Characterization of virulence genes of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli by TnphoA mutagenesis: identification of invX, a gene required for entry into HEp-2 cells.

While enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) and shigellae are genotypically nearly identical, a difference has been reported in the infective dose to humans: EIEC is 10,000-fold less infectious than shigellae. A possible basis for this difference lies in the inherent invasiveness of these bacteria toward epithelial cells. Thus, despite the high degree of homology between the invasion plasmids of EIEC and shigellae, substantial differences in genetic organization and/or sequence may exist. We have undertaken a systematic genetic analysis of the EIEC plasmid pSF204, using transposon mutagenesis. Congo red-negative TnphoA insertion mutants (Pcr- PhoA-) and TnphoA fusion mutants (PhoA+) were isolated and screened for the ability to invade cultured HEp-2 cells. Most invasion-negative (Inv-) mutations mapped to a 30-kb segment of the invasion plasmid, including homologs of the Shigella flexneri ipa, mxi, and spa genes. Inv- PhoA+ fusions in the EIEC ipaC, mxiG, mxiJ, mxiM, and mxiD homologs and in a proposed new gene, named invX, located downstream of the spa region were identified and characterized. This analysis indicates the presence of the ipaC, mxiG, mxiJ, mxiM, mxiD, and invX gene products in the EIEC cell envelope and demonstrates a strict requirement for these genetic loci in invasion. Overall, our results suggest a high degree of genetic, structural, and functional homology between the EIEC and S. flexneri large invasion plasmids.