Study of the ETT2 protein secretion system in enteroaggregative Escherichia coli 042 prototype strain

• Grant number: 13/24458-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: March 01, 2014
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Waldir Pereira Elias Junior
• Grantee: Roberto Nepomuceno de Souza Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an emerging pathogen associated with cases of diarrhea in children, immunocompromised patients, and healthy adults passing by endemic areas. This patotype does not present a homogeneous profile regarding the presence of virulence factors found among different serogroups isolates from diarrheal cases, indicating a multifactorial profile for disease development. Analysis of the genome of EAEC strain 042 indicated the presence of genes encoding a type III secretion system (T3SS) which, in other pathogens, is associated with the translocation of effector proteins directly into the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, leading to their morphological and functional changes. This system, named ETT2 (Escherichia coli type three secretion system 2), present high similarity to that found in enterohemorrhagic E. coli and the system codified by Salmonella sp. SPI-1 pathogenic island. In this project we aim to study the EAEC 042 ETT2 system, focusing on the protein secretion profile of a mutant deficient on the system, its cellular location and structural components. The results will be important to clarify the pathogenicity of this E. coli pathotype.