A two-gene balance regulates salmonella typhimurium tolerance in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Elizabeth Marsh, MC van den Berg, Robin May

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)
168 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Lysozymes are antimicrobial enzymes that perform a critical role in resisting infection in a wide-range of eukaryotes. However, using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model host we now demonstrate that deletion of the protist type lysozyme LYS-7 renders animals susceptible to killing by the fatal fungal human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, but, remarkably, enhances tolerance to the enteric bacteria Salmonella Typhimurium. This trade-off in immunological susceptibility in C. elegans is further mediated by the reciprocal activity of lys-7 and the tyrosine kinase abl-1. Together this implies a greater complexity in C. elegans innate immune function than previously thought.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e16839
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume6
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2011

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