CDK1-formin signal confers microvillar effacement by an attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogen

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) induces the attachment and effacement of intestinal microvilli. While the molecular mechanisms contributed to the attachment of EHEC have been thoroughly studied, the underlying mechanisms for the effacement of intestinal microvilli induced by EHEC remained elusive. By focus RNAi screening and genetic analysis in C. elegans and further reconfirmed in human Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells, we demonstrate that the CDK1-formin signal axis is required for this EHEC-induced microvillar effacement in vitro and in vivo. The mRNA profiles of N2 wild type C. elegans of during pathogen EDL933 and non-pathogen OP50 6 hours treatment were generated by deep sequencing, using Illumina HiSeq 2000.