Cell Surface Proteome during Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli infection

Proteins on the cell surface are crucial for the interaction of a cell with its surrounding environment. Viral infection is known to remodel to the host cell surface to the benefit of the pathogen, but relatively little is known about how bacterial pathogens alter the host cell surface. Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli(EHEC) infects the apical surface of gut epithelium, and maniplates multiple aspects of host physiology. Here we used quantitative cell surface proteomics to investigate EHEC-induced changes to the host cell surface and show that the complement regulatory protein CD55 is cleaved from epithelial surfaces by the EHEC metalloprotease StcE. As a consequence of this, neutrophil attachment to the apical surface of epithelial cells is increased. This study is the first to apply quantitaive cell surface proteomics to EHEC infection and reveals a novel mechanism by which EHEC manipulates the host immune system.