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Characterization of plasmids encoding the adherence factor of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Volunteer studies have shown that a 60-megadalton plasmid is required for full virulence of the human enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (O127:H6). The plasmid, designated pMAR2, encodes localized adherence to HEp-2 cells in tissue culture via the adhesin known as the EPEC adherence factor (EAF). Using a DNA probe for the EAF, we have previously shown that these genes are specific for EPEC and are usually encoded on plasmids ranging from 55 to 65 megadaltons. In this study, Southern blot analysis and S1 nuclease homology determination reveal a high degree of sequence conservation among these plasmids, despite some variation in restriction maps. Phenotypic characterization of the prototype EAF plasmid pMAR2 reveals that the plasmid belongs to the group IncFII and is negative for alpha-hemolysin, colicin, and aerobactin synthesis, as well as biochemical markers and antibiotic resistance. Regions encoding adherence to HEp-2 cells were localized by Tn801 insertion mutagenesis. Adherence genes were then cloned as two distinct plasmid regions which confer the adherence phenotype only when complementing each other in trans.