by Elio
A hypothetical model for E. coli O157:H7 colonization in the GI tract. For details, see the legend in the article. The authors proposed that colonization occurs only in regions where non-E. coli commensal bacteria are present. Source.
No sooner had we posted a piece on the emerging field of Microbial Endocrinology than a pertinent and interesting paper appeared. The authors report that E. coli O157:H7 is attracted to the hormones epinephrine and norepinephine and is repelled by the bacterial metabolite, indole. Whereas the hormones enhance bacterial motility, biofilm formation, and adherence to epithelial cells, indole instead attenuates these responses. The authors present a model (Figure 5 in the paper) suggesting that colonization by the pathogenic strain is inhibited by indole-producing commensals.
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