Colicin Z, a structurally and functionally novel colicin type that selectively kills enteroinvasive Escherichia coli and Shigella strains
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Scientific reports |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-47488-8.pdf |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-47488-8 |
| Keywords | NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE; BACTERIAL; IMMUNITY; DOMAIN; GENES; ORGANIZATION; PYOCINS; IMPORT; DNA |
| Description | Colicin production in Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains represents an important trait with regard to microbial survival and competition in the complex intestinal environment. A novel colicin type, colicin Z (26.3 kDa), was described as a product of an original producer, extraintestinal E. coli B1356 strain, isolated from the anorectal abscess of a 17 years-old man. The 4,007 bp plasmid (pColZ) was completely sequenced and colicin Z activity (cza) and colicin Z immunity (czi) genes were identified. The cza and czi genes are transcribed in opposite directions and encode for 237 and 151 amino acid-long proteins, respectively. Colicin Z shows a narrow inhibitory spectrum, being active only against enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and Shigella strains via CjrC receptor recognition and CjrB- and ExbB-, ExbD-mediated colicin translocation. All tested EIEC and Shigella strains isolated between the years 1958-2010 were sensitive to colicin Z. The lethal effect of colicin Z was found to be directed against cell wall peptidoglycan (PG) resulting in PG degradation, as revealed by experiments with Remazol Brilliant Blue-stained purified peptidoglycans and with MALDI-TOF MS analyses of treated PG. Colicin Z represents a new class of colicins that is structurally and functionally distinct from previously studied colicin types. |
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