Novel Burkholderia mallei virulence factors linked to specific host-pathogen protein interactions.

ABSTRACT: Burkholderia mallei is an infectious intracellular pathogen whose virulence and resistance to antibiotics makes it a potential bioterrorism agent. Given its genetic origin as a commensal soil organism, it is equipped with an extensive and varied set of adapted mechanisms to cope with and modulate host-cell environments. One essential virulence mechanism constitutes the specialized secretion systems that are designed to penetrate host-cell membranes and insert pathogen proteins directly into the host cell's cytosol. However, the secretion systems' proteins and, in particular, their host targets are largely uncharacterized. Here, we used a combined in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approach to identify B. mallei proteins required for pathogenicity. We used bioinformatics tools, including orth

SUBMITTER: Memisevic V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3820922 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature