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Evolution und Infektionsbiologie der mit dem hämolytisch-urämischen Syndrom (HUS) assoziierten E.  coli (HUSEC)

Evolution and infection biology of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) associated E. coli (HUSEC)

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Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz Aims and scope

Zusammenfassung

Shigatoxin-produzierende Escherichia coli (STEC), die das hämolytisch-urämische Syndrom (HUS) hervorrufen, werden als HUSEC bezeichnet. Ihre außerordentliche Genomvariabilität, die treibende Kraft evolutionärer Veränderungen, ermöglicht ihnen eine schnelle Anpassung an sich ändernde Umweltbedingungen. Die am Institut für Hygiene in Münster etablierte HUSEC-Kollektion (http://www.ehec.org) umfasst 42 EHEC-Referenztypstämme (HUSEC001–HUSEC042). Die HUSEC-Kollektion stellt eine einzigartige Sammlung von Krankheitserregern dar und ist äußerst hilfreich für die Analyse evolutiver Diversifizierungen und konservierter Eigenschaften von STEC, die schwerste Wirtsschädigungen verursachen. Derartige genomische Eigenschaften schließen sich langsam entwickelnde Genloci und mobile Genelemente ein, die häufig für Virulenzfaktoren kodieren und durch horizontalen Gentransfer („Evolutionsbeschleuniger“) entstanden sind. Aktuelle Evolutionsmodelle weisen darauf hin, dass sich zahlreiche Ausbruchsstämme erst kürzlich entwickelt haben und dass hochpathogene HUSEC von weniger virulenten Vorläufern abstammen. Weitere Daten legen nahe, dass HUSEC kleine, effektive Populationsgrößen ausmachen. Die HUSEC-Kollektion ist darüber hinaus eine wertvolle Ressource, um Nicht-Shigatoxin-Virulenzfaktoren zu untersuchen.

Abstract

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), which cause hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), are designated as HUSEC. Their exceptional genome variability driven by evolutionary diversification permits fast adaptation to changed environmental conditions. The HUSEC collection (http://www.ehec.org), which has been established at the Institute for Hygiene in Münster, contains 42 EHEC reference strains (HUSEC001–HUSEC042). It represents a unique repository collection of pathogens and is extremely helpful for the analysis of evolutionary changes and fixed properties in the STEC that cause the most severe host injury. Such genomic attributes include slowly evolving loci, mobile genetic elements that often encode virulence factors and are assimilated via horizontal gene transfer. Current evolutionary models indicate that numerous outbreak strains evolved recently and that highly pathogenic HUSEC descend from less pathogenic progenitors. However, additional data suggest that HUSEC have small effective population sizes. The HUSEC collection is also a valuable resource with which to study important non-Shiga toxin virulence factors.

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Danksagungen

Die infektionsepidemiologischen Arbeiten wurden von den BMBF-Netzwerken FBI-Zoo (FKZ: 01KI1012B) und der Nationalen Forschungsplattform für Zoonosen (FKZ: 01KI1106) sowie von der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität Münster (9817044) gefördert. Herrn Professor Dr. med. Georg Peters, Universität Münster, danken wir für die kritische Durchsicht des Manuskriptes, die hilfreichen Diskussionen und für die kontinuierliche Unterstützung unserer Forschungsprojekte. Den Kolleginnen und Kollegen vom RKI in Berlin und der Außenstelle Wernigerode möchten wir für die hervorragende langjährige Zusammenarbeit danken. Weiterhin gilt unser Dank Frau Ina Fichtner, Institut für Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Münster, für die Hilfe bei der Erstellung des Manuskriptes.

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  1. Institut für Hygiene und Nationales Konsiliarlaboratorium für Hämolytisch-Urämisches Syndrom (HUS), Universitätsklinikum Münster, Robert-Koch-Str. 41, 48149, Münster, Deutschland

    H. Karch, J. Müthing, U. Dobrindt & A. Mellmann

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  1. H. Karch
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Correspondence to H. Karch.

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Karch, H., Müthing, J., Dobrindt, U. et al. Evolution und Infektionsbiologie der mit dem hämolytisch-urämischen Syndrom (HUS) assoziierten E.  coli (HUSEC). Bundesgesundheitsbl. 56, 8–14 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-012-1586-0

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