Project description:In a forward genetic screen we identified a Chlamydia trachomatis L2/434/Bu mutant that causes rapid apoptotic and necrotic death of infected host cells. This phenotype could be linked to the loss of the inclusion membrane protein CpoS. We observed a reduction in cell death when infections were carried out in the presence of cycloheximide or actinomycin D, suggesting that the engagement of cell death depends on host transcription and protein synthesis. We applied RNA-Seq to study the transcriptional response of human endocervical epithelial (A2EN) cells to infection with wild-type or CpoS-deficient bacteria. At 6 hpi the transcriptional profiles of cells infected with the two strains were similar to each other and to the transcriptome of uninfected cells. However, by 18 hpi the transcriptional profile of cells infected with the mutant was strongly altered, with 400 host genes being upregulated greater than two-fold. Among those differentially expressed genes, we observed an enrichment of immunity-related genes, including in particular cytokine genes and interferon-stimulated genes. Overall these data demonstrate that the CpoS-deficient mutant induces an exacerbated interferon response.
Project description:To determine the role that GrgA plays in chlamydial physiology, we constructed a Chlamydia trachomatis mutant that we term L/cgad-peig, in which the chromosomal grgA (ctl0766 or ct504) has been disrupted by Targetron mutagenesis, and the plasmid carries an inducible grgA under the control of anhydrotetracycline (ATC). RNA-Seq analysis was performed for L2/cgad-peig grown with and without ATC.
Project description:By comprehensive quantitative proteome analysis we characterize the three growth forms elementary body (EB), reticulate body (RB) and aberrant reticulate body (ARB) of Chlamydia trachomatis genital strain D/UW-3/CX
Project description:Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that causes trachoma and sextually transmitted disease in human. During early stage of infection, Chlamydia secreted bacterial effector proteins into host cell cytoplasm to help its entry and estabilishment of early replicated niche. We identified a Chlamydia mutant that lack an early Effector. To address the function of this effector, we infected A2EN cells with this mutant (G1V) and its complemented counterpart (G1TEPP) to see what host gene transcriptions are affected by this effector. A2EN cells were mock infected, or infected with a Chlamydia mutant or its complemented counterpart for 4 hour post infection.