title: Association of K-1 capsule, smooth lipopolysaccharides, traT gene, and Colicin V production with complement resistance and virulence of avian Escherichia coli.
abstract: A group of complement-resistant, virulent avian Escherichia coli isolates were compared with a group of complement-sensitive, avirulent avian isolates for the presence of K-1 capsule, smooth lipopolysaccharides (LPS), the traT gene, and Colicin V (ColV) production. These parameters were selected because of their reported association with complement resistance and virulence in E. coli. Lethality in chicken embryos has also been shown to be correlated with virulence of avian E. coli for chickens. The complement-resistant, virulent E. coli isolates did not possess a K-1 capsule. Production of ColV and the presence of smooth LPS were significantly correlated with embryo lethality. There was no correlation between the presence of traT and embryo lethality. These results suggest that complement resistance and virulence in avian E. coli are associated with ColV production and smooth LPS but not with K-1 antigen or traT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Wooley
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Giddings
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D003087:Colicins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis*; D011201:Poultry Diseases; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D003087:Colicins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C030659:K antigens; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C036297:TraT protein, E coli; D003165:Complement System Proteins