This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Elias, W. P.
Right arrow Articles by Nataro, J. P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Elias, W. P., Jr.
Right arrow Articles by Nataro, J. P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Bacteriology, March 1999, p. 1779-1785, Vol. 181, No. 6
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Organization of Biogenesis Genes for Aggregative Adherence Fimbria II Defines a Virulence Gene Cluster in Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

Waldir P. Elias Jr.,1,2 John R. Czeczulin,1 Ian R. Henderson,1 Luiz R. Trabulsi,2 and James P. Nataro1,*

Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Center for Vaccine Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201,1 and Laboratório Especial de Microbiologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil2

Received 12 November 1998/Accepted 1 January 1999

Several virulence-related genes have been described for prototype enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) strain 042, which has been shown to cause diarrhea in human volunteers. Among these factors are the enterotoxins Pet and EAST and the fimbrial antigen aggregative adherence fimbria II (AAF/II), all of which are encoded on the 65-MDa virulence plasmid pAA2. Using nucleotide sequence analysis and insertional mutagenesis, we have found that the genes required for the expression of each of these factors, as well as the transcriptional activator of fimbrial expression AggR, map to a distinct cluster on the pAA2 plasmid map. The cluster is 23 kb in length and includes two regions required for expression of the AAF/II fimbria. These fimbrial biogenesis genes feature a unique organization in which the chaperone, subunit, and transcriptional activator lie in one cluster, whereas the second, unlinked cluster comprises a silent chaperone gene, usher, and invasin reminiscent of Dr family fimbrial clusters. This plasmid-borne virulence locus may represent an important set of virulence determinants in EAEC strains.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Center for Vaccine Development, 685 West Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Phone: (410) 706-5328. Fax: (410) 706-6205. E-mail: jnataro{at}umaryland.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, March 1999, p. 1779-1785, Vol. 181, No. 6
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Boisen, N., Struve, C., Scheutz, F., Krogfelt, K. A., Nataro, J. P. (2008). New Adhesin of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Related to the Afa/Dr/AAF Family. Infect. Immun. 76: 3281-3292 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Imuta, N., Nishi, J., Tokuda, K., Fujiyama, R., Manago, K., Iwashita, M., Sarantuya, J., Kawano, Y. (2008). The Escherichia coli Efflux Pump TolC Promotes Aggregation of Enteroaggregative E. coli 042. Infect. Immun. 76: 1247-1256 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mohamed, J. A., Huang, D. B., Jiang, Z.-D., DuPont, H. L., Nataro, J. P., Belkind-Gerson, J., Okhuysen, P. C. (2007). Association of Putative Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Virulence Genes and Biofilm Production in Isolates from Travelers to Developing Countries. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 121-126 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Torres, A. G., Zhou, X., Kaper, J. B. (2005). Adherence of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Strains to Epithelial Cells. Infect. Immun. 73: 18-29 [Full Text]  
  • Sarantuya, J., Nishi, J., Wakimoto, N., Erdene, S., Nataro, J. P., Sheikh, J., Iwashita, M., Manago, K., Tokuda, K., Yoshinaga, M., Miyata, K., Kawano, Y. (2004). Typical Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Is the Most Prevalent Pathotype among E. coli Strains Causing Diarrhea in Mongolian Children. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 133-139 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nishi, J., Sheikh, J., Mizuguchi, K., Luisi, B., Burland, V., Boutin, A., Rose, D. J., Blattner, F. R., Nataro, J. P. (2003). The Export of Coat Protein from Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli by a Specific ATP-binding Cassette Transporter System. J. Biol. Chem. 278: 45680-45689 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • PRESTERL, E., ZWICK, R. H., REICHMANN, S., AICHELBURG, A., WINKLER, S., KREMSNER, P. G., GRANINGER, W. (2003). FREQUENCY AND VIRULENCE PROPERTIES OF DIARRHEAGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI IN CHILDREN WITH DIARRHEA IN GABON. Am J Trop Med Hyg 69: 406-410 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bernier, C., Gounon, P., Le Bouguenec, C. (2002). Identification of an Aggregative Adhesion Fimbria (AAF) Type III-Encoding Operon in Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli as a Sensitive Probe for Detecting the AAF-Encoding Operon Family. Infect. Immun. 70: 4302-4311 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Munson, G. P., Holcomb, L. G., Scott, J. R. (2001). Novel Group of Virulence Activators within the AraC Family That Are Not Restricted to Upstream Binding Sites. Infect. Immun. 69: 186-193 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Czeczulin, J. R., Whittam, T. S., Henderson, I. R., Navarro-Garcia, F., Nataro, J. P. (1999). Phylogenetic Analysis of Enteroaggregative and Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli. Infect. Immun. 67: 2692-2699 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»