Rickettsii rickettsii, the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, replicates within the cytosol of infected cells and uses actin-based motility to spread inter-and intracellularly. Although the ultrastructure of the actin tail and host proteins associated with it are distinct from those of Listeria or Shigella, comparatively little is known regarding the rickettsial proteins involved in its organization. Here, we have used random transposon mutagenesis of R. rickettsii to generate a small-plaque mutant that is defective in actin-based motility and does not spread directly from cell to cell as is characteristic of spotted fever group rickettsiae. The transposon insertion site of this mutant strain was within Sca2, a member of a family of large autotransporter proteins. Sca2 exhibits several features suggestive of its apparent role in actin-based motility. It displays an N-terminal secretory signal peptide, a C-terminal predicted autotransporter domain, up to four predicted Wasp homology 2 (WH2) domains, and two proline-rich domains, one with similarity to eukaryotic formins. In a guinea pig model of infection, the Sca2 mutant did not elicit fever, suggesting that Sca2 and actin-based motility are virulence factors of spotted fever group rickettsiae.

Summary Chlamydia trachomatis replicates within a membrane bound compartment termed an inclusion. The inclusion membrane is modified by the insertion of multiple proteins known as Incs. In a yeast two-hybrid screen, an interaction was found between the inclusion membrane protein CT228 and MYPT1, a subunit of myosin phosphatase. MYPT1 was recruited peripherally around the inclusion while the phosphorylated inactive form was localized to active Src-family kinase-rich microdomains. Phosphorylated myosin light chain 2 (MLC2), myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and myosin IIA and IIB also colocalized with inactive MYPT1. The role of these proteins was examined in the context of host-cell exit mechanisms; cell lysis or extrusion of intact inclusions. Inhibition of myosin II or siRNA depletion of myosin IIA and IIB, MLC2, or MLCK reduced chlamydial extrusion thus favoring lytic events as the primary means of release. These studies provide insights into regulation of egress mechanisms by C. trachomatis.

Chlamydiaspp. are obligate intracellular pathogens that replicate within a vacuole termed the inclusion. Chlamydiae extensively modify the inclusion membrane via the insertion of chlamydial inclusion membrane proteins (Incs) which decorate the cytosolic face of the inclusion. We have assessed the overall relatedness and phylogeny of Incs in order to identify potential evolutionary trends. Despite a high degree of conservation among Incs withinC. trachomatisserovars, phylogenetic analysis showed that some Incs cluster according to clinical groupings suggesting that certain Incs may contribute to tissue tropism. Bioinformatic predictions identified Incs in five chlamydial species: 55 inC. trachomatis, 68 inC. felis, 92 inC. pneumoniae, 79 inC. caviae, and 54 inC. muridarum. Inc homologues were compared between chlamydial species and 23 core Incs were identified as shared among all species. Genomic expansion of Incs was identified inC. pneumoniae, C. caviae, andC. felisbut notC. trachomatisorC. muridarum.