An obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen forms a direct, interkingdom membrane contact site.

ABSTRACT: Interorganelle communication regulates cellular homeostasis through the formation of tightly-associated membrane contact sites ^1-3. Prior work has identified several ways that intracellular pathogens alter contacts between eukaryotic membranes ^4-6, but there is no existing evidence for contact sites spanning eukaryotic and prokaryotic membranes. Here, using a combination of live-cell microscopy and transmission and focused-ion-beam scanning electron microscopy, we demonstrate that the intracellular bacterial pathogen Rickettsia parkeri forms a direct membrane contact site between its bacterial outer membrane and the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER), with tethers that are approximately 55 nm apart. Depletion of the ER-specific tethers VAPA and VAPB reduced the f

SUBMITTER: Acevedo-Sanchez Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10274737 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature