Discovery of a Natural Microsporidian Pathogen with a Broad Tissue Tropism in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: Microbial pathogens often establish infection within particular niches of their host for replication. Determining how infection occurs preferentially in specific host tissues is a key aspect of understanding host-microbe interactions. Here, we describe the discovery of a natural microsporidian parasite of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that displays a unique tissue tropism compared to previously described parasites of this host. We characterize the life cycle of this new species, Nematocida displodere, including pathogen entry, intracellular replication, and exit. N. displodere can invade multiple host tissues, including the epidermis, muscle, neurons, and intestine of C. elegans. Despite robust invasion of the intestine very little replication occurs there, with the majority of repli

SUBMITTER: Luallen RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4928854 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature