title: Integrin-mediated internalization of Staphylococcus aureus does not require vinculin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disease manifestations of Staphylococcus aureus are connected to the fibronectin (Fn)-binding capacity of these Gram-positive pathogens. Fn deposition on the surface of S. aureus allows engagement of α5β1 integrins and triggers uptake by host cells. For several integrin- and actin-associated cytoplasmic proteins, including FAK, Src, N-WASP, tensin and cortactin, a functional role during bacterial invasion has been demonstrated. As reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton is critical for bacterial entry, we investigated whether vinculin, an essential protein linking integrins with the actin cytoskeleton, may contribute to the integrin-mediated internalization of S. aureus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complementation of vinculin in vinculin -/- cells, vinculin overexpression, as well as shRNA-mediated vinculin knock-down in different eukaryotic cell types demonstrate, that vinculin does not have a functional role during the integrin-mediated uptake of S. aureus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that vinculin is insignificant for the integrin-mediated uptake of S. aureus despite the critical role of vinculin as a linker between integrins and F-actin.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl Zellbiologie, Universität Konstanz, Postfach X908, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borisova
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buntru
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wörner
authors.forename: Wolfgang H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: Christof R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Hauck
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D019030:Receptors, Vitronectin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000502:physiology*; D016596:Vinculin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D019030:Receptors, Vitronectin; C094340:integrin alphavbeta1; D016596:Vinculin