Interaction of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli with red blood cell monolayers

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes interaction of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli with red blood cell monolayers. Once red blood cell (RBCs) are attached to plastic/glass to form a monolayer, the interaction with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) can be examined in a manner identical to that used to examine EPEC interaction with epithelial cell monolayers such as Hep-2 cells in cell adhesion assays. Pore-forming proteins secreted by the type III secretion system (TTSS) and inserted into the host cell membrane complete the secretion apparatus by producing a continuous pathway for protein translocation from the bacterial to the host cell cytosol) Injection of proteins into host cells by Shigella and Yersinia species, has been correlated with their ability to cause a contact-dependent hemolysis of red blood cells (RBC), hemolysis in which the TTSS needle structure has to be brought into close contact with the RBC membrane by centrifugation. However, in addition to secreting pore-forming proteins, the EPEC TTSS also secrete EspA, a protein which is assembled into a filamentous structure that is believed to form a long extension to the TTSS needle.