Developmental stage-specific metabolic and transcriptional activity of Chlamydia trachomatis in an axenic medium.

ABSTRACT: Chlamydia trachomatis is among the most clinically significant human pathogens, yet their obligate intracellular nature places severe restrictions upon research. Chlamydiae undergo a biphasic developmental cycle characterized by an infectious cell type known as an elementary body (EB) and an intracellular replicative form called a reticulate body (RB). EBs have historically been described as metabolically dormant. A cell-free (axenic) culture system was developed, which showed high levels of metabolic and biosynthetic activity from both EBs and RBs, although the requirements differed for each. EBs preferentially used glucose-6-phosphate as an energy source, whereas RBs required ATP. Both developmental forms showed increased activity when incubated under microaerobic conditions. Incorporati

SUBMITTER: Omsland A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3511728 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature