Characterize the interaction of toxins from pathogenic bacteria with host cell membrane: A cryo-EM Study

Abstract

Light microscopy has been used to characterize microbes and host-microbes interaction for a long time. On the other hand, the cryo-electron microscope revolutionized structural biology, where we can demonstrate the atomic-level structure of small molecules in a human cell. Imaging using microscopes is a powerful tool to characterize host-pathogen interaction. Most pathogenic microbes translocate various effector proteins and toxins through their secretion system, which damages the host cell plasma membrane and initiates the exchange with the host cell. In this study, we characterize the structure of pore-forming toxins from pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and its interaction with HEK 293T cells at high resolution using TEM, and cryo-EM.