Structural, Molecular and Functional Characteristics of Attaching and Effacing Lesions
Ht Law and Julian Andrew Guttman
from: Pathogenic Escherichia coli: Molecular and Cellular Microbiology (Edited by: Stefano Morabito). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2014)
Abstract
Pathogenic E. coli infections are major causes of illness and mortality throughout the world. Although many different types of E. coli exist, a subset of these microbes called the attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogens remain extracellular, colonize the intestine, collapse localized microvilli on enterocytes and generate characteristic "lesions" that are hallmarks of the infections. These lesions generate morphological membrane protrusions beneath the attached bacteria that are easily recognizable by microscopy. In this chapter we will examine the structural and molecular components of A/E lesions, highlight recent advances in the field, demonstrate similarities of these structures to those generated by other microbes, and will propose functions for these lesions in the disease process read more ...
