Host Actin Polymerization Tunes the Cell Division Cycle of an Intracellular Pathogen.

TitleHost Actin Polymerization Tunes the Cell Division Cycle of an Intracellular Pathogen.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsM Siegrist S, Aditham AK, Espaillat A, Cameron TA, Whiteside SA, Cava F, Portnoy DA, Bertozzi CR
JournalCell Rep
Date Published2015 Apr 15
ISSN2211-1247
Abstract

Growth and division are two of the most fundamental capabilities of a bacterial cell. While they are well described for model organisms growing in broth culture, very little is known about the cell division cycle of bacteria replicating in more complex environments. Using a D-alanine reporter strategy, we found that intracellular Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) spend a smaller proportion of their cell cycle dividing compared to Lm growing in broth culture. This alteration to the cell division cycle is independent of bacterial doubling time. Instead, polymerization of host-derived actin at the bacterial cell surface extends the non-dividing elongation period and compresses the division period. By decreasing the relative proportion of dividing Lm, actin polymerization biases the population toward cells with the highest propensity to form actin tails. Thus, there is a positive-feedback loop between the Lm cell division cycle and a physical interaction with the host cytoskeleton.

DOI10.1016/j.celrep.2015.03.046
Alternate JournalCell Rep
PubMed ID25892235