Non-Lytic Exit of Parasites from Intestinal Cells
Author Information
Author(s): Kathleen A. Estes, Suzannah C. Szumowski, Emily R. Troemel
Primary Institution: University of California, San Diego
Hypothesis
How does the microsporidian parasite N. parisii exit C. elegans intestinal cells without causing cell lysis?
Conclusion
N. parisii uses a novel two-phase, non-lytic exit strategy that involves actin rearrangement and terminal web restructuring in host intestinal cells.
Supporting Evidence
- N. parisii infection causes actin to relocate within intestinal cells.
- Gaps in the terminal web appear before spore exit.
- All contagious animals exhibit gaps in the terminal web.
- Reducing actin levels impairs spore exit.
- Spore exit does not cause lysis of intestinal cells.
Takeaway
The parasite N. parisii can leave the intestinal cells of C. elegans without breaking them, which helps it spread to other worms.
Methodology
The study involved infecting C. elegans with N. parisii spores and analyzing the actin and terminal web structures during infection.
Limitations
The study primarily focuses on a single host-parasite interaction and may not generalize to other systems.
Participant Demographics
C. elegans nematodes were used as the model organism.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0005
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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