Induction of gene expression in Escherichia coli after pilus-mediated adherence.
The induction of cascades of virulence factors after contact between bacteria and host cells was investigated. P-pili mediate the binding of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to its host cell receptor. After P-pili binding there was transcriptional activation of a sensor-regulator protein that is essential for the bacterial iron-starvation response. An insertion mutation of the sensor-regulator gene eliminated the ability of uropathogenic E. coli to produce siderophores and their iron-regulated membrane receptors, thereby abolishing their ability to grow in urine. These results suggest that P-pilus-mediated attachment may be an important part of the sensor-regulatory process involved in uropathogenic E. coli urinary tract infection.
Zhang
J P
JP
Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 666 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA.
Normark
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D033902:Periplasmic Binding Proteins; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D011817:Rabbits; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D017262:Siderophores / Q000378:metabolism; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics*
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D033902:Periplasmic Binding Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D017262:Siderophores; C037872:pili, bacterial receptor; C074276:barA protein, E coli; D007501:Iron; D010770:Phosphotransferases