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Developmental cycle and host interaction of R habdochlamydia porcellionis , an intracellular parasite of terrestrial isopods
Author(s) -
Sixt Barbara S.,
Kostanjšek Rok,
Mustedanagic Azra,
Toenshoff Elena R.,
Horn Matthias
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/1462-2920.12252
Subject(s) - chlamydiae , biology , intracellular parasite , obligate , parasite hosting , intracellular , host (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , pathogen , arthropod , apoptosis , obligate parasite , cell culture , programmed cell death , bacteria , virology , genetics , botany , ecology , world wide web , computer science
Summary Environmental chlamydiae are a diverse group of obligate intracellular bacteria related to well‐known pathogens of humans. To date, only very little is known about chlamydial species infecting arthropods. In this study, we used cocultivation with insect cells for recovery and maintenance of R habdochlamydia porcellionis , a parasite of the crustacean host P orcellio scaber . In vitro , the infection cycle of R . porcellionis was completed within 7 days, resulting in the release of infectious particles by host cell lysis. Lack of apoptosis induction during the entire course of infection, combined with a reduced sensitivity of infected cultures to experimentally induced programmed cell death, indicates that R . porcellionis like its human pathogenic relatives counteracts this host defence mechanism. Interestingly, the rod‐shaped variant of R . porcellionis , proposed to represent their mature infective stage, was not detected in cell culture, suggesting that its development may require prolonged maturation or may be triggered by specific conditions encountered only in the animal host. This first cell culture‐based system for the cultivation and investigation of an arthropod‐associated chlamydial species will help to better understand the biology of a so far neglected group of chlamydiae and its recently suggested potential to cause disease in humans.