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 language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 169-174 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | FEMS Microbiology Letters |
Volume | 179 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1 1999 |
Keywords
- Bundle-forming pilus
- Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
- Localized adherence
- Type IV pilus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics