Abstract
Legionella pneumophila, the bacterial agent of legionnaires' disease, replicates intracellularly within a specialized vacuole of mammalian and protozoan host cells. Little is known about the specialized vacuole except that the Icm/Dot type IV secretion system is essential for its formation and maintenance. The Legionella genome database contains two open reading frames encoding polypeptides (LepA and LepB) with predicted coiled-coil regions and weak homology to SNAREs; these are delivered to host cells by an Icm/Dot-dependent mechanism. Analysis of mutant strains suggests that the Lep proteins may enable the Legionella to commandeer a protozoan exocytic pathway for dissemination of the pathogen.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Acanthamoeba / microbiology*
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Acanthamoeba / physiology
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Acanthamoeba / ultrastructure
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Animals
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Bacterial Proteins / genetics
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Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
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Bacterial Proteins / physiology*
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Cell Line
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Colony Count, Microbial
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Cyclic AMP / metabolism
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Dictyostelium / microbiology*
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Dictyostelium / physiology
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Dictyostelium / ultrastructure
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Exocytosis
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Genome, Bacterial
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Humans
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Legionella pneumophila / genetics*
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Legionella pneumophila / growth & development
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Legionella pneumophila / pathogenicity
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Legionella pneumophila / physiology*
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Lysosomes / physiology
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Macrophages / microbiology
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Macrophages / ultrastructure
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Mutation
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Open Reading Frames
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Phagosomes / physiology
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Vacuoles / microbiology
Substances
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Bacterial Proteins
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LepA protein, Legionella pneumophila
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LepB protein, Legionella pneumophila
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Cyclic AMP