Project description:Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) is amongst the leading causes of diarrheal disease worldwide. The colonization of the gut mucosa by aEPEC results in actin pedestal formation at the site of bacterial attachment. This cytoskeletal rearrangement is triggered by the interaction between the bacterial adhesin intimin and its receptor Tir, which is translocated through the type three secretion system, to the host cell. While some aEPEC require tyrosine phosphorylation of Tir and recruitment of the host Nck to trigger actin polymerization, certain aEPEC strains, whose Tir is not phosphorylated, rely on the effector EspFu for efficient actin remodeling. To understand how the host responds to these different actin polymerization signaling pathways, we analyzed gene expression changes in epithelial cells infected with pedestal-forming aEPEC strains using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq).
Project description:Exotic psittacine birds have been implicated as reservoir of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (E. coli), including enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC). Here, we present a genotypic and phenotypic characterization of typical EPEC/STEC hybrid strains isolated from exotic psittacine birds. The strains were positive for eae, bfpA, and stx2f genes, belong to serotype O137:H6 and ST2678. Two strains were subject to whole genome sequencing, confirming the presence of the virulence factors of both E. coli pathotypes. Phenotypical in vitro tests confirmed their ability to adhere to HeLa cells and cause cytotoxicity to Vero cells. The rabbit ileal loop assays showed the attaching and effacing lesion, in addition to inflammatory process and overproduction of intestinal mucus. This is the first report of hybrid typical EPEC/STEC (O137:H6/ST2678) strains isolated from companion psittacine birds and the results suggest zoonotic risks.
Project description:Purpose: In this work, we evaluated the role of two indicative species, Citrobacter werkmanii (CW) and Escherichia albertii (EA), in the virulence of two DEC pathotypes, Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) and enteroaggregative (EAEC) Escherichia coli. Methods: To determine the effect of supernatant obtained from CW and EA cultures in STEC strain 86-24 and EAEC strain 042 gene expression, a RNA-seq analysis was performed. T84 cells were infected with DEC strains in the presence or absence of supernatant from EA and IL-8 secretion was evaluated. The effect of supernatant from EA on the growth and adherence of STEC and EAEC to T84 cells was also evaluated. Finally, we studied the participation of long polar fimbriae (Lpf) in STEC and plasmid-encoded toxin (Pet) in EAEC during DEC infection in the presence of supernatant from EA. Results: RNA-seq analysis revealed that several virulence factors in STEC and EAEC were up-regulated in the presence of supernatants from CW and EA. Interestingly, an increase in the secretion of IL-8 was observed in T84 cells infected with STEC or EAEC in the presence of a supernatant from EA. Similar results were observed with the supernatants obtained from clinical strains of E. albertii. Supernatant from EA had no effect on the growth of STEC and EAEC, or on the ability of these DEC strains to adhere to intestinal epithelial cells. Finally, we found that Pet toxin in EAEC was up-regulated in the presence of a supernatant from EA. In STEC, using mutant strains for Lpf fimbriae, our data suggested that these fimbriae might be participating in the increase of IL-8 induced by STEC on intestinal epithelial cells in the presence of a supernatant from EA. Conclusion:Supernatant obtained from an indicative species of DEC-positive diarrhea could modulate gene expression in STEC and EAEC, and IL-8 secretion induced by these bacteria. These data provide new insights into the effect of gut microbiota species in the pathogenicity of STEC and EAEC.
Project description:Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 is a notorious foodborne pathogen capable of causing severe gastrointestinal infections in humans. The bovine rectoanal junction (RAJ) has been identified as a primary reservoir of STEC O157:H7, playing a critical role in its transmission to humans through contaminated food sources. Despite the relevance of this host-pathogen interaction, the molecular mechanisms behind the adaptation of STEC O157:H7 in the bovine RAJ and its subsequent infection of human colonic epithelial cells remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to unravel the intricate dynamics of STEC O157:H7 in two distinct host environments: bovine RAJ squamous epithelial (RSE) cells and human colonic epithelial cells. Comparative transcriptomics analysis was employed to investigate the differential gene expression profiles of STEC O157:H7 during its interaction with these cell types. The bacterial cells were cultured under controlled conditions to simulate the microenvironments of both bovine RAJ and human colonic epithelial cells. Using high-throughput RNA sequencing, we identified key bacterial genes and regulatory pathways that are significantly modulated in response to each specific host environment. Our findings reveal distinct expression patterns of virulence factors, adhesion proteins, and stress response genes in STEC O157:H7 grown in bovine RAJ cells as opposed to human colonic epithelial cells. Additionally, the comparative analysis highlights the potential role of certain genes in host adaptation and tissue-specific pathogenicity. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the potential factors contributing to the survival and persistence of STEC O157:H7 in the bovine reservoir and its ability to colonize and cause disease in humans.
Project description:Atypical EPEC (aEPEC) strains are part of group of pathogens capable of forming the Attaching and Effacing (A/E) lesion. This lesion is characterized by intimate adherence of bacteria to enterocytes, and microvilli destruction. The genes responsible to cause that lesion are located in a pathogenicity island called Locus of Enterocyte Effacement (LEE). Transcription of LEE genes is subjected to various levels of regulation, including quorum sensing through autoinducer 3 (AI-3) system. AI-3 is an aromatic compound with similar characteristics to the epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones. This similarity allows bacteria to use these hormones and AI-3 to perform cell – to – cell signaling processes and bacteria - host communication processes in order to modulate its virulence. AI-3, epinephrine and norepinephrine are detected by a sensor kinase named quorum sensing E.coli regulator (QseC). In order to investigate the role of QseC and epinephrine in atypical EPEC O55:H7 virulence, we constructed a QseC mutant of this strain and performed transcription and phenotypic analyses in the presence or absence of epinephrine. We have reported here, for the first time, the quorum sensing QseC regulation of virulence genes in atypical EPEC. Our results shown that QseC is a global regulator of gene expression in aEPEC and positively regulates flagellar genes, LEE and non-LEE encoded factors. We also have shown that the presence of epinephrine could be sensed by other receptor that acts as negative regulator of LEE4 and LEE5 genes.
Project description:Atypical EPEC (aEPEC) strains are part of group of pathogens capable of forming the Attaching and Effacing (A/E) lesion. This lesion is characterized by intimate adherence of bacteria to enterocytes, and microvilli destruction. The genes responsible to cause that lesion are located in a pathogenicity island called Locus of Enterocyte Effacement (LEE). Transcription of LEE genes is subjected to various levels of regulation, including quorum sensing through autoinducer 3 (AI-3) system. AI-3 is an aromatic compound with similar characteristics to the epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones. This similarity allows bacteria to use these hormones and AI-3 to perform cell M-bM-^@M-^S to M-bM-^@M-^S cell signaling processes and bacteria - host communication processes in order to modulate its virulence. AI-3, epinephrine and norepinephrine are detected by a sensor kinase named quorum sensing E.coli regulator (QseC). In order to investigate the role of QseC and epinephrine in atypical EPEC O55:H7 virulence, we constructed a QseC mutant of this strain and performed transcription and phenotypic analyses in the presence or absence of epinephrine. We have reported here, for the first time, the quorum sensing QseC regulation of virulence genes in atypical EPEC. Our results shown that QseC is a global regulator of gene expression in aEPEC and positively regulates flagellar genes, LEE and non-LEE encoded factors. We also have shown that the presence of epinephrine could be sensed by other receptor that acts as negative regulator of LEE4 and LEE5 genes. Comparison of transcriptional regulation of enteropathogenic E. coli serotype O55:H7 wild type and the qseC mutant in the absence or presence of epinephrine signal to identify the regulated targets