Metabolism of phenylpropionic acid in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli belonging to serogroup O111 and its application for diagnosis

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 204; no. 1; pp. 105 - 110
• Main Authors: Irino, Kinue, Dias, Ângela Maria G., Kano, Elena, Vaz, Tânia M.I., Kato, Maria A.M.F., Gonçalves, Célia R., Vieira, Mônica A.M., Gomes, Tânia A.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2001; Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Typing Techniques - methods; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnostic systems; E coli; Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - classification; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Escherichia coli - pathogenicity; Escherichia coli Infections - diagnosis; Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene sequencing; Genetics; Humans; hydrocinnamic acid; Microbiology; Nucleotide sequence; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; Phenylpropionates - metabolism; Serotype; Serotypes; Serotyping; Test procedures; Virulence - genetics; β‐phenylpropionic acid; Enteropathogenic; β-phenylpropionic acid; Serotype; Ability; Immunopathology; Evaluation; Nucleotide sequence; Escherichia coli; Serogroup; AIDS; Identification; Metabolism; Immune deficiency; Infection; Assay; Type; Viral disease; DNA; Bacteria; Diagnosis; Application; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2001.tb10871.x

Abstract We evaluated a biochemical assay based on the ability to metabolise β-phenylpropionic acid (PPA) as a diagnostic aid in the identification of typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strains. A total of 1061 E. coli strains of serogroups O55, O111, and O119 were initially characterised regarding their H types (serotypes) and the presence of EPEC DNA sequences, eae, EAF, and bfpA. In case of the serogroup O111 strains, 84.6% carried the typical EPEC markers, and the great majority of those (98.1%) were PPA-positive. In contrast, only 0.9% of the serogroups O55 and O119 strains carrying the typical EPEC markers (53.6% and 75.4%, respectively) were PPA-positive. We conclude that the PPA test is a useful method to detect typical EPEC strains only among strains of the O111 serogroup.