pks-positive Escherichia coli (pks+ E. coli)

pks-positive Escherichia coli refers to strains of E. coli that harbor the pks (polyketide synthase) genomic island, which encodes the enzymatic machinery for synthesizing the genotoxin colibactin. Colibactin is a potent peptide-polyketide hybrid that induces DNA double-strand breaks and genomic instability in human intestinal epithelial cells, a process directly linked to the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). These bacteria are frequently found in the gut mucosa of patients with CRC and are considered key driver organisms in the oncogenic process. Therapeutic interventions, such as those developed through the PHAGERUS platform, utilize engineered bacteriophages to specifically target and eliminate these strains. These phages attach to the bacterial surface via specific receptors, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or outer membrane proteins (e.g., OmpC), and induce bacterial lysis, thereby reducing the colibactin-producing population and potentially serving as a preventative or adjunctive treatment for colorectal cancer.

Other names

Colibactin-producing Escherichia colipks+ E. coliCarcinogenic Escherichia coliB2 group Escherichia coli

Bacteriophage-mediated lysis via adsorption to surface receptors and subsequent host cell destruction