This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kimbell, J. R.
Right arrow Articles by McFall-Ngai, M. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kimbell, J. R.
Right arrow Articles by McFall-Ngai, M. J.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Kimbell, J. R.
Right arrow Articles by McFall-Ngai, M. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, March 2004, p. 1434-1441, Vol. 70, No. 3
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.3.1434-1441.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Symbiont-Induced Changes in Host Actin during the Onset of a Beneficial Animal-Bacterial Association

Jennifer R. Kimbell and Margaret J. McFall-Ngai*

Pacific Biomedical Research Center, Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

Received 9 October 2003/ Accepted 1 December 2003

The influence of bacteria on the cytoskeleton of animal cells has been studied extensively only in pathogenic associations. We characterized changes in host cytoskeletal actin induced by the bacterial partner during the onset of a cooperative animal-bacteria association using the squid-vibrio model. Two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis revealed that Vibrio fischeri induced a dramatic increase in actin protein abundance in the bacteria-associated host tissues during the onset of the symbiosis. Immunocytochemistry revealed that this change in actin abundance correlated with a two- to threefold increase in actin in the apical cell surface of the epithelium-lined ducts, the route of entry of symbionts into host tissues. Real-time reverse transcriptase PCR and in situ hybridization did not detect corresponding changes in actin mRNA. Temporally correlated with the bacteria-induced changes in actin levels was a two- to threefold decrease in duct circumference, a 20% loss in the average number of cells interfacing with the duct lumina, and dramatic changes in duct cell shape. When considered with previous studies of the biomechanical and biochemical characteristics of the duct, these findings suggest that the bacterial symbionts, upon colonizing the host organ, induce modifications that physically and chemically limit the opportunity for subsequent colonizers to pass through the ducts. Continued study of the squid-vibrio system will allow further comparisons of the mechanisms by which pathogenic and cooperative bacteria influence cytoskeleton dynamics in host cells.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Pacific Biomedical Research Center, Kewalo Marine Laboratory, 41 Ahui St., Honolulu, HI 96813. Phone: (808) 539-7310. Fax: (808) 599-4817. E-mail: mcfallng{at}hawaii.edu.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, March 2004, p. 1434-1441, Vol. 70, No. 3
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.3.1434-1441.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Lee, P. N., McFall-Ngai, M. J., Callaerts, P., de Couet, H. G. (2009). Confocal Immunocytochemistry of Embryonic and Juvenile Hawaiian Bobtail Squid (Euprymna scolopes) Tissues. CSH Protocols 2009: pdb.prot5320-pdb.prot5320 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tong, D., Rozas, N. S., Oakley, T. H., Mitchell, J., Colley, N. J., McFall-Ngai, M. J. (2009). From the Cover: Evidence for light perception in a bioluminescent organ. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106: 9836-9841 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chun, C. K., Troll, J. V., Koroleva, I., Brown, B., Manzella, L., Snir, E., Almabrazi, H., Scheetz, T. E., de Fatima Bonaldo, M., Casavant, T. L., Soares, M. B., Ruby, E. G., McFall-Ngai, M. J. (2008). Effects of colonization, luminescence, and autoinducer on host transcription during development of the squid-vibrio association. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105: 11323-11328 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Koropatnick, T. A., Kimbell, J. R., McFall-Ngai, M. J. (2007). Responses of Host Hemocytes During the Initiation of the Squid-Vibrio Symbiosis. Biol. Bull. 212: 29-39 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kimbell, J. R., Koropatnick, T. A., McFall-Ngai, M. J. (2006). Evidence for the participation of the proteasome in symbiont-induced tissue morphogenesis.. Biol. Bull. 211: 1-6 [Full Text]  
  • Goodson, M. S., Crookes-Goodson, W. J., Kimbell, J. R., McFall-Ngai, M. J. (2006). Characterization and Role of p53 Family Members in the Symbiont-Induced Morphogenesis of the Euprymna scolopes Light Organ.. Biol. Bull. 211: 7-17 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ruby, E. G., Urbanowski, M., Campbell, J., Dunn, A., Faini, M., Gunsalus, R., Lostroh, P., Lupp, C., McCann, J., Millikan, D., Schaefer, A., Stabb, E., Stevens, A., Visick, K., Whistler, C., Greenberg, E. P. (2005). Complete genome sequence of Vibrio fischeri: A symbiotic bacterium with pathogenic congeners. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 3004-3009 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»