title: The surface rhamnopolysaccharide epa of Enterococcus faecalis is a key determinant of intestinal colonization.
abstract: Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal bacterium of the human intestine and a major opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised and elderly patients. The pathogenesis of E. faecalis infection relies in part on its capacity to colonize the gut. Following disruption of intestinal homeostasis, E. faecalis can overgrow, cross the intestinal barrier, and enter the lymph and bloodstream. To identify and characterize E. faecalis genes that are key to intestinal colonization, our strategy consisted in screening mutants for the following phenotypes related to intestinal lifestyle: antibiotic resistance, overgrowth, and competition against microbiota. From the identified colonization genes, epaX encodes a glycosyltransferase located in a variable region of the enterococcal polysaccharide antigen (epa) locus. We demonstrated that EpaX acts on sugar composition, promoting resistance to bile salts and cell wall integrity. Given that EpaX is enriched in hospital-adapted isolates, this study points to the importance of the epa variability as a key determinant for enterococcal intestinal colonization.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 Micalis AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rigottier-Gois
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 Micalis AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Clément
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Madec
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 Micalis AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Albertas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Navickas
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 Micalis AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Renata C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 Micalis AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akary-Lepage
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 Micalis AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Michel-Yves
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Mistou
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1319 Micalis AgroParisTech, UMR Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serror
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012210:Rhamnose / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D012210:Rhamnose
keywords: Enterococcus faecalis; intestinal colonization; opportunistic infection; pathobiont; rhamnopolysaccharide