Shedding light on Salmonella’s Trojan Horse

To invade and occupy a cell, Salmonella first deploys a Trojan horse, a protein called SopE that instructs the cell to internalize the bacterium. If left unchecked, however, this protein will destroy the host and deny the Salmonella a safe haven from which to replicate, penetrate deeper tissues and ward off attacks from the immune system. Researchers in Yale’s Section of Microbial Pathogenesis, who previously discovered a second Salmonella protein, SptP, have now discerned its function. SptP protects Salmonella’s new home by reversing the destructive process started by SopE. “These findings bring us closer to understanding the complex mechanisms by which these bacteria cause disease and may lead to development of new therapeutic and prevention strategies,” said Jorge E. Galan, Ph.D., who heads the section. The findings were published Sept. 16 in the journal Nature.