Escherichia coli
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceRaman Spectroscopy-Based Measurements of Single-Cell Phenotypic Diversity in Microbial PopulationsMicrobial cells that live in the same community can exist in different physiological and morphological states that change as a function of spatiotemporal variations in environmental conditions. This phenomenon is commonly known as phenotypic heterogeneity and/or diversity. Measuring this plethora of cellular expressions is needed to better understand and manage microbial processes. However, most tools to study phenotypic diversity only...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyF Plasmids Are the Major Carriers of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Human-Associated Commensal Escherichia coliRising antibiotic resistance in human-associated bacterial pathogens is a serious threat to our ability to treat many infectious diseases. It is critical to understand how acquired resistance genes move in and through bacteria associated with humans, particularly for species such as Escherichia coli that are very common in the human gut but can also be dangerous...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyGenomewide Stabilization of mRNA during a “Feast-to-Famine” Growth Transition in Escherichia coliThe ability to rapidly respond to changing nutrients is crucial for E. coli to survive in many environments, including the gut. Reorganization of gene expression is the first step used by bacteria to adjust their metabolism accordingly. It involves fine-tuning of both transcription (transcriptional regulation) and mRNA stability (posttranscriptional regulation). While...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyNovel Insights and Features of the NDM-5-Producing Escherichia coli Sequence Type 167 High-Risk CloneGlobal dissemination of some E. coli high-risk clones has been described in the last decades. The most widespread was the ST131 clone, associated with extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL) production. Genomics of ST131 demonstrated that one clade within the ST emerged in the early 2000s, followed by a rapid, global expansion. The...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyNonclonal Emergence of Colistin Resistance Associated with Mutations in the BasRS Two-Component System in Escherichia coli Bloodstream IsolatesMultidrug resistance among Gram-negative bacteria has led to the use of colistin as a last-resort drug. The cationic colistin kills Gram-negative bacteria through electrostatic interaction with the anionic lipid A moiety of lipopolysaccharides. Due to increased use in clinical and agricultural settings, colistin resistance has recently started to emerge. In this study, we used a combination of whole-genome sequence analysis and...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyHigh Prevalence of Colistin-Resistant Escherichia coli with Chromosomally Carried mcr-1 in Healthy Residents in VietnamElucidation of the mechanism of the wide dissemination of colistin-resistant bacteria in communities of developing countries is an urgent public health issue. In this study, we investigated the genetic background of the colistin resistance gene mcr in E. coli isolates from the fecal microbiota of healthy human residents living in a community in Vietnam with a...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceHigh Genomic Diversity and Heterogenous Origins of Pathogenic and Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Household Settings Represent a Challenge to Reducing Transmission in Low-Income SettingsEscherichia coli is reported in high levels in household soil in low-income settings. When E. coli reaches a soil environment, different mechanisms, including survival, clonal expansion, and genetic exchange, have the potential to either maintain or generate...
Observation | Applied and Environmental ScienceEmergence and Comparative Genomics Analysis of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Carrying mcr-1 in Fennec Fox Imported from Sudan to ChinaThe extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are a global concern for both animal and human health. There is some information indicating a high prevalence of ESBL producers in food animals. Moreover, there have been an increasing number of reports on ESBL-producing strains resistant to the last-resort antibiotic colistin with the global dissemination of the plasmid-mediated mcr...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Polyamine Spermidine Modulates the Production of the Bacterial Genotoxin ColibactinColibactin-producing Escherichia coli strains are associated with cancerous and precancerous colorectal tissues and are suspected of promoting colorectal carcinogenesis. In this study, we describe a new interplay between the synthesis of the genotoxin colibactin and the polyamine spermidine. Polyamines are highly abundant in cancer tissue and are associated with cell...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPotential Role of Extracellular ATP Released by Bacteria in Bladder Infection and ContractilityThe ability of uropathogenic bacteria to release excitatory compounds, such as ATP, may act as a virulence factor to stimulate signaling pathways that could have profound effects on the urothelium, perhaps extending to the vagina. This may be countered by the ability of certain commensal urinary microbiota constituents, such as lactobacilli. Further understanding of these interactions is important for the treatment and prevention of UUI...