Open-Source Genomic Analysis of Shiga-Toxin–ProducingE. coliO104:H4

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

An outbreak caused by Shiga-toxin–producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 occurred in Germany in May and June of 2011, with more than 3000 persons infected. Here, we report a cluster of cases associated with a single family and describe an open-source genomic analysis of an isolate from one member of the family. This analysis involved the use of rapid, bench-top DNA sequencing technology, open-source data release, and prompt crowd-sourced analyses. In less than a week, these studies revealed that the outbreak strain belonged to an enteroaggregative E. coli lineage that had acquired genes for Shiga toxin 2 and for antibiotic resistance.

Related collections

Most cited references 10

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Analysis of Collection of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome–associated Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Alexander Mellmann, Martina Bielaszewska, Robin Köck … (2008)

Multilocus sequence typing of 169 non-O157 enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) isolated from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) demonstrated 29 different sequence types (STs); 78.1% of these strains clustered in 5 STs. From all STs and serotypes identified, we established a reference panel of EHEC associated with HUS (HUSEC collection).

0 comments Cited 94 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

LEEways: tales of EPEC, ATEC and EHEC.

Johanna Schmidt (2010)

Intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli are a major cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Currently seven intestinal pathovars are recognized causing a wide range of intestinal disorders that are sometimes associated with severe and even lethal complications. The arsenal of virulence factors is used to subvert cellular functions of the host thereby enhancing adaptation, virulence and pathogenicity. Virulence factor profiles are largely the result of the acquisition of mobile genetic elements such as prophages and pathogenicity islands. A group of highly adapted intestinal pathogenic E. coli that are characterized by the induction of 'attaching-and-effacing (A/E) lesions' have acquired a decisive pathogenicity island, the 'locus of enterocyte effacement - LEE' by horizontal gene transfer. This review focuses on recent advances in our understanding of A/E E. coli. It highlights novel functions of effector proteins, addresses the LEE flanking regions where additional genetic elements such as the LifA/Efa1 region have been identified, and points to implications for diagnostics and therapy due to the putative interconversion of A/E E. coli during infection. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

0 comments Cited 56 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Complete Nucleotide Sequence of CTX-M-15-Plasmids from Clinical Escherichia coli Isolates: Insertional Events of Transposons and Insertion Sequences

Annemieke Smet, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh, Tom T. M. Vandekerckhove … (2010)

Background CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli strains are regarded as major global pathogens. Methodology/Principal Findings The nucleotide sequence of three plasmids (pEC_B24: 73801-bp; pEC_L8: 118525-bp and pEC_L46: 144871-bp) from Escherichia coli isolates obtained from patients with urinary tract infections and one plasmid (pEC_Bactec: 92970-bp) from an Escherichia coli strain isolated from the joint of a horse with arthritis were determined. Plasmid pEC_Bactec belongs to the IncI1 group and carries two resistance genes: bla TEM-1 and bla CTX-M-15. It shares more than 90% homology with a previously published bla CTX-M-plasmid from E. coli of human origin. Plasmid pEC_B24 belongs to the IncFII group whereas plasmids pEC_L8 and pEC_L46 represent a fusion of two replicons of type FII and FIA. On the pEC_B24 backbone, two resistance genes, bla TEM-1 and bla CTX-M-15, were found. Six resistance genes, bla TEM-1, bla CTX-M-15, bla OXA-1, aac6'-lb-cr, tetA and catB4, were detected on the pEC_L8 backbone. The same antimicrobial drug resistance genes, with the exception of tetA, were also identified on the pEC_L46 backbone. Genome analysis of all 4 plasmids studied provides evidence of a seemingly frequent transposition event of the bla CTX-M-15-ISEcp1 element. This element seems to have a preferred insertion site at the tnpA gene of a bla TEM-carrying Tn3-like transposon, the latter itself being inserted by a transposition event. The IS26-composite transposon, which contains the bla OXA-1, aac6'-lb-cr and catB4 genes, was inserted into plasmids pEC_L8 and pEC_L46 by homologous recombination rather than a transposition event. Results obtained for pEC_L46 indicated that IS26 also plays an important role in structural rearrangements of the plasmid backbone and seems to facilitate the mobilisation of fragments from other plasmids. Conclusions Collectively, these data suggests that IS26 together with ISEcp1 could play a critical role in the evolution of diverse multiresistant plasmids found in clinical Enterobacteriaceae.