Poisons, ruffles and rockets: bacterial pathogens and the host cell cytoskeleton.
The cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells is affected by a number of bacterial and viral pathogens. In this review we consider three recurring themes of cytoskeletal involvement in bacterial pathogenesis: 1) the effect of bacterial toxins on actin-regulating small GTP-binding proteins; 2) the invasion of non-phagocytic cells by the bacterial induction of ruffles at the plasma membrane; 3) the formation of actin tails and pedestals by intracellular and extracellular bacteria, respectively. Considerable progress has been made recently in the characterization of these processes. It is becoming clear that bacterial pathogens have developed a variety of sophisticated mechanisms for utilizing the complex cytoskeletal system of host cells. These bacterially-induced processes are now providing unique insights into the regulation of fundamental eukaryotic mechanisms.
Steele-Mortimer
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Biotechnology Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Knodler
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LA
Finlay
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D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012266:Ribose / Q000378:metabolism; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D000199:Actins; D012266:Ribose; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D018631:ras Proteins; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins; D005947:Glucose