Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen responsible for acute and chronic Q fever. This bacterium harbors a type IV secretion system (T4SS) highly similar to the Dot/Icm of Legionella pneumophila that believed be essential its infectivity. Protein substrates T4SS are predicted facilitate biogenesis phagosome permissive growth. However, due lack genetic systems, protein transfer by C. has not been demonstrated. In this study, we report identification 32 using...

Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) and paragangliomas (PGLs) may be better detected by (18)F-fluorodihydroxyphenylalanine-positron emission tomography (FDOPA-PET) than (123)I-metaiodobenzyl-guanidine (123-I-MIBG) scintigraphy.The objective of the study was to correlate functional imaging results with immunohistochemical, molecular-genetic, biochemical findings.Thirty consecutive patients suspected PHEO/PGL presenting at a tertiary referral centre were investigated in prospective study.Twenty-five had...

ABSTRACT Indole production by Escherichia coli , discovered in the early 20th century, has been used as a diagnostic marker for distinguishing E. from other enteric bacteria. By using transcriptional profiling and competition studies with defined mutants, we show that cyclic AMP (cAMP)-regulated indole formation is major factor enables growth mixed biofilm planktonic populations Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Mutants deficient cAMP ( cyaA ) or receptor gene crp ), well tnaA were not competitive...

Coxiella burnetii, the etiological agent of acute and chronic Q fever in humans, is a naturally intracellular pathogen that directs formation an acidic Coxiella-containing vacuole (CCV) derived from host lysosomal network. Central to its pathogenesis specialized type IVB secretion system (T4SS) delivers effectors essential for replication CCV formation. Using bioinformatics-guided approach, 234 T4SS candidate substrates were identified. Expression each as TEM-1 β-lactamase fusion protein led...

Chlamydia trachomatis is a human pathogen associated with significant morbidity worldwide. As obligate intracellular parasites, chlamydiae must survive within eukaryotic cells for sufficient time to complete their developmental cycle. To promote host cell survival, express poorly understood anti-apoptotic factors. Using recently developed genetic tools, we show that three inclusion membrane proteins (Incs) out of eleven examined are required stability and avoidance death pathways. In the...

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that replicates in a membrane-bound vacuole termed the inclusion. Early infection cycle, extensively modifies inclusion membrane through incorporation of numerous type III secreted effector proteins, called proteins (Incs). These are characterized by bilobed hydrophobic domain 40 amino acids. The presence this has been used to predict up 59 putative Incs for C. trachomatis; however, localization with specific antibodies demonstrated...

ABSTRACT The intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis develops in a parasitic compartment called the inclusion. Posttranslationally modified microtubules encase inclusion, controlling positioning of Golgi complex fragments around molecular mechanisms by which coopts host cytoskeleton and to sustain its infectious are unknown. Here, using genetically strain, we discovered that both posttranslationally inclusion controlled chlamydial protein CT813/CTL0184/InaC ARF GTPases. CT813 recruits...

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that the etiological agent of a variety human diseases, including blinding trachoma and sexually transmitted infections. Chlamydiae replicate within membrane-bound compartment, termed inclusion, which they extensively modify by insertion type III secreted proteins called Inc proteins. IncA inclusion membrane protein encodes two coiled-coil domains are homologous to eukaryotic SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor...

The centrosome is the main microtubule organizing center of cell and crucial for mitotic spindle assembly, chromosome segregation, division. Centrosome duplication tightly controlled, yet several pathogens, most notably oncogenic viruses, perturb this process leading to increased numbers. Infection by obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis (C.t.) correlates with blocked cytokinesis, supernumerary centrosomes, multipolar spindles; however, mechanisms behind how C.t. induces...

Chlamydial infection requires the formation of a membrane-bound vacuole, termed inclusion, that undergoes extensive interactions with select host organelles. The importance Inc protein CT229 in and maintenance chlamydial inclusion was recently highlighted by studies demonstrating its absence during results reduced bacterial replication, premature lysis, cell death. Previous reports have indicated binds Rab GTPases; however, physiological implications this interaction are unknown. Here, we...

As an obligate intracellular pathogen, host cell invasion is paramount to Chlamydia trachomatis proliferation. While the mechanistic underpinnings of this essential process remain ill-defined, it predicted involve delivery prepackaged effector proteins into that trigger plasma membrane remodeling and cytoskeletal reorganization. The secreted TmeA TarP, have risen prominence as putative key regulators cellular bacterial pathogenesis. Although several studies begun unravel molecular details...

Chlamydia trachomatis (C.t) infections can lead to severe complications due the pathogens ability evade host immune response, often resulting in asymptomatic infections. The mechanisms underlying this subversion remain incompletely understood but likely involve specific bacterial effector proteins. Here, we identify CT181 as a novel that directly binds Mcl-1, key regulator of neutrophil survival. While C.t. mutant exhibited only modest defects epithelial cell replication and inclusion...

ABSTRACT Chlamydia trachomatis ( C.t .) is the causative agent of several human diseases, including sexually transmitted infection chlamydia and eye trachoma. As an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen, invasion critical for establishing subsequent pathogenesis. During invasion, . secretes effector proteins via its type III secretion system (T3SS), which manipulate host actin cytoskeletal regulation to promote entry. Previous studies identified T3SS protein TmeA as a key factor in it...

Accumulating data indicate that interleukins can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We evaluated effect of human recombinant interleukin-3 (IL-3) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on cortisol secretion from adult adrenocortical cells in primary culture. IL-3 IL-6 (100 microg/L) equipotently stimulated basal approximately 5-fold. The stimulatory was significant after 12 h (p<0.01) maximum levels were induced 48 h. In contrast to ACTH, which significantly cAMP parallel its...

Hyperthyroidism is frequently associated with emotional distress. The underlying cerebral processes of the endocrine-induced mood changes are unclear.The objective this study was to investigate, for first time, neuronal correlates thyrotoxicosis-associated psychic symptoms using positron emission tomography (PET).The designed as a cross-sectional trial.The performed at joint nuclear medicine and thyroid clinics.Twelve patients untreated Graves' hyperthyroidism were evaluated.Levels distress...

Bacteria growing as surface-adherent biofilms are better able to withstand chemical and physical stresses than their unattached, planktonic counterparts. Using transcriptional profiling quantitative PCR, we observed a previously uncharacterized gene, yjfO be upregulated during Escherichia coli MG1655 biofilm growth in chemostat on serine-limited defined medium. A mutant, developed through targeted-insertion mutagenesis, -complemented strain, were obtained for further characterization. While...

Chlamydia trachomatis serovars A-C infect conjunctival epithelial cells and untreated infection can lead to blindness. D-K genital tract resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, sterility while L1-L3 macrophages, causing an invasive infection. Despite some strains of chlamydia sharing high nucleotide sequence similarity, the bacterial host factors that govern tissue cellular tropism remain largely unknown. Following introduction C.trachomatis via intercourse, vagina,...

ABSTRACT Coxiella burnetii , the etiological agent of Q fever in humans, is an intracellular pathogen that replicates acidified parasitophorous vacuole derived from host lysosomes. Generation this replicative compartment requires effectors delivered into cell by Dot/Icm type IVb secretion system. Several crucial for C. replication have been identified, but pathways coopted these essential are poorly defined, and very little known about how spacious vacuoles formed maintained. Here we...