Elsevier

Microbes and Infection

Volume 15, Issues 14–15, December 2013, Pages 1017-1025
Microbes and Infection

Breaking in and grabbing a meal: Anaplasma phagocytophilum cellular invasion, nutrient acquisition, and promising tools for their study

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2013.10.010Get rights and content
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Abstract

Anaplasma phagocytophilum invades neutrophils to cause the emerging infection, human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Here, we provide a focused review of the A. phagocytophilum invasin-host cell receptor interactions that promote bacterial entry and the degradative and membrane traffic pathways that the organism exploits to route nutrients to the organelle in which it resides. Because its obligatory intracellular nature hinders knock out-complementation approaches, we also discuss the current methods used to study A. phagocytophilum gene function and the potential benefit of applying novel tools that have advanced studies of other obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens.

Keywords

Ehrlichia
Rickettsia
Obligate intracellular
Bacterial invasion
Rab GTPase
Nutritional virulence

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