Identification of EaeA protein in the outer membrane of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli O45 from pigs.

We have previously reported that the production of attaching and effacing lesions by Escherichia coli O45 isolates from pigs is associated with the eaeA (E. coli attaching and effacing) gene. In the present study, expression of the EaeA protein, the eaeA gene product, among swine O45 E. coli isolates was examined. The majority (20/22) of attaching and effacing positive, eaeA+ E. coli O45 isolates, but none of ten attaching and effacing negative, eaeA- or eaeA+ isolates, expressed a 97-kDa outer membrane protein as revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot analysis. Amino-terminal amino acid sequencing demonstrated a high homology between this 97-kDa protein of swine E. coli O45 and the EaeA protein (intimin) of human enteropathogenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli. In addition, a serological relationship between the EaeA proteins of swine O45, rabbit (RDEC-1) and human (E2348/69) attaching and effacing E. coli strains was observed. Our results indicate an association between expression of the EaeA protein and attaching and effacing activity among O45 E. coli isolates. The data also suggest an antigenic relatedness of the EaeA proteins of swine, rabbit, and human attaching and effacing E. coli.