Survival of Legionella pneumophila in the cold-water ciliate Tetrahymena vorax

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5696398

Smith-Somerville, H E; Huryn, V B; Walker, C; Winters, A L ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (United States)

The processing of phagosomes containing Legionella pneumophila and Escerichia coli were compared in Tetrahymena vorax, a hymenostome ciliated protozoan that prefers lower temperatures. L. pneumophila did not multiply in the ciliate when incubated at 20 to 22C, but vacuoles containing L. pneumophila were retained in the cells for a substantially longer time than vacuoles with E. coli. Electron micrographs showed no evidence of degradation of L. pneumophila cells through 12 h, while E. coli cells in the process of being digested were observed in vacuoles 75 min after the addition of the bacterium T. vorax ingested L. pneumophila normally, but by 10 to 15 min, the vacuolar membrane appeared denser than that surrounding nascent or newly formed phagosomes. In older vacuoles, electron-dense particles lined portions of the membrane. Acidification of the phagosomes indicated by the accumulation of neutral red was similar in T. vorax containing L. pneumophila or E. coli. This ciliate could provide a model for the analysis of virulence-associated intracellular events independent of the replication of L. pneumophila.

• OSTI ID: 5696398
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 57:9; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560200* -- Thermal Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
ESCHERICHIA COLI
INGESTION
INTAKE
INVERTEBRATES
LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA
MICROORGANISMS
PROTOZOA
SURVIVAL CURVES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
VIRULENCE