Putting E. coli on a pedestal: a unique system to study signal transduction and the actin cytoskeleton

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) subverts host signalling pathways and the cytoskeleton during infection, resulting in disease characterized by diarrhoea. Recent studies have revolutionized our understanding of the infection process by showing that this bacterium inserts its own receptor into the plasma membrane overlying the host actin cytoskeleton. The reorganized actin forms a pedestal-like structure with the bacterium at the tip. This review discusses the mechanism of infection and pedestal formation and how this system might be a powerful tool for studying actin dynamics at the plasma membrane.