School of Medical Sciences, Griffith Health Centre, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
Adv Appl Microbiol. 2015;90:155-97. doi: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2014.09.003. Epub 2014 Nov 12.
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of life-threatening diarrheal disease around the world. The major aspects of ETEC virulence are colonization of the small intestine and the secretion of enterotoxins which elicit diarrhea. Intestinal colonization is mediated, in part, by adhesins displayed on the bacterial cell surface. As colonization of the intestine is the critical first step in the establishment of an infection, it represents a potential point of intervention for the prevention of infections. Therefore, colonization factors (CFs) have been important subjects of research in the field of ETEC virulence. Research in this field has revealed that ETEC possesses a large array of serologically distinct CFs that differ in composition, structure, and function. Most ETEC CFs are pili (fimbriae) or related fibrous structures, while other adhesins are simple outer membrane proteins lacking any macromolecular structure. This chapter reviews the genetics, structure, function, and regulation of ETEC CFs and how such studies have contributed to our understanding of ETEC virulence and opened up potential opportunities for the development of preventive and therapeutic interventions.
肠产毒性大肠杆菌（ETEC）是全球威胁生命的腹泻病的主要原因。ETEC 毒力的主要方面是小肠的定植和分泌引发腹泻的肠毒素。肠道定植部分通过细菌表面展示的粘附素介导。由于肠道定植是感染建立的关键第一步，因此它代表了预防感染的潜在干预点。因此，定植因子（CFs）一直是 ETEC 毒力领域研究的重要课题。该领域的研究揭示了 ETEC 具有大量血清学上不同的 CFs，它们在组成、结构和功能上有所不同。大多数 ETEC CFs 是菌毛（纤毛）或相关的纤维状结构，而其他粘附素是简单的外膜蛋白，缺乏任何大分子结构。本章综述了 ETEC CFs 的遗传学、结构、功能和调节，以及这些研究如何促进我们对 ETEC 毒力的理解，并为预防和治疗干预措施的开发开辟了潜在的机会。
