Lack of expression of bundle-forming pili in some clinical isolates of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is due to a conserved large deletion in the bfp operon

Mafalda R. Bortolini, Luis R. Trabulsi, Rogéria Keller, Gad Frankel, Vanessa Sperandio

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) produces a plasmid-encoded type IV pilus, called the bundle-forming pilus (BFP), involved in the formation of the localized adhesion onto epithelial cells. In this study, we demonstrate that clinical isolates of serotypes O128ab:H2 and O119:H2 contain a ca. 13-kb deletion in the bfp operon, resulting in a lack of expression of these pili. An IS sequence with homology to the IS66 of Agrobacterium tumefaciens replaced the deleted bfp genes. These results suggest that the bfp operon was deleted through a transpositional event and that other adherence factors may mediate attachment of these bacteria to the host cells. Copyright (C) 1999 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)169-174
Number of pages6
JournalFEMS Microbiology Letters
Volume179
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 1999

Keywords

  • Bundle-forming pilus
  • Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
  • Localized adherence
  • Type IV pilus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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