Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in California
<i>Escherichia albertii</i> is an emerging foodborne pathogen. To better understand the pathogenesis and health risk of this pathogen, comparative genomics and phenotypic characterization were applied to assess the pathogenicity potential of <i>E. albertii</i> strains isolate...
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/11/2803 |
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| author | Michelle Qiu Carter Beatriz Quiñones Xiaohua He Antares Pham Diana Carychao Michael B. Cooley Chien-Chi Lo Patrick S. G. Chain Rebecca L. Lindsey James L. Bono |
| author_facet | Michelle Qiu Carter Beatriz Quiñones Xiaohua He Antares Pham Diana Carychao Michael B. Cooley Chien-Chi Lo Patrick S. G. Chain Rebecca L. Lindsey James L. Bono |
| author_sort | Michelle Qiu Carter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Escherichia albertii</i> is an emerging foodborne pathogen. To better understand the pathogenesis and health risk of this pathogen, comparative genomics and phenotypic characterization were applied to assess the pathogenicity potential of <i>E. albertii</i> strains isolated from wild birds in a major agricultural region in California. Shiga toxin genes <i>stx</i><sub>2f</sub> were present in all avian strains. Pangenome analyses of 20 complete genomes revealed a total of 11,249 genes, of which nearly 80% were accessory genes. Both core gene-based phylogenetic and accessory gene-based relatedness analyses consistently grouped the three <i>stx</i><sub>2f</sub>-positive clinical strains with the five avian strains carrying ST7971. Among the three Stx2f-converting prophage integration sites identified, <i>ssrA</i> was the most common one. Besides the locus of enterocyte effacement and type three secretion system, the high pathogenicity island, OI-122, and type six secretion systems were identified. Substantial strain variation in virulence gene repertoire, Shiga toxin production, and cytotoxicity were revealed. Six avian strains exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity than that of <i>stx</i><sub>2f</sub>-positive <i>E. coli</i>, and three of them exhibited a comparable level of cytotoxicity with that of enterohemorrhagic <i>E. coli</i> outbreak strains, suggesting that wild birds could serve as a reservoir of <i>E. albertii</i> strains with great potential to cause severe diseases in humans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:35:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7fedbb859a04a44ae50b033c684a776 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:35:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7fedbb859a04a44ae50b033c684a7762023-11-24T14:57:19ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072023-11-011111280310.3390/microorganisms11112803Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in CaliforniaMichelle Qiu Carter0Beatriz Quiñones1Xiaohua He2Antares Pham3Diana Carychao4Michael B. Cooley5Chien-Chi Lo6Patrick S. G. Chain7Rebecca L. Lindsey8James L. Bono9Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USAFoodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Western Regional Research Center, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USABiosecurity and Public Health Group, U.S. Department of Energy, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Santa Fe, NM 87545, USABiosecurity and Public Health Group, U.S. Department of Energy, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Santa Fe, NM 87545, USAEnteric Diseases Laboratory Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USAMeat Safety and Quality Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933, USA<i>Escherichia albertii</i> is an emerging foodborne pathogen. To better understand the pathogenesis and health risk of this pathogen, comparative genomics and phenotypic characterization were applied to assess the pathogenicity potential of <i>E. albertii</i> strains isolated from wild birds in a major agricultural region in California. Shiga toxin genes <i>stx</i><sub>2f</sub> were present in all avian strains. Pangenome analyses of 20 complete genomes revealed a total of 11,249 genes, of which nearly 80% were accessory genes. Both core gene-based phylogenetic and accessory gene-based relatedness analyses consistently grouped the three <i>stx</i><sub>2f</sub>-positive clinical strains with the five avian strains carrying ST7971. Among the three Stx2f-converting prophage integration sites identified, <i>ssrA</i> was the most common one. Besides the locus of enterocyte effacement and type three secretion system, the high pathogenicity island, OI-122, and type six secretion systems were identified. Substantial strain variation in virulence gene repertoire, Shiga toxin production, and cytotoxicity were revealed. Six avian strains exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity than that of <i>stx</i><sub>2f</sub>-positive <i>E. coli</i>, and three of them exhibited a comparable level of cytotoxicity with that of enterohemorrhagic <i>E. coli</i> outbreak strains, suggesting that wild birds could serve as a reservoir of <i>E. albertii</i> strains with great potential to cause severe diseases in humans.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/11/2803<i>Escherichia albertii</i>pangenomeShiga toxincytolethal distending toxinintimincytotoxicity |
| spellingShingle | Michelle Qiu Carter Beatriz Quiñones Xiaohua He Antares Pham Diana Carychao Michael B. Cooley Chien-Chi Lo Patrick S. G. Chain Rebecca L. Lindsey James L. Bono Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in California Microorganisms <i>Escherichia albertii</i> pangenome Shiga toxin cytolethal distending toxin intimin cytotoxicity |
| title | Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in California |
| title_full | Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in California |
| title_fullStr | Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in California |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in California |
| title_short | Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia albertii</i> Strains Isolated from Wild Birds in a Major Agricultural Region in California |
| title_sort | genomic and phenotypic characterization of shiga toxin producing i escherichia albertii i strains isolated from wild birds in a major agricultural region in california |
| topic | <i>Escherichia albertii</i> pangenome Shiga toxin cytolethal distending toxin intimin cytotoxicity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/11/2803 |
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