Intestinal Colonisation Factors Common to E. Coli O157 and Other A/E Lesion-Forming Lumenal Microbial Pathogens

The initial steps of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) infection involve intestinal colonisation and adaptation to the in vivo environment. Colonisation of human intestinal mucosa requires a functional LEE pathogenicity island encoding the adhesion molecule intimin. However, a large body of evidence points to the existence of additional colonisation factors.<P>
Here we propose to use STM of the mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium to discover new colonisation and survival factors. The function of the identified genes will be assessed in the EHEC background using the well-established technique of in vitro organ culture of intestinal mucosa. Results from this study should lead to the identification of new vaccine and anti-microbial targets.