Publikationsdatenbank

O-acetyltransferase gene neuO is segregated according to phylogenetic background and contributes to environmental desiccation resistance in Escherichia coli K1 (2009)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Mordhorst, Ines L

Claus, Heike

Ewers, Christa

Lappann, Martin

Schoen, Christoph

Elias, Johannes

Batzilla, Julia

Dobrindt, Ulrich

Wieler, Lothar H

Bergfeld, Anne K

Mühlenhoff, Martina

Vogel, Ulrich

Quelle

Environmental microbiology

Bandzählung: 11

Heftzählung: 12

Seiten: 3154 – 3165

ISSN: 1462-2912

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2009.02019.x

Pubmed: 19671077

Kontakt

Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen

Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 51843 / 66949
mikrobiologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Escherichia coli K1 causes disease in humans and birds. Its polysialic acid capsule can be O-acetylated via phase-variable expression of the acetyltransferase NeuO encoded by prophage CUS-3. The role of capsule O-acetylation in ecological adaptation or pathogenic invasion of E. coli K1 is largely unclear. A population genetics approach was performed to study the distribution of neuO among E. coli K1 isolates from human and avian sources. Multilocus sequence typing revealed 39 different sequence types (STs) among 183 E. coli K1 strains. The proportion of the ST95 complex (STC95) was 44%. NeuO was found in 98% of the STC95 strains, but only in 24% of other STs. Grouping of STs and prophage genotypes revealed a segregation of prophage types according to STs, suggesting coevolution of CUS-3 and the E. coli K1 host. Within the STC95, which is known to harbour both human and avian pathogenic isolates, CUS-3 genotypes were shared irrespective of the host species. Functional analysis of a variety of strain pairs revealed that NeuO-mediated K1 capsule O-acetylation enhanced desiccation resistance. In contrast, NeuO expression led to a reduced biofilm formation in biofilm positive E. coli K1 isolates. These findings suggest a delicate ecological balance of neuO'on'/'off' switching.