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Infection and Immunity, September 2002, p. 5158-5166, Vol. 70, No. 9
0019-9567/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.70.9.5158-5166.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Efa1 Influences Colonization of the Bovine Intestine by Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Serotypes O5 and O111

Mark P. Stevens,1 Pauline M. van Diemen,1 Gad Frankel,2 Alan D. Phillips,3 and Timothy S. Wallis1*

Division of Environmental Microbiology, Institute for Animal Health, Compton Laboratory, Berkshire RG20 7NN,1 Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2AZ,2 Centre for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom3

Received 15 February 2002/ Returned for modification 23 April 2002/ Accepted 4 June 2002

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) comprises a broad group of bacteria, some of which cause attaching and effacing (AE) lesions and enteritis in animals and humans. Non-O157 STEC serotypes contain a gene (efa1) that mediates attachment to cultured epithelial cells. An almost-identical gene in enteropathogenic E. coli (lifA) encodes lymphostatin, which inhibits the proliferation of mitogen-activated lymphocytes and the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines. We have investigated the role of the efa1 gene in colonization of 4- and 11-day-old conventional calves by STEC serotypes O5 and O111. Our findings show that Efa1 is required for efficient colonization of the bovine intestinal tract by STEC, since efa1 deletion and insertion mutants were shed in the feces in significantly lower numbers. In addition, efa1 mutations dramatically reduced the number of bacteria associated with the intestinal epithelium. Expression and secretion of locus for enterocyte effacement-encoded type III secreted proteins that are required for adhesion and AE-lesion formation were impaired by mutation of efa1 in STEC but not by mutation of lifA in enteropathogenic E. coli. However, STEC efa1 mutants retain the ability to nucleate filamentous actin under sites of bacterial attachment to cultured eukaryotic cells. Efa1 is only the second STEC factor shown to influence carriage of the bacteria in the bovine intestine. Our data may have implications for strategies to reduce the prevalence of STEC in cattle.

* Corresponding author. Mailing Address: Division of Environmental Microbiology, Institute for Animal Health, Compton Laboratory, Berkshire RG20 7NN, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 (0)1635 578411. Fax: 44 (0)1635 577243. E-mail: timothy.wallis{at}bbsrc.ac.uk.

Editor: A. D. O'Brien

Infection and Immunity, September 2002, p. 5158-5166, Vol. 70, No. 9
0019-9567/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.70.9.5158-5166.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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