Role of oS in stress response in E. coli O157:H7 during exponential growth phase

INTRODUCTION: Escherichia coli O157:H7, also known as enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), is a serious food borne pathogen. EHEC causes hemorrhagic colitis in 90% of cases, which then leads to the life threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in ~15% of cases.EHEC is a zoonotic pathogen and humans are an accidental host. A key factor to EHEC being a successful pathogen is due its ability to survive various stress environments in the zoonotic and human hosts.It is known that the transcription factor oS is an important activator of stress response during stationary growth phase in EHEC. In this study, we attempted to determine the role of oS during exponential growth phase in EHEC.RESULTS: oS is required for survival in the presence of 1M NaCl and high temperatures during exponential growth of E. coli O157:H7.oS is partially dispensable for survival in peroxide during exponential growth of E. coli O157:H7.Lew Wentz FoundationMicrobiology and Molecular Genetic