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Genetic Characterization of the Escherichia coli O66 Antigen and Functional Identification of its wzy Gene  

Cheng, Jiansong (TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University)
Liu, Bin (TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University)
Bastin David A. (Tianjin Biochip Technology Corporation)
Han, Weiqing (TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University)
Wang, Lei (TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University)
Feng Lu (TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University)
Publication Information
Journal of Microbiology / v.45, no.1, 2007 , pp. 69-74 More about this Journal
Abstract
Escherichia coli is a clonal species, and occurs as both commensal and pathogenic strains, which are normally classified on the basis of their O, H, and K antigens. The O-antigen (O-specific polysaccharide), which consists of a series of oligosaccharide (O-unit) repeats, contributes major antigenic variability to the cell surface. The O-antigen gene cluster of E. coli O66 was sequenced in this study. The genes putatively responsible for the biosynthesis of dTDP-6-deoxy-L-talose and GDP-mannose, as well as those responsible for the transfer of sugars and for O-unit processing were identified based on their homology. The function of the wzy gene was confirmed by the results of a mutation test. Genes specific for E. coli O66 were identified via PCR screening against representatives of 186 E. coli and Shigella O type strains. The comparison of intergenic sequences located between galF and the O-antigen gene cluster in a range of E. coli and Shigella showed that this region may perform an important function in the homologous recombination of the O-antigen gene clusters.
Keywords
Escherichia coli O-antigen gene cluster; PCR typing; molecular evolution; O-antigen polymerase gene (wzy);
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