CRC 1009 B05 - Genetic basis involved in host interaction and adaptation of Escherichia coli: Impact on crosstalk with cellular barriers

Basic data for this project

Description

We will characterize E. coli genome plasticity and genes under selection during extraintestinal infection. To correlate genetic flexibility and bacterial fitness or virulence potential in response to in vivo growth, we will investigate the (i) bacterium-host interaction at cellular barriers, (ii) genome-scale evolution and adaptation of E. coli in individual human hosts at different niches, i.e. intestinal tract vs. urinary tract or blood stream, and (iii) E. coli factors involved in metabolic adaptation to different host niches.