Chlamydia trachomatis homotypic inclusion fusion is promoted by host microtubule trafficking.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The developmental cycle of the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia is dependant on the formation of a unique intracellular niche termed the chlamydial inclusion. The inclusion is a membrane bound vacuole derived from host cytoplasmic membrane and is modified significantly by the insertion of chlamydial proteins. A unique property of the inclusion is its propensity for homotypic fusion. The vast majority of cells infected with multiple chlamydial elementary bodies (EBs) contain only a single mature inclusion. The chlamydial protein IncA is required for fusion, however the host process involved are uncharacterized.

Results

Here, through live imaging studies, we determined that the nascent inclusions clustered tightly at the cell microtubule organizing center (

SUBMITTER: Richards TS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3750546 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature