Heteropathogenic virulence and phylogeny reveal phased pathogenic metamorphosis in Escherichia coli O2:H6. Issue 3 (10th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bielaszewska, Martina; Schiller, Roswitha; Lammers, Lydia; Bauwens, Andreas; Fruth, Angelika; Middendorf, Barbara; Schmidt, M Alexander; Tarr, Phillip I; Dobrindt, Ulrich; Karch, Helge; Mellmann, Alexander
• Is Part Of: EMBO molecular medicine. Volume 6:Issue 3(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 347
• Page End: 357
• Publication Date: 2014-01-10
• Subjects: Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Medical genetics -- Periodicals; Pathology, Molecular -- Periodicals; 616.04205
• DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201303133
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-4676

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="synopsis" xml:lang="en" id="emmm201303133-abs-0002"> <title>Synopsis</title> <p> <boxed-text content-type="graphic" id="emmm201303133-blkfxd-0001" position="anchor" orientation="portrait"> <graphic position="anchor" mimetype="image" xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgg4st01b9n" orientation="portrait" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /> </boxed-text> </p> <p>Hybrid E. coli pathogens clinical significance was clearly shown during the deadly 2011 outbreak. STEC O2:H6 was diagnosed intestinal and uropathogenic in patients and is shown here as another heteropathogen that emerged via pathogroup conversion.</p> <p> <list id="emmm201303133-list-0001" list-type="bullet"> <list-item> <p>Shiga toxin‐producing <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> (STEC) O2:H6 were found to be phylogenetically positioned between intestinal pathogenic and uropathogenic E. coli, possess and express virulence factors of both STEC and uropathogenic E. coli, and cause diarrhea as well as urinary tract infections.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Based on their phylogeny, virulence features and pluripotential pathogenicity in intestinal and extraintestinal milieus, STEC O2:H6 are proposed to be 'heteropathogens' that occupy an evolutionary and pathogenic interface between intestinal and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, and are the first such hybrid virulent E. coli identified.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>In contrast to the classic view that pathogens emerge from non‐pathogens via sequential, linear acquisition of virulence genes, STEC O2:H6 are portrayed as possessing heteropathogenic virulence potential.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>The novel evolutionary concept of phased metamorphosis is compelled by our identification of genomes with dual virulence attributes.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Broader surveys combining backbone phylogeny and systematic virulence gene analyses are needed to determine if the pathogen emergence via transition is a generalized process.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </abstract>