Manipulation of host membrane machinery by bacterial pathogens

Abstract

Subversion of host membrane machinery is important for the uptake, survival, and replication of bacterial pathogens. Understanding how pathogens manipulate host membrane transport pathways provides mechanistic insight into how infection occurs and is also revealing new information on biochemical processes involved in the functioning of eukaryotic cells. In this review we discuss several of the canonical host pathways targeted by bacterial pathogens and emerging areas of investigation in this exciting field.

Figure 1. Interactions with membranes and strategies used by the intracytosolic pathogens Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella flexneri, and Rickettsia conorii

Depicted are the different stages involved in delivering the indicated pathogens into the host cytosol. They include entry, internalization within a vacuole, escape from the vacuole, actin-based motility and escape from autophagy. The essential bacterial products involved in each step and the cellular components or organelles are indicated (see also text).

Figure 2. Membrane transport pathways used by intravacuolar pathogens

Depicted are several bacterial pathogens that replicate inside specialized vacuoles inside of eukaryotic host cells. Indicated are the Rab proteins and other host proteins that are found on these unique pathogen-occupied organelles. Interactions between the bacterial vacuoles and host early endosomes (EE), late endosomes (LE), lysosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are indicated. The vacuolar association of host proteins including glucose 6-phosphatase (G6-Phase), early endosomal antigen-1 (EEA1), protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), are indicated.