Disease relevance of rfbE

• A PCR was developed for the detection of Escherichia coli O157 based on the rfbE O-antigen synthesis genes [1].
• The Stx-negative E. coli O157:H7 strain ATCC43888 with an intact O side chain was found to be resistant to lysis by an Stx2 phage and lysogenic infection by a recombinant Stx2 phage, whereas a rfbE mutant deficient in the expression of the O side chain was readily infected by the phage and yielded stable lysogens [2].

High impact information on rfbE

• MA6, an O157:H7-like strain, did not react with most anti-O157 kits examined; however, it had the rfbE gene that is essential for O157 expression and carried O157:H7 virulence factors [3].
• A 129-bp and a 106-bp sequence specific to rfbE and eae, respectively, were targeted for reverse transcription, amplification, and real-time detection [4].
• All E. coli with serotype O157, which expresses rfbE gene, were positive in this assay, while all other species without rfbE gene expression were negative [5].
• Series of animal feces and meat samples artificially contaminated with strains of Escherichia coli O157 isolated from different sources were tested by both an immunomagnetic separation (IMS)-based method and a PCR method using primers specific for a portion of the rfbE gene of E. coli O157 [6].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of rfbE

• CONCLUSIONS: The results of RT-PCR amplification indicate that, under the conditions examined, the rfbE gene is the most appropriate target for detection of viable E. coli O157:H7 [7].

References