Cell death induction facilitates egress of Coxiella burnetii from infected host cells at late stages of infection

Schulze-Lührmann J, Liebler-Tenorio E, Felipe-López A, Lührmann A (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Abstract

Intracellular bacteria have evolved mechanisms to invade host cells, establish an intracellular niche that allows survival and replication, produce progeny, and exit the host cell after completion of the replication cycle to infect new target cells. Bacteria exit their host cell by (i) initiation of apoptosis, (ii) lytic cell death, and (iii) exocytosis. While bacterial egress is essential for bacterial spreading and, thus, pathogenesis, we currently lack information about egress mechanisms for the obligate intracellular pathogen C. burnetii, the causative agent of the zoonosis Q fever. Here, we demonstrate that C. burnetii inhibits host cell apoptosis early during infection, but induces and/or increases apoptosis at later stages of infection. Only at later stages of infection did we observe C. burnetii egress, which depends on previously established large bacteria-filled vacuoles and a functional intrinsic apoptotic cascade. The released bacteria are not enclosed by a host cell membrane and can infect and replicate in new target cells. In summary, our data argue that C. burnetii egress in a non-synchronous way at late stages of infection. Apoptosis-induction is important for C. burnetii egress, but other pathways most likely contribute.

Authors with CRIS profile

Jan Schulze-Lührmann Institute of Microbiology – Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene Alfonso Felipe-López Institute of Microbiology – Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene Anja Lührmann Institute of Microbiology – Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene

Involved external institutions

Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Schulze-Lührmann, J., Liebler-Tenorio, E., Felipe-López, A., & Lührmann, A. (2023). Cell death induction facilitates egress of Coxiella burnetii from infected host cells at late stages of infection. Molecular Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.15210

MLA:

Schulze-Lührmann, Jan, et al. "Cell death induction facilitates egress of Coxiella burnetii from infected host cells at late stages of infection." Molecular Microbiology (2023).

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