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Molecular Mechanisms of Intercellular Dissemination of Bacterial Pathogens

Georgina C Dowd1, Roman Mortuza1, Keith Ireton1

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.

Trends in Microbiology
|July 20, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Intracellular bacteria like Listeria use host cell actin to create membrane-wrapped protrusions for cell-to-cell spread. This review details the mechanisms behind this bacterial dissemination and population dynamics.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Intracellular bacterial pathogens utilize host cell machinery for dissemination.
  • Actin-based motility is a key mechanism for intracellular bacterial spread.
  • Cell-to-cell spread involves the formation and internalization of bacterial-containing protrusions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on bacterial cell-to-cell spread mechanisms.
  • To focus on protrusion formation and internalization processes.
  • To discuss bacterial population dynamics during intercellular spread.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on bacterial actin-based motility.
  • Analysis of mechanisms driving protrusion formation.
  • Examination of host cell internalization processes.

Main Results:

  • Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella flexneri, and Rickettsia spp. employ actin-based motility for spread.
  • Protrusions containing bacteria are formed and internalized by adjacent cells.
  • Recent research has elucidated the dynamic behavior of bacterial populations during spread.

Conclusions:

  • Actin-based motility is a critical strategy for intracellular bacterial pathogens to spread between host cells.
  • Understanding protrusion formation and internalization is key to combating bacterial infections.
  • Intercellular spread mechanisms are actively being uncovered, including in extracellular pathogens.
Keywords:
ListeriaRickettsiaShigellacell-to-cell spreadenterohemorrhagic E. coli

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