Evolutionary and functional history of the Escherichia coli K1 capsule

Sergio Arredondo-Alonso, George Blundell-Hunter, Zuyi Fu, Rebecca A. Gladstone, Alfred Fillol-Salom, Jessica Loraine, Elaine Cloutman-Green, Pål J. Johnsen, Ørjan Samuelsen, Anna K. Pöntinen, François Cléon, Susana Chavez-Bueno, Miguel A. Cruz, Miguel A. Ares, Manivanh Vongsouvath, Agnieszka Chmielarczyk, Carolyne Horner, Nigel Klein, Alan McNally, Joice N. Reis, José R. Penadés, Nicholas R. Thomson, Jukka Corander (), Peter W. Taylor () and Alex J. McCarthy ()
Additional contact information
Sergio Arredondo-Alonso: University of Oslo
George Blundell-Hunter: University College London
Zuyi Fu: Imperial College London
Rebecca A. Gladstone: University of Oslo
Alfred Fillol-Salom: Imperial College London
Jessica Loraine: University College London
Elaine Cloutman-Green: University College London
Pål J. Johnsen: UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Ørjan Samuelsen: UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Anna K. Pöntinen: University of Oslo
François Cléon: UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Susana Chavez-Bueno: University of Missouri Kansas City
Miguel A. Cruz: Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social
Miguel A. Ares: Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social
Manivanh Vongsouvath: Mahosot Hospital
Agnieszka Chmielarczyk: Jagiellonian University Medical College
Carolyne Horner: British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
Nigel Klein: University College London
Alan McNally: University of Birmingham
Joice N. Reis: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
José R. Penadés: Imperial College London
Nicholas R. Thomson: Wellcome Sanger Institute
Jukka Corander: University of Oslo
Peter W. Taylor: University College London
Alex J. McCarthy: Imperial College London

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Abstract Escherichia coli is a leading cause of invasive bacterial infections in humans. Capsule polysaccharide has an important role in bacterial pathogenesis, and the K1 capsule has been firmly established as one of the most potent capsule types in E. coli through its association with severe infections. However, little is known about its distribution, evolution and functions across the E. coli phylogeny, which is fundamental to elucidating its role in the expansion of successful lineages. Using systematic surveys of invasive E. coli isolates, we show that the K1-cps locus is present in a quarter of bloodstream infection isolates and has emerged in at least four different extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) phylogroups independently in the last 500 years. Phenotypic assessment demonstrates that K1 capsule synthesis enhances E. coli survival in human serum independent of genetic background, and that therapeutic targeting of the K1 capsule re-sensitizes E. coli from distinct genetic backgrounds to human serum. Our study highlights that assessing the evolutionary and functional properties of bacterial virulence factors at population levels is important to better monitor and predict the emergence of virulent clones, and to also inform therapies and preventive medicine to effectively control bacterial infections whilst significantly lowering antibiotic usage.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39052-w

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