Biomaterial Database

Colicins--exocellular lethal proteins of Escherichia coli. 1998

J Smarda, and D Smajs

Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.

Colicins are toxic exoproteins produced by bacteria of colicinogenic strains of Escherichia coli and some related species of Enterobacteriaceae, during the growth of their cultures. They inhibit sensitive bacteria of the same family. About 35% E. coli strains appearing in human intestinal tract are colicinogenic. Synthesis of colicins is coded by genes located on Col plasmids. Until now more than 34 types of colicins have been described, 21 of them in greater detail, viz. colicins A, B, D, E1-E9, Ia, Ib, JS, K, M, N, U, 5, 10. In general, their interaction with sensitive bacteria includes three steps: (1) binding of the colicin molecule to a specific receptor in the bacterial outer membrane; (2) its translocation through the cell envelope; and (3) its lethal interaction with the specific molecular target in the cell. The classification of colicins is based on differences in the molecular events of these three steps.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003087	Colicins	Bacteriocins elaborated by strains of Escherichia coli and related species. They are proteins or protein-lipopolysaccharide complexes lethal to other strains of the same species.	Colicin,Colicin E9,Colicine,Colicines,Colicin A,Colicin B,Colicin E,Colicin E1,Colicin E2,Colicin E3,Colicin E8,Colicin HSC10,Colicin Ia,Colicin Ib,Colicin K,Colicin K-K235,Colicin M,Colicin N,Colicin V,Colicins E,Colicins E9,Precolicin E1,Colicin K K235,E9, Colicin
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D004927	Escherichia coli Infections	Infections with bacteria of the species ESCHERICHIA COLI.	E coli Infections,E. coli Infection,Infections, E coli,Infections, Escherichia coli,E coli Infection,E. coli Infections,Escherichia coli Infection,Infection, E coli,Infection, E. coli,Infection, Escherichia coli