Colibactin
Colibactin
Chemical compound
Colibactin is a genotoxic metabolite produced by Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae ("enteric bacteria") believed to cause mutations leading to colorectal cancer and the progression of colorectal cancer.[1][2][3][4] Colibactin is a polyketide peptide that can form interstrand crosslinks in DNA.[2] Colibactin is only produced by bacterial strains containing a polyketide synthase genomic island (pks)[1] or clb biosynthetic gene cluster.[4] About 20% of humans are colonized with E. coli that harbor the pks island.[5]
Colibactin forms DNA inter-strand cross-links by alkylation of adenine moieties on opposing DNA strands.[4] It induces lytic development in certain bacteria that contain prophages.[6]