Phenotypic profiling to predict virulence in E. coli O157:H7

Genomic profiles can inform if a O157 isolate acquired through routine surveillance encodes virulence genes associated with human disease, but there is not a clear understanding in the relationship between genome and phenotype for O157. Therefore, the objective of this study is to compare a diverse set of O157 isolates, with the intent to identify potential genotype differences that could inform cattle colonization and shedding, along with in vitro cell attachment, biofilm production, and Shiga toxin production.