ERA-NET PathoGenoMics 2: Identification of hot spots of divergence and rapidly changing genes within Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

Basic data for this project

Description

Identification of hot spots of divergence and rapidly changing genes within Shiga toxinproducing Escherichia coli is the predominant nonpathogenic facultative flora of the human intestine. Some E. coli strains have acquired specific virulence factors, allowing them to cause a broad spectrum of human diseases. This project, which represents a multi-disciplinary collaboration of four research groups from Austria, France , Germany and Spain, will focus on Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and on Adherent-Invasive E. coli (AIEC), two intestinal pathogenic subgroups of E. coli. The results of this project will lead to a new understanding of basic principles of pathogenesis, to improvement of diagnosis and typing, and to establishing of new preventive and therapeutic approaches.