Transcriptional regulation through RfaH contributes to intestinal colonization by Escherichia coli
Abstract
The Escherichia coli regulatory protein RfaH contributes to efficient colonization of the mouse gut. Extraintestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) as well as non-pathogenic probiotic E. coli strains rapidly outcompeted their isogenic rfaH mutants following oral mixed infections. LPS-core and O-antigen side-chain as well as capsular polysaccharide synthesis are among the E. coli virulence factors affected by RfaH. In respect of colonization, deep-rough LPS mutants (waaG) but not capsular (kps) mutants were shown to behave similarly to rfaH mutants. Furthermore, alteration in the length of O-antigen side-chains did not modify colonization ability either indicating that it was the regulatory effect of RfaH on LPS-core synthesis, which affected intestinal colonization. Loss of RfaH did not significantly influence adhesion of bacteria to cultured colon epithelial cells. Increased susceptibility of rfaH mutants to bile salts, on the other hand, suggested that impaired in vivo survival could be responsible for the reduced colonization capacity.
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E. coli Nissle 1917 is strong bile-resistant and colonizing due to the gene Rfah.
“being strong bile-resistant and colonizing also due to the gene Rfah [26, 33]”
From Selection, Comparative Genomics, and Potential Probiotic Features of Escherichia coli 5C, a pks-Negative Strain Isolated from Healthy Infant Donor Feces (2026) · cites this paper as [33]
E. coli 5C was found to have the rfaH gene.
“As regards the gene rfaH, a transcriptional regulation factor enhancing the colonizing capability of E. coli strains and their capability to resist bile salts [26, 33], the strain E. coli 5C was found to have it.”
From Selection, Comparative Genomics, and Potential Probiotic Features of Escherichia coli 5C, a pks-Negative Strain Isolated from Healthy Infant Donor Feces (2026) · cites this paper as [33]
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- Authors
- Nagy, G., Dobrindt, U., Grozdanov, L., Hacker, J., & EmÅdy, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Pecs (HU)
- University of Würzburg (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Nagy, Gábor
- ORCID
- Dobrindt, Ulrich
- Venue
- FEMS Microbiology Letters
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2005-03
- Volume
- 244
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 173-180
- ISSN
- 0378-1097 (ISSN-L)
- 1574-6968
- OpenAlex
- W2094941932
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 0.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- FEMS Microbiology Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB479, TP A1)
- Hungarian Scientific Research Fund
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Endocrinology › Escherichia coli research studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Endocrinology › Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research
- Keywords
- RfaH, Escherichia coli, intestinal colonization, transcriptional regulation, capsular polysaccharide, Waag, bacterial adhesion, extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli, mouse gut
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Bacterial Adhesion, Base Sequence, Bile Acids and Salts, Cell Line, DNA, Bacterial, Escherichia coli, Female, Genes, Bacterial, Glucosyltransferases, Humans, Intestines, Lipopolysaccharides, Mutation, Novobiocin, Peptide Elongation Factors, Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, Transcription, Genetic, Virulence, Trans-Activators, Gene Deletion, Escherichia coli Proteins, Mice
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