Host-pathogen interactions involved in erythrocyte invasion by <i>Francisella tularensis</i>.

ABSTRACT: Francisella tularensis is a gram negative, facultative intracellular bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease tularemia. F. tularensis is capable of invading mammalian erythrocytes, a phenomenon that enhances colonization of ticks following a blood meal. The colonization of these blood-sucking arthropods presumably enhances transmission to mammalian hosts and increases the persistence of this bacterium within the environment. Therefore, we sought to elucidate host-pathogen interactions involved in erythrocyte invasion by F. tularensis. In this study, we identified the red blood cell (RBC) membrane protein, Band 3, is required for erythrocyte invasion by F. tularensis. Erythrocyte proteins that complex with Band 3 were also evaluated for their role in erythrocy

SUBMITTER: Schreiber RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12500703 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature