A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gut

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a contagious foodborne pathogen that specifically colonizes the human large intestine, which is regulated by different environmental stimuli within the gut. Transcriptional regulation of EHEC virulence and infection has been extensively studied, while the...

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Main Authors: Runhua Han, Ye Qian, Chenguang Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1517328/full
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author Runhua Han
Runhua Han
Ye Qian
Chenguang Zheng
author_facet Runhua Han
Runhua Han
Ye Qian
Chenguang Zheng
author_sort Runhua Han
collection DOAJ
description Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a contagious foodborne pathogen that specifically colonizes the human large intestine, which is regulated by different environmental stimuli within the gut. Transcriptional regulation of EHEC virulence and infection has been extensively studied, while the posttranscriptional regulation of these processes by small RNAs (sRNAs) remains not fully understood. Here we present a virulence-regulating pathway in EHEC O157:H7, in which the sRNA EvrS binds to and destabilizes the mRNA of Z2269, a novel transcriptional regulator. In turn, Z2269 indirectly activates the expression of LEE (locus of enterocyte effacement) pathogenicity island through the master regulator Ler. Importantly, the expression of EvrS is modulated by environmental oxygen levels. EvrS also exhibits lower expression in the colon compared to the ileum, influencing the site-specific colonization of EHEC O157:H7 in mice. These results indicate that the oxygen status within the intestine may regulate the expression of EvrS, thereby modulating virulence factors of EHEC and contributing to successful infection in vivo. This study has broader implications for understanding sRNA functions in spatiotemporal virulence control of EHEC and may provide novel strategies to prevent EHEC infections.
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spelling doaj-art-660b430600c14e0e8499d12a686d219f2025-01-15T06:10:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882025-01-011410.3389/fcimb.2024.15173281517328A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gutRunhua Han0Runhua Han1Ye Qian2Chenguang Zheng3School of Basic Medical Sciences, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, ChinaDepartment of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, ChinaCollege of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, ChinaEnterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a contagious foodborne pathogen that specifically colonizes the human large intestine, which is regulated by different environmental stimuli within the gut. Transcriptional regulation of EHEC virulence and infection has been extensively studied, while the posttranscriptional regulation of these processes by small RNAs (sRNAs) remains not fully understood. Here we present a virulence-regulating pathway in EHEC O157:H7, in which the sRNA EvrS binds to and destabilizes the mRNA of Z2269, a novel transcriptional regulator. In turn, Z2269 indirectly activates the expression of LEE (locus of enterocyte effacement) pathogenicity island through the master regulator Ler. Importantly, the expression of EvrS is modulated by environmental oxygen levels. EvrS also exhibits lower expression in the colon compared to the ileum, influencing the site-specific colonization of EHEC O157:H7 in mice. These results indicate that the oxygen status within the intestine may regulate the expression of EvrS, thereby modulating virulence factors of EHEC and contributing to successful infection in vivo. This study has broader implications for understanding sRNA functions in spatiotemporal virulence control of EHEC and may provide novel strategies to prevent EHEC infections.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1517328/fullenterohemorrhagic Escherichia coliO157:H7oxygensRNA (small RNA)gene regulationLEE
spellingShingle Runhua Han
Runhua Han
Ye Qian
Chenguang Zheng
A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gut
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
O157:H7
oxygen
sRNA (small RNA)
gene regulation
LEE
title A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gut
title_full A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gut
title_fullStr A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gut
title_full_unstemmed A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gut
title_short A novel small RNA regulates Locus of Enterocyte Effacement and site-specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 in gut
title_sort novel small rna regulates locus of enterocyte effacement and site specific colonization of enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157 h7 in gut
topic enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
O157:H7
oxygen
sRNA (small RNA)
gene regulation
LEE
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1517328/full
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