Scientists
have discovered what makes a specific strain of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis --
one cause of gastrointestinal infections -- so dangerous. The reason is
that the bacteria produce a molecule called CNFy that facilitates the infection
process for them.
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is transmitted
via contaminated food and can generate gastro-intestinal diseases.
The
bacterium changes the host cells in a manner that enables the injection
apparatus of Yersinia, which injects toxins into the cells, to work more
efficiently. This strengthens the gastrointestinal infection and leads to
inflammation of the tissue.
This
finding was made by researchers based at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection
Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and at the Hannover Medical School (MHH).
For
further details, refer to the following paper:
Janina Schweer, Devesha Kulkarni, Annika Kochut, Joern Pezoldt, Fabio
Pisano, Marina C. Pils, Harald Genth, Jochen Huehn, Petra Dersch. The Cytotoxic Necrotizing
Factor of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (CNFY) Enhances Inflammation and Yop
Delivery during Infection by Activation of Rho GTPases. PLoS Pathogens, 2013; 9
(11): e1003746 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003746
Posted by Tim Sandle
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