Functional analysis of colonization factor antigen I positive enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli identifies genes implicated in survival in water and host colonization

• DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000554
• Publication Date: 2021-06-10T13:16:16Z
• Authors: Moataz Abd El Ghany; Lars Barquist; Simon Clare; Cordelia Brandt; Matthew Mayho; Enrique Joffre´; Åsa Sjöling; A. Keith Turner; John D. Klena; Robert A. Kingsley; Grant A. Hill-Caw...; Gordon Dougan; Derek Pickard
• Keywords: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli; Regulon; Transposon mutagenesis

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) expressing the colonization pili CFA/I are common causes of diarrhoeal infections in humans. Here, we use a combination transposon mutagenesis and transcriptomic analysis to identify genes pathways that contribute ETEC persistence water environments mammalian host. persisting exhibit distinct RNA expression profile from those growing richer media. Multiple were identified survival, including lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis stress response regulons. The also indicated vivo mice encounter bottleneck driving down diversity colonizing populations.