scholarly journals Switching Shiga Toxin (Stx) Type from Stx2d to Stx2a but Not Stx2c Alters Virulence of Stx-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) Strain B2F1 in Streptomycin (Str)-Treated Mice

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Beth A. McNichol ◽  
Rebecca A. Bova ◽  
Kieron Torres ◽  
Lan N. Preston ◽  
Angela R. Melton-Celsa

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strain B2F1 produces Stx type 2d, a toxin that becomes more toxic towards Vero cells in the presence of intestinal mucus. STEC that make Stx2d are more pathogenic to streptomycin (Str)-treated mice than most STEC that produce Stx2a or Stx2c. However, purified Stx2d is only 2- or 7-fold more toxic by the intraperitoneal route than Stx2a or Stx2c, respectively. We hypothesized, therefore, that the toxicity differences among Stx2a, Stx2c, and Stx2d occur at the level of delivery from the intestine. To evaluate that hypothesis, we altered the toxin type produced by stx2d+ mouse virulent O91:H21 clinical isolate B2F1 to Stx2a or Stx2c. Because B2F1 encodes two copies of stx2d, we did these studies in a derivative of B2F1 in which stx2d1 was deleted. Although the strains were equivalently virulent to the Str-treated mice at the 1010 dose, the B2F1 strain that produced Stx2a was attenuated relative to the ones that produced Stx2d or Stx2c when administered at 103 CFU/mouse. We next compared the oral toxicities of purified Stx2a, Stx2c, and Stx2d. We found that purified Stx2d is more toxic than Stx2a or Stx2c upon oral administration at 4 µg/mouse. Taken together, these studies suggest that Stx2 toxins are most potent when delivered directly from the bacterium. Furthermore, because Stx2d and Stx2c have the identical amino acid composition in the toxin B subunit, our results indicate that the virulence difference between Stx2a and Stx2d and Stx2c resides in the B or binding subunit of the toxins.

1992 ◽  
Vol 283 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
C A Lingwood ◽  
S K Yiu

Previous studies have implicated the glycolipid receptor for the Escherichia coli-derived verotoxin, globotriaosylceramide (Gb3; Gal alpha 1-4Gal beta 1-4Glc-ceramide), in the mechanism of alpha 2 interferon signal transduction. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of the human alpha 2 interferon receptor with that of the B (receptor-binding)-subunit of verotoxin shows three regions of similarity which may provide a structural basis for alpha 2-interferon-receptor/Gb3 interaction.


2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (11) ◽  
pp. 2085-2088 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANGELA R. MELTON-CELSA ◽  
ALISON D. O'BRIEN ◽  
PETER C. H. FENG

Shiga toxin (Stx)–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are food- and waterborne pathogens that are often transmitted via beef products or fresh produce. STEC strains cause both sporadic infections and outbreaks, which may result in hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. STEC strains may elaborate Stx1, Stx2, and/or subtypes of those toxins. Epidemiological evidence indicates that STEC that produce subtypes Stx2a, Stx2c, and/or Stx2d are more often associated with serious illness. The Stx2d subtype becomes more toxic to Vero cells after incubation with intestinal mucus or elastase, a process named “activation.” Stx2d is not generally found in the E. coli serotypes most commonly connected to STEC outbreaks. However, STEC strains that are stx2d positive can be isolated from foods, an occurrence that gives rise to the question of whether those food isolates are potential human pathogens. In this study, we examined 14 STEC strains from fresh produce that were stx2d positive and found that they all produced the mucus-activatable Stx2d and that a subset of the strains tested were virulent in streptomycin-treated mice.


Author(s):  
Arthur Donohue-Rolfe ◽  
David W. K. Acheson ◽  
Gerald T. Keusch ◽  
Marcia B. Goldberg ◽  
Stephanie A. Boyko ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. 2338-2349 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Funk ◽  
N. Biber ◽  
M. Schneider ◽  
E. Hauser ◽  
S. Enzenmüller ◽  
...  

In this study, the cytotoxicity of the recently described subtilase variant SubAB2-2of Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coliwas determined and compared to the plasmid-encoded SubAB1and the chromosome-encoded SubAB2-1variant. The genes for the respective enzymatic active (A) subunits and binding (B) subunits of the subtilase toxins were amplified and cloned. The recombinant toxin subunits were expressed and purified. Their cytotoxicity on Vero cells was measured for the single A and B subunits, as well as for mixtures of both, to analyze whether hybrids with toxic activity can be identified. The results demonstrated that all three SubAB variants are toxic for Vero cells. However, the values for the 50% cytotoxic dose (CD50) differ for the individual variants. Highest cytotoxicity was shown for SubAB1. Moreover, hybrids of subunits from different subtilase toxins can be obtained which cause substantial cytotoxicity to Vero cells after mixing the A and B subunits prior to application to the cells, which is characteristic for binary toxins. Furthermore, higher concentrations of the enzymatic subunit SubA1exhibited cytotoxic effects in the absence of the respective B1subunit. A more detailed investigation in the human HeLa cell line revealed that SubA1alone induced apoptosis, while the B1subunit alone did not induce cell death.


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