matB, a common fimbrillin gene of Escherichia coli, expressed in a genetically conserved, virulent clonal group

Comparative label-free proteomics of the neonatal meningitis-causing Escherichia coli K1 IHE3034 and RS218 morphotypes

The proteome of two newborn meningitis Escherichia coli K1 (NMEC) morphotypes was examined via a label-free proteomics approach. Besides shared NMEC virulence factors, the two strains have different evolutionary strategies-strain IHE3034 tends to perform anaerobic respiration continuously, while strain RS218 maintains its filamentous morphotype due to active SOS response.

Non-canonical transcriptional start sites in E. coli O157:H7 EDL933 are regulated and appear in surprisingly high numbers

Analysis of genome wide transcription start sites (TSSs) revealed an unexpected complexity since not only canonical TSS of annotated genes are recognized by RNA polymerase. Non-canonical TSS were detected antisense to, or within, annotated genes as well new intergenic (orphan) TSS, not associated with known genes. Previously, it was hypothesized that many such signals represent noise or pervasive transcription, not associated with a biological function. Here, a modified Cappable-seq protocol allows determining the primary transcriptome of the enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 EDL933 (EHEC). We used four different growth media, both in exponential and stationary growth phase, replicated each thrice. This yielded 19,975 EHEC canonical and non-canonical TSS, which reproducibly occurring in three biological replicates. This questions the hypothesis of experimental noise or pervasive transcription. Accordingly, conserved promoter motifs were found upstream indicating proper TSSs. More than 50% of 5,567 canonical and between 32% and 47% of 10,355 non-canonical TSS were differentially expressed in different media and growth phases, providing evidence for a potential biological function also of non-canonical TSS. Thus, reproducible and environmentally regulated expression suggests that a substantial number of the non-canonical TSSs may be of unknown function rather than being the result of noise or pervasive transcription.

Characterization of unconventional pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from bloodstream infection: virulence beyond the opportunism

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is the leading cause of urinary tract infection worldwide and a critical bloodstream infection agent. There are more than 50 virulence factors (VFs) related to ExPEC pathogenesis; however, many strains isolated from extraintestinal infections are devoid of these factors. Since opportunistic infections may occur in immunocompromised patients, E. coli strains that lack recognized VFs are considered opportunist, and their virulence potential is neglected. We assessed eleven E. coli strains isolated from bloodstream infections and devoid of the most common ExPEC VFs to understand their pathogenic potential. The strains were evaluated according to their capacity to interact in vitro with human eukaryotic cell lineages (Caco-2, T24, HEK293T, and A549 cells), produce type 1 fimbriae and biofilm in diverse media, resist to human sera, and be lethal to Galleria mellonella. One strain displaying all phenotypic traits was sequenced and evaluated. Ten strains adhered to Caco-2 (colon), eight to T24 (bladder), five to HEK-293 T (kidney), and four to A549 (lung) cells. Eight strains produced type 1 fimbriae, ten adhered to abiotic surfaces, nine were serum resistant, and seven were virulent in the G. mellonella model. Six of the eleven E. coli strains displayed traits compatible with pathogens, five of which were isolated from an immune-competent host. The genome of the EC175 strain, isolated from a patient with urosepsis, reveals that the strain belonged to ST504-A, and serotype O11:H11; harbors thirteen VFs genes, including genes encoding UpaG and yersiniabactin as the only ExPEC VFs identified. Together, our results suggest that the ExPEC pathotype includes pathogens from phylogroups A and B1, which harbor VFs that remain to be uncovered.

Genomic diversity, pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from poultry in the southern United States

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are typically present as commensal bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract of most animals including poultry species, but some avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) strains can cause localized and even systematic infections in domestic poultry. Emergence and re-emergence of antimicrobial resistant isolates (AMR) constrain antibiotics usage in poultry production, and development of an effective vaccination program remains one of the primary options in E. coli disease prevention and control for domestic poultry. Thus, understanding genetic and pathogenic diversity of the enzootic E. coli isolates, particularly APEC, in poultry farms is the key to designing an optimal vaccine candidate and to developing an effective vaccination program. This study explored the genomic and pathogenic diversity among E. coli isolates in southern United States poultry. A total of nine isolates were recovered from sick broilers from Mississippi, and one from Georgia, with epidemiological variations among clinical signs, type of housing, and bird age. The genomes of these isolates were sequenced by using both Illumina short-reads and Oxford Nanopore long-reads, and our comparative analyses suggested data from both platforms were highly consistent. The 16 s rRNA based phylogenetic analyses showed that the 10 bacteria strains are genetically closer to each other than those in the public database. However, whole genome analyses showed that these 10 isolates encoded a diverse set of reported virulence and AMR genes, belonging to at least nine O:H serotypes, and are genetically clustered with at least five different groups of E. coli isolates reported by other states in the United States. Despite the small sample size, this study suggested that there was a large extent of genomic and serological diversity among E. coli isolates in southern United States poultry. A large-scale comprehensive study is needed to understand the overall genomic diversity and the associated virulence, and such a study will be important to develop a broadly protective E. coli vaccine.

E. coli Common pili promote the fitness and virulence of a hybrid aEPEC/ExPEC strain within diverse host environments

Pathogenic subsets of Escherichia coli include diarrheagenic (DEC) strains that cause disease within the gut and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strains that are linked with urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and other infections outside of intestinal tract. Among DEC strains is an emergent pathotype known as atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC), which can cause severe diarrhea. Recent sequencing efforts revealed that some E. coli strains possess genetic features that are characteristic of both DEC and ExPEC isolates. BA1250 is a newly reclassified hybrid strain with characteristics of aEPEC and ExPEC. This strain was isolated from a child with diarrhea, but its genetic features indicate that it might have the capacity to cause disease at extraintestinal sites. The spectrum of adhesins encoded by hybrid strains like BA1250 are expected to be especially important in facilitating colonization of diverse niches. E. coli common pilus (ECP) is an adhesin expressed by many E. coli pathogens, but how it impacts hybrid strains has not been ascertained. Here, using zebrafish larvae as surrogate hosts to model both gut colonization and extraintestinal infections, we found that ECP can act as a multi-niche colonization and virulence factor for BA1250. Furthermore, our results indicate that ECP-related changes in activation of envelope stress response pathways may alter the fitness of BA1250. Using an in silico approach, we also delineated the broader repertoire of adhesins that are encoded by BA1250, and provide evidence that the expression of at least a few of these varies in the absence of functional ECP.

Regulation of constant cell elongation and Sfm pili synthesis in Escherichia coli via two active forms of FimZ orphan response regulator

Escherichia coli (E. coli) has multiple copies of the chaperone-usher (CU) pili operon in five fimbria groups: CU pili, curli, type IV pili, type III secretion pili, and type IV secretion pili. Commensal E. coli K-12 contains 12 CU pili operons. Among these operons, Sfm is expressed by the sfmACDHF operon. Transcriptome analyses, reporter assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation PCR analyses reported that FimZ directly binds to and activates the sfmA promoter, transcribing sfmACDHF. In addition, FimZ regularly induces constant cell elongation in E. coli, which is required for F-type ATPase function. The bacterial two-hybrid system showed a specific interaction between FimZ and the α subunit of the cytoplasmic F1 domain of F-type ATPase. Studies performed using mutated FimZs have revealed two active forms, I and II. Active form I is required for constant cell elongation involving amino acid residues K106 and D109. Active form II additionally required D56, a putative phosphorylation site, to activate the sfmA promoter. The chromosomal fimZ was hardly expressed in parent strain but functioned in phoB and phoP double-gene knockout strains. These insights may help to understand bacterial invasion restricted host environments by the sfm γ-type pili.

Metabolic and Morphotypic Trade-Offs within the Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics of Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli arbitrarily encompasses facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria with defined respiratory and fermentative types of metabolism. The species diversification has been further advanced by atypical strains whose features deviate from the essential species-specific morphological and metabolic cutoff. The morphological cutoff is exemplified by bacterial filamentation. E. coli filamentation has been studied from two different perspectives: the first considers filamentation as a result of adaptive strategies and response to stress, while the second is based on findings from the cell division of E. coli's conditional mutants. Another cutoff is represented by E. coli's inability to use citrate as a sole carbon and energy source. In this study, we compared two atypical E. coli strains that belong to the same neuroinvasive ecovar but exhibit either of the two phenotypes that deviate from the species' features. While E. coli RS218 exists in the form of filaments incapable of growth on citrate, strain IHE3034 is represented as normal-sized bacteria able to ferment citrate under oxic conditions in the presence of glucose; in this paper, we show that these two phenotypes result from a bona fide trade-off. With the help of comparative proteomics and metabolomics, we discovered the proteome required for the upkeep of these phenotypes. The metabolic profiles of both strains reveal that under aerobic conditions, RS218 undergoes oxidative metabolism, while IHE3034 undergoes anaerobic respiration. Finally, we show that the use of citrate and filament formation are both linked in a trade-off occurring via a c-di-GMP-dependent phase variation event. IMPORTANCE Aerobic use of citrate and filamentous growth are arbitrary cutoffs for the Escherichia coli species. The strains that exhibit them as stable phenotypes are called atypical. In this study, we compare two atypical neuroinvasive E. coli strains, which alternatively display either of these phenotypes. We present the proteome and metabolome required for the maintenance of filamentous growth and show that anaerobic nitrate respiration is the main requirement for the use of citrate. The fact that the two phenotypes are differentially expressed by each strain prompted us to check if they are part of a trade-off. Indeed, these atypical characters are reversible and result from a c-di-GMP phase variation event. Thus, we revealed hidden links between stable morphological and metabolic phenotypes and provided information about alternative evolutionary pathways for the survival of E. coli strains in various host niches.

E. coli aggregation and impaired cell division after terahertz irradiation

In this study we demonstrated that exposure of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to terahertz (THz) radiation resulted in a change in the activities of the tdcABCDEFGR and matA–F genes (signs of cell aggregation), gene yjjQ (signs of suppression of cell motility), dicABCF, FtsZ, and minCDE genes (signs of suppression of cell division), sfmACDHF genes (signs of adhesin synthesis), yjbEFGH and gfcA genes (signs of cell envelope stabilization). Moreover, THz radiation induced E. coli csg operon genes of amyloid biosynthesis. Electron microscopy revealed that the irradiated bacteria underwent increased aggregation; 20% of them formed bundle-like structures consisting of two to four pili clumped together. This could be the result of changes in the adhesive properties of the pili. We also found aberrations in cell wall structure in the middle part of the bacterial cell; these aberrations impaired the cell at the initial stages of division and resulted in accumulation of long rod-like cells. Overall, THz radiation was shown to have adverse effects on bacterial populations resulting in cells with abnormal morphology.

Discovery of Bacterial Fimbria-Glycan Interactions Using Whole-Cell Recombinant Escherichia coli Expression

Chaperone-usher (CU) fimbriae are the most abundant Gram-negative bacterial fimbriae, with 38 distinct CU fimbria types described in Escherichia coli alone. Some E. coli CU fimbriae have been well characterized and bind to specific glycan targets to confer tissue tropism. For example, type 1 fimbriae bind to α-d-mannosylated glycoproteins such as uroplakins in the bladder via their tip-located FimH adhesin, leading to colonization and invasion of the bladder epithelium. Despite this, the receptor-binding affinity of many other E. coli CU fimbria types remains poorly characterized. Here, we used a recombinant E. coli strain expressing different CU fimbriae, in conjunction with glycan array analysis comprising >300 glycans, to dissect CU fimbria receptor specificity. We initially validated the approach by demonstrating the purified FimH lectin-binding domain and recombinant E. coli expressing type 1 fimbriae bound to a similar set of glycans. This technique was then used to map the glycan binding affinity of six additional CU fimbriae, namely, P, F1C, Yqi, Mat/Ecp, K88, and K99 fimbriae. The binding affinity was determined using whole-bacterial-cell surface plasmon resonance. This work describes new information in fimbrial specificity and a rapid and scalable system to define novel adhesin-glycan interactions that underpin bacterial colonization and disease.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 F9 Fimbriae Recognize Plant Xyloglucan and Elicit a Response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Fresh produce is often a source of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) outbreaks. Fimbriae are extracellular structures involved in cell-to-cell attachment and surface colonisation. F9 (Fml) fimbriae have been shown to be expressed at temperatures lower than 37 °C, implying a function beyond the mammalian host. We demonstrate that F9 fimbriae recognize plant cell wall hemicellulose, specifically galactosylated side chains of xyloglucan, using glycan arrays. E. coli expressing F9 fimbriae had a positive advantage for adherence to spinach hemicellulose extract and tissues, which have galactosylated oligosaccharides as recognized by LM24 and LM25 antibodies. As fimbriae are multimeric structures with a molecular pattern, we investigated whether F9 fimbriae could induce a transcriptional response in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, compared with flagella and another fimbrial type, E. coli common pilus (ECP), using DNA microarrays. F9 induced the differential expression of 435 genes, including genes involved in the plant defence response. The expression of F9 at environmentally relevant temperatures and its recognition of plant xyloglucan adds to the suite of adhesins EHEC has available to exploit the plant niche.

Novel Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli Genes Responsible for Adhesion to Chicken and Human Cell Lines

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a major bacterial pathogen of commercial poultry contributing to extensive economic losses and contamination of the food chain. One of the initial steps in bacterial infection and successful colonization of the host is adhesion to the host cells. A random transposon mutant library (n = 1,300) of APEC IMT 5155 was screened phenotypically for adhesion to chicken (CHIC-8E11) and human (LoVo) intestinal epithelial cell lines. The detection and quantification of adherent bacteria were performed by a modified APEC-specific antibody staining assay using fluorescence microscopy coupled to automated VideoScan technology. Eleven mutants were found to have significantly altered adhesion to the cell lines examined. Mutated genes in these 11 "adhesion-altered mutants" were identified by arbitrary PCR and DNA sequencing. The genes were amplified from wild-type APEC IMT 5155, cloned, and transformed into the respective adhesion-altered mutants, and complementation was determined in adhesion assays. Here, we report contributions of the fdtA, rluD, yjhB, ecpR, and fdeC genes of APEC in adhesion to chicken and human intestinal cell lines. Identification of the roles of these genes in APEC pathogenesis will contribute to prevention and control of APEC infections.IMPORTANCE Avian pathogenic E. coli is not only pathogenic for commercial poultry but can also cause foodborne infections in humans utilizing the same attachment and virulence mechanisms. Our aim was to identify genes of avian pathogenic E. coli involved in adhesion to chicken and human cells in order to understand the colonization and pathogenesis of these bacteria. In contrast to the recent studies based on genotypic and bioinformatics data, we have used a combination of phenotypic and genotypic approaches for identification of novel genes contributing to adhesion in chicken and human cell lines. Identification of adhesion factors remains important, as antibodies elicited against such factors have shown potential to block colonization and ultimately prevent disease as prophylactic vaccines. Therefore, the data will augment the understanding of disease pathogenesis and ultimately in designing strategies against the infections.

Glycine significantly enhances bacterial membrane vesicle production: a powerful approach for isolation of LPS-reduced membrane vesicles of probiotic Escherichia coli

Bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs) have attracted strong interest in recent years as novel nanoparticle delivery platforms. Glycine is known to induce morphological changes in the outer layer of bacteria. We report here that glycine dramatically facilitates MV production in a flagella-deficient mutant of the non-pathogenic probiotic Escherichia coli strain Nissle 1917. Supplementation of culture medium with 1.0% glycine induced cell deformation at the early exponential phase, eventually followed by quasi-lysis during the late exponential to stationary phase. Glycine supplementation also significantly increased the number of MVs with enlarged particle size and altered the protein profile with an increase in the inner membrane and cytoplasmic protein contents as compared to non-induced MVs. Of note, the endotoxin activity of glycine-induced MVs was approximately eightfold or sixfold lower than that of non-induced MVs when compared at equal protein or lipid concentrations respectively. Nevertheless, glycine-induced MVs efficiently induced both immune responses in a mouse macrophage-like cell line and adjuvanticity in an intranasal vaccine mouse model, comparable to those of non-induced MVs. We propose that the present method of inducing MV production with glycine can be used for emerging biotechnological applications of MVs that have immunomodulatory activities, while dramatically reducing the presence of endotoxins.

Distribution of Major Pilin Subunit Genes Among Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Influence of Growth Media on Expression of the ecp Operon

Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) strains are unable to produce the bundle-forming pilus (BFP), which is responsible for the localized adherence pattern, a characteristic of the pathogenicity of typical EPEC strains. The lack of BFP in aEPEC strains suggests that other fimbrial or non-fimbrial adhesins are involved in their adhesion to the host cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of major subunit fimbrial genes known to be important adherence factors produced by several E. coli pathotypes in a collection of 72 aEPEC strains. Our results demonstrate that a high percentage (94–100%) of aEPEC strains harbored ecpA, fimA, hcpA, and lpfA fimbrial genes. Other fimbrial genes including pilS, pilV, sfpA, daaC, papA, and sfa were detected at lower frequencies (1–8%). Genes encoding fimbrial subunits, which are characteristic of enteroaggregative E. coli or enterotoxigenic E. coli were not found. No correlation was found between fimbrial gene profiles and adherence phenotypes. Since all aEPEC strains contained ecpA, the major pilin gene of the E. coli common pilus (ECP), a subset of ecpA+ strains was analyzed for transcription of ecpRABCDE and production of ECP upon growth in three different culture conditions at 37°C. Transcription of ecpRABCDE occurred in all conditions; however, ECP production was medium dependent. In all, the data suggest that aEPEC strains are highly heterogeneous in terms of their fimbrial gene profiles. Despite lacking BFP production, other mechanisms of cell adherence exist in aEPEC strains to ensure host colonization, e.g., mediated by other prevalent pili such as ECP. Moreover, the production of ECP by aEPEC strains might be influenced by yet unknown post-transcriptional factors.

Host-bacteria interaction and adhesin study for development of therapeutics

Host-pathogen interaction is one of the most important areas of study to understand the adhesion of the pathogen to the host organisms. To adhere on the host cell surface, bacteria assemble the diverse adhesive structures on its surface, which play a foremost role in targeting to the host cell. We have highlighted different bacterial adhesins which are either protein mediated or glycan mediated. The present article listed examples of different bacterial adhesin proteins involved in the interactions with their host, types and subtypes of the fimbriae and non-fimbriae bacterial adhesins. Different bacterial surface adhesin subunits interact with host via different host surface biomolecules. We have also discussed the interactome of some of the pathogens with their host. Therefore, the present study will help researchers to have a detailed understanding of different interacting bacterial adhesins and henceforth, develop new therapies, adhesin specific antibodies and vaccines, which can effectively control pathogenicity of the pathogens.

The plasmid-encoded Ipf and Klf fimbriae display different expression and varying roles in the virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis in mouse vs. avian hosts

Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis is one of the prevalent Salmonella serovars worldwide. Different emergent clones of S. Infantis were shown to acquire the pESI virulence-resistance megaplasmid affecting its ecology and pathogenicity. Here, we studied two previously uncharacterized pESI-encoded chaperone-usher fimbriae, named Ipf and Klf. While Ipf homologs are rare and were found only in S. enterica subspecies diarizonae and subspecies VII, Klf is related to the known K88-Fae fimbria and klf clusters were identified in seven S. enterica subspecies I serovars, harboring interchanging alleles of the fimbria major subunit, KlfG. Regulation studies showed that the klf genes expression is negatively and positively controlled by the pESI-encoded regulators KlfL and KlfB, respectively, and are activated by the ancestral leucine-responsive regulator (Lrp). ipf genes are negatively regulated by Fur and activated by OmpR. Furthermore, induced expression of both klf and ipf clusters occurs under microaerobic conditions and at 41°C compared to 37°C, in-vitro. Consistent with these results, we demonstrate higher expression of ipf and klf in chicks compared to mice, characterized by physiological temperature of 41.2°C and 37°C, respectively. Interestingly, while Klf was dispensable for S. Infantis colonization in the mouse, Ipf was required for maximal colonization in the murine ileum. In contrast to these phenotypes in mice, both Klf and Ipf contributed to a restrained infection in chicks, where the absence of these fimbriae has led to moderately higher bacterial burden in the avian host. Taken together, these data suggest that physiological differences between host species, such as the body temperature, can confer differences in fimbriome expression, affecting Salmonella colonization and other host-pathogen interplays.

Structural Insight into Archaic and Alternative Chaperone-Usher Pathways Reveals a Novel Mechanism of Pilus Biogenesis

Gram-negative pathogens express fibrous adhesive organelles that mediate targeting to sites of infection. The major class of these organelles is assembled via the classical, alternative and archaic chaperone-usher pathways. Although non-classical systems share a wider phylogenetic distribution and are associated with a range of diseases, little is known about their assembly mechanisms. Here we report atomic-resolution insight into the structure and biogenesis of Acinetobacter baumannii Csu and Escherichia coli ECP biofilm-mediating pili. We show that the two non-classical systems are structurally related, but their assembly mechanism is strikingly different from the classical assembly pathway. Non-classical chaperones, unlike their classical counterparts, maintain subunits in a substantially disordered conformational state, akin to a molten globule. This is achieved by a unique binding mechanism involving the register-shifted donor strand complementation and a different subunit carboxylate anchor. The subunit lacks the classical pre-folded initiation site for donor strand exchange, suggesting that recognition of its exposed hydrophobic core starts the assembly process and provides fresh inspiration for the design of inhibitors targeting chaperone-usher systems.

Presence of pathogenicity islands and virulence genes of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) in isolates from avian organic fertilizer

Poultry litter is commonly used as fertilizer in agriculture. However, this poultry litter must be processed prior to use, since poultry have a large number of pathogenic microorganisms. The aims of this study were to isolate and genotypically and phenotypically characterize Escherichia coli from avian organic fertilizer. Sixty-four E. coli isolates were identified from avian organic fertilizer and characterized for ExPEC virulence factors, pathogenicity islands, phylogenetic groups, antimicrobial resistance, biofilm formation, and adhesion to HEp-2 cells. Sixty-three isolates (98.4%) showed at least one virulence gene (fimH, ecpA, sitA, traT, iutA, iroN, hlyF, ompT and iss). The predominant phylogenetic groups were groups A (59.3%) and B1 (34.3%). The pathogenicity island CFT073II (51.5%) was the most prevalent among the isolates tested. Thirty-two isolates (50%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent. Approximately 90% of isolates adhered to HEp-2 cells, and the predominant pattern was aggregative adherence (74.1%). In the biofilm assay, it was observed that 75% of isolates did not produce biofilm. These results lead us to conclude that some E. coli isolates from avian organic fertilizer could be pathogenic for humans.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the Escherichia coli common pilus chaperone EcpB

In Escherichia coli, the common pilus (Ecp) belongs to an alternative chaperone–usher pathway that plays a major role in both early biofilm formation and host-cell adhesion. Initial attempts at crystallizing the chaperone EcpB using natively purified protein from the bacterial periplasm were not successful; however, after the isolation of EcpB under denaturing conditions and subsequent refolding, crystals were obtained at pH 8.0 using the sitting-drop method of vapour diffusion. This is the first time that this refolding strategy has been used to purify CU chaperones.

Pili are key cell-surface components that allow the attachment of bacteria to both biological and abiotic solid surfaces, whilst also mediating interactions between themselves. In Escherichia coli, the common pilus (Ecp) belongs to an alternative chaperone–usher (CU) pathway that plays a major role in both early biofilm formation and host-cell adhesion. The chaperone EcpB is involved in the biogenesis of the filament, which is composed of EcpA and EcpD. Initial attempts at crystallizing EcpB using natively purified protein from the bacterial periplasm were not successful; however, after the isolation of EcpB under denaturing conditions and subsequent refolding, crystals were obtained at pH 8.0 using the sitting-drop method of vapour diffusion. Diffraction data have been processed to 2.4 Å resolution. These crystals belonged to the trigonal space group P3₁21 or P3₂21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 62.65, c = 121.14 Å and one monomer in the asymmetric unit. Molecular replacement was unsuccessful, but selenomethionine-substituted protein and heavy-atom derivatives are being prepared for phasing. The three-dimensional structure of EcpB will provide invaluable information on the subtle mechanistic differences in biogenesis between the alternative and classical CU pathways. Furthermore, this is the first time that this refolding strategy has been used to purify CU chaperones, and it could be implemented in similar systems where it has not been possible to obtain highly ordered crystals.

EHEC Adhesins

Adhesins are a group of proteins in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) that are involved in the attachment or colonization of this pathogen to abiotic (plastic or steel) and biological surfaces, such as those found in bovine and human intestines. This review provides the most up-to-date information on these essential adhesion factors, summarizing important historical discoveries and analyzing the current and future state of this research. In doing so, the proteins intimin and Tir are discussed in depth, especially regarding their role in the development of attaching and effacing lesions and in EHEC virulence. Further, a series of fimbrial proteins (Lpf1, Lpf2, curli, ECP, F9, ELF, Sfp, HCP, and type 1 fimbriae) are also described, emphasizing their various contributions to adherence and colonization of different surfaces and their potential use as genetic markers in detection and classification of different EHEC serotypes. This review also discusses the role of several autotransporter proteins (EhaA-D, EspP, Saa and Sab, and Cah), as well as other proteins associated with adherence, such as flagella, EibG, Iha, and OmpA. While these proteins have all been studied to varying degrees, all of the adhesins summarized in this chapter have been linked to different stages of the EHEC life cycle, making them good targets for the development of more effective diagnostics and therapeutics.

Escherichia coli common pilus (ECP) targets arabinosyl residues in plant cell walls to mediate adhesion to fresh produce plants

Outbreaks of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli are often associated with fresh produce. However, the molecular basis to adherence is unknown beyond ionic lipid-flagellum interactions in plant cell membranes. We demonstrate that arabinans present in different constituents of plant cell walls are targeted for adherence by E. coli common pilus (ECP; or meningitis-associated and temperature-regulated (Mat) fimbriae) for E. coli serotypes O157:H7 and O18:K1:H7. l-Arabinose is a common constituent of plant cell wall that is rarely found in other organisms, whereas ECP is widespread in E. coli and other environmental enteric species. ECP bound to oligosaccharides of at least arabinotriose or longer in a glycan array, plant cell wall pectic polysaccharides, and plant glycoproteins. Recognition overlapped with the antibody LM13, which binds arabinanase-sensitive pectic epitopes, and showed a preferential affinity for (1→5)-α-linked l-arabinosyl residues and longer chains of arabinan as demonstrated with the use of arabinan-degrading enzymes. Functional adherence in planta was mediated by the adhesin EcpD in combination with the structural subunit, EcpA, and expression was demonstrated with an ecpR-GFP fusion and ECP antibodies. Spinach was found to be enriched for ECP/LM13 targets compared with lettuce. Specific recognition of arabinosyl residues may help explain the persistence of E. coli in the wider environment and association of verotoxigenic E. coli with some fresh produce plants by exploitation of a glycan found only in plant, not animal, cells.

Single particle tracking reveals spatial and dynamic organization of the E. coli biofilm matrix

Biofilms are communities of surface-adherent bacteria surrounded by secreted polymers known as the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Biofilms are harmful in many industries, and thus it is of great interest to understand their mechanical properties and structure to determine ways to destabilize them. By performing single particle tracking with beads of varying surface functionalization it was found that charge interactions play a key role in mediating mobility within biofilms. With a combination of single particle tracking and microrheological concepts, it was found that Escherichia coli biofilms display height dependent charge density that evolves over time. Statistical analyses of bead trajectories and confocal microscopy showed inter-connecting micron scale channels that penetrate throughout the biofilm, which may be important for nutrient transfer through the system. This methodology provides significant insight into a particular biofilm system and can be applied to many others to provide comparisons of biofilm structure. The elucidation of structure provides evidence for the permeability of biofilms to microscale objects, and the ability of a biofilm to mature and change properties over time.

Genome evolution and plasticity of Serratia marcescens, an important multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen

Serratia marcescens is an important nosocomial pathogen that can cause an array of infections, most notably of the urinary tract and bloodstream. Naturally, it is found in many environmental niches, and is capable of infecting plants and animals. The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant strains producing extended-spectrum or metallo beta-lactamases now pose a threat to public health worldwide. Here we report the complete genome sequences of two carefully selected S. marcescens strains, a multidrug-resistant clinical isolate (strain SM39) and an insect isolate (strain Db11). Our comparative analyses reveal the core genome of S. marcescens and define the potential metabolic capacity, virulence, and multidrug resistance of this species. We show a remarkable intraspecies genetic diversity, both at the sequence level and with regards genome flexibility, which may reflect the diversity of niches inhabited by members of this species. A broader analysis with other Serratia species identifies a set of approximately 3,000 genes that characterize the genus. Within this apparent genetic diversity, we identified many genes implicated in the high virulence potential and antibiotic resistance of SM39, including the metallo beta-lactamase and multiple other drug resistance determinants carried on plasmid pSMC1. We further show that pSMC1 is most closely related to plasmids circulating in Pseudomonas species. Our data will provide a valuable basis for future studies on S. marcescens and new insights into the genetic mechanisms that underlie the emergence of pathogens highly resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents.

Production of the Escherichia coli common pilus by uropathogenic E. coli is associated with adherence to HeLa and HTB-4 cells and invasion of mouse bladder urothelium

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains cause urinary tract infections and employ type 1 and P pili in colonization of the bladder and kidney, respectively. Most intestinal and extra-intestinal E. coli strains produce a pilus called E. colicommon pilus (ECP) involved in cell adherence and biofilm formation. However, the contribution of ECP to the interaction of UPEC with uroepithelial cells remains to be elucidated. Here, we report that prototypic UPEC strains CFT073 and F11 mutated in the major pilin structural gene ecpA are significantly deficient in adherence to cultured HeLa (cervix) and HTB-4 (bladder) epithelial cells in vitro as compared to their parental strains. Complementation of the ecpA mutant restored adherence to wild-type levels. UPEC strains produce ECP upon growth in Luria-Bertani broth or DMEM tissue culture medium preferentially at 26°C, during incubation with cultured epithelial cells in vitro at 37°C, and upon colonization of mouse bladder urothelium ex vivo. ECP was demonstrated on and inside exfoliated bladder epithelial cells present in the urine of urinary tract infection patients. The ability of the CFT073 ecpA mutant to invade the mouse tissue was significantly reduced. The presence of ECP correlated with the architecture of the biofilms produced by UPEC strains on inert surfaces. These data suggest that ECP can potentially be produced in the bladder environment and contribute to the adhesive and invasive capabilities of UPEC during its interaction with the host bladder. We propose that along with other known adhesins, ECP plays a synergistic role in the multi-step infection of the urinary tract.

Novel antigens for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli vaccines

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are the most common bacterial pathogens causing diarrhea in developing countries where they lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths, mostly in children. These organisms are a leading cause of diarrheal illness in travelers to endemic countries. ETEC pathogenesis, and consequently vaccine approaches, have largely focused on plasmid-encoded enterotoxins or fimbrial colonization factors. To date these approaches have not yielded a broadly protective vaccine. However, recent studies suggest that ETEC pathogenesis is more complex than previously appreciated and involves additional plasmid and chromosomally encoded virulence molecules that can be targeted in vaccines. Here, we review recent novel antigen discovery efforts, potential contribution of these proteins to the molecular pathogenesis of ETEC and protective immunity, and the potential implications for development of next generation vaccines for important pathogens. These proteins may help to improve the effectiveness of future vaccines by making them simpler and possibly broadly protective because of their conserved nature.

F9 fimbriae of uropathogenic Escherichia coli are expressed at low temperature and recognise Galβ1-3GlcNAc-containing glycans

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the leading causative agent of urinary tract infections (UTI) in the developed world. Among the major virulence factors of UPEC, surface expressed adhesins mediate attachment and tissue tropism. UPEC strains typically possess a range of adhesins, with type 1 fimbriae and P fimbriae of the chaperone-usher class the best characterised. We previously identified and characterised F9 as a new chaperone-usher fimbrial type that mediates biofilm formation. However, the regulation and specific role of F9 fimbriae remained to be determined in the context of wild-type clinical UPEC strains. In this study we have assessed the distribution and genetic context of the f9 operon among diverse E. coli lineages and pathotypes and demonstrated that f9 genes are significantly more conserved in a UPEC strain collection in comparison to the well-defined E. coli reference (ECOR) collection. In the prototypic UPEC strain CFT073, the global regulator protein H-NS was identified as a transcriptional repressor of f9 gene expression at 37°C through its ability to bind directly to the f9 promoter region. F9 fimbriae expression was demonstrated at 20°C, representing the first evidence of functional F9 fimbriae expression by wild-type E. coli. Finally, glycan array analysis demonstrated that F9 fimbriae recognise and bind to terminal Galβ1-3GlcNAc structures.

Evaluation of the prevalence and production of Escherichia coli common pilus among avian pathogenic E. coli and its role in virulence

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains cause systemic and localized infections in poultry, jointly termed colibacillosis. Avian colibacillosis is responsible for significant economic losses to the poultry industry due to disease treatment, decrease in growth rate and egg production, and mortality. APEC are also considered a potential zoonotic risk for humans. Fully elucidating the virulence and zoonotic potential of APEC is key for designing successful strategies against their infections and their transmission. Herein, we investigated the prevalence of a newly discovered E. coli common pilus (ECP) for the subunit protein of the ECP pilus (ecpA) and ECP expression amongst APEC strains as well as the role of ECP in virulence. A PCR-based ecpA survey of a collection of 167 APEC strains has shown that 76% (127/167) were ecpA+. An immunofluorescence assay using anti-EcpA antibodies, revealed that among the ecpA+ strains, 37.8% (48/127) expressed ECP when grown in DMEM +0.5% Mannose in contact with HeLa cells at 37°C and/or in biofilm at 28°C; 35.4% (17/48) expressed ECP in both conditions and 64.6% (31/48) expressed ECP in biofilm only. We determined that the ecp operon in the APEC strain χ7122 (ecpA+, ECP-) was not truncated; the failure to detect ECP in some strains possessing non-truncated ecp genes might be attributed to differential regulatory mechanisms between strains that respond to specific environmental signals. To evaluate the role of ECP in the virulence of APEC, we generated ecpA and/or ecpD-deficient mutants from the strain χ7503 (ecpA+, ECP+). Deletion of ecpA and/or ecpD abolished ECP synthesis and expression, and reduced biofilm formation and motility in vitro and virulence in vivo. All together our data show that ecpA is highly prevalent among APEC isolates and its expression could be differentially regulated in these strains, and that ECP plays a role in the virulence of APEC.

Phylogenetic group-associated differences in regulation of the common colonization factor Mat fimbria in Escherichia coli

Heterogeneity of cell population is a key component behind the evolutionary success of Escherichia coli. The heterogeneity supports species adaptation and mainly results from lateral gene transfer. Adaptation may also involve genomic alterations that affect regulation of conserved genes. Here we analysed regulation of the mat (or ecp) genes that encode a conserved fimbrial adhesin of E. coli. We found that the differential and temperature-sensitive expression control of the mat operon is dependent on mat promoter polymorphism and closely linked to phylogenetic grouping of E. coli. In the mat promoter lineage favouring fimbriae expression, the mat operon-encoded regulator MatA forms a positive feedback loop that overcomes the repression by H-NS and stabilizes the fimbrillin mRNA under low growth temperature, acidic pH or elevated levels of acetate. The study exemplifies phylogenetic group-associated expression of a highly common surface organelle in E. coli.

Chaperone-usher fimbriae of Escherichia coli

Chaperone-usher (CU) fimbriae are adhesive surface organelles common to many Gram-negative bacteria. Escherichia coli genomes contain a large variety of characterised and putative CU fimbrial operons, however, the classification and annotation of individual loci remains problematic. Here we describe a classification model based on usher phylogeny and genomic locus position to categorise the CU fimbrial types of E. coli. Using the BLASTp algorithm, an iterative usher protein search was performed to identify CU fimbrial operons from 35 E. coli (and one Escherichia fergusonnii) genomes representing different pathogenic and phylogenic lineages, as well as 132 Escherichia spp. plasmids. A total of 458 CU fimbrial operons were identified, which represent 38 distinct fimbrial types based on genomic locus position and usher phylogeny. The majority of fimbrial operon types occupied a specific locus position on the E. coli chromosome; exceptions were associated with mobile genetic elements. A group of core-associated E. coli CU fimbriae were defined and include the Type 1, Yad, Yeh, Yfc, Mat, F9 and Ybg fimbriae. These genes were present as intact or disrupted operons at the same genetic locus in almost all genomes examined. Evaluation of the distribution and prevalence of CU fimbrial types among different pathogenic and phylogenic groups provides an overview of group specific fimbrial profiles and insight into the ancestry and evolution of CU fimbriae in E. coli.

Multi-functional analysis of Klebsiella pneumoniae fimbrial types in adherence and biofilm formation

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen frequently associated with nosocomially acquired infections. Host cell adherence and biofilm formation of K. pneumoniae isolates is mediated by type 1 (T1P) and type 3 (MR/K) pili whose major fimbrial subunits are encoded by the fimA and mrkA genes, respectively. The E. coli common pilus (ECP) is an adhesive structure produced by all E. coli pathogroups and a homolog of the ecpABCDE operon is present in the K. pneumoniae genome. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of these three fimbrial genes among a collection of 69 clinical and environmental K. pneumoniae strains and to establish a correlation with fimbrial production during cell adherence and biofilm formation. The PCR-based survey demonstrated that 96% of the K. pneumoniae strains contained ecpA and 94% of these strains produced ECP during adhesion to cultured epithelial cells. Eighty percent of the strains forming biofilms on glass produced ECP, suggesting that ECP is required, at least in vitro, for expression of these phenotypes. The fim operon was found in 100% of the strains and T1P was detected in 96% of these strains. While all the strains examined contained mrkA, only 57% of them produced MR/K fimbriae, alone or together with ECP. In summary, this study highlights the ability of K. pneumoniae strains to produce ECP, which may represent a new important adhesive structure of this organism. Further, it defines the multi-fimbrial nature of the interaction of this nosocomial pathogen with host epithelial cells and inert surfaces.

Enhanced biofilm formation by Escherichia coli LPS mutants defective in Hep biosynthesis

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the major component of the surface of Gram-negative bacteria and its polysaccharide portion is situated at the outermost region. We investigated the relationship between the polysaccharide portion of LPS and biofilm formation using a series of Escherichia coli mutants defective in genes earlier shown to affect the LPS sugar compositions. Biofilm formation by a deep rough LPS mutant, the hldE strain, was strongly enhanced in comparison with the parental strain and other LPS mutants. The hldE strain also showed a phenotype of increased auto-aggregation and stronger cell surface hydrophobicity compared to the wild-type. Similar results were obtained with another deep rough LPS mutant, the waaC strain whose LPS showed same molecular mass as that of the hldE strain. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis and biofilm formation assay using DNase I revealed that biofilm formation by the hldE strain was dependent on extracellular DNA. Furthermore, a loss of flagella and an increase in amount of outer membrane vesicles in case of the hldE strain were also observed by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. In addition, we demonstrated that a mutation in the hldE locus, which alters the LPS structure, caused changes in both expression and properties of several surface bacterial factors involved in biofilm formation and virulence. We suggest that the implication of these results should be considered in the context of biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces, which is frequently associated with nosocominal infections such as the catheter-associated infections.

Interactions in bacterial biofilm development: a structural perspective

A community-based life style is the normal mode of growth and survival for many bacterial species. These cellular accretions or biofilms are initiated upon recognition of solid phases by cell surface exposed adhesive moieties. Further cell-cell interactions, cell signalling and bacterial replication leads to the establishment of dense populations encapsulated in a mainly self-produced extracellular matrix; this comprises a complex mixture of macromolecules. These fascinating architectures protect the inhabitants from radiation damage, dehydration, pH fluctuations and antimicrobial compounds. As such they can cause bacterial persistence in disease and problems in industrial applications. In this review we discuss the current understandings of these initial biofilm-forming processes based on structural data. We also briefly describe latter biofilm maturation and dispersal events, which although lack high-resolution insights, are the present focus for many structural biologists working in this field. Finally we give an overview of modern techniques aimed at preventing and disrupting problem biofilms.

Transcriptional regulation of the ecp operon by EcpR, IHF, and H-NS in attaching and effacing Escherichia coli

Enteropathogenic (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) Escherichia coli are clinically important diarrheagenic pathogens that adhere to the intestinal epithelial surface. The E. coli common pili (ECP), or meningitis-associated and temperature-regulated (MAT) fimbriae, are ubiquitous among both commensal and pathogenic E. coli strains and play a role as colonization factors by promoting the interaction between bacteria and host epithelial cells and favoring interbacterial interactions in biofilm communities. The first gene of the ecp operon encodes EcpR (also known as MatA), a proposed regulatory protein containing a LuxR-like C-terminal helix-turn-helix (HTH) DNA-binding motif. In this work, we analyzed the transcriptional regulation of the ecp genes and the role of EcpR as a transcriptional regulator. EHEC and EPEC ecpR mutants produce less ECP, while plasmids expressing EcpR increase considerably the expression of EcpA and production of ECP. The ecp genes are transcribed as an operon from a promoter located 121 bp upstream of the start codon of ecpR. EcpR positively regulates this promoter by binding to two TTCCT boxes distantly located upstream of the ecp promoter, thus enhancing expression of downstream ecp genes, leading to ECP production. EcpR mutants in the putative HTH DNA-binding domain are no longer able to activate ecp expression or bind to the TTCCT boxes. EcpR-mediated activation is aided by integration host factor (IHF), which is essential for counteracting the repression exerted by histone-like nucleoid-structuring protein (H-NS) on the ecp promoter. This work demonstrates evidence about the interplay between a novel member of a diverse family of regulatory proteins and global regulators in the regulation of a fimbrial operon.

The response regulator RcsB activates expression of Mat fimbriae in meningitic Escherichia coli

The common colonization factor of Escherichia coli, the Mat (also termed ECP) fimbria, functions to advance biofilm formation on inert surfaces as well as bacterial adherence to epithelial cells and subsequent colonization. We used global mini-Tn5 transposon mutagenesis to identify novel regulators of biofilm formation by the meningitic E. coli isolate IHE 3034. Of the 4,418 transformants, we found 17 that were impaired in biofilm formation. Most of these mutants were affected in lipopolysaccharide synthesis and were reduced in growth but not in Mat fimbria expression. In contrast, two mutants grew well but did not express Mat fimbria. The insertions in these two mutants were located at different sites of the rcsB gene, which encodes a DNA-binding response regulator of the Rcs response regulon. The mutations abrogated temperature-dependent biofilm formation by IHE 3034, and the phenotype correlated with loss of mat expression. The defect in biofilm formation in the rcsB mutant was reversed upon complementation with rcsB as well as by overexpression of structural mat genes but not by overexpression of the fimbria-specific activator gene matA. Monitoring of the mat operon promoter activity with chromosomal reporter fusions showed that the RcsB protein and an RcsAB box in the mat regulatory region, but not RcsC, RcsD, AckA, and Pta, are essential for initiation of mat transcription. Gel retardation assays showed that RcsB specifically binds to the mat promoter DNA, which enables its function in promoting biofilm formation by E. coli.

The fimbriae activator MatA switches off motility in Escherichia coli by repression of the flagellar master operon flhDC

Flagella provide advantages to Escherichia coli by facilitating taxis towards nutrients and away from unfavourable niches. On the other hand, flagellation is an energy sink to the bacterial cell, and flagella also stimulate host innate inflammatory responses against infecting bacteria. The flagellar assembly pathway is ordered and under a complex regulatory circuit that involves three classes of temporally regulated promoters as well as the flagellar master regulator FlhD(4)C(2). We report here that transcription of the flhDC operon from the class 1 promoter is under negative regulation by MatA, a key activator of the common mat (or ecp) fimbria operon that enhances biofilm formation by E. coli. Ectopic expression of MatA completely precluded motility and flagellar synthesis in the meningitis-associated E. coli isolate IHE 3034. Northern blotting, analysis of chromosomal promoter-lacZ fusions and electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed an interaction between MatA and the flhDC promoter region that apparently repressed flagellum biosynthesis. However, inactivation of matA in the chromosome of IHE 3034 had only a minor effect on flagellation, which underlines the complexity of regulatory signals that promote flagellation in E. coli. We propose that the opposite regulatory actions of MatA on mat and on flhDC promoters advance the adaptation of E. coli from a planktonic to an adhesive lifestyle.

Molecular mechanisms that mediate colonization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a group of pathogens which cause gastrointestinal disease in humans and have been associated with numerous food-borne outbreaks worldwide. The intimin adhesin has been considered for many years to be the only colonization factor in these strains. However, the rapid progress in whole-genome sequencing of different STEC serotypes has accelerated the discovery of other adhesins (fimbrial and afimbrial), which have emerged as important contributors to the intestinal colonization occurring during STEC infection. This review summarizes recent progress to identify and characterize, at the molecular level, novel adhesion and colonization factors in STEC strains, with an emphasis on their contribution to virulence traits, their host-pathogen interactions, the regulatory mechanisms controlling their expression, and their role as targets eliciting immune responses in the host.

Structural insights into the biogenesis and biofilm formation by the Escherichia coli common pilus

Bacteria have evolved a variety of mechanisms for developing community-based biofilms. These bacterial aggregates are of clinical importance, as they are a major source of recurrent disease. Bacterial surface fibers (pili) permit adherence to biotic and abiotic substrates, often in a highly specific manner. The Escherichia coli common pilus (ECP) represents a remarkable family of extracellular fibers that are associated with both disease-causing and commensal strains. ECP plays a dual role in early-stage biofilm development and host cell recognition. Despite being the most common fimbrial structure, relatively little is known regarding its biogenesis, architecture, and function. Here we report atomic-resolution insight into the biogenesis and architecture of ECP. We also derive a structural model for entwined ECP fibers that not only illuminates interbacteria communication during biofilm formation but also provides a useful foundation for the design of novel nanofibers.

Fimbrial adhesins produced by atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains

Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) has emerged as a significant cause of pediatric diarrhea worldwide; however, information regarding its adherence mechanisms to the human gut mucosa is lacking. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of several (fimA, ecpA, csgA, elfA, and hcpA) fimbrial genes in 71 aEPEC strains isolated from children with diarrhea (54 strains) and healthy individuals (17 strains) in Brazil and Australia by PCR. These genes are associated with adhesion and/or biofilm formation of pathogenic and commensal E. coli. Here, the most prevalent fimbrial genes found, in descending order, were hcpA (98.6%), ecpA (86%), fimA (76%), elfA (72%), and csgA (19.7%). Phenotypic expression of pili in aEPEC strains was assessed by several approaches. We were not able to detect the hemorrhagic coli pilus (HCP) or the E. coli laminin-binding fimbriae (ELF) in these strains by using immunofluorescence. Type 1 pili and curli were detected in 59% (by yeast agglutination) and 2.8% (by Congo red binding and immunofluorescence) of the strains, respectively. The E. coli common pilus (ECP) was evidenced in 36.6% of the strains on bacteria adhering to HeLa cells by immunofluorescence, suggesting that ECP could play an important role in cell adherence for some aEPEC strains. This study highlights the complex nature of the adherence mechanisms of aEPEC strains involving the coordinated function of fimbrial (e.g., ECP) and nonfimbrial (e.g., intimin) adhesins and indicates that these strains bear several pilus operons that could potentially be expressed in different niches favoring colonization and survival in and outside the host.

Fimbrial adhesins from extraintestinal Escherichia coli

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) represent an important subclass of E. coli that cause a wide spectrum of diseases in human and animal hosts. Fimbriae are key virulence factors of ExPEC strains. These long surface located rod-shaped organelles mediate receptor-specific attachment to host tissue surfaces (tissue tropism). Some ExPEC fimbriae have additional functions such as the promotion of biofilm formation, cell aggregation and adherence to abiotic surfaces. Here we review the structure, function and contribution to virulence of fimbriae associated with ExPEC strains.

Prevention of bacterial adhesion

Management of bacterial infections is becoming increasingly difficult due to the emergence and increasing prevalence of bacterial pathogens that are resistant to available antibiotics. Conventional antibiotics generally kill bacteria by interfering with vital cellular functions, an approach that imposes selection pressure for resistant bacteria. New approaches are urgently needed. Targeting bacterial virulence functions directly is an attractive alternative. An obvious target is bacterial adhesion. Bacterial adhesion to surfaces is the first step in colonization, invasion, and biofilm formation. As such, adhesion represents the Achilles heel of crucial pathogenic functions. It follows that interference with adhesion can reduce bacterial virulence. Here, we illustrate this important topic with examples of techniques being developed that can inhibit bacterial adhesion. Some of these will become valuable weapons for preventing pathogen contamination and fighting infectious diseases in the future.

Mat fimbriae promote biofilm formation by meningitis-associated Escherichia coli

The mat (or ecp) fimbrial operon is ubiquitous and conserved in Escherichia coli, but its functions remain poorly described. In routine growth media newborn meningitis isolates of E. coli express the meningitis-associated and temperature-regulated (Mat) fimbria, also termed E. coli common pilus (ECP), at 20 degrees C, and here we show that the six-gene (matABCDEF)-encoded Mat fimbria is needed for temperature-dependent biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces. The matBCDEF deletion mutant of meningitis E. coli IHE 3034 was defective in an early stage of biofilm development and consequently unable to establish a detectable biofilm, contrasting with IHE 3034 derivatives deleted for flagella, type 1 fimbriae or S-fimbriae, which retained the wild-type biofilm phenotype. Furthermore, induced production of Mat fimbriae from expression plasmids enabled biofilm-deficient E. coli K-12 cells to form biofilm at 20 degrees C. No biofilm was detected with IHE 3034 or MG1655 strains grown at 37 degrees C. The surface expression of Mat fimbriae and the frequency of Mat-positive cells in the IHE 3034 population from 20 degrees C were high and remained unaltered during the transition from planktonic to biofilm growth and within the matured biofilm community. Considering the prevalence of the highly conserved mat locus in E. coli genomes, we hypothesize that Mat fimbria-mediated biofilm formation is an ancestral characteristic of E. coli.

The majority of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains produce the E. coli common pilus when adhering to cultured epithelial cells

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) have emerged as a significant worldwide cause of chronic diarrhea in the pediatric population and in HIV patients. The vast majority of EAEC strains do not produce the aggregative adherence fimbriae I-III (AAFs) so far reported and thus, what adherence factors are present in these strains remains unknown. Here, we investigated the prevalence of the chromosomal E. coli common pilus (ECP) genes and ECP production amongst 130 EAEC strains of diverse origin as well as the role of ECP in EAEC adherence. Through multiplex PCR analysis we found that 96% of EAEC strains contained the ecpA structural pilin gene whereas only 3.1% and 5.4% were positive for AAF fimbrial genes aggA or aafA, respectively. Among the ecpA(+) strains, 63% produced ECP when adhering to cultured epithelial cells. An ecpA mutant derived from prototypic strain 042 (AAF/II(+)) was not altered in adherence suggesting that the AAF/II, and not ECP, plays a major role in this strain. In contrast, strain 278-1 (AAF(-)) deleted of the ecpA gene was significantly reduced in adherence to cultured epithelial cells. In all, these data indicate a potential role of ECP in adherence for EAEC strains lacking the known AAFs and that in association with other adhesive determinants, ECP may contribute to their survival and persistence within the host and in the environment.

Escherichia coli K-12 possesses multiple cryptic but functional chaperone-usher fimbriae with distinct surface specificities

Commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli adherence to host and environmental surfaces is mediated by a variety of adhesins. Although extensively studied as a model bacterium, 34% of the genes in the E. coli K-12 genome have no known function. We hypothesized that some of them may correspond to functional adhesins. We characterized E. coli K-12 ycb, ybg, yfc, yad, yra, sfm and yeh operons, which display sequence and organizational homologies to type 1 fimbriae exported by the chaperone/usher pathway. We showed that, although these operons are poorly expressed under laboratory conditions, six of them are nevertheless functional when expressed, and promote adhesion to abiotic and/or epithelial cell surfaces. While the studied fimbriae display different binding specificities, we obtained evidence of synergy/interference with other adhesins such as Ag43 or type 1 fimbriae. We showed that their expression is under the negative control of H-NS and, except for yad, subjected to cAMP receptor protein-mediated activation and carbon catabolite repression. These results therefore demonstrate that ycb, yfc, yad, yra, sfm and yeh operons encode cryptic but functional fimbriae adhesins whose expression following environmental modifications could contribute to E. coli's ability to adhere to and colonize a wide diversity of surfaces in its various ecological niches.

Distribution of the Escherichia coli common pilus among diverse strains of human enterotoxigenic E. coli

The Escherichia coli common pilus (ECP) is produced by commensal and pathogenic E. coli strains. This pilus is unrelated to any of the known colonization factors (CFs) of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). In this study, we investigated the distribution and production of ECP among a collection of 136 human CF-positive and CF-negative ETEC strains of different geographic origins. The major pilus subunit gene, ecpA, was found in 109 (80%) of these strains, suggesting that it is widely distributed among ETEC strains. Phenotypic analysis of a subset of 43 strains chosen randomly showed that 58% of them produced ECP independently of the presence or absence of CFs, a percentage even higher than that of the most prevalent CFs. These data suggest an important role for ECP in the biology of ETEC, particularly in CF-negative strains, and in human infection.

The Escherichia coli common pilus and the bundle-forming pilus act in concert during the formation of localized adherence by enteropathogenic E. coli

Although the bundle-forming pilus (BFP) of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) mediates microcolony formation on epithelial cells, the adherence of BFP-deficient mutants is significantly abrogated, but the mutants are still adherent due to the presence of intimin and possibly other adhesins. In this study we investigated the contribution of the recently described E. coli common pilus (ECP) to the overall adherence properties of EPEC. We found that ECP and BFP structures can be simultaneously observed in the course (between zero time and 7 h during infection) of formation of localized adherence on cultured epithelial cells. These two pilus types colocalized at different levels of the microcolony topology, tethering the adhering bacteria. No evidence of BFP disappearance was found after prolonged infection. When expressed from a plasmid present in nonadherent E. coli HB101, ECP rendered this organism highly adherent at levels comparable to those of HB101 expressing the BFP. Purified ECP bound in a dose-dependent manner to epithelial cells, and the binding was blocked with anti-ECP antibodies, confirming that the pili possess adhesin properties. An ECP mutant showed only a modest reduction in adherence to cultured cells due to background expression levels of BFP and intimin. However, isogenic mutants not expressing EspA or BFP were significantly less adherent when the ecpA gene was also deleted. Furthermore, a DeltaespA DeltaecpA double mutant (unable to translocate Tir and to establish intimate adhesion) was at least 10-fold less adherent than the DeltaespA and DeltaecpA single mutants, even in the presence of BFP. A Delta bfp DeltaespA DeltaecpA triple mutant showed the least adherence compared to the wild type and all the isogenic mutant strains tested, suggesting that ECP plays a synergistic role in adherence. Our data indicate that ECP is an accessory factor that, in association with BFP and other adhesins, contributes to the multifactorial complex interaction of EPEC with host epithelial cells.

The SfaXII protein from newborn meningitis E. coli is involved in regulation of motility and type 1 fimbriae expression

The genomes of pathogenic Escherichia coli may contain several different fimbrial operons. How bacteria regulate and coordinate the choice of fimbrial expression under different circumstances remains largely unanswered. In this report we have investigated the role of the sfaX(II) gene associated to the Sfa(II) fimbrial determinant in the E. coli isolate IHE3034. sfaX(II) belongs to a subfamily of genes, the 17k Da genes, located near different fimbrial operons in uropathogenic and newborn meningitis E. coli (NMEC) strains. Using the NMEC isolate IHE3034 and non-pathogenic E. coli strains we found that the sfaX(II) gene had an inhibitory effect on type 1 fimbriae expression. Down-regulation of type 1 fimbriae was exerted at transcriptional level both by inhibiting expression from the fimA promoter and by reducing the frequency of OFF-to-ON switching. The effect of sfaX(II) on expression of the recombinase FimB that catalyzes OFF-to-ON switching might explain the described reduction in percentage of ON cells. Moreover, expression of the sfaX(II) gene strongly influenced motility and flagella production of the NMEC isolate IHE3034. We propose that the sfaX(II) gene, and presumably other members in the 17 kDa gene family, may play a role in the control of virulence related gene expression in pathogenic E. coli.

Analysis of the sfaX(II) locus in the Escherichia coli meningitis isolate IHE3034 reveals two novel regulatory genes within the promoter-distal region of the main S fimbrial operon

We describe the expression and regulation of the gene sfaX(II) located near the Sfa(II) fimbrial determinant in the newborn meningitis Escherichia coli (NMEC) isolate IHE3034. sfaX(II) belongs to a gene family, the 17-kDa genes, typically located downstream (300-3000bp) of different fimbrial operons found in E. coli isolates of uropathogenic and newborn meningitis origin. Using transcriptional sfaX(II) reporter gene fusions we found that different environmental conditions commonly affecting expression of fimbrial genes also affected sfaX(II) expression. Analysis of the sfaX(II) transcripts showed that the gene is part of the main fimbrial operon as it is transcribed together with the rest of the fimbrial genes. In addition, the sfaX(II) gene can be expressed from a more proximal promoter and is found to be subject to strong down-regulation by the nucleoid protein H-NS. Studies with an sfaX(II) mutant derivative of IHE3034 did not reveal effects on Sfa(II) fimbrial biogenesis as monitored by e.g. immunofluorescence microscopy. Nevertheless, a mutation in sfaX(II) resulted in altered expression of other surface components. Moreover, we define a new gene, sfaY(II), coding for a putative phosphodiesterase that is located in between the sfaX(II) gene and the fimbrial biogenesis genes. Our studies by ectopic expression of sfaY(II) in Vibrio cholerae showed that the gene product caused reduced biofilm formation and it is proposed that sfaY(II) can influence cyclic-di-GMP turnover in the bacteria. Our findings demonstrate that the operons typical for S-fimbriae of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli include previously unrecognized novel regulatory genes.