title: Bacterial outer membrane vesicles and the host-pathogen interaction.
abstract: Extracellular secretion of products is the major mechanism by which Gram-negative pathogens communicate with and intoxicate host cells. Vesicles released from the envelope of growing bacteria serve as secretory vehicles for proteins and lipids of Gram-negative bacteria. Vesicle production occurs in infected tissues and is influenced by environmental factors. Vesicles play roles in establishing a colonization niche, carrying and transmitting virulence factors into host cells, and modulating host defense and response. Vesicle-mediated toxin delivery is a potent virulence mechanism exhibited by diverse Gram-negative pathogens. The biochemical and functional properties of pathogen-derived vesicles reveal their potential to critically impact disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. meta.kuehn@duke.edu
authors.forename: Meta J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kuehn
authors.forename: Nicole C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Kesty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000166:cytology* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans