A study reveals the evolutionary dynamics of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains harboring the transmissible locus of stress tolerance (tLST), highlighting its emergence from food sources to clinical environments, primarily observed through genomic analyses of strains isolated from pasteurized milk.
The research identifies and characterizes the transmissible locus of stress tolerance (tLST) variants present in 793 genomes of E. coli from varying sources, including food and clinical environments. The study traces the emergence of tLST back to around 1914.
The study is authored by Maxsueli Machado, Pedro Panzenhagen, Eduardo Figueiredo, Carlos Conte-Junior, and others, with affiliations to Brazilian institutions and support from national grants.
The genomes analyzed were collected between 1964 and 2021, with the study's findings published recently.
The research focuses on E. coli strains isolated from pasteurized milk and other sources across Brazil.
The study addresses the need to understand the evolution and prevalence of pathogenic E. coli strains as they adapt to various environments, posing food safety and public health risks.
The research utilized whole-genome sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and the study of genetic variants to assess the prevalence and characteristics of tLST.
The prevalence of tLST was found to be 10% among the analyzed genomes, predominantly from milk, with significant insights on resistance and virulence genes.
“This study demonstrated the historical background of E. coli with tLST genes dating back more than 100 years.” Authors of the article.
“... the acquisition of accessory genes under the influence of environmental or host challenges can occur via horizontal transfer through plasmids, transposons.” Authors of the article.
“The versatility of this pathogen is a major challenge...” Authors of the article.
Introduce the significance of pathogenic E. coli as major public health threats and highlight the discovery of tLST. Include the quote about the historical background of E. coli.
Discuss the challenges posed by pathogenic E. coli and the importance of tracing the origins of stress tolerance traits. Explain the need for surveillance and strategic interventions.
Detail the genome sequencing and phylogenetic methods used, outlining how variants of tLST were identified, and mention the acquisition of horizontal transfer features.
Present the findings about the prevalence of tLST and its link to milk sources. Emphasize the diversity of resistance genes and their potential impacts on human health, including relevant quotes to support these points.
Summarize the key findings, stressing the importance of monitoring E. coli strains with tLST and the historical emergence correlates to societal changes. Reinforce the need for rigorous surveillance measures to prevent foodborne illnesses.