Brucella coopts the small GTPase Sar1 for intracellular replication.

ABSTRACT: The pathogen Brucella abortus resides inside macrophages within a unique, replication-permissive organelle that is derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although dependent on the Brucella type IV secretion system VirB, the mechanisms governing the biogenesis of this compartment remain elusive. Here, we investigated a putative role of the early secretory pathway in ER membrane accretion by the Brucella-containing vacuoles (BCVs). We show that BCVs interact with ER exit sites (ERES), and blockade of Sar1 activity, which disrupts ERES, prevents intracellular replication of Brucella. In cells expressing the dominant interfering form Sar1[T39N], BCVs do not acquire ER membranes, suggesting that they are unable to mature into replicative organelles. By contrast, treatments that block subs

SUBMITTER: Celli J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC547823 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature