Yoshino S, Gotoh Y, Yamamoto T, Hayashi T, Ogura Y. Isolation and Genomic Characterization of a Heat-Labile Enterotoxin 1-Producing Escherichia fergusonii Strain from a Human. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0049123. [PMID: 37432125 PMCID: PMC10434266 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00491-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Escherichia fergusonii strains have been isolated from patients with diarrhea, but their virulence determinant has not been well elucidated. Here, we report the first isolation of a heat-labile enterotoxin 1 (LT1)-producing E. fergusonii strain (strain 30038) from a patient in Japan. The complete genome sequence of strain 30038 was determined and subjected to comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses with 195 publicly available genomes of E. fergusonii. In addition to strain 30038, the elt1 gene was also identified in an E. fergusonii strain that is phylogenetically distinct and which was isolated from poultry in the United Kingdom. Fine genomic comparison revealed that these two strains share comparable elt1-bearing plasmids. However, an intriguing distinction arises in strain 30038, wherein the plasmid has integrated into the chromosome via a recombination process mediated by an insertion sequence. The production of active LT1 toxin by strain 30038 was verified through an in vitro assay using cultured cells. A large plasmid carrying 11 antimicrobial resistance genes was also identified in strain 30038. Our results indicate that extensive surveillance of elt1-positive E. fergusonii strains as diarrheagenic pathogens is needed. IMPORTANCE Escherichia fergusonii, a species closely related to Escherichia coli, is known to cause sporadic conditions in humans, including diarrhea. However, the critical virulence factors in E. fergusonii clinical isolates remain to be identified. This study shows the first isolation of an E. fergusonii strain carrying the elt1 gene, which encodes heat-labile enterotoxin 1, from a patient with diarrhea. Our analysis of public databases also revealed the presence of elt1-positive E. fergusonii strains isolated from poultry in the United Kingdom. Interestingly, while the elt1 gene in the poultry isolate was present on a large plasmid, in the human isolate it was integrated into the chromosome, which may confer stability on the elt1-carrying genetic element. Our findings highlight the need for extensive surveillance of elt1-positive E. fergusonii strains in livestock animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miki Okuno
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Nami Tsuru
- Miyazaki Prefectural Institute for Public Health and Environment, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Shuji Yoshino
- Miyazaki Prefectural Institute for Public Health and Environment, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Gotoh
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yamamoto
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshitoshi Ogura
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lu X, Wu D, Zhao X, Zhang M, Ren K, Zhou N, Zhao Y, Qian W. Effect of ethanolamine utilization on the pathogenicity and metabolic profile of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:8195-8210. [PMID: 36370159 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12261-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogenicity is greatly affected by nutrient recognition and utilization in the host microenvironment. The characterization of enteral nutrients that promote intestinal pathogen virulence is helpful for developing new adjuvant therapies and inhibiting host damage. Ethanolamine (EA), as a major component of intestinal epithelial cells and bacterial membranes, is abundant in the intestine. Here, we provide the first demonstration that the critical human and porcine pathogen enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) can utilize EA as a nitrogen source, which affects its virulence phenotype. We found that compared with that in M9 medium (containing NH4Cl), EA inhibited ETEC growth to a certain extent; however, the relative expression levels of virulence-related genes, such as ltA (3.0-fold), fimH (2.9-fold), CfaD (2.6-fold), gspD (3.6-fold), and qesE (1.3-fold), increased significantly with 15 mM EA as a nitrogen source (P < 0.05), and the adhesion efficiency of ETEC to Caco-2 cells increased approximately 4.2-fold. In Caco-2 cells, the relative cell viability decreased from 74.8 to 63.4%, and the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) cells decreased to 74.8% with intestinal EA (4 mM). In addition, the relative expression levels of proinflammatory factors, such as TNF-α (3.2-fold), INF-γ (2.9-fold), and IL-1β (1.98-fold), in ETEC-infected Caco-2 cells were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05) under EA exposure; however, the above virulence changes were not found in ΔeutR and ΔeutB ETEC. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based untargeted metabolomics approach was then employed to reveal EA-induced metabolic reprogramming related to ETEC virulence. The data showed that most metabolites related to carbohydrate, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, shikimic acid metabolism, and serine metabolism in ETEC exhibited a decreasing trend with increases in the EA concentration from 0 to 15 mM, but the branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) levels in ETEC increased in a dose-dependent manner under EA exposure. Our data suggest that the intestinal EA concentration can significantly affect the virulence phenotype, metabolic profile, and pathogenicity of ETEC. KEY POINTS: • ETEC growth and virulence gene expression could be regulated by ethanolamine. • The intestinal concentration of EA promoted the damaging effect of ETEC on the host epithelial barrier. • The promoting effect of EA on ETEC toxicity may be related to BCAA metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Lu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Dingyan Wu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Mingxin Zhang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Ke Ren
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Ningning Zhou
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Yanni Zhao
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China.
| | - Weisheng Qian
- Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710048, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yang C, Li Y, Zuo L, Jiang M, Zhang X, Xie L, Luo M, She Y, Wang L, Jiang Y, Wu S, Cai R, Shi X, Cui Y, Wan C, Hu Q. Genomic Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli From Outpatients With Diarrhea in Shenzhen, China, 2015-2020. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:732068. [PMID: 34777281 PMCID: PMC8581654 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.732068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in children and the most common cause of diarrhea in travelers. However, most ETEC infections in Shenzhen, China were from indigenous adults. In this study, we characterized 106 ETEC isolates from indigenous outpatients with diarrhea (77% were adults aged >20 years) in Shenzhen between 2015 and 2020 by whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Shenzhen ETEC isolates showed a remarkable high diversity, which belonged to four E. coli phylogroups (A: 71%, B1: 13%, E: 10%, and D: 6%) and 15 ETEC lineages, with L11 (25%, O159:H34/O159:H43, ST218/ST3153), novel L2/4 (21%, O6:H16, ST48), and L4 (15%, O25:H16, ST1491) being major lineages. Heat-stable toxin (ST) was most prevalent (76%, STh: 60% STp: 16%), followed by heat-labile toxin (LT, 17%) and ST + LT (7%). One or multiple colonization factors (CFs) were identified in 68 (64%) isolates, with the common CFs being CS21 (48%) and CS6 (34%). Antimicrobial resistance mutation/gene profiles of genomes were concordant with the phenotype testing results of 52 representative isolates, which revealed high resistance rate to nalidixic acid (71%), ampicillin (69%), and ampicillin/sulbactam (46%), and demonstrated that the novel L2/4 was a multidrug-resistant lineage. This study provides novel insight into the genomic epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of ETEC infections in indigenous adults for the first time, which further improves our understanding on ETEC epidemiology and has implications for the development of vaccine and future surveillance and prevention of ETEC infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yinghui Li
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Le Zuo
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Min Jiang
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xianglilan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Li Xie
- School of Public Health, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Miaomiao Luo
- School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yiying She
- School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yixiang Jiang
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuang Wu
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rui Cai
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaolu Shi
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Chengsong Wan
- Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qinghua Hu
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abd El Ghany M, Barquist L, Clare S, Brandt C, Mayho M, Joffre´ E, Sjöling Å, Turner AK, Klena JD, Kingsley RA, Hill-Cawthorne GA, Dougan G, Pickard D. Functional analysis of colonization factor antigen I positive enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli identifies genes implicated in survival in water and host colonization. Microb Genom 2021; 7:000554. [PMID: 34110281 PMCID: PMC8461466 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) expressing the colonization pili CFA/I are common causes of diarrhoeal infections in humans. Here, we use a combination of transposon mutagenesis and transcriptomic analysis to identify genes and pathways that contribute to ETEC persistence in water environments and colonization of a mammalian host. ETEC persisting in water exhibit a distinct RNA expression profile from those growing in richer media. Multiple pathways were identified that contribute to water survival, including lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and stress response regulons. The analysis also indicated that ETEC growing in vivo in mice encounter a bottleneck driving down the diversity of colonizing ETEC populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moataz Abd El Ghany
- The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- The Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Lars Barquist
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Simon Clare
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Cordelia Brandt
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew Mayho
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Enrique Joffre´
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Åsa Sjöling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A. Keith Turner
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - John D. Klena
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Robert A. Kingsley
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Gordon Dougan
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Derek Pickard
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
von Mentzer A, Blackwell GA, Pickard D, Boinett CJ, Joffré E, Page AJ, Svennerholm AM, Dougan G, Sjöling Å. Long-read-sequenced reference genomes of the seven major lineages of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) circulating in modern time. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9256. [PMID: 33927221 PMCID: PMC8085198 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88316-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an enteric pathogen responsible for the majority of diarrheal cases worldwide. ETEC infections are estimated to cause 80,000 deaths annually, with the highest rates of burden, ca 75 million cases per year, amongst children under 5 years of age in resource-poor countries. It is also the leading cause of diarrhoea in travellers. Previous large-scale sequencing studies have found seven major ETEC lineages currently in circulation worldwide. We used PacBio long-read sequencing combined with Illumina sequencing to create high-quality complete reference genomes for each of the major lineages with manually curated chromosomes and plasmids. We confirm that the major ETEC lineages all harbour conserved plasmids that have been associated with their respective background genomes for decades, suggesting that the plasmids and chromosomes of ETEC are both crucial for ETEC virulence and success as pathogens. The in-depth analysis of gene content, synteny and correct annotations of plasmids will elucidate other plasmids with and without virulence factors in related bacterial species. These reference genomes allow for fast and accurate comparison between different ETEC strains, and these data will form the foundation of ETEC genomics research for years to come.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Astrid von Mentzer
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Grace A Blackwell
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- EMBL-EBI, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Derek Pickard
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Enrique Joffré
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Andrew J Page
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Ann-Mari Svennerholm
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gordon Dougan
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Åsa Sjöling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Escherichia coli is a commensal of the vertebrate gut that is increasingly involved in various intestinal and extra-intestinal infections as an opportunistic pathogen. Numerous pathotypes that represent groups of strains with specific pathogenic characteristics have been described based on heterogeneous and complex criteria. The democratization of whole-genome sequencing has led to an accumulation of genomic data that render possible a population phylogenomic approach to the emergence of virulence. Few lineages are responsible for the pathologies compared with the diversity of commensal strains. These lineages emerged multiple times during E. coli evolution, mainly by acquiring virulence genes located on mobile elements, but in a specific chromosomal phylogenetic background. This repeated emergence of stable and cosmopolitan lineages argues for an optimization of strain fitness through epistatic interactions between the virulence determinants and the remaining genome.
Collapse
|
9
|
Rodrigues JF, Lourenço RF, Maeda DLNF, de Jesus Cintra M, Nakao N, Mathias-Santos C, Luiz WB, de Souza Ferreira LC. Strain-specific transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of heat-labile toxin expression by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Braz J Microbiol 2020; 51:455-465. [PMID: 32016818 PMCID: PMC7203263 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00231-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) represents one of the most important etiological agents of diarrhea in developing countries and characteristically produces at least one of two enterotoxins: heat-labile toxin (LT) and heat-stable toxin (ST). It has been previously shown that the production and release of LT by human-derived ETEC strains are variable. Although the natural genetic polymorphisms of regulatory sequences of LT-encoding (eltAB) genes may explain the variable production of LT, the knowledge of the transcriptional and posttranscriptional aspects affecting LT expression among ETEC strains is not clear. To further understand the factors affecting LT expression, we evaluated the impact of the natural polymorphism in noncoding regulatory sequences of eltAB among clinically derived ETEC strains. Sequence analyses of seven clinically derived strains and the reference strain H10407 revealed polymorphic sites at both the promoter and upstream regions of the eltAB operon. Operon fusion assays with GFP revealed that specific nucleotide changes in the Pribnow box reduce eltAB transcription. Nonetheless, the total amounts of LT produced by the tested ETEC strains did not strictly correspond to the detected LT-specific mRNA levels. Indeed, the stability of LT varied according to the tested strain, indicating the presence of posttranscriptional mechanisms affecting LT expression. Taken together, our results indicate that the production of LT is a strain-specific process and involves transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms that regulate the final amount of toxin produced and released by specific strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Falcão Rodrigues
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil. .,Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Rogério Ferreira Lourenço
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil.,Institute of Biology, The State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Denicar Lina Nascimento Fabris Maeda
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil.,Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Mariana de Jesus Cintra
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Naomi Nakao
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Camila Mathias-Santos
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil.,Technical-Scientific Police Superintendency, São Paulo State, Criminalistic Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wilson Barros Luiz
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil.,Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Luís Carlos de Souza Ferreira
- Vaccine Development Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ishimaru K, Sasaki M, Narimatsu H, Arimizu Y, Gotoh Y, Nakamura K, Hayashi T, Ogura Y. Escherichia coli O8:H8 Carrying a Novel Variant of the Heat-Labile Enterotoxin LT2 Gene Caused Outbreaks of Diarrhea. Open Forum Infect Dis 2020; 7:ofaa021. [PMID: 32016129 PMCID: PMC6988837 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
No outbreaks caused by Escherichia coli–producing heat-labile enterotoxin LT2 have been reported to date. Here, we revealed that the E. coli O8:H8 strains isolated from patients in 2 independent diarrhea outbreaks were negative for any known virulence determinants in routine microbiological tests, were very closely related, and carried a prophage-encoded gene for a novel LT2 variant (LT2d) and the genes for colonization factor antigen III. We also showed that LT2d has a cytotonic activity similar to LT1. These data indicate the importance of E. coli strains producing LT2d as a human pathogen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Ishimaru
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Mari Sasaki
- Section in Charge of Microbiology, Oita Prefectural Institute of Health and the Environment, Oita, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Narimatsu
- Section in Charge of Microbiology, Oita Prefectural Institute of Health and the Environment, Oita, Japan
| | - Yoko Arimizu
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Gotoh
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Keiji Nakamura
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshitoshi Ogura
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kuhlmann FM, Martin J, Hazen TH, Vickers TJ, Pashos M, Okhuysen PC, Gómez-Duarte OG, Cebelinski E, Boxrud D, del Canto F, Vidal R, Qadri F, Mitreva M, Rasko DA, Fleckenstein JM. Conservation and global distribution of non-canonical antigens in Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007825. [PMID: 31756188 PMCID: PMC6897418 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) cause significant diarrheal morbidity and mortality in children of resource-limited regions, warranting development of effective vaccine strategies. Genetic diversity of the ETEC pathovar has impeded development of broadly protective vaccines centered on the classical canonical antigens, the colonization factors and heat-labile toxin. Two non-canonical ETEC antigens, the EtpA adhesin, and the EatA mucinase are immunogenic in humans and protective in animal models. To foster rational vaccine design that complements existing strategies, we examined the distribution and molecular conservation of these antigens in a diverse population of ETEC isolates. METHODS Geographically diverse ETEC isolates (n = 1159) were interrogated by PCR, immunoblotting, and/or whole genome sequencing (n = 46) to examine antigen conservation. The most divergent proteins were purified and their core functions assessed in vitro. RESULTS EatA and EtpA or their coding sequences were present in 57.0% and 51.5% of the ETEC isolates overall, respectively; and were globally dispersed without significant regional differences in antigen distribution. These antigens also exhibited >93% amino acid sequence identity with even the most divergent proteins retaining the core adhesin and mucinase activity assigned to the prototype molecules. CONCLUSIONS EtpA and EatA are well-conserved molecules in the ETEC pathovar, suggesting that they serve important roles in virulence and that they could be exploited for rational vaccine design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F. Matthew Kuhlmann
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - John Martin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Tracy H. Hazen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tim J. Vickers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Madeline Pashos
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Pablo C. Okhuysen
- The Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Oscar G. Gómez-Duarte
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Dave Boxrud
- Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Felipe del Canto
- Programa de Microbiología y Micología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Roberto Vidal
- Programa de Microbiología y Micología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Inmunonología e Inmunoterapia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Firdausi Qadri
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David A. Rasko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - James M. Fleckenstein
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Heat-Stable Enterotoxins of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Their Impact on Host Immunity. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11010024. [PMID: 30626031 PMCID: PMC6356903 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are an important diarrhea-causing pathogen and are regarded as a global threat for humans and farm animals. ETEC possess several virulence factors to infect its host, including colonization factors and enterotoxins. Production of heat-stable enterotoxins (STs) by most ETEC plays an essential role in triggering diarrhea and ETEC pathogenesis. In this review, we summarize the heat-stable enterotoxins of ETEC strains from different species as well as the molecular mechanisms used by these heat-stable enterotoxins to trigger diarrhea. As recently described, intestinal epithelial cells are important modulators of the intestinal immune system. Thus, we also discuss the impact of the heat-stable enterotoxins on this role of the intestinal epithelium and how these enterotoxins might affect intestinal immune cells. Finally, the latest developments in vaccination strategies to protect against infections with ST secreting ETEC strains are discussed. This review might inform and guide future research on heat-stable enterotoxins to further unravel their molecular pathogenesis, as well as to accelerate vaccine design.
Collapse
|
13
|
Pettersen VK, Steinsland H, Wiker HG. Comparative Proteomics of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Reveals Differences in Surface Protein Production and Similarities in Metabolism. J Proteome Res 2017; 17:325-336. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.7b00593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Kuchařová Pettersen
- The Gade Research Group for Infection and Immunity, Department of
Clinical Science, ‡Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health
and Primary Care, and §Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Hans Steinsland
- The Gade Research Group for Infection and Immunity, Department of
Clinical Science, ‡Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health
and Primary Care, and §Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Harald G. Wiker
- The Gade Research Group for Infection and Immunity, Department of
Clinical Science, ‡Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health
and Primary Care, and §Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Occurrence of Clinically Important Lineages, Including the Sequence Type 131 C1-M27 Subclone, among Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Wastewater. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2017. [PMID: 28630184 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00564-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Contamination of environmental waters by extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (ESBLEC) is of great concern. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and hospitals release large amounts of ESBLEC into the environment. In the present study, we isolated ESBLEC strains from wastewater collected from a WWTP and a hospital in Japan and performed whole-genome sequencing to characterize these strains. Genomic analysis of 54 strains (32 from the WWTP and 22 from hospital wastewater) revealed the occurrence of clinically important clonal groups with extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli status in the WWTP and hospital wastewater. Fine-scale phylogenetic analysis was performed to further characterize 15 sequence type 131 (ST131) complex strains (11 from the WWTP and 4 from hospital wastewater). These ST131 complex strains were comprised of the following different subgroups: clade A (n = 2), C1-M27 (n = 8), and C1 (non-C1-M27) (n = 1) for strains from the WWTP and clade A (n = 2), C1-M27 (n = 1), and C1 (non-C1-M27) (n = 1) for strains from hospital wastewater. The results indicate that ESBLEC strains belonging to clinically important lineages, including the C1-M27 clade, may disseminate into the environment through wastewater, highlighting the need to monitor for antibiotic resistance in wastewater.
Collapse
|
15
|
Structural Characterization and Physicochemical Stability Profile of a Double Mutant Heat Labile Toxin Protein Based Adjuvant. J Pharm Sci 2017; 106:3474-3485. [PMID: 28780391 PMCID: PMC5690273 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2017.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A novel protein adjuvant double-mutant Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin, LT (R192G/L211A) or dmLT, is in preclinical and early clinical development with various vaccine candidates. Structural characterization and formulation development of dmLT will play a key role in its successful process development, scale-up/transfer, and commercial manufacturing. This work describes extensive analytical characterization of structural integrity and physicochemical stability profile of dmLT from a lyophilized clinical formulation. Reconstituted dmLT contained a heterogeneous mixture of intact holotoxin (AB5, ∼75%) and free B5 subunit (∼25%) as assessed by analytical ultracentrifugation and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Intact mass spectrometry (MS) analysis revealed presence of Lys84 glycation near the native sugar-binding site in dmLT, and forced degradation studies using liquid chromatography-MS peptide mapping demonstrated specific Asn deamidation and Met oxidation sites. Using multiple biophysical measurements, dmLT was found most stable between pH 6.5 and 7.5 and at temperatures ≤50°C. In addition, soluble aggregates and particle formation were observed upon shaking stress. By identifying the physicochemical degradation pathways of dmLT using newly developed stability-indicating analytical methods from this study, we aim at developing more stable candidate formulations of dmLT that will minimize the formation of degradants and improve storage stability, as both a frozen bulk substance and eventually as a liquid final dosage form.
Collapse
|
16
|
Gonzales-Siles L, Karlsson R, Kenny D, Karlsson A, Sjöling Å. Proteomic analysis of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in neutral and alkaline conditions. BMC Microbiol 2017; 17:11. [PMID: 28061865 PMCID: PMC5219706 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0914-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrhea in children and travelers to endemic areas. Secretion of the heat labile AB5 toxin (LT) is induced by alkaline conditions. In this study, we determined the surface proteome of ETEC exposed to alkaline conditions (pH 9) as compared to neutral conditions (pH 7) using a LPI Hexalane FlowCell combined with quantitative proteomics. Relative quantitation with isobaric labeling (TMT) was used to compare peptide abundance and their corresponding proteins in multiple samples at MS/MS level. For protein identification and quantification samples were analyzed using either a 1D-LCMS or a 2D-LCMS approach. Results Strong up-regulation of the ATP synthase operon encoding F1Fo ATP synthase and down-regulation of proton pumping proteins NuoF, NuoG, Ndh and WrbA were detected among proteins involved in regulating the proton and electron transport under alkaline conditions. Reduced expression of proteins involved in osmotic stress was found at alkaline conditions while the Sec-dependent transport over the inner membrane and outer membrane protein proteins such as OmpA and the β-Barrel Assembly Machinery (BAM) complex were up-regulated. Conclusions ETEC exposed to alkaline environments express a specific proteome profile characterized by up-regulation of membrane proteins and secretion of LT toxin. Alkaline microenvironments have been reported close to the intestinal epithelium and the alkaline proteome may hence represent a better view of ETEC during infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Gonzales-Siles
- Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-41346, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | | | - Diarmuid Kenny
- Proteomics Core Facility at the University of Gothenburg, SE-43050, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Åsa Sjöling
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE-17177, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gomes TAT, Elias WP, Scaletsky ICA, Guth BEC, Rodrigues JF, Piazza RMF, Ferreira LCS, Martinez MB. Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli. Braz J Microbiol 2016; 47 Suppl 1:3-30. [PMID: 27866935 PMCID: PMC5156508 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjm.2016.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 247] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Most Escherichia coli strains live harmlessly in the intestines and rarely cause disease in healthy individuals. Nonetheless, a number of pathogenic strains can cause diarrhea or extraintestinal diseases both in healthy and immunocompromised individuals. Diarrheal illnesses are a severe public health problem and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children, especially in developing countries. E. coli strains that cause diarrhea have evolved by acquiring, through horizontal gene transfer, a particular set of characteristics that have successfully persisted in the host. According to the group of virulence determinants acquired, specific combinations were formed determining the currently known E. coli pathotypes, which are collectively known as diarrheagenic E. coli. In this review, we have gathered information on current definitions, serotypes, lineages, virulence mechanisms, epidemiology, and diagnosis of the major diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tânia A T Gomes
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Waldir P Elias
- Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Bacterologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Isabel C A Scaletsky
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Beatriz E C Guth
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana F Rodrigues
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Roxane M F Piazza
- Instituto Butantan, Laboratório de Bacterologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luís C S Ferreira
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marina B Martinez
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Joffré E, von Mentzer A, Svennerholm AM, Sjöling Å. Identification of new heat-stable (STa) enterotoxin allele variants produced by human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Int J Med Microbiol 2016; 306:586-594. [PMID: 27350142 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2016.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe natural variants of the heat stable toxin (STa) produced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) isolates collected worldwide. Previous studies of ETEC isolated from human diarrheal cases have reported the existence of three natural STa gene variants estA1, estA2 and estA3/4 where the first variant encodes STp (porcine, bovine, and human origin) and the two latter ones encode STh (human origin). We identified STa sequences by BLASTn and profiled ST amino acid polymorphisms in a collection of 118 clinical ETEC isolates from children and adults from Asia, Africa and, Latin America that were characterized by whole genome sequencing. Three novel variants of STp and STh were found and designated STa5 and STa6, and STa7, respectively. Presence of glucose significantly decreased the production of STh and STp toxin variants (p<0.05) as well as downregulated the gene expression (STh: p<0.001, STp: p<0.05). We found that the ETEC isolates producing the most common STp variant, STa5, co-expressed coli surface antigen CS6 and was significantly associated with disease in adults in this data set (p<0.001). Expression of mature STa5 peptide as well as gene expression of tolC, involved in ST secretion, increased in response to bile (p<0.05). ETEC expressing the common STh variant STa3/4 was associated with disease in children (p<0.05). The crp gene, that positively regulate estA3/4 encoding STa3/4, and estA3/4 itself had decreased transcriptional levels in presence of bile. Since bile levels in the intestine are lower in children than adults, these results may suggest differences in pathogenicity of ETEC in children and adult populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Joffré
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia.
| | - Astrid von Mentzer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ann-Mari Svennerholm
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Åsa Sjöling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Joffré E, Sjöling Å. The LT1 and LT2 variants of the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) heat-labile toxin (LT) are associated with major ETEC lineages. Gut Microbes 2016; 7:75-81. [PMID: 26939855 PMCID: PMC4856455 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2015.1127480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The heat-labile toxin (LT) is one of the major virulence factors of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). We recently described that 20 polymorphic LT variants are present in ETEC strains isolated globally. Two of the variants, LT1 and LT2, are particularly common and we found that they were associated with clonal ETEC lineages that express the colonization factors (CFs), CFA/I, CS1+CS3, CS2+CS3, and CS5+CS6. ETEC expressing these CFs are frequently found among ETEC strains isolated from cases with diarrhea. ETEC expressing the colonization factors CS1+CS3, and CS2+CS3 are found in 2 discrete clonal lineages and express the LT1 variant and heat stable toxin (STh). Although they clearly are virulent they neither produce, nor secrete, high amounts of LT toxin. On the other hand ETEC strains expressing LT, STh, CFA/I and LT, STh, CS5+CS6, carry the LT2 variant and produce and secrete significantly more LT toxin. Despite differences in toxin production, LT1 and LT2 are found in ETEC lineages that have managed to spread globally confirming that these variants are important for ETEC virulence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Joffré
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Sahlgrenska Academy; University of Gothenburg; Göteborg, Sweden,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; Universidad Mayor de San Andrés; La Paz, Bolivia,Department of Microbiology; Tumor and Cell Biology; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Åsa Sjöling
- Department of Microbiology; Tumor and Cell Biology; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Sjöling Å, von Mentzer A, Svennerholm AM. Implications of enterotoxigenicEscherichia coligenomics for vaccine development. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 14:551-60. [DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.996553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|