Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity
Shiga toxins (Stx) of Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) are generally encoded in the genome of lambdoid bacteriophages, which spend the most time of their life cycle integrated as prophages in specific sites of the bacterial chromosome. Upon spontaneous induction or in...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/4/404 |
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| author | Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio Nadja Haarmann Maike Schwidder Maite Muniesa Herbert Schmidt |
| author_facet | Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio Nadja Haarmann Maike Schwidder Maite Muniesa Herbert Schmidt |
| author_sort | Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Shiga toxins (Stx) of Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) are generally encoded in the genome of lambdoid bacteriophages, which spend the most time of their life cycle integrated as prophages in specific sites of the bacterial chromosome. Upon spontaneous induction or induction by chemical or physical stimuli, the <i>stx</i> genes are co-transcribed together with the late phase genes of the prophages. After being assembled in the cytoplasm, and after host cell lysis, mature bacteriophage particles are released into the environment, together with Stx. As members of the group of lambdoid phages, Stx phages share many genetic features with the archetypical temperate phage Lambda, but are heterogeneous in their DNA sequences due to frequent recombination events. In addition to Stx phages, the genome of pathogenic STEC bacteria may contain numerous prophages, which are either cryptic or functional. These prophages may carry foreign genes, some of them related to virulence, besides those necessary for the phage life cycle. Since the production of one or more Stx is considered the major pathogenicity factor of STEC, we aim to highlight the new insights on the contribution of Stx phages and other STEC phages to pathogenicity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:48:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-23ac9ec8b37b48a0ae7b96177f877046 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:48:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-23ac9ec8b37b48a0ae7b96177f8770462023-11-21T13:18:44ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-03-0110440410.3390/pathogens10040404Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to PathogenicityLorena Rodríguez-Rubio0Nadja Haarmann1Maike Schwidder2Maite Muniesa3Herbert Schmidt4Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyShiga toxins (Stx) of Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) are generally encoded in the genome of lambdoid bacteriophages, which spend the most time of their life cycle integrated as prophages in specific sites of the bacterial chromosome. Upon spontaneous induction or induction by chemical or physical stimuli, the <i>stx</i> genes are co-transcribed together with the late phase genes of the prophages. After being assembled in the cytoplasm, and after host cell lysis, mature bacteriophage particles are released into the environment, together with Stx. As members of the group of lambdoid phages, Stx phages share many genetic features with the archetypical temperate phage Lambda, but are heterogeneous in their DNA sequences due to frequent recombination events. In addition to Stx phages, the genome of pathogenic STEC bacteria may contain numerous prophages, which are either cryptic or functional. These prophages may carry foreign genes, some of them related to virulence, besides those necessary for the phage life cycle. Since the production of one or more Stx is considered the major pathogenicity factor of STEC, we aim to highlight the new insights on the contribution of Stx phages and other STEC phages to pathogenicity.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/4/404Stx phagesSTECShiga toxinslambdoid prophagespathogenicityvirulence factors |
| spellingShingle | Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio Nadja Haarmann Maike Schwidder Maite Muniesa Herbert Schmidt Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity Pathogens Stx phages STEC Shiga toxins lambdoid prophages pathogenicity virulence factors |
| title | Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity |
| title_full | Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity |
| title_fullStr | Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity |
| title_short | Bacteriophages of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Their Contribution to Pathogenicity |
| title_sort | bacteriophages of shiga toxin producing i escherichia coli i and their contribution to pathogenicity |
| topic | Stx phages STEC Shiga toxins lambdoid prophages pathogenicity virulence factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/4/404 |
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