TY - JOUR
T1 - A symbiont of the thick Ixodes ricinus invades and consumes mitochondria in a mode similar to that of the parasitic bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus
AU - Sacchi, L.
AU - Bigliardi, E.
AU - Corona, S.
AU - Beninati, T.
AU - Lo, N.
AU - Franceschi, A.
PY - 2004/2
Y1 - 2004/2
N2 - We have recently performed molecular characterisation of an intracellular alpha-proteobacterium, named IricES1, which resides in the ovarian tissue of female Ixodes ricinus ticks from Italy. A unique characteristic of this bacterium is its ability to invade the mitochondria of the cells in which it resides. Although some ultrastructural studies have been performed on close relatives of this bacterium from I. ricinus in England and Switzerland, a number of questions remain about its movement within ovarian tissues and mitochondria. We have performed the first detailed ultrastructural examination of IricES1 in engorged female adult I. ricinus. Among our findings was that the bacterium enters mitochondria in a similar way to that employed by the 'predatory' bacterium Bdellovibro bacteriovorus, that is, between the inner and outer membranes. It then appears to multiply, with the new 'colony' consuming the mitochondrial matrix. Despite having many of their mitochondria consumed, oocytes appear to develop normally, and the bacteria are likely to be vertically transferred to all eggs.
AB - We have recently performed molecular characterisation of an intracellular alpha-proteobacterium, named IricES1, which resides in the ovarian tissue of female Ixodes ricinus ticks from Italy. A unique characteristic of this bacterium is its ability to invade the mitochondria of the cells in which it resides. Although some ultrastructural studies have been performed on close relatives of this bacterium from I. ricinus in England and Switzerland, a number of questions remain about its movement within ovarian tissues and mitochondria. We have performed the first detailed ultrastructural examination of IricES1 in engorged female adult I. ricinus. Among our findings was that the bacterium enters mitochondria in a similar way to that employed by the 'predatory' bacterium Bdellovibro bacteriovorus, that is, between the inner and outer membranes. It then appears to multiply, with the new 'colony' consuming the mitochondrial matrix. Despite having many of their mitochondria consumed, oocytes appear to develop normally, and the bacteria are likely to be vertically transferred to all eggs.
KW - Alpha-proteobacterium IricES1
KW - Ixodes ricinus
KW - Mitochondria invasion
KW - Ovary
KW - Ultrastructure
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0442279137&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tice.2003.08.004
DO - 10.1016/j.tice.2003.08.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 14729452
AN - SCOPUS:0442279137
VL - 36
SP - 43
EP - 53
JO - Tissue and Cell
JF - Tissue and Cell
SN - 0040-8166
IS - 1
ER -