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Measuring Escherichia coli Gene Expression during Human Urinary Tract Infections
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. hmobley@umich.edu.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 20, 2016
Summary
This study reveals that beyond specific virulence factors, Escherichia coli (E. coli) requires key metabolic pathways to establish urinary tract infections (UTIs). Understanding these metabolic needs offers a new perspective on bacterial virulence.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Genomics
Background:
- Extraintestinal Escherichia coli (E. coli) causes urinary tract infections (UTIs) through acquired virulence factors.
- Bacterial survival in vivo depends on nutrient metabolism, not just virulence factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify essential metabolic pathways for E. coli urinary tract infection.
- To analyze E. coli gene expression during murine and human UTIs to understand in vivo adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Construction of E. coli metabolic pathway mutants and transurethral co-challenge in a murine UTI model.
- Transcriptome analysis (microarrays, RNA-seq) of E. coli in murine UTI models and human patient urine samples.
Main Results:
- Identified critical metabolic pathways required for E. coli to infect the urinary tract.
- Determined genes upregulated during both murine and human UTIs, revealing in vivo adaptation strategies.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial metabolism is crucial for pathogenesis, complementing known virulence factors.
- Findings propose a revised definition of bacterial virulence, integrating metabolic capabilities.
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