Control of Protrusion Formation and Spreading by Listeria (IMAGE)
Caption
Listeria moves through the cytoplasm of human cells by using part of the cell "cytoskeleton" called actin. In this image, Listeria is labeled in blue and actin is labeled in red. Note that actin forms a tail-like structure behind bacteria. These actin tails push Listeria through the cytoplasm of the human cell. The arrowhead indicates a bacteria moving in the cytoplasm. Listeria that have contacted the plasma membrane of the cell can deform that membrane into protrusions. In this image, protrusions (indicated with arrows) are visible as yellow finger-like projections with bacteria at their tips. These protrusions push into adjacent healthy human cells, thereby allowing spreading of Listeria. In their work published in Nature Cell Biology, Ireton and co-workers have identified a Listeria protein that stimulates the formation of protrusions and spreading. Their findings suggest that this protein, called InlC, acts by relieving tension at the plasma membrane.
Credit
Keith Ireton
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