Predator or prey? Chlamydophila abortus infections of a free-living amoebae, Acanthamoeba castellani 9GU.
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.
Wirz
Mirjam
M
Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 268, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Polkinghorne
Adam
A
Dumrese
Claudia
C
Ziegler
Urs
U
Greub
Gilbert
G
Pospischil
Andreas
A
Vaughan
Lloyd
L
D048248:Acanthamoeba castellanii / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D023501:Chlamydophila / Q000502:physiology*; D023521:Chlamydophila Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000502:physiology*