Biomaterial Database

A plasmid-encoded type IV fimbrial gene of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli associated with localized adherence. 1992

M S Donnenberg, and J A Girón, and J P Nataro, and J B Kaper

Department of Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) form adherent microcolonies on the surface of tissue culture cells in a pattern termed localized adherence. Localized adherence requires the presence of a large EPEC adherence factor (EAF) plasmid. Recently a bundle-forming pilus has been described in EPEC possessing the EAF plasmid. An analysis of 22 non-invasive EPEC TnphoA mutants revealed that seven have insertions in the EAF plasmid and are incapable of localized adherence. We report here the mapping of the TnphoA insertions in these mutants. The nucleotide sequence of the gene interrupted in these TnphoA mutants (bfpA) was determined and found to correspond to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the major structural protein of the bundle-forming pilus. The bfpA gene bears sequence similarities to members of the type IV fimbrial gene family and encodes a potential site for processing by a prepilin peptidase. A plasmid containing bfpA as the only open reading frame directs the synthesis of a protein recognized by antiserum raised against the bundle-forming pilus. TnphoA mutants at this locus are unable to synthesize BfpA, but synthesis is restored by introduction of a plasmid containing the cloned gene. The minimum fragment of DNA required to restore localized adherence is considerably greater than that required to restore BfpA synthesis. BfpA expression, as assessed by alkaline phosphatase activity in bfpA::TnphoA mutants, is affected by temperature and growth medium. These studies describe an EPEC plasmid-encoded fimbrial gene, a candidate for the elusive EPEC adherence factor responsible for localized adherence.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D010861	Fimbriae, Bacterial	Thin, hairlike appendages, 1 to 20 microns in length and often occurring in large numbers, present on the cells of gram-negative bacteria, particularly Enterobacteriaceae and Neisseria. Unlike flagella, they do not possess motility, but being protein (pilin) in nature, they possess antigenic and hemagglutinating properties. They are of medical importance because some fimbriae mediate the attachment of bacteria to cells via adhesins (ADHESINS, BACTERIAL). Bacterial fimbriae refer to common pili, to be distinguished from the preferred use of "pili", which is confined to sex pili (PILI, SEX).	Bacterial Fimbriae,Bacterial Pili,Common Fimbriae,Common Pili,Pili, Bacterial,Pili, Common,Bacterial Fimbria,Bacterial Pilus,Common Fimbria,Common Pilus,Fimbria, Bacterial,Pilus, Bacterial,Fimbria, Common,Fimbriae, Common,Pilus, Common
D010957	Plasmids	Extrachromosomal, usually CIRCULAR DNA molecules that are self-replicating and transferable from one organism to another. They are found in a variety of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, algal, and plant species. They are used in GENETIC ENGINEERING as CLONING VECTORS.	Episomes,Episome,Plasmid
D011993	Recombinant Fusion Proteins	Recombinant proteins produced by the GENETIC TRANSLATION of fused genes formed by the combination of NUCLEIC ACID REGULATORY SEQUENCES of one or more genes with the protein coding sequences of one or more genes.	Fusion Proteins, Recombinant,Recombinant Chimeric Protein,Recombinant Fusion Protein,Recombinant Hybrid Protein,Chimeric Proteins, Recombinant,Hybrid Proteins, Recombinant,Recombinant Chimeric Proteins,Recombinant Hybrid Proteins,Chimeric Protein, Recombinant,Fusion Protein, Recombinant,Hybrid Protein, Recombinant,Protein, Recombinant Chimeric,Protein, Recombinant Fusion,Protein, Recombinant Hybrid,Proteins, Recombinant Chimeric,Proteins, Recombinant Fusion,Proteins, Recombinant Hybrid
D004251	DNA Transposable Elements	Discrete segments of DNA which can excise and reintegrate to another site in the genome. Most are inactive, i.e., have not been found to exist outside the integrated state. DNA transposable elements include bacterial IS (insertion sequence) elements, Tn elements, the maize controlling elements Ac and Ds, Drosophila P, gypsy, and pogo elements, the human Tigger elements and the Tc and mariner elements which are found throughout the animal kingdom.	DNA Insertion Elements,DNA Transposons,IS Elements,Insertion Sequence Elements,Tn Elements,Transposable Elements,Elements, Insertion Sequence,Sequence Elements, Insertion,DNA Insertion Element,DNA Transposable Element,DNA Transposon,Element, DNA Insertion,Element, DNA Transposable,Element, IS,Element, Insertion Sequence,Element, Tn,Element, Transposable,Elements, DNA Insertion,Elements, DNA Transposable,Elements, IS,Elements, Tn,Elements, Transposable,IS Element,Insertion Element, DNA,Insertion Elements, DNA,Insertion Sequence Element,Sequence Element, Insertion,Tn Element,Transposable Element,Transposable Element, DNA,Transposable Elements, DNA,Transposon, DNA,Transposons, DNA
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
D005798	Genes, Bacterial	The functional hereditary units of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Gene,Bacterial Genes,Gene, Bacterial
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D001422	Bacterial Adhesion	Physicochemical property of fimbriated (FIMBRIAE, BACTERIAL) and non-fimbriated bacteria of attaching to cells, tissue, and nonbiological surfaces. It is a factor in bacterial colonization and pathogenicity.	Adhesion, Bacterial,Adhesions, Bacterial,Bacterial Adhesions
D001425	Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins	Proteins isolated from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.	OMP Proteins,Outer Membrane Proteins, Bacterial,Outer Membrane Lipoproteins, Bacterial