An inducible bundle-forming pilus of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.

摘要: Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), a cause of childhood diarrhea, grow on the surface small intestine and cultured epithelial cells as colonies adherent bacteria. When propagated solid medium containing blood or attached to HEp-2 cells, EPEC express ropelike bundles filaments, termed bundle-forming pili (BFP), that create network fibers bind together individual organisms. BFP were found be expressed by five serogroups, each harboring approximately 92-kilobase plasmid previously known important for virulence in humans. two these strains cured this plasmid, they neither nor grew colonies. An antiserum reduced capacity infect cells. are composed repeating subunit 19,500 daltons, amino-terminal amino acid sequence is homologous toxin-coregulated pilin Vibrio cholerae.