dictyNews
Electronic Edition
Volume 40, number 9
March 28, 2014

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Abstracts
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Intracellular killing of bacteria: is Dictyostelium a model macrophage or an alien?

Cosson P, Lima WC.


Cell Microbiol. 2014 Mar 16. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12291. 

Predation of bacteria by phagocytic cells was first developed during evolution 
by environmental amoebae. Many of the core mechanisms used by amoebae 
to sense, ingest and kill bacteria have also been conserved in specialized 
phagocytic cells in mammalian organisms. Here we focus on recent results 
revealing how Dictyostelium discoideum senses and kills non-pathogenic 
bacteria. In this model, genetic analysis of intracellular killing of bacteria has 
revealed a surprisingly complex array of specialized mechanisms. These results 
raise new questions on these processes, and challenge current models based 
largely on studies in mammalian phagocytes. In addition, recent studies suggest 
one additional level on complexity by revealing how Dictyostelium recognizes 
specifically various bacterial species and strains, and adapts its metabolism to 
process them. It remains to be seen to what extent mechanisms uncovered in 
Dictyostelium are also used in mammalian phagocytic cells.


Submitted by Wanessa Lima [[log in to unmask]]
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