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Infect. Immun., Jan 1998, 122-131, Vol 66, No. 1
RP Anantha, KD Stone and MS Donnenberg
Adherence of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) to epithelial cells
is dependent on a type IV fimbria, termed the bundle-forming pilus (BFP). A
cluster of 14 genes is required for expression of BFP. The eighth gene in
the cluster, bfpF, encodes a putative nucleotide- binding protein which
resembles the PilT protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It has been proposed
that PilT is required for the retraction of the P. aeruginosa pilus, which
results in twitching motility. To test the role of BfpF in BFP function and
EPEC pathogenesis, two different mutations were constructed in the bfpF
gene, one in the cloned gene cluster in a laboratory E. coli strain and one
in wild-type EPEC. Neither mutation affected prepilin synthesis, leader
sequence processing, or pilus biogenesis. However, both mutations resulted
in increased localized adherence. In addition, the EPEC bfpF mutant
displayed increased aggregation. The EPEC bfpF mutant was not deficient in
attaching and effacing activity or invasion capacity. These results suggest
that BfpF decreases aggregation and adherence by EPEC but that subsequent
steps in EPEC pathogenesis do not require this protein.
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology
Role of BfpF, a member of the PilT family of putative nucleotide- binding proteins, in type IV pilus biogenesis and in interactions between enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and host cells
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201, USA.
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