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Infect. Immun., Jan 1997, 320-326, Vol 65, No. 1
TS Agin and MK Wolf
Intimin, an outer membrane protein encoded by eaeA that mediates close
attachment of enteropathogenic bacteria to apical surfaces of epithelial
cells, is required for formation of the attaching-effacing lesions and for
full pathogenesis of the bacteria. Analysis of the eaeA sequence indicates
that there is a high degree of homology at the N termini but less at the C
termini of intimins. Antisera specific for the C-terminal third of RDEC-1
intimin, used to screen outer membrane proteins from 50 rabbit
enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), human EPEC, and human
enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) strains, identified cross-reactive
intimins from 24 isolates. Sequence analysis of the eaeA genes from human
EPEC O111 and EHEC O26 isolates indicates that their intimins have C
termini nearly identical to that of RDEC-1 intimin. Our results suggest
that there are at least three families of related intimins and that the
presence of intimin similar to that of RDEC-1 is not restricted by
serogroup or host specificity.
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology
Identification of a family of intimins common to Escherichia coli causing attaching-effacing lesions in rabbits, humans, and swine
Department of Gastroenterology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C. 20307-5100, USA.
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