Abstract
Fim operons were examined to illuminate the emergence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from the less-virulent E. coli O55:H7. A fim invertible element deletion occurred only after O157:H7 descended from O55:H7, and after sorbitol nonfermenting O157 diverged. Type 1 pili nonexpression correlates with this deletion in all enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) tested. An N135K FimH mutation in the two most evolved O157:H7 clusters is not found in other EHEC. These data refine the evolutionary history of an emerging pathogen.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Adhesins, Escherichia coli / genetics
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DNA, Bacterial / genetics
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Escherichia coli O157 / genetics*
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Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics*
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Escherichia coli Proteins / physiology*
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Evolution, Molecular*
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Fimbriae Proteins / genetics*
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Fimbriae Proteins / physiology*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Operon*
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Sequence Analysis, DNA
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Sequence Deletion
Substances
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Adhesins, Escherichia coli
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DNA, Bacterial
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Escherichia coli Proteins
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fimH protein, E coli
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Fimbriae Proteins