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The role of bacteriophage in maintenance and transfer of VT genes in gastrointestinal Escherichia coli populations

Reference	BFP11345
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Alan McCarthy
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Harry Flint, Professor Jonathan Saunders, Dr Colin Stewart
Institution	University of Liverpool
Department	Sch of Biological Sciences
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	260,224
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	18/02/1999
End date	31/12/2002
Duration	46 months

Abstract

The phage-encoded verocytotoxin gene (VT2) inactivated by insertion of reporter genes will be used to resolve the survival and transfer of this important pathogenicity determinant in gastrointestinal E. coli populations. Both VT phage and lysogenic E. coli strains will be introduced into human colon and rumen fermentor models and their fate monitored. These data will be used to design appropriate experiments in cannulated sheep. In parallel, we will complete characterisation of the phage receptor, the gene (ORF 81) for which we have cloned and sequenced. The location of the VT phage receptor and its occurrence and distribution amongst gastrointestinal E. coli strains will be determined. The relationship between phage adsorption, infection, VT gene expression levels and E. coli genotype will be correlated with the data on phage-mediated VT gene transfer and survival.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Biology of Food-Borne Pathogens (BFP) [1997]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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