Open AccessLack 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
Author(s) -
Bortolini Mafalda R.,
Trabulsi Luis R.,
Keller Rogéria,
Frankel Gad,
Sperandio Vanessa
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1999.tb08723.x
Subject(s) - pilus , operon , biology , plasmid , microbiology and biotechnology , agrobacterium tumefaciens , gene , enteropathogenic escherichia coli , escherichia coli , homology (biology) , bacteria , genetics , transformation (genetics)
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.