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Molecular analysis of subtilase cytotoxin genes of food-borne Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli reveals a new allelic subAB variant.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The open reading frames of subAB genes and their flanking regions of 18 food-borne Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains were analyzed. RESULTS: All but one subAB open reading frames (ORF) were complete in all STEC strains. The subAB1 genes of nine STEC strains were located on large plasmids. The subAB2 allele (here designated subAB2-1), which was recently described by others to be present in the Subtilase-Encoding PAI (SE-PAI) was found in 6 STEC strains. A new chromosomal subAB2 variant, designated subAB2-2 was detected in 6 strains and was linked to a chromosomal gene hypothetically encoding an outer membrane efflux protein (OEP). Three STEC strains contained both subAB2 variants. DNA analysis indicated sequence conservation in the plasmid-located alleles and sequence heterogeneity among the chromosomal subAB2 genes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study have shown that 18 subAB-PCR positive STEC strains contain complete subAB open reading frames. Furthermore, the new allelic variant subAB2-2 was described, which can occur in addition to subAB2-1 on a new chromosomal locus.

SUBMITTER: Funk J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3852854 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Molecular analysis of subtilase cytotoxin genes of food-borne Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli reveals a new allelic subAB variant.

Funk Joschua J Stoeber Helen H Hauser Elisabeth E Schmidt Herbert H

BMC microbiology 20131015

<h4>Background</h4>The open reading frames of subAB genes and their flanking regions of 18 food-borne Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains were analyzed.<h4>Results</h4>All but one subAB open reading frames (ORF) were complete in all STEC strains. The subAB1 genes of nine STEC strains were located on large plasmids. The subAB2 allele (here designated subAB2-1), which was recently described by others to be present in the Subtilase-Encoding PAI (SE-PAI) was found in 6 STEC strains. A new c ...[more]

PMID: 24128013

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Project description:Certain foodborne Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains carry genes encoding the subtilase cytotoxin (SubAB). Although the mode of action of SubAB is under intensive investigation, information about the regulation of subAB gene expression is currently not available. In this study, we investigated the regulation of the chromosomal subAB1 gene in laboratory E. coli strain DH5α and STEC O113:H21 strain TS18/08 using a luciferase reporter gene assay. Special emphasis was given to the role of the global regulatory protein genes hfq and hns in subAB1 promoter activity. Subsequently, quantitative real-time PCR was performed to analyze the expression of Shiga toxin 2a (Stx2a), SubAB1, and cytolethal distending toxin V (Cdt-V) genes in STEC strain TS18/08 and its isogenic hfq and hns deletion mutants. The deletion of hfq led to a significant increase of up to 2-fold in subAB1 expression, especially in the late growth phase, in both strains. However, deletion of hns showed different effects on the promoter activity during the early and late exponential growth phases in both strains. Furthermore, upregulation of stx2a and cdt-V was demonstrated in hfq and hns deletion mutants in TS18/08. These data showed that the expression of subAB1, stx2a, and cdt-V is integrated in the regulatory network of global regulators Hfq and H-NS in Escherichia coliIMPORTANCE Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are responsible for outbreaks of foodborne diseases, such as hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome. The pathogenicity of those strains can be attributed to, among other factors, the production of toxins. Recently, the subtilase cytotoxin was detected in locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE)-negative STEC, and it was confirmed that it contributes to the cytotoxicity of those STEC strains. Although the mode of action of SubAB1 is under intensive investigation, the regulation of gene expression is currently not known. The global regulatory proteins H-NS and Hfq have impact on many cellular processes and have been described to regulate virulence factors as well. Here, we investigate the role of hns and hfq in expression of subAB1 as well as stx2a and cdt-V in an E. coli laboratory strain as well as in wild-type STEC strain TS18/08.

Dataset Information

Molecular analysis of subtilase cytotoxin genes of food-borne Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli reveals a new allelic subAB variant.

Publications

Molecular analysis of subtilase cytotoxin genes of food-borne Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli reveals a new allelic subAB variant.

Similar Datasets

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