1. Predator or prey? Chlamydophila abortus infections of a free-living amoebae, Acanthamoeba castellani 9GU
- Author
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Mirjam Wirz, Adam Polkinghorne, Claudia Dumrese, Gilbert Greub, Andreas Pospischil, Lloyd Vaughan, Urs Ziegler, University of Zurich, and Vaughan, L
- Subjects
Immunology ,10184 Institute of Veterinary Pathology ,Virulence ,610 Medicine & health ,Chlamydophila abortus ,Chlamydia ,Parachlamydia acanthamoebae ,Acanthamoeba castellani ,Endosymbiont ,Free-living amoebae 1. Introduction Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria, characterised by a ,Microbiology ,Host-Parasite Interactions ,parasitic diseases ,Animals ,Chlamydiaceae ,110700 IMMUNOLOGY ,Pathogen ,Chlamydophila Infections ,2403 Immunology ,Acanthamoeba castellanii ,biology ,Intracellular parasite ,Chlamydophila ,2404 Microbiology ,2725 Infectious Diseases ,060500 MICROBIOLOGY ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,Acanthamoeba ,110800 MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY ,Infectious Diseases ,570 Life sciences ,Protozoa ,10024 Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis - Abstract
Limited evidence exists to suggest that the ability to invade and escape protozoan host cell bactericidal activity extends to members of the Chlamydiaceae, intracellular pathogens of humans and animals and evolutionary descendants of amoeba-resisting Chlamydia-like organisms. PCR and microscopic analyses of Chlamydophila abortus infections of Acanthamoeba castellani revealed uptake of this chlamydial pathogen but, unlike the well-described inhabitant of A. castellani, Parachlamydia acanthamoebae, Cp. abortus did not appear to propagate and is likely digested by its amoebal host. These data raise doubts about the ability of free-living amoebae to serve as hosts and vectors of pathogenic members of the Chlamydiaceae but reveal opportunities, via comparative genomics, to understand virulence mechanisms used by Chlamydia-like organisms to avoid amoebal digestion.
- Published
- 2008
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