Posttranslational modification of pili upon cell contact triggers N. meningitidis dissemination.
Science
; 331(6018): 778-82, 2011 Feb 11.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21311024
ABSTRACT
The Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis asymptomatically colonizes the throat of 10 to 30% of the human population, but throat colonization can also act as the port of entry to the blood (septicemia) and then the brain (meningitis). Colonization is mediated by filamentous organelles referred to as type IV pili, which allow the formation of bacterial aggregates associated with host cells. We found that proliferation of N. meningitidis in contact with host cells increased the transcription of a bacterial gene encoding a transferase that adds phosphoglycerol onto type IV pili. This unusual posttranslational modification specifically released type IV pili-dependent contacts between bacteria. In turn, this regulated detachment process allowed propagation of the bacterium to new colonization sites and also migration across the epithelium, a prerequisite for dissemination and invasive disease.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
3_ND
Problema de salud:
3_neglected_diseases
/
3_zoonosis
Asunto principal:
Fosfotransferasas
/
Procesamiento Proteico-Postraduccional
/
Fimbrias Bacterianas
/
Proteínas Fimbrias
/
Neisseria meningitidis
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Science
Año:
2011
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Francia