Research Project Database
| Code: | 124335 |
| 1: | 124335 |
| Title: | Shiga toxigenic and commensal Escherichia coli and bacteriophages in cattle |
| 2: | Shiga toxigenic and commensal Escherichia coli and bacteriophages in cattle |
| Country: | Hungary |
| 3: | Hungary |
| Funding Organisation: | National Research, Development and Innovation Office |
| 4: | National Research, Development and Innovation Office |
| Animal Group: | Cattle |
| 5: | Cattle |
| Pathogen: | Escherichia coli |
| 6: | Escherichia coli |
| Disease: | |
| 7: | |
| Category: | Disease pathogenesis, including pathogen biology, evolution and resistance |
| 8: | Disease pathogenesis, including pathogen biology, evolution and resistance |
| 9: | 79 |
| Research Organisation: | Institute for Veterinary Medical Research (Centre for Agricultural Research) |
| 10: | Institute for Veterinary Medical Research (Centre for Agricultural Research) |
| Number of Research Staff (FTE): | 6 |
| 11: | 6 |
| Principal Investigator (PI): | István Tóth |
| 12: | István Tóth |
| Cost (Euros): | 141581 |
| 13: | 141581 |
| End Date (dd/mm/yyyy): | 31-08-2021 |
| 14: | 1630364400 |
| Duration (months): | 48 |
| 15: | 48 |
| Link: | http://aoti.agrar.mta.hu/en/projects_NKFI_K_124335 |
| 16: | http://aoti.agrar.mta.hu/en/projects_NKFI_K_124335 |
| Project objectives and deliverables with estimated delivery dates for each deliverable (if possible): | Escherichia coli is a bacterium of the normal intestinal microbiota of mammals, but it also contains various pathogenic strains, capable of causing serious diseases in animals and humans. One of their characteristic feature is great genetic variability, which is partly due to the mechanism of horizontal gene transfer. Through this mechanism, many of the virulence (disease-associated) and fitness genes are exchanged between different strains of E. coli. These genes encode traits like production of toxins. Many human pathogenic E. coli are associated with foodborne infections, and are carried by healthy cattle, therefore they are termed zoonotic. In this study we plan to take samples of cattle herds in Hungary, to isolate potentially zoonotic E. coli strains. We will characterise their virulence properties, study their genetic material, and compare strains isolated from animals with those isolated from humans, both in Hungary and from international strain collections. Bacteriophages – viruses infecting bacteria – are known to play significant role as agents of horizontal gene transfer in E. coli, while also acting as predators against bacteria. Therefore, bacteriophages integrated into the genomes of the isolated E. coli strains as prophages will also be investigated. Free bacteriophages associated with E. coli from cattle will also be isolated and characterized from the same animals. Our results will aid in understanding the genetic variability of pathogenic E. coli and the study of bacteriophages will help to find potential candidates for being used as antibacterial agents, applicable in therapy as well as in food safety. |
| 17: | Escherichia coli is a bacterium of the normal intestinal microbiota of mammals, but it also contains various pathogenic strains, capable of causing serious diseases in animals and humans. One of their characteristic feature is great genetic variability, which is partly due to the mechanism of horizontal gene transfer. Through this mechanism, many of the virulence (disease-associated) and fitness genes are exchanged between different strains of E. coli. These genes encode traits like production of toxins. Many human pathogenic E. coli are associated with foodborne infections, and are carried by healthy cattle, therefore they are termed zoonotic. In this study we plan to take samples of cattle herds in Hungary, to isolate potentially zoonotic E. coli strains. We will characterise their virulence properties, study their genetic material, and compare strains isolated from animals with those isolated from humans, both in Hungary and from international strain collections. Bacteriophages – viruses infecting bacteria – are known to play significant role as agents of horizontal gene transfer in E. coli, while also acting as predators against bacteria. Therefore, bacteriophages integrated into the genomes of the isolated E. coli strains as prophages will also be investigated. Free bacteriophages associated with E. coli from cattle will also be isolated and characterized from the same animals. Our results will aid in understanding the genetic variability of pathogenic E. coli and the study of bacteriophages will help to find potential candidates for being used as antibacterial agents, applicable in therapy as well as in food safety. |
| Files | No files are attached. |
