Role of Lymphostatin in the Colonisation of Cattle by Enterohaemorragic Escherichia Coli

Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are emerging zoonotic pathogens and cattle are a major reservoir of human infections. We have identified a gene (lifA) that influences intestinal colonisation of calves by non-0157 EHEC. LifA (lymphostatin) acts both as an inhibitor of lymphocyte function and as an adhesin in vitro. <P>

We aim to determine how lymphostatin influences intestinal colonisation through integration of genetic techniques and the in vitro and in vivo analysis of EHEC-interactions with bovine epithelial and lymphoid cells. The roles of an E. coli O157:H7 lifA homologue (17095) and truncated lifA gene will also be investigated. We will dissect the functional domains of lymphostatin to gain insights into its mechanism of action.