E. coli Metabolome in UTI
Author Information
Author(s): Henderson Jeffrey P., Crowley Jan R., Pinkner Jerome S., Walker Jennifer N., Tsukayama Pablo, Stamm Walter E., Hooton Thomas M., Hultgren Scott J.
Primary Institution: Washington University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
How do strains of E. coli that cause urinary tract infections differ from those that do not?
Conclusion
Urinary E. coli strains produce more siderophores yersiniabactin and salmochelin compared to rectal strains, suggesting a metabolic adaptation for infection.
Supporting Evidence
- Urinary E. coli strains produced significantly higher levels of yersiniabactin and salmochelin compared to rectal strains.
- All strains produced enterobactin, but only urinary strains showed strong expression of yersiniabactin and salmochelin.
- Conventional PCR genotyping was often insensitive to differences in siderophore production.
Takeaway
This study found that the bacteria causing urinary infections are better at getting iron from the body than those that live in the gut.
Methodology
A quantitative metabolomic approach was used to compare siderophore production between urinary and rectal E. coli strains.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in patient selection and strain characterization.
Limitations
The study may not account for all environmental factors influencing siderophore production.
Participant Demographics
The study involved women with recurrent urinary tract infections.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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