Lecture 8: Host-pathogen interactions Flashcards
For which diseases do Kochs postulates not hold true?
• Presence of agent in healthy animals.:
(asymptomatic carrier may cause disease incidentally; Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae)
• No animal model available
• Bacteria non culturable
• The infection might be a secondary effect
• E.g. a genetic condition (for example cystic fibrosis)
• Bacteria might co-colonize with the actual infective agent
Infection vs colonization?
Colonization = lives in harmony on the body. Infection = invades the body.
What is a virulence factor?
Any (gene) product that is involved in the survival and persistence in the host.
A molecular Koch’s Postulate ?
A virulence/pathogenicity Factor should be present in all disease-causing variants of a bacterial species
Knocking-out of the gene should result in reduced virulence/pathogenicity of bacterium
Reintroduction of the gene should lead to restoration of virulence
Virulence factors are involved in?
- Adhesion
- Tissue damage
- Defence (immune system)
- Regulation
- Metabolism
- Spreading
Which type of secretion system is used for adherance?
T3SS. Secretes effector proteins directly from bacterial cytoplasm into host cell
T3SS is evolutionary linked with?
Flagella
How does EHEC adhesion go? (E.coli adhesion to epithelial cells: virulence factor. depletion of microvili, makes pedestals)
Bacterial adhesin: Intimin Receptor on cell surface: Tir • Translocated Intimin Receptor • Inserted in host membrane via Type 3 secretion system, binds to intimin in bacterial membrane Tir receptor is phosphorylated (signal transduction): recruits NPF • Recruits cytoskeleton proteins • Nucleation of actin fibers • Makes pedestals
NPF: what does it do?
Nucleation promoting factor: initiates actin polymerization.
Activated by small GTPases (Rac/CDC42) or tir
Pili can also be virulence factors. Targets on cell surface can be?
- Glycolipids
- Sugar molecules
- Proteins (extra-cellular matrix, surface proteins)
UPEC adhesion = one of most well known pili interactions. What happens and what is possible treatment?
UPEC adhesion.
Tip protein binds to bladder wall:
binds to mannos of glycoselated proteins.
Treatment: take lot of mannose: competing compound, bacteria cannot adhere anymore.
Non-fimbrial adhesins: name 2?
• Autotransporters
• Outer Membrane Proteins
> Close to cell surface
Advantages Living inside host cells?
Shielded from humoral antibodies
-Less competing bacteria for the same resources
Disadvantages?
- Lysosomal degradation
- Autophagy
- Alarming the immune system
Two main types of entry mechanisms?
- Trigger mechanism (massive cytoskeletal changes). Direct interaction with cytoskeleton by injecting effectors through secretory system (T3SS or T4SS)
- Zipper mechanism (modest cytoskeletal changes). Started by interaction between bacterial protein and eukaryotic receptor (indirect activation of cytoskeleton)