RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 McGarry, Naoise A1 Smith, StephenYR 2019 T1 Characterisation of rpoS alleles in UPEC strain CFT073 JF Access Microbiology, VO 1 IS 1A OP SP 257 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.ac2019.po0116 PB Microbiology Society, SN 2516-8290, AB Escherichia coli is a major cause of urinary tract infections, bacteraemia and sepsis. CFT073 is a well-studied, prototypic urosepsis isolate. This laboratory has previously shown that strain CFT073 is serum-resistant, with resistance being imparted by factors including capsule and extracellular polysaccharides inter alia. It has become apparent that not all CFT073 strains are identical, some harbour a 5 bp insertion in the rpoS gene which results in a truncated, non-functional RpoS. In this study, we compare CFT073 wild-type and an rpoS mutant. The gene sequence of rpoS in each isolate was verified. Next, the sensitivity of the bacteria to hydrogen peroxide was determined. Finally, wild-type and mutant strains were rendered bioluminescent. Bioluminescence permits the real-time detection of viability. The contribution of RpoS to serum resistance was examined by bioluminescence., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/acmi/10.1099/acmi.ac2019.po0116