Efa1 influences colonization of the bovine intestine by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serotypes O5 and O111

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) comprises a broad group of bacteria, some of which cause attaching and effacing (AE) lesions and enteritis in animals and humans. Non-O157 STEC serotypes contain a gene (efa1) that mediates attachment to cultured epithelial cells. An almost-identical gene in enteropathogenic E. coli ((lifA) encodes lymphostatin, which inhibits the proliferation of mitogen-activated lymphocytes and the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines. We have investigated the role of the efa1 gene in colonization of 4- and 11-day-old conventional calves by STEC serotypes O5 and O111. Our findings show that Efa1 is required for efficient colonization of the bovine intestinal tract by STEC, since efa1 deletion and insertion mutants were shed in the feces in significantly lower numbers. In addition, efa1 mutations dramatically reduced the number of bacteria associated with the intestinal epithelium. Expression and secretion of locus for enterocyte effacement-encoded type III secreted proteins that are required for adhesion and AE-lesion formation were impaired by mutation of efa1 in STEC but not by mutation of lifA in enteropathogenic E. coli. However, STEC efa1 mutants retain the ability to nucleate filamentous actin under sites of bacterial attachment to cultured eukaryotic cells. Efa1 is only the second STEC factor shown to influence carriage of the bacteria in the bovine intestine. Our data may have implications for strategies to reduce the prevalence of STEC in cattle.