Molecular and Genomic Analysis of the Virulence Factors and Potential Transmission of Hybrid Enteropathogenic and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (EPEC/ETEC) Strains Isolated in South Korea.
Int J Mol Sci
; 24(16)2023 Aug 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37628911
ABSTRACT
Hybrid strains Escherichia coli acquires genetic characteristics from multiple pathotypes and is speculated to be more virulent; however, understanding their pathogenicity is elusive. Here, we performed genome-based characterization of the hybrid of enteropathogenic (EPEC) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), the strains that cause diarrhea and mortality in children. The virulence genes in the strains isolated from different sources in the South Korea were identified, and their phylogenetic positions were analyzed. The EPEC/ETEC hybrid strains harbored eae and est encoding E. coli attaching and effacing lesions and heat-stable enterotoxins of EPEC and ETEC, respectively. Genome-wide phylogeny revealed that all hybrids (n = 6) were closely related to EPEC strains, implying the potential acquisition of ETEC virulence genes during ETEC/EPEC hybrid emergence. The hybrids represented diverse serotypes (O153H19 (n = 3), O49H10 (n = 2), and O71H19 (n = 1)) and sequence types (ST546, n = 4; ST785, n = 2). Furthermore, heat-stable toxin-encoding plasmids possessing estA and various other virulence genes and transporters, including nleH2, hlyA, hlyB, hlyC, hlyD, espC, espP, phage endopeptidase Rz, and phage holin, were identified. These findings provide insights into understanding the pathogenicity of EPEC/ETEC hybrid strains and may aid in comparative studies, virulence characterization, and understanding evolutionary biology.
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Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Escherichia coli Enteropatogênica
/
Escherichia coli Enterotoxigênica
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Child
/
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Mol Sci
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article