Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37945607›Full record

ArticleNature communications2023

Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli utilizes host- and microbiota-derived L-malate as a signaling molecule for intestinal colonization.

Bin Liu, Lingyan Jiang, Yutao Liu, Hongmin Sun, Jun Yan, Chenbo Kang, Bin Yang

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
6.0field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Catabolism of serine enantiomers represses enterohemorrhagicProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Inhibition ofMicroorganisms · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Bin Liu *TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, P. R. China.
Lingyan Jiang *TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, P. R. China.ORCID 0000-0001-8580-606X
Yutao Liu *TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, P. R. China.ORCID 0000-0002-0639-9337
Hongmin SunTEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, P. R. China.
Jun YanTEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, P. R. China.
Chenbo KangTEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, P. R. China.
Bin YangTEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, P. R. China. yangbin@nankai.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-6300-3140
Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China · CNNankai University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The mammalian gastrointestinal tract is a complex environment that hosts a diverse microbial community. To establish infection, bacterial pathogens must be able to compete with the indigenous microbiota for nutrients, as well as sense the host environment and modulate the expression of genes essential for colonization and virulence. Here, we found that enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 imports host- and microbiota-derived L-malate using the DcuABC transporters and converts these substrates into fumarate to fuel anaerobic fumarate respiration during infection, thereby promoting its colonization of the host intestine. Moreover, L-malate is important not only for nutrient metabolism but also as a signaling molecule that activates virulence gene expression in EHEC O157:H7. The complete virulence-regulating pathway was elucidated; the DcuS/DcuR two-component system senses high L-malate levels and transduces the signal to the master virulence regulator Ler, which in turn activates locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) genes to promote EHEC O157:H7 adherence to epithelial cells of the large intestine. Disruption of this virulence-regulating pathway by deleting either dcuS or dcuR significantly reduced colonization by EHEC O157:H7 in the infant rabbit intestinal tract; therefore, targeting these genes and altering physiological aspects of the intestinal environment may offer alternatives for EHEC infection treatment.

Indexed as

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coliEscherichia coli InfectionsEscherichia coli O157Escherichia coli ProteinsMicrobiotaAnimalsDNA-Binding ProteinsFumaratesGene Expression Regulation, BacterialHumansIntestinesMalatesMammalsProtein KinasesRabbitsTranscription FactorsDcuR protein, E coliDcuS protein, E coliDNA-Binding ProteinsEscherichia coli ProteinsFumaratesMalatesmalic acidProtein KinasesTranscription Factors

Identifiers

PMID37945607
PMCPMC10636207
OpenAlexW4388536291

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.