Subcutaneous and intranasal immunization with Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot reduces colonization and shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in mice.

The type III secretion system of Escherichia coli O157:H7 is involved in colonization of mammalian hosts by the organism. The translocated intimin receptor (Tir) is inserted into the mammalian host cell plasma membrane in a hairpin loop topology with the central loop of the molecule exposed to the host cell surface and accessible for interaction with an LEE-encoded bacterial outer membrane adhesin called intimin. Shiga toxin type 1 and 2 produced by E.