Investigation of the interaction strategies of an atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strain displaying the hybrid localized/aggregative adherence pattern, isolated during a diarrheal outbreak in Brazil

• Grant number: 15/26207-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2017 - September 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Tavanelli Hernandes
• Grantee: Rodrigo Tavanelli Hernandes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: João Pessoa Araújo Junior ; Luis Fernando dos Santos ; Tânia Aparecida Tardelli Gomes do Amaral

Abstract

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), an important diarrheal pathotype that affects children and adults, has the hallmark virulence ability to cause a histopathologic lesion characterized by microvillus destruction on the infected epithelial cells and the formation of a pedestal-like structure rich in F-actin and other cytoskeleton elements, termed attaching and effacing lesion. This diarrheagenic E. coli pathotype is divided into two groups: typical (tEPEC) and atypical (aEPEC), based on the presence of a plasmid in the former group (pEAF: EPEC adherence factor) that is associated with a phenotype known as localized adherence (LA), in which bacteria are organized in compact microcolonies on the infected epithelial cells surfaces. aEPEC are emerging pathogens which are gaining importance in the global epidemiological scenario, since they have been isolated with high frequency from individuals with diarrhea, and have also been implicated in diarrheal outbreaks worldwide. In a previous study from our laboratory, we identified an aEPEC isolate (serotype O2:H16), obtained during an diarrheal outbreak investigation, which is able to display the localized (LA) and aggregative (AA) patterns of adherence concomitantly on the surface of the epithelial cells, producing a hybrid pattern of adherence termed LA/AA, even in the absence of the pEAF. Our main objective is to understand the kinetic of the interaction (adherence and invasion) of the aEPEC isolate selected for this study, as well as to evaluate the contribution of important surface bacterial structures, such as the flagella and the type 3 secretion system, and identify new potential adhesins that could play a role in the establishment and evolution of this phenotype. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VIEIRA, MELISSA A.; DIAS, REGIANE C. B.; DOS SANTOS, LUIS F.; RALL, VERA L. M.; GOMES, TANIA A. T.; HERNANDES, RODRIGO T.. Diversity of strategies used by atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to induce attaching and effacing lesion in epithelial cells. Journal of Medical Microbiology, v. 68, n. 6, p. 940-951, JUN 2019. (12/19077-0, 15/26207-6, 13/23414-5)

HERNANDES, RODRIGO T.; HAZEN, TRACY H.; DOS SANTOS, LUIS F.; RICHTER, TAYLOR K. S.; MICHALSKI, JANE M.; RASKO, DAVID A.. Comparative genomic analysis provides insight into the phylogeny and virulence of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains from Brazil. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 14, n. 6, JUN 2020. (15/26207-6, 16/17584-3)

TANABE, RODRIGO H. S.; DIAS, REGIANE C. B.; ORSI, HENRIQUE; DE LIRA, DAIANY R. P.; VIEIRA, MELISSA A.; DOS SANTOS, LUIS F.; FERREIRA, ADRIANO M.; RALL, VERA L. M.; MONDELLI, ALESSANDRO L.; GOMES, TANIA A. T.; et al. Characterization of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Reveals Hybrid Isolates of Uropathogenic and Diarrheagenic (UPEC/DEC) E. coli. MICROORGANISMS, v. 10, n. 3, p. 15-pg., 2022-03-01. (15/26207-6, 18/17353-7)