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Trafficking from CD63-positive late endocytic multivesicular bodies is essential for intracellular development of

Wandy L Beatty1

  • 1Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. beatty@borcim.wustl.edu

Journal of Cell Science
|January 18, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Chlamydia bacteria hijack host cell multivesicular bodies for nutrients. This interaction delivers essential lipids, enabling pathogen survival and replication within the bacterial inclusion.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria requiring host cell resources.
  • The mechanisms of nutrient acquisition by chlamydiae within their inclusion are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between the chlamydial inclusion and host cell trafficking pathways.
  • To identify the source and transport mechanism of essential precursors for chlamydial growth.

Main Methods:

  • Colocalization studies of chlamydial inclusions with markers for multivesicular bodies.
  • Pharmacological inhibition of multivesicular body trafficking.
  • Analysis of lipid delivery to the chlamydial inclusion.

Main Results:

  • Chlamydial inclusions were found to interact with multivesicular bodies.
  • Resident proteins and lipids of multivesicular bodies, including CD63, were delivered to the inclusion.
  • Inhibition of multivesicular body trafficking blocked sphingolipid delivery and impaired bacterial growth.

Conclusions:

  • A novel trafficking pathway exists from CD63-positive multivesicular bodies to the chlamydial inclusion.
  • This pathway supplies essential lipids crucial for chlamydial intracellular replication and survival.

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