Toxin gene expression by shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli: the role of antibiotics and the bacterial SOS response.

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Kimmitt, P. T. ; Harwood, C. R. ; Barer, M. R.
• Description:
  Toxin synthesis by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) appears to be coregulated through induction of the integrated bacteriophage that encodes the toxin gene. Phage production is linked to induction of the bacterial SOS response, a ubiquitous response to DNA damage. SOS-inducing antimicrobial agents, particularly the quinolones, trimethoprim, and furazolidone, were shown to induce toxin gene expression in studies of their effects on a reporter STEC strain carrying a chromosome-based stx2::lacZ transcriptional fusion. At antimicrobial levels above those required to inhibit bacterial replication, these agents are potent inducers (up to 140-fold) of the transcription of type 2 Shiga toxin genes (stx2); therefore, they should be avoided in treating patients with potential or confirmed STEC infections. Other agents (20 studied) and incubation conditions produced significant but less striking effects on stx2 transcription; positive and negative influences were observed. SOS-mediated induction of toxin synthesis also provides a mechanism that could exacerbate STEC infections and increase dissemination of stx genes. These features and the use of SOS-inducing antibiotics in clinical practice and animal husbandry may account for the recent emergence of STEC disease.
• Subjects:
  Anti-Bacterial Agents Bacteriophages Escherichia Coli O157 Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Genes, Reporter Humans Lac Operon Shiga Toxin
• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 6(5):458-465.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Volume:
  6
• Issue:
  5
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:f2a5def0327acb8c30624ba65798b69b50cc39ecc4302dd9155943f8f3d8fe8c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/15017/cdc_15017_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 145.16 KB ]