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Actin and cell pathogenesis

S Higley1, M Way

  • 1Cell Biology Programme, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Heidelberg D69117, Germany.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|February 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri hijack host actin polymerization for cell-to-cell spread. Viruses also exploit the actin cytoskeleton for infection, revealing diverse pathogen strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Certain bacterial pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri, utilize host actin polymerization to propel themselves into adjacent cells.
  • This mechanism of intracellular movement is crucial for pathogen dissemination within a host organism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the diverse strategies pathogens employ to manipulate the host actin cytoskeleton.
  • To understand how different types of pathogens, including viruses, exploit host cell machinery for infection and spread.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on bacterial and viral pathogenesis.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying actin cytoskeleton manipulation by pathogens.
  • Comparative study of pathogen-host interactions focusing on cytoskeletal dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Confirmed that Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri actively recruit host factors to drive actin polymerization for cell-to-cell spread.
  • Identified that various viruses have evolved distinct mechanisms to co-opt the host actin cytoskeleton during infection.
  • Highlighted the conserved role of the actin cytoskeleton as a critical target for pathogen invasion and dissemination strategies.

Conclusions:

  • The actin cytoskeleton is a key cellular component exploited by a range of pathogens, including bacteria and viruses.
  • Pathogens have developed sophisticated strategies to manipulate host actin dynamics for their own replication and spread.
  • Understanding these interactions is vital for developing novel anti-infective therapies.

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