Putting C. elegans to Gram-positive use

Abstract

Investigations into host–pathogen interactions have revealed several microbial virulence mechanisms are shared between pathogens that infect mammalian, plant and invertebrate hosts. Likewise, recent evidence suggests that there are similarities in the host defense responses following microbial infection. To exploit the evolutionary commonalities in host–pathogen interactions, Garsin et al. 1 Garsin D.A. et al. A simple model host for identifying Gram-positive virulence factors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2001; 98: 10892-10897 Crossref PubMed Scopus (430) Google Scholar recently examined the feasibility of using the simple, genetically tractable nematode host Caenorhabditis elegans to study the virulence mechanisms of several clinically important Gram-positive bacterial pathogens.