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Colibactin: More Than a New Bacterial Toxin

Tiphanie Faïs1,2, Julien Delmas3,4, Nicolas Barnich5

  • 1Université Clermont Auvergne, Inserm U1071, M2iSH, USC-INRA 2018, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France. tfais@chu-clermontferrand.fr.

Toxins
|April 13, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Colibactin, a bacterial toxin from the pks genomic island, causes DNA damage and cell cycle disruption. This toxin is linked to colorectal cancer development in mouse models, highlighting its significant impact on human health.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Colibactin is a cyclomodulin, a bacterial toxin affecting the eukaryotic cell cycle.
  • The pks genomic island synthesizes colibactin, found in Enterobacteriaceae like E. coli and K. pneumoniae.
  • Colibactin-producing bacteria are associated with various infections and human diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the biological effects of colibactin.
  • To describe the distribution of the pks island.
  • To summarize current knowledge on colibactin synthesis and structure.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on colibactin and the pks island.
  • Analysis of bacterial isolation data from various origins.
  • Examination of experimental models investigating colibactin's effects.

Main Results:

  • Colibactin induces chromosomal instability and DNA damage in eukaryotic cells.
  • It leads to epithelial cell senescence and immune cell apoptosis.
  • pks E. coli strains are prevalent in colorectal cancer biopsies and increase tumor development in mouse models.

Conclusions:

  • Colibactin is a significant virulence factor with potential implications for human health, particularly in colorectal cancer.
  • The pks island's distribution and colibactin's biological activities warrant further investigation.
  • Understanding colibactin's structure and synthesis is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Keywords:
E. colicancercolibactinmicrobiotapkstoxin

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