Genomic aberrations after short-term exposure to colibactin-producing E. coli transform primary colon epithelial cells

Colibactin-producing pks+ Escherichia coli are frequent constituents of the human intestinal microbiota. Here, the authors show that short exposure of cells to pks+ E. coli induces chromosomal aberrations, genomic instability, and multiple features of transformation reminiscent of colorectal cancer.