Uropathogenic, Escherichia coli can express serologically identical pili of different receptor binding specificities

Abstract

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli frequently express P-pilus adhesins that recognize Gal alpha (1-4)Gal-containing glycoconjugates. The P-pilus adhesin of the E. coli isolate J96 is encoded by the pap gene cluster and has been shown to agglutinate P1-erythrocytes. We now describe a novel gene cluster from J96, prs, which is responsible for the agglutination of sheep erythrocytes. The structurally related gene clusters both expressed pili exhibiting the F13 antigen. Analysis of mutants of cloned prs sequences, together with trans-complementation of pap and prs genes, identified the sheep-specific adhesin as the 37-kD PrsG protein. The prsG gene occupies the equivalent position in prs as occupied by papG, which specifies the Gal alpha (1-4)Gal-specific adhesin of pap. PrsG was shown to be structurally distinct from PapG since PapG-specific antiserum did not cross-react with PrsG. Using a solid phase glycolipid receptor binding assay, PrsG was found to specify preferential binding to the Forssman antigen, a major constituent of sheep erythrocyte membranes. The binding epitope was identified as the GaINAc alpha (1-3)GaINAc moiety. This is the first direct evidence that serologically identical pili may present antigenically distinct adhesins, each capable of binding to a specific receptor.

Virulence determinants of Escherichia coli O6 extraintestinal isolates analysed by Southern hybridizations and DNA long range mapping techniques

“…26 As shown previously, this probe is also specific for the prs gene cluster coding for P related adhesins. 9 As sfa/foc specific DNA probe, a Clal-EcoRI fragment of 1.8 kb from the recombinant DNA pANN801-13 (Ap 1 ) was used. 11 This fragment was also subcloned into pBR322, thereby resulting in the plasmid pANN801-21 (Ap 1 }.…”

Clonal analysis of Escherichia coli serotype O6 strains from urinary tract infections

“…7 The minimal binding receptor of this adhesi.n type is the disaccharide e<-o-galactosyl-(1-4)-ß-o-galactopyranose ( Gai-Gal). S -fimbrial adhesin binds to sialyl(ß 2-3)galactosides moieties, present on human and bovine erythrocytes.…”

Nucleotide sequence of the genes coding for minor fimbrial subunits of the F1C fimbriae of Escherichia coli

“…The high degree of homology between the foe and sfa gene clusters was also found in previous studies (Ott et al, 1987(Ott et al, , 1988Riegman et al, 1990;Schmoll et al, in press). It strongly suggests that tlu!se gene clusters represent a family of adhesin determinants, as was observed for the P /Prs and the type 1 fimbrial adhesins ; in the P /Prs and type 1 fimbrial systems, adhesive properties have been designated for the large 35-kDa minor sub units (Lindberg et al, 1986;Klemm and Christians en , 1987;Lund et al, 1988;Riegman et al, 1988). Up until now, it has not been clear which of the Fl C sub units is responsible for the observed adhesive properties.…”