Intercellular communication in uropathogenic Escherichia coli and the probiotic Lactobacillus reuter

The role of bacterial interspecies communication in the progression of urinary tract infections has yet to be studied. This study sought to characterize the role of autoinducer 2 (AI-2) in the regulation of virulence factors of uropathogenic Escherichia coli J96, determine if the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 produced AI-2, and evaluate if secreted products from the probiotic could affect pathogen recognition by the host. Disruption of luxS (AI-2 synthesis) in E. coli J96, did not alter growth, motility or biofilm formation, but did alter α-hemolysin activity. L. reuteri RC-14 was shown to produce AI-2 in non-traditional expression patterns. Complementation of the E. coli J96 IuxS mutant with L. reuteri RC-14 luxS showed that the anaerobic, gram positive, luxS gene is functional in the pathogen E. coli J96. Secreted products from L. reuteri RC-14 altered production of AI-2 by E. coli J96 and recognition of another uropathogen by bladder cells.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Microbiology and Immunology

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Elwood, Chelsea Nicole

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jass, Jana

• Uropathogenic Escherichia coli
• Lactobacillus reuteri
• probiotic
• autoinducer 2
• luxS
• urinary tract infection

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/39093

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/39093