Cross-Serogroup Analysis of Representative Top-Seven Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli Plasmids Reveals Lineage-Specific Patterns
Plasmids play a significant role in shaping the pathogenic potential of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) by encoding virulence and adaptive genes that complement chromosomal determinants. While plasmid-encoded factors such as ehxA, espP, katP, and toxB are known to enhance intestinal colonization and host...