A post-invasion role for Chlamydia type III effector TarP in modulating the dynamics and organization of host cell focal adhesions.

ABSTRACT: The human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis targets epithelial cells lining the genital mucosa. We observed that infection of various cell types, including fibroblasts and epithelial cells resulted in the formation of unusually stable and mature focal adhesions that resisted disassembly induced by the myosin II inhibitor, blebbistatin. Superresolution microscopy revealed in infected cells the vertical displacement of paxillin and focal adhesion kinase from the signaling layer of focal adhesions, whereas vinculin remained in its normal position within the force transduction layer. The candidate type III effector TarP, which localized to focal adhesions during infection and when expressed ectopically, was sufficient to mimic both the reorganization and blebbistatin-resistant phenotypes.

SUBMITTER: Pedrosa AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7586217 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature