scholarly journals Escherichia coli Clone Sonnei (Shigella sonnei) Had a Chromosomal O-Antigen Gene Cluster Prior to Gaining Its Current Plasmid-Borne O-Antigen Genes

1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (11) ◽  
pp. 2983-2986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Lai ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Peter R. Reeves
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Shigella Sonnei ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen

ABSTRACT O antigen is part of the lipopolysaccharide present in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. The surface-exposed O antigen is subject to selection by the host immune system, which may account for the maintenance of many different O-antigen forms. Characteristically, all genes specific to O-antigen synthesis are clustered in a region close to the his and gnd genes on the chromosome of Escherichia coli and related species.Shigella sonnei, essentially a clone of E. coli(E. coli clone Sonnei), is an important human pathogen and is unusual in that its O-antigen gene cluster is located on a plasmid. Our results suggest that it once had a normal chromosomal O-antigen gene cluster which has been largely deleted. We suggest that the O antigen encoded by the plasmid-borne genes offered a selective advantage in adapting to a new environment and that the chromosomal O-antigen genes were eventually inactivated. We also identified, by PCR and sequencing, a potential ancestor of E. coli Sonnei among the 166 known E. coli serotype strains.

scholarly journals Sequencing of Escherichia coli O111 O-Antigen Gene Cluster and Identification of O111-Specific Genes

1998 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 3182-3187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Wang ◽  
Heather Curd ◽  
Wenjia Qu ◽  
Peter R. Reeves
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Uremic Syndrome

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli strains of serogroup O111 are the most frequently isolated non-O157 strains causing outbreaks of gastroenteritis with hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The O111 O-antigen gene cluster had been cloned and about half of it has been sequenced; we have now sequenced the remainder of the gene cluster, which is 12.5 kb in length and which comprises 11 genes. On the basis of sequence similarity, we have identified all the O-antigen genes expected, including five sugar biosynthetic pathway genes, three transferase genes, the O-unit flippase gene, and the O-antigen polymerase gene. By PCR testing with E. coli strains representing all 166 O-antigen forms, some randomly selected gram-negative bacteria, and Salmonella enterica serovar Adelaide, we showed that four O-antigen genes are highly specific to O111. This work provides the basis for a sensitive test for the rapid detection of E. coli O111. This is important both for decisions related to patient care, because early treatment may reduce the risk of life-threatening complications, and for the detection of sources of contamination.

scholarly journals The O-Antigen Gene Cluster of Escherichia coli O55:H7 and Identification of a New UDP-GlcNAc C4 Epimerase Gene

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (10) ◽  
pp. 2620-2625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Wang ◽  
Sandy Huskic ◽  
Adam Cisterne ◽  
Deborah Rothemund ◽  
Peter R. Reeves
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
The Other ◽  
Recombination Site ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
Usual Location

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli O55 is an important antigen which is often associated with enteropathogenic E. coli clones. We sequenced the genes responsible for its synthesis and identified genes for O-antigen polymerase, O-antigen flippase, four enzymes involved in GDP-colitose synthesis, and three glycosyltransferases, all by comparison with known genes. Upstream of the normal O-antigen region there is a gne gene, which encodes a UDP-GlcNAc epimerase for converting UDP-GlcNAc to UDP-GalNAc and is essential for O55 antigen synthesis. The O55 gne product has only 20 and 26% identity to the gne genes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli O113, respectively. We also found evidence for the O55 gene cluster's having evolved from another gene cluster by gain and loss of genes. Only three of the GDP-colitose pathway genes are in the usual location, the other two being separated, although nearby. It is thought that the E. coli O157:H7 clone evolved from the O55:H7 clone in part by transfer of the O157 gene cluster into an O55 lineage. Comparison of genes flanking the O-antigen gene clusters of the O55:H7 and O157:H7 clones revealed one recombination site within the galF gene and located the other between the hisG and amn genes. Genes outside the recombination sites are 99.6 to 100% identical in the two clones, while most genes thought to have transferred with the O157 gene cluster are 95 to 98% identical.

scholarly journals Structure and gene cluster of the O antigen of Escherichia coli L-19, a candidate for a new O-serogroup

Microbiology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 160 (9) ◽  
pp. 2102-2107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelina L. Zdorovenko ◽  
Lyudmila D. Varbanets ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Olga A. Valueva ◽  
Quan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
Conserved Genes ◽  
Specific Polysaccharide ◽  
Phenol Water ◽  
C Nmr

Escherichia coli L-19 isolated from a healthy individual did not agglutinate with any of 21 polyvalent antisera that cover 174 E. coli O-serogroups. The strain was studied in respect to the O-antigen (O-specific polysaccharide, OPS) structure and genetics. The LPS was isolated by phenol–water extraction of bacterial cells and cleaved by mild acid hydrolysis to yield the OPS. The OPS was studied by sugar and methylation analyses, along with 1D and 2D 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The established structure of the linear tetrasaccharide repeating unit was found to be unique among known bacterial polysaccharide structures. A peculiar component of the L-19 OPS was an amide of glucuronic acid with 2-amino-1,3-propanediol (2-amino-2-deoxyglycerol) (GroN). The O-antigen gene cluster of L-19 between the conserved genes galF and gnd was sequenced, and gene functions were tentatively assigned by a comparison with sequences in the available databases and found to be in agreement with the OPS structure. Except for putative genes for synthesis and transfer of GroN, the sequences in the L-19 O-antigen gene cluster were little related to those of reference strains of the 174 known E. coli O-serogroups. The data obtained suggest that L-19 can be considered as a candidate for a new E. coli O-serogroup.

scholarly journals Structure of the O-antigen of Salmonella O66 and the genetic basis for similarity and differences between the closely related O-antigens of Escherichia coli O166 and Salmonella O66

Microbiology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 156 (6) ◽  
pp. 1642-1649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Liu ◽  
Andrei V. Perepelov ◽  
Dan Li ◽  
Sof'ya N. Senchenkova ◽  
Yanfang Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
New Genes ◽  
O Antigens ◽  
Antigen Structure

O-antigen is a component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and is one of the most variable cell surface constituents, leading to major antigenic variability. The O-antigen forms the basis for bacterial serotyping. In this study, the O-antigen structure of Salmonella O66 was established, which differs from the known O-antigen structure of Escherichia coli O166 only in one linkage (most likely the linkage between the O-units) and O-acetylation. The O-antigen gene clusters of Salmonella O66 and E. coli O166 were found to have similar organizations, the only exception being that in Salmonella O66, the wzy gene is replaced by a non-coding region. The function of the wzy gene in E. coli O166 was confirmed by the construction and analysis of deletion and trans-complementation mutants. It is proposed that a functional wzy gene located outside the O-antigen gene cluster is involved in Salmonella O66 O-antigen biosynthesis, as has been reported previously in Salmonella serogroups A, B and D1. The sequence identity for the corresponding genes between the O-antigen gene clusters of Salmonella O66 and E. coli O166 ranges from 64 to 70 %, indicating that they may originate from a common ancestor. It is likely that after the species divergence, Salmonella O66 got its specific O-antigen form by inactivation of the wzy gene located in the O-antigen gene cluster and acquisition of two new genes (a wzy gene and a prophage gene for O-acetyl modification) both residing outside the O-antigen gene cluster.

scholarly journals Comparison of O-Antigen Gene Clusters ofEscherichia coli (Shigella) Sonnei andPlesiomonas shigelloides O17: Sonnei Gained Its Current Plasmid-Borne O-Antigen Genes from P. shigelloides in a Recent Event

2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 6056-6061 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Shepherd ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Peter R. Reeves
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Shigella Sonnei ◽  
Ofescherichia Coli ◽  
Recent Event ◽  
Plesiomonas Shigelloides ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli Sonnei has an O antigen identical to that of Plesiomonas shigelloides O17, and its O-antigen gene cluster is located on a plasmid. By sequencing the chromosomal O-antigen gene cluster of P. shigelloides O17 and comparing it with that of Sonnei, we showed that Sonnei gained its O-antigen genes recently.

scholarly journals A New O-Antigen Gene Cluster Has a Key Role in the Virulence of the Escherichia coli Meningitis Clone O45:K1:H7

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (23) ◽  
pp. 8528-8536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Céline Plainvert ◽  
Philippe Bidet ◽  
Chantal Peigne ◽  
Valérie Barbe ◽  
Claudine Médigue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
Pcr Method

ABSTRACT A new highly pathogenic clone of Escherichia coli meningitis strains harboring the unusual serogroup O45 has recently emerged in France. To gain insight into the pathogenicity of this new clone, we investigated the possible role of antigen O45 in the virulence of strain S88 (O45:K1:H7), representative of this emerging clone. We first showed that the S88 O-antigen gene cluster sequence differs from that of O45 in the reference strain E. coli 96-3285, suggesting that the two O45 polysaccharides, while probably sharing a community of epitopes, represent two different antigens. The unique functional organization of the two O-antigen gene clusters and the low DNA sequence homology of the orthologous genes suggest that the two loci originated from a common ancestor and have since undergone multiple recombination events. Phylogenetic analysis based on the flanking gene gnd sequences indicates that the S88 antigen O45 (O45S88) gene cluster may have been acquired, at least in part, from another member of the Enterobacteriaceae. Mutagenesis of the O45S88 antigen gene cluster was used for functional analysis of the loci and revealed the crucial role of the O polysaccharide in S88 virulence in a neonatal rat meningitis model. We also developed a PCR method to specifically identify the O45S88 antigen gene cluster. Together, our findings suggest that horizontal acquisition of a new O-antigen gene cluster, at least partly from another species, may have been a key event in the emergence and virulence of the E. coli O45:K1:H7 clone in France.

Colitose-containing O-polysaccharide structure and O-antigen gene cluster of Escherichia albertii HK18069 related to those of Escherichia coli O55 and E. coli O128

2019 ◽  
Vol 480 ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Zheng ◽  
Olesya I. Naumenko ◽  
Hong Wang ◽  
Yanwen Xiong ◽  
Jianping Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen

Deletion of the Escherichia coli O14:K7 O antigen gene cluster

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 299-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slade O Jensen ◽  
Peter R Reeves
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Common Antigen ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antigen Gene ◽  
O Antigen ◽  
Enterobacterial Common Antigen ◽  
Colanic Acid ◽  
Rough Strain

Escherichia coli O14:K7 is a rough strain, lacking a typical O antigen, in which the enterobacterial common antigen is attached to the lipopolysaccharide core. The rough phenotype was previously mapped to the O antigen gene cluster; however, the nature of the nonfunctional locus was not defined. In this study, we have shown that the O antigen gene cluster of an O14:K7 type strain (Su4411/41) was most likely deleted via homologous recombination between the GDP–mannose pathway genes (manB and manC) of the colanic acid and O antigen gene clusters. A similar recombination event has previously been inferred for the deletion of E. coli Sonnei chromosomal O antigen genes. Therefore, recombination between the GDP–mannose pathway genes provides a convenient mechanism for the deletion of O antigen genes, which may occur if the typical O antigen becomes redundant.Key words: colanic acid, enterobacterial common antigen, GDP–mannose pathway, O14:K7, O antigen.

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