Relating differences in the colonisation potential of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) for plant hosts to wholescale genes in gene expression (2)
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ABSTRACT: Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) are a leading cause of food-borne illness. Fruit and vegetables are recognised as an important source of the pathogen and can account for ~ 25 % of food-borne VTEC outbreaks, globally. The ability of VTEC to colonise leaves and roots of leafy vegetables, spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa), was compared. The highest levels of colonisation occurred in the roots and rhizosphere, whereas colonisation of the leaves was lower and significantly different between the species. Colonisation of the leaves of prickly lettuce (L. serriola), a wild relative of domesticated lettuce, was especially poor. Differential VTEC gene expression in spinach extracts was markedly different for three tissue types, with little overlap. Comparison of expression in the same tissue type, cell wall polysaccharides, for lettuce and spinach also showed substantial differences, again with virtually no overlap. The transcriptional response was largely dependent on temperatures that are relevant to plant growth, not warm-blooded animals. The data show that VTEC adaptation to plant hosts and subsequent colonisation potential is underpinned by wholescale changes in gene expression that are specific to both plant tissue type and to the species.
ORGANISM(S): Escherichia coli
SUBMITTER: Pete Hedley
PROVIDER: E-MTAB-4120 | biostudies-arrayexpress |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress
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