F1C fimbriae of a uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain: genetic and functional organization of the foc gene cluster and identification of minor subunits.
The genetic organization of the foc gene cluster has been studied; six genes involved in the biogenesis of F1C fimbriae were identified. focA encodes the major fimbrial subunit, focC encodes a product that is indispensable for fimbria formation, focG and focH encode minor fimbrial subunits, and focI encodes a protein which shows similarities to the subunit protein FocA. Apart from the FocA major subunits, purified F1C fimbriae contain at least two minor subunits, FocG and FocH. Minor proteins of similar size were observed in purified S fimbriae. Remarkably, some mutations in the foc gene cluster result in an altered fimbrial morphology, i.e., rigid stubs or long, curly fimbriae.
Riegman
N
N
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Kusters
R
R
Van Veggel
H
H
Bergmans
H
H
Van Bergen en Henegouwen
P
P
Hacker
J
J
Van Die
I
I
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D005810:Multigene Family; D010957:Plasmids; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins