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Research Article

HlyA Gene in Hemolysin-Producing Uropathogenic and Enteric Escherichia coli Isolated from Iraqi Patients and the Effect of Gamma Rays on It

Authors

  • Raid Razzaq Ojaimi Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon 51013, Iraq

    rayid.r@biotech.uoqasim.edu.iq

  • Zainab Zaidan Mutashar Department of Applied Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon 51013, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3633-0015

Abstract

Escherichia coli is among the most common causes of bacterial infections. Haemolytic E. coli poses a significant threat to public health worldwide. This study aimed to identify haemolytic E. coli isolates, detect the hlyA gene, and evaluate the effects of gamma rays on it. A total of 400 urine and diarrhea samples were collected from patients with urinary and diarrheal diseases in Al-Diwaniya Province, Iraq, between November 2016 and April 2017. Haemolytic E. coli was confirmed using phenotypic and genotypic methods. The isolates were then exposed to mutagenic gamma rays for 10 and 15 minutes. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the hlyA gene were analyzed using the BLAST program and compared with the sequence of a standard isolate from the NCBI database. Out of 345 samples, 156 (45.2%) isolates tested positive for E. coli, including 80 (51.2%) from diarrhea cases and 76 (48.7%) from urine samples. The higher prevalence of diarrhea among males was statistically significant (p < 0.01), while the higher rate of urinary tract infections (UTIs) among females was also statistically significant (p < 0.01). Phenotypically, hemolysin enzyme production was observed in 40 E. coli isolates. Genotypically, the hlyA gene was detected in 15 isolates. DNA sequencing was used to determine the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the hemolysin gene before and after exposure to gamma rays (60 cobalt). The results demonstrated substitution mutations, including both transitions and transversions, in the hlyA gene. According to the NCBI BLAST analysis, these mutations altered the protein translation by changing the amino acid asparagine to glutamine. This may reduce the expression level of the hlyA gene, potentially impacting the virulence of E. coli. These findings suggest that haemolytic-producing E. coli are widely circulating among populations affected by enteric and urinary tract infections in central Iraq.

Keywords:

DNA Sequencing Gamma Rays Haemolytic E. coli hlyA Gene Substitution Mutations

Article information

Journal

Journal of Medical Science, Biology, and Chemistry

Volume (Issue)

2(2), (2025)

Pages

70-80

Published

30-07-2025

How to Cite

Ojaimi, R. R., & Mutashar, Z. Z. (2025). HlyA Gene in Hemolysin-Producing Uropathogenic and Enteric Escherichia coli Isolated from Iraqi Patients and the Effect of Gamma Rays on It. Journal of Medical Science, Biology, and Chemistry, 2(2), 70-80. https://doi.org/10.69739/jmsbc.v2i2.781

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