Recombinant Escherichia coli O17:K52:H18 UPF0283 membrane protein ycjF (ycjF)

General Information

Escherichia coli ( E. coli) is a Gram-negative bacterium that inhabits the intestinal tracts of humans and animals . E. coli strains are diverse, with some being harmless commensals and others being pathogenic, causing a variety of diseases . E. coli O17:K52:H18 is a specific serotype of E. coli, with the "O," "K," and "H" referring to specific surface antigens: O antigen (lipopolysaccharide), K antigen (capsular polysaccharide), and H antigen (flagellar antigen), respectively . This particular serotype has been identified within a clonal group associated with extraintestinal infections .

YcjF is annotated as a UPF0283 membrane protein. Proteins within the UPF0283 family are of unknown function. The ycjF gene is present in E. coli O17:K52:H18 . Recombinant YcjF refers to the protein produced using recombinant DNA technology, where the ycjF gene from E. coli O17:K52:H18 is expressed in a host organism (such as E. coli) to produce a purified protein .

Characteristics

Function and Research

As a UPF0283 family protein, the specific function of YcjF in E. coli O17:K52:H18 is not well-defined. UPF0283 proteins are conserved hypothetical proteins, and further research is needed to elucidate their roles .

• Membrane Protein Biogenesis: Research on E. coli inner membrane proteins (IMPs) has shown that their biogenesis involves a co-translational pathway, with the Sec-translocon and YidC playing crucial roles in insertion, folding, and assembly within the lipid bilayer . YcjF, being a membrane protein, may be involved in similar biogenesis processes.

• Potential Role in Virulence: E. coli O17:K52:H18 belongs to a clonal group that exhibits virulence genotypes characteristic of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) . These ExPEC strains can cause infections outside the urinary tract. YcjF might play a role in the virulence mechanisms of this E. coli serotype.

Production and Applications

Recombinant YcjF is produced using E. coli expression systems and can be tagged with His-tags for purification .

• Biochemical Studies: Recombinant YcjF can be used in biochemical assays to study its interactions with other proteins or molecules, potentially revealing its function in E. coli O17:K52:H18 .

• Structural Studies: Determining the structure of YcjF could provide insights into its function and mechanism of action .

• Antibody Development: Recombinant YcjF can be used as an antigen to generate antibodies that can be used to study its expression and localization in E. coli O17:K52:H18.