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Abstract
Adhesins are a group of proteins in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) that
are involved in the attachment or colonization of this pathogen to abiotic (plastic
or steel) and biological surfaces, such as those found in bovine and human intestines.
This review provides the most up-to-date information on these essential adhesion factors,
summarizing important historical discoveries and analyzing the current and future
state of this research. In doing so, the proteins intimin and Tir are discussed in
depth, especially regarding their role in the development of attaching and effacing
lesions and in EHEC virulence. Further, a series of fimbrial proteins (Lpf1, Lpf2,
curli, ECP, F9, ELF, Sfp, HCP, and type 1 fimbria) are also described, emphasizing
their various contributions to adherence and colonization of different surfaces and
their potential use as genetic markers in detection and classification of different
EHEC serotypes. This review also discusses the role of several autotransporter proteins
(EhaA-D, EspP, Saa and Sab, and Cah), as well as other proteins associated with adherence,
such as flagella, EibG, Iha, and OmpA. While these proteins have all been studied
to varying degrees, all of the adhesins summarized in this article have been linked
to different stages of the EHEC life cycle, making them good targets for the development
of more effective diagnostics and therapeutics.