Isolation of a highly virulent colibactin-positive tumor-promoting strain of Escherichia coli from the gut microbiota of an adult.

Recent studies have pointed to critical roles for microbes in both exacerbation of and protection from the development of colon cancer. While much has been learned, the field remains understudied, with functional studies available for only a handful of bacteria. To identify novel microbes associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) development, we employed a preclinical chemical carcinogenesis CRC mouse model using germ-free mice that were colonized with human microbiotas. During the course of these studies, we identified a microbiota that exacerbated CRC, from which we isolated an Escherichia coli strain that had disseminated to the mouse kidneys. This strain, which we designated as AW001, was genetically similar to the reference adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) strain NC101 and encoded the DNA-damaging toxin colibactin. In relevant animal models, AW001 worsened both colitis and sepsis, making it a colitogenic AIEC-like strain with the capacity to cause invasive systemic infections similar to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). This strain will be a relevant tool to study human-associated intestinal E. coli strains capable of causing disease in mice.IMPORTANCEColorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant burden on human health. A growing body of work has pointed to critical roles for microbes in the exacerbation of and protection from the development of CRC. Specific Escherichia coli strains can produce colibactin, a genotoxin that has been implicated in exacerbating CRC. In this study, we tested human microbiotas in a mouse model of CRC and isolated a colibactin-positive Escherichia coli strain that led to tumorigenesis, disseminated from the gut to the mouse kidneys, caused death, and worsened both colitis and sepsis in murine models. Identification of this strain enhances our collective knowledge and adds an important tool for future studies on the role of microbes and CRC tumorigenesis.