A team of scientists at the Forsyth Institute, University of Connecticut Health Center, the CDC and the Wadsworth Center, the state of the art technology used to clarify the molecular architecture of Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes. The previously unknown detailed structure of the bacteria can now be viewed in three dimensions. This gives the first real image of the pathogen and reveals previously unknown features that can help fight against the spread of syphilis.With CET T. pallidum cells appeared to form plane waves and did not contain an outer layer. This highly mobile body can bind to human cells for the tip. This work has shown that the end of this bacterium has a unique structure among pathogens, which has advanced the understanding of cell attachment and tissue penetration. In addition, new evidence of how to structure these bacteria mysteriously move with the flagella inside their cell body.
After a sharp decline in the rate of primary and secondary syphilis cases in 90 years, from 2000, the CDC has been a steady increase in prevalence. The 36,000 cases reported each year to affect men and women and infants with congenital syphilis.
Jacques Izard, Ph.D., is an alternate member of the staff of the department of molecular genetics at the Forsyth Institute. His lab is working to understand the role of oral pathogens in oral diseases and their influence on the progression of systemic disease. Dr. Izard and his team focus on the biology of bacterial cells and host response.
Cryo-electron tomography (CET) is a type of microscope that is used to obtain three-dimensional reconstruction of a sample of two-dimensional images at extremely low temperatures. Using this, the research team explained the fundamental differences between Treponema pallidum and other gram-negative bacteria.
More than a decade ago, the publication of the genome sequence of Treponema pallidum has provided some need a lot more to the bacteria. However, scientists have learned little about how these components are organized to create this extremely virulent pathogen and immuno-evasive. HEC has emerged as a powerful tool to bridge the knowledge gap. With this technique, thin film cells are frozen to preserve the structure of cells in a state close to the mother, preventing the degradation caused by the traditional preparation for microscopy. A series of images acquired in the sample is progressively tilted in an electron microscope are used to generate a 3D image.
This research will be presented as the cover story in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Bacteriology. According to the author Jacques Izard, Ph.D., this book offers a clear view of a cell in real time. Izard said: “Change the way to study this bacterium. Having a precise architecture of the cell provides important information for understanding how to become invasive in the human body. With this information we can learn to stop the progression of the disease.”
This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Research Resources.