title: The type 1 pili regulator gene fimX and pathogenicity island PAI-X as molecular markers of uropathogenic Escherichia coli.
abstract: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) fall within a larger group of isolates producing extraintestinal disease. UPEC express type 1 pili as a critical virulence determinant mediating adherence to and invasion into urinary tract tissues. Type 1 pili expression is under regulation by a family of site-specific recombinases, including FimX, which is encoded from a genomic island called PAI-X for pathogenicity island of FimX. Using a new multiplex PCR, fimX and the additional PAI-X genes were found to be highly associated with UPEC (144/173 = 83.2 %), and more prevalent in UPEC of lower urinary tract origin (105/120 = 87.5 %) than upper urinary tract origin (39/53 = 74 %; P<0.05) or commensal isolates (28/78 = 36 %; P≤0.0001). The Fim-like recombinase gene fimX is the only family member that has a significant association with UPEC compared to commensal isolates. Our results indicate PAI-X genes, including the type 1 pili regulator gene fimX, are highly prevalent among UPEC isolates and have a strong positive correlation with genomic virulence factors, suggesting a potential role for PAI-X in the extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.|Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Stacey L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Ann E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Stapleton
authors.affiliation: Deceased.|Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Walter E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Stamm
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33146, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hooton
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.|Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.|Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Seed
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D044404:Genomic Islands; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045522:Recombinases / Q000235:genetics*; D056689:Uropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C000588702:FimX protein, E coli; D045522:Recombinases