Biochemistry Commons^™

Regulation Of Expression Of Enterohemolysin Toxin By The Global Repressor Hns And Characterization Of A New Class Of Protein Produced By Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli, Miles T. Rogers

Dissertations

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are worldwide pathogens causing an estimated 200,000 infections per year in the United States. Infections with STEC sometimes progress to kidney failure ending in death. Two studies presented below describe a novel virulence factor and mechanisms required for pathogenesis of STEC seropathotype 091 :H21.

First the novel protein, YghJ, was identified and found to be conserved amongst extraintestinal and diarrheal seropathotypes of E. coli with similar proteins carried by pathogens such as Vibrio cholerae. When the yghJ gene was disrupted creating a YghJ null mutant, the defect resulted in a significant growth deficiency in …