@article{mbs:/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.05491-0, author = "Holden, Nicola J. and Gally, David L.", title = "Switches, cross-talk and memory in Escherichia coli adherence", journal= "Journal of Medical Microbiology", year = "2004", volume = "53", number = "7", pages = "585-593", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.05491-0", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.05491-0", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1473-5644", type = "Journal Article", abstract = " Escherichia coli is a successful commensal and pathogen. Its pathogenic diversity stems from the acquisition and expression of multiple virulence-associated loci. Many of the key virulence factors are surface structures involved in adherence and motility. These are important antigens and their expression is limited by phase-variable genetic switches that are considered to act randomly. This review considers the possibility that such stochastic expression within a bacterial population belies sequential or co-ordinate control at the level of the individual bacterium. Co-ordinated expression or cross-talk between virulence loci can lead to a programmed set of events within a bacterium analogous to a simple form of electronic memory that is of benefit during infection.", }