Dr fimbriae coding region associated hemolytic activity of Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT

We investigated the hemolytic activity of Escherichia coli strain EC901 carrying plasmid pBJN406 containing genes draA-E involved in expression of the mannose-resistant Dr hemagglutinin, and in its isogenic insertion mutants devised with Tn5, Tn3, and TnphoA. While E. coli BN406 displayed rapid hemolytic activity against equine erythrocytes, insertion mutations in draD and draE, but not in draA, draB, and draC, abolished all hemolytic activity. These data suggest a role for draD and draE in the expression of hemolysis.