Diversity and phage sensitivity to phages of porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli
Diversity and phage sensitivity to phages of porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a diverse and poorly characterized E. coli pathotype that causes diarrhea in humans and animals. Phages have been proposed for the veterinary biocontrol of ETEC, but effective solutions require understanding of porcine ETEC diversity that affects phage infection. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of the PHAGEBio ETEC collection, gathering 79 diverse ETEC strains isolated from European pigs with post-weaning diarrhea (PWD). We identified the virulence factors characterizing the pathotype and several antibiotic resistance genes on plasmids, while phage resistance genes and other virulence factors were mostly chromosome encoded. We experienced that ETEC strains were highly resistant to Enterobacteriaceae phage infection. It was only by enrichment of numerous diverse samples with different media and conditions, using the 41 ETEC strains of our collection as hosts, that we could isolate two lytic phages that could infect a large part of our diverse ETEC collection: vB_EcoP_ETEP21B and vB_EcoS_ETEP102. Based on genome and host range analyses, we discussed the infection strategies of the two phages and identified components of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) as receptors for the two phages. Our detailed computational structural analysis highlights several loops and pockets in the tail fibers that may allow recognition and binding of ETEC strains, also in the presence of O-antigens. Despite the importance of receptor recognition, the diversity of the ETEC strains remains a significant challenge for isolating ETEC phages and developing sustainable phage-based products to address ETEC-induced PWD.
Gambino, Michela
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Kushwaha, Simran Krishnakant
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Wu, Yi
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van Haastrecht, Pauline
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Klein-Sousa, Victor
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Lutz, Veronika T.
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Bejaoui, Semeh
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Jensen, Christoffer Moeskjær C.
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Bojer, Martin S.
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Song, Wenchen
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Xiao, Minfeng
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Taylor, Nicholas M.I.
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Nobrega, Franklin L.
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Brøndsted, Lone
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July 2024
Gambino, Michela
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Kushwaha, Simran Krishnakant
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Wu, Yi
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van Haastrecht, Pauline
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Klein-Sousa, Victor
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Lutz, Veronika T.
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Bejaoui, Semeh
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Jensen, Christoffer Moeskjær C.
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Bojer, Martin S.
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Song, Wenchen
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Xiao, Minfeng
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Taylor, Nicholas M.I.
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Nobrega, Franklin L.
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Brøndsted, Lone
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Gambino, Michela, Kushwaha, Simran Krishnakant, Wu, Yi, van Haastrecht, Pauline, Klein-Sousa, Victor, Lutz, Veronika T., Bejaoui, Semeh, Jensen, Christoffer Moeskjær C., Bojer, Martin S., Song, Wenchen, Xiao, Minfeng, Taylor, Nicholas M.I., Nobrega, Franklin L. and Brøndsted, Lone
(2024)
Diversity and phage sensitivity to phages of porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 90 (7), [e00807-24].
(doi:10.1128/aem.00807-24).
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a diverse and poorly characterized E. coli pathotype that causes diarrhea in humans and animals. Phages have been proposed for the veterinary biocontrol of ETEC, but effective solutions require understanding of porcine ETEC diversity that affects phage infection. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of the PHAGEBio ETEC collection, gathering 79 diverse ETEC strains isolated from European pigs with post-weaning diarrhea (PWD). We identified the virulence factors characterizing the pathotype and several antibiotic resistance genes on plasmids, while phage resistance genes and other virulence factors were mostly chromosome encoded. We experienced that ETEC strains were highly resistant to Enterobacteriaceae phage infection. It was only by enrichment of numerous diverse samples with different media and conditions, using the 41 ETEC strains of our collection as hosts, that we could isolate two lytic phages that could infect a large part of our diverse ETEC collection: vB_EcoP_ETEP21B and vB_EcoS_ETEP102. Based on genome and host range analyses, we discussed the infection strategies of the two phages and identified components of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) as receptors for the two phages. Our detailed computational structural analysis highlights several loops and pockets in the tail fibers that may allow recognition and binding of ETEC strains, also in the presence of O-antigens. Despite the importance of receptor recognition, the diversity of the ETEC strains remains a significant challenge for isolating ETEC phages and developing sustainable phage-based products to address ETEC-induced PWD.
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gambino-et-al-2024-diversity-and-phage-sensitivity-to-phages-of-porcine-enterotoxigenic-escherichia-coli
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Accepted/In Press date: 5 June 2024
e-pub ahead of print date: 28 June 2024
Published date: July 2024
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Local EPrints ID: 511674
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511674
ISSN: 0099-2240
PURE UUID: 4d4a74ad-c6cb-4077-8946-46403817bfe2
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Date deposited: 27 May 2026 16:38
Last modified: 28 May 2026 02:16
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Contributors
Author:
Michela Gambino
Author:
Simran Krishnakant Kushwaha
Author:
Yi Wu
Author:
Pauline van Haastrecht
Author:
Victor Klein-Sousa
Author:
Veronika T. Lutz
Author:
Semeh Bejaoui
Author:
Christoffer Moeskjær C. Jensen
Author:
Martin S. Bojer
Author:
Wenchen Song
Author:
Minfeng Xiao
Author:
Nicholas M.I. Taylor
Author:
Lone Brøndsted
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