Phenotypic and genomic comparison of three human outbreak and one cattle-associated Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O157:H7

Foodborne illness has major impacts on global health and imposes financial hardships on food industries. <i>Escherichia coli</i> serotype O157:H7 is associated with foodborne illness. Cattle feces are a source of <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7, and routine surveillance has led to an abundance of <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 genomic data. The relationship between <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 genome and phenotype is not clearly discerned for cattle colonization/shedding and improved understanding could lead to additional strategies to limit <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 in the food chain. The goal of the research was to evaluate genomic and phenotypic attributes of <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 associated with cattle colonization and shedding, environmental persistence, and human illness. Our results indicate variations in biofilm formation and <i>in vitro</i> cellular adherence was not associated with differences in cattle colonization or shedding. Overall, processes involved in cattle colonization and various phenotypes in relation to genotype are complex and remain not well understood.