Characterization of Escherichia coli type 1 pilus mutants with altered binding specificities.

ABSTRACT: PCR mutagenesis and a unique enrichment scheme were used to obtain two mutants, each with a single lesion in fimH, the chromosomal gene that encodes the adhesin protein (FimH) of Escherichia coli type 1 pili. These mutants were noteworthy in part because both were altered in the normal range of cell types bound by FimH. One mutation altered an amino acid at a site previously shown to be involved in temperature-dependent binding, and the other altered an amino acid lining the predicted FimH binding pocket.

SUBMITTER: Harris SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC95295 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature