Chlamydia: Greedy for glutamine

Date:
August 3, 2020
Source:
University of Wu"rzburg
Summary:
If chlamydiae want to multiply in a human cell, the first thing
they need is a lot of glutamine. Researchers have clarified how
the pathogenic bacteria obtain this substance.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Chlamydia are bacteria that cause venereal diseases. In humans, they can
only survive if they enter the cells. This is the only place where they
find the necessary metabolites for their reproduction. And this happens
in a relatively simple way: the bacteria create a small bubble in the
cell and divide in it over several generations.


==========================================================================
What is the decisive step that initiates the reproduction of
the bacteria? It has not been known so far. Researchers from Julius-Maximilians-Universita"t Wu"rzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany,
have now discovered it. This is important because the first step in the reproduction of the pathogens is likely to be a good target for drugs.

Glutamine import into the host cell increases In the case of Chlamydia,
the first step is to reprogram the metabolism of their human host
cells. The cells then increasingly import the amino acid glutamine
from their environment. If this does not work, for example because the glutamine import system is out of order, the bacterial pathogens are
no longer able to proliferate. This was reported by a JMU team led by
Dr. Karthika Rajeeve, who has meanwhile been awarded a professorship
at the Aarhus University in Denmark, and Professor Thomas Rudel in the
journal Nature Microbiology.

"Chlamydiae need a lot of glutamine to synthesize the ring-shaped
molecule peptidoglycan," explains Professor Rudel, who heads the Chair
of Microbiology at the JMU Biocenter. In bacteria, this ring molecule is generally a building material of the cell wall. Chlamydiae use it for
the construction of a new wall that is drawn into the bacterial cell
during division.

Next, the JMU team hopes to clarify the importance of the glutamine
metabolism in chronic chlamydiae infections. This might provide
information that might help to better understand the development of
severe diseases as a result of the infection.

Facts about Chlamydia Chlamydiae cause most venereal diseases in
Germany. The bacteria are sexually transmitted and can cause inflammation
in the urethra, vagina or anal area. If an infection is detected in time,
it can be treated well with antibiotics.

Around 130 million people worldwide are infected with Chlamydia. The
biggest problem is that the infection usually proceeds without noticeable symptoms.

This makes it easier for the pathogen to spread, this leads to severe
or chronic diseases such as cervical and ovarian cancer.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Wu"rzburg. Original
written by Robert Emmerich. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Karthika Rajeeve, Nadine Vollmuth, Sudha Janaki-Raman, Thomas
F. Wulff,
Apoorva Baluapuri, Francesca R. Dejure, Claudia Huber, Julian
Fink, Maximilian Schmalhofer, Werner Schmitz, Rajeeve Sivadasan,
Elmar Wolf, Wolfgang Eisenreich, Almut Schulze, Ju"rgen Seibel,
Thomas Rudel.

Reprogramming of host glutamine metabolism during Chlamydia
trachomatis infection and its key role in peptidoglycan
synthesis. Nature Microbiology, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-0762-5 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200803140007.htm

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