# Role of type 1 fimbrial mutations in the pathogenesis of pandemic E. coli

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2020 · $194,375

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 Adhesion is an essential trait for the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections and intestinal
colonization by E. coli and mannose-specific type 1 fimbriae (T1F) is the most critical adhesive factor. Our
goal is to understand how some of the unique features in T1F of the pandemic uropathogenic clonal group,
ST131-H30, are adaptive for this sub-clone's urovirulence and intestinal fitness. We will concentrate on the
structure-functional analysis of the mannose-binding adhesive subunit of the fimbriae, FimH, and the
regulatory mechanism of fimbrial expression that are specific to ST131-H30. We will characterize in great
detail the functional properties of the fimbrial adhesin, FimH, by comparing its ability to mediate adhesion
under various flow and inhibitory conditions. We also will determine the functional significance of genetic
insertion that inactivated the gene coding for positive regulator of T1F, FimB. We will attempt to
understand in what way this mutation affected expression of T1F itself as well as other genes across the
genome and the E. coli’s virulence and colonization properties. Finally, we will use animal studies to
determine the adaptive significance of the T1F and its variants in ST131-H30.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9975702
- **Project number:** 5R21AI147575-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** EVGENI Veniaminovic SOKURENKO
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $194,375
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-15 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9975702

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9975702, Role of type 1 fimbrial mutations in the pathogenesis of pandemic E. coli (5R21AI147575-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9975702. Licensed CC0.

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