Distribution of the pilS gene in Escherichia coli pathovars, its transfer ability and influence in the typical enteropathogenic E. coli adherence phenotype.

Typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains (tEPEC) cause attaching/effacing lesions in eukaryotic cells and produce the bundle-forming pilus (BFP), which interweaves and aggregates bacteria, resulting in the localized adherence (LA) pattern on eukaryotic cells. Previously, we identified tEPEC strains (serotype O119:H6) that exhibited LA simultaneously with an aggregative adherence (AA)-like pattern (LA/AA-like+). Remarkably, AA is characteristically produced by strains of enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), another diarrheagenic E. coli pathovar. In one LA/AA-like + strain (Ec404/03), we identified a conjugative plasmid containing the pil operon, which encodes the Pil fimbriae. Moreover, a pil operon associated with an AA pattern and plasmid transfer had been previously described in the EAEC C1096 strain. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of the two pilS alleles (pilSEc404 and pilSC1096) in tEPEC strains of different serotypes, origins and years of isolation. We also examined the potential relationship of pilS with the AA-like phenotype, its ability to be transferred by conjugation, and occurrence among strains of the other E. coli pathovars. The pilS alleles were found in 90 (55.2%) of 163 tEPEC strains, with pilSEc404 occurring more often (30.7%) than pilSC1096 (25.1%). About 21 tEPEC serotypes carried pilS. The pilS alleles were found in tEPEC strains from Chile, Peru and different Brazilian cities, with the oldest strain being isolated in 1966. No absolute correlation was found between the presence of pilS and the AA-like pattern. Conjugative pilS transfer was detected in 26.2% of pilSEc404+ strains and in 65.1% of pilSC1096+ strains, but only pilSEc404+ transconjugants were AA-like+, thus suggesting that the latter allele might need a different genetic background to express this phenotype. pilS was found in all other E. coli pathovars, where it was most prevalent in enterotoxigenic E. coli. More studies are needed to understand the mechanisms involved in the regulation of Pil expression and production.

Genetic relatedness and virulence properties of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains of serotype O119:H6 expressing localized adherence or localized and aggregative adherence-like patterns on HeLa cells.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) induce attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions in enterocytes and produce the bundle-forming pilus (BFP) contributing to the localized adherence (LA) pattern formation on HeLa cells. Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) produce aggregative adherence (AA) on HeLa cells and form prominent biofilms. The ability to produce LA or AA is an important hallmark to classify fecal E. coli isolates as EPEC or EAEC, respectively. E. coli strains of serotype O119:H6 exhibit an LA+ phenotype and have been considered as comprising a clonal group of EPEC strains. However, we have recently identified O119:H6 EPEC strains that produce LA and an AA-like pattern concurrently (LA/AA-like+). In this study, we evaluated the relatedness of three LA/AA-like+ and three LA+ O119:H6 strains by comparing their virulence and genotypic properties. We first found that the LA/AA-like+ strains induced actin accumulation in HeLa cells (indicative of A/E lesions formation) and formed biofilms on abiotic surfaces more efficiently than the LA+ strains. MLST analysis showed that the six strains all belong to the ST28 complex. All strains carried multiple plasmids, but as plasmid profiles were highly variable, this cannot be used to differentiate LA/AA-like+ and LA+ strains. We further obtained their draft genome sequences and the complete sequences of four plasmids harbored by one LA/AA-like+ strain. Analysis of these sequences and comparison with 37 fully sequenced E. coli genomes revealed that both O119:H6 groups belong to the E. coli phylogroup B2 and are very closely related with only 58-67 SNPs found between LA/AA-like+ and LA+ strains. Search of the draft sequences of the six strains for adhesion-related genes known in EAEC and other E. coli pathotypes detected no genes specifically present in LA/AA-like+ strains. Unexpectedly however, we found that a large plasmid distinct from pEAF is responsible for the AA-like phenotype of the LA/AA-like+ strains. Although we have not identified any plasmid genes specifically present in all LA/AA-like+ strains and absent in the LA+ strains, these results suggest the presence of an unknown mechanism to promote the AA-like pattern production and biofilm formation by the LA/AA-like+ strains. Because their ability to produce A/E lesions and biofilm concomitantly could exacerbate the clinical condition of the patient and lead to persistent diarrhea, the mechanism underlying the enhanced biofilm formation by the LA/AA-like+ O119:H6 strains and their spread and involvement in severe diarrheal diseases should be more intensively investigated.

Escherichia coli strains of serotype O51:H40 comprise typical and atypical enteropathogenic E. coli strains and are potentially diarrheagenic.

Escherichia coli strains of serotype O51:H40 were studied with regard to the presence of several virulence properties and their genetic diversity and enteropathogenicity in rabbit ileal loops. This serotype encompasses potential enteropathogenic strains mostly classified as being atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains, which are genetically closer to enterohemorrhagic E. coli than to typical EPEC strains.

Production, characterization, and application of antibodies against heat-labile type-I toxin for detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

Strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are responsible for significant rates of morbidity and mortality among children, particularly in developing countries. The majority of clinical and public health laboratories are capable of isolating and identifying Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 from stool samples, but ETEC cannot be identified by routine methods. The method most often used to identify ETEC is polymerase chain reaction for heat-stable and heat-labile enterotoxin genes, and subsequent serotyping, but most clinical and public health laboratories do not have the capacity or resources to perform these tests. In this study, polyclonal rabbit and monoclonal mouse IgG2b antibodies against ETEC heat-labile toxin-I (LT) were characterized and the potential applicability of a capture assay was analyzed. IgG-enriched fractions from rabbit polyclonal and the IgG2b monoclonal antibodies recognized LT in a conformational shape and they were excellent tools for detection of LT-producing strains. These findings indicate that the capture immunoassay could be used as a diagnostic assay of ETEC LT-producing strains in routine diagnosis and in epidemiological studies of diarrhea in developing countries as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay techniques remain as effective and economical choice for the detection of specific pathogen antigens in cultures.

Emerging enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains?

Escherichia coli strains of nonenteropathogenic serogroups carrying eae but lacking the enteropathogenic E. coli adherence factor plasmid and Shiga toxin DNA probe sequences were isolated from patients (children, adults, and AIDS patients) with and without diarrhea in Brazil. Although diverse in phenotype and genotype, some strains are potentially diarrheagenic.

Production, characterization, and application of antibodies against heat-labile type-I toxin for detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are responsible for significant rates of morbidity and mortality among children, particularly in developing countries. The majority of clinical and public health laboratories are capable of isolating and identifying Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 from stool samples, but ETEC cannot be identified by routine methods. The method most often used to identify ETEC is polymerase chain reaction for heat-stable and heat-labile enterotoxin genes, and subsequent serotyping, but most clinical and public health laboratories do not have the capacity or resources to perform these tests. In this study, polyclonal rabbit and monoclonal mouse IgG2b antibodies against ETEC heat-labile toxin-I (LT) were characterized and the potential applicability of a capture assay was analyzed. IgG-enriched fractions from rabbit polyclonal and the IgG2b monoclonal antibodies recognized LT in a conformational shape and they were excellent tools for detection of LT-producing strains. These findings indicate that the capture immunoassay could be used as a diagnostic assay of ETEC LT-producing strains in routine diagnosis and in epidemiological studies of diarrhea in developing countries as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay techniques remain as effective and economical choice for the detection of specific pathogen antigens in cultures.

Characaterization of typical and atypical enteropathogenic Ëscherichia coli (EPEC) strains of the classical O55 serogroup by RAPD analysis

The genetic diversity of 41 typical and atypical enteropathogenic Ëscherichia coli" (EPEC) strains of the serogroup O55 was analysed by using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method. All typical EPEC O55 strains were grouped in two clusters (A and C) and belonged to serotype O55:H6, while cluster B included all atypical strains, which were of the serotype O55:H7. The three groups also included non-motile strains. RAPD may be a useful method for epidemiological studies on "E. coli" O55 infection