Single-cell reporters for pathogen responses to antimicrobial host attacks

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Host-pathogen interactions are complex and heterogeneous, involving diverse molecular mechanisms and outcomes at the cellular level.
• Understanding these interactions is crucial for deciphering disease progression and developing effective treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of single-cell reporters, specifically fluorescent protein-based reporters, in studying host-pathogen interactions.
• To highlight the advantages and challenges of different reporter types and strategies for interrogating cellular responses.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of various fluorescent protein reporter systems.
• Analysis of experimental strategies for assessing host antimicrobial mechanisms, pathogen responses, and fitness.
• Evaluation of tools for single-cell level interrogation of host-pathogen dynamics.

Main Results:

• Fluorescent protein reporters enable identification of distinct host-pathogen interaction types and pathogen subsets.
• These reporters facilitate the unraveling of molecular mechanisms governing these interactions.
• The review identifies current limitations in available reporter tools and suggests future research directions.

Conclusions:

• Single-cell reporters are powerful tools for dissecting heterogeneous host-pathogen interactions.
• Further development of reporter systems is needed to fully address the complexities of these interactions and their impact on disease.