Abstract
Escherichia coli ST131 is a clinical challenge due to its multidrug resistant profile and successful global spread. They are often associated with complicated infections, particularly urinary tract infections (UTIs). Bacteriocins play an important role to outcompete other microorganisms present in the human gut. Here, we characterized bacteriocin-encoding plasmids found in ST131 isolates of patients suffering from a UTI using both short- and long-read sequencing. Colicins Ia, Ib and E1, and microcin V, were identified among plasmids that also contained resistance and virulence genes. To investigate if the potential transmission range of the colicin E1 plasmid is influenced by the presence of a resistance gene, we constructed a strain containing a plasmid which had both the colicin E1 and blaCMY-2 genes. No difference in transmission range was found between transformant and wild-type strains. However, a statistically significantly difference was found in adhesion and invasion ability. Bacteriocin-producing isolates from both ST131 and non-ST131 lineages were able to inhibit the growth of other E. coli isolates, including other ST131. In summary, plasmids harboring bacteriocins give additional advantages for highly virulent and resistant ST131 isolates, improving the ability of these isolates to compete with other microbiota for a niche and thereby increasing the risk of infection.
Highlights
Pathogenic Extraintestinal Escherichia coli (ExPEC), including the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) pathotype, is often associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs) [1]
A collection consisting of 69 E. coli isolates obtained from urine samples of hospitalized patients in Brazil were included in this study, of which 41 belonged to phylogenetic group B2, 13 to phylogenetic group D, 9 to phylogenetic group A, 5 to phylogenetic group B1 and 1 to phylogenetic group F
6419 was only sensitive to the bacteriocin produced by the H30-ST131 (7078) isolate, 7167 was only sensitive to bacteriocins produced by the H22-ST131 (5332 and 5848) isolates
Summary
Pathogenic Extraintestinal Escherichia coli (ExPEC), including the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) pathotype, is often associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs) [1]. They carry a high number of virulence factors such as adhesins, fimbriae, hemolysins, aerobactin and others that allow these bacteria to live in the human gut and, to cause infections at other sites [2,3,4]. They can act by forming a pore in the bacterial membrane, digesting bacterial DNA by their nuclease activity, or by interfering with cell wall synthesis [5,12]. The presence of multiple bacteriocins in E. coli isolates is common and increases their urovirulence [13] and the development of bacteremia of urinary tract origin [9]
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