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Editorial
. 2023 Jun 15:12:e89264.
doi: 10.7554/eLife.89264.

Learning the language of pathogens

Izadora Volpato Rossi  1 , Marcel Ivan Ramirez  2
Affiliations
Editorial

Learning the language of pathogens

Izadora Volpato Rossi et al. Elife. .

Abstract

Parasites can use extracellular vesicles and cellular projections called cytonemes to communicate with one another.

Keywords: Trichomonas; communication; filopodia; infectious disease; microbiology; parasite; pathogenesis; vesicles.

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Conflict of interest statement

IR, MR No competing interests declared

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Does parasite communication result in competition or cooperation?
Different strains of Trichomonas vaginalis (yellow and green) communicate with one another through the release of extracellular vesicles and the formation of membrane protrusions called cytonemes (depicted in inset). This communication can lead to increased adherence of the parasites to epithelial cells. It is not clear whether this communication leads to competition (left), where one strain (yellow) enhances its adherence in order to outcompete a less adherent strain (green), or whether it leads to cooperation (right) where a less adherent strain (green) becomes more adherent after contact with a highly adherent strain (yellow).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

  • doi: 10.7554/eLife.86067

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