Studying the biophysical differences between mutants of Escherichia coli CFA/I pili

Abstract

Diarrheagenic (enterotoxigenic) Escherichia coli (E. coli) can cause diarrhea and mortality. "The WHO Global Burden of Foodborne Diseases report estimates that > 300 million illnesses and nearly 200,000 deaths are caused by diarrheagenic E. coli globally each year" (Winstead). CFA/I pili enable the bacteria to attach to the intestinal lining and colonize. We have used computational modeling to better understand CFA/I pilus dynamics at a fundamental level.