Pathogenic Escherichia coli Hijacks GTPase-Activated p21-Activated Kinase for Actin Pedestal Formation

Abstract

Enteropathogenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EPEC and EHEC, respectively) remain a significant global health problem. Both EPEC and EHEC initiate infection by attaching to cells in the host intestine, triggering the formation of actin-rich “pedestal” structures directly beneath the adherent pathogen. These bacteria inject their own receptor into host cells, which upon binding to a protein on the pathogen surface triggers pedestal formation. Multiple other proteins are also delivered into the cells of the host intestine, but how they contribute to disease is often less clear. Here, we show how one of these injected proteins, EspG, hijacks a host signaling pathway for pedestal production. This provides new insights into this essential early stage in EPEC and EHEC disease.