EFFECT OF HEAT SHOCK ON CELLS OF PHYTOPATHOGENIC MYCOPLASMA ACHOLEPLASMA LAIDLAWII PG-8A
I.E. Vishnyakov,1,* S.A. Levitskii,2 S.N. Borchsenius 1
1 Institute of Cytology RAS, St. Petersburg, and
2 M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University;
* e-mail: innvish@gmail.com
Heat shock caused a more active formation of the «dormant» forms (minibodies), as well as increased production
of extracellular membrane vesicles by Acholeplasma laidlawii PG-8A cells. Raise of the amount of the
minibodies that have increased resistance to biogenic and abiogenic stress factors and pathogenicity may lead to
more successful persistence of mycoplasmas in their hosts. Increased production of the extracellular membrane
vesicles containing virulence factors by Acholeplasma laidlawii cells during stress may be an additional burden
for the infected organism. It has been recently revealed that the vesicles of A. laidlawii contain appreciable quantities
of small heat shock protein IbpA (Hsp20). In this paper, using immune-electron microscopy, have
shown that at elevated temperature IbpA is associated with A. laidlawii minibodies. Perhaps, IbpA contributes
to increased resistance and pathogenicity of the minibodies, keeping their proteins and polypeptides, including
protein virulence factors in the folding-competent state.
Key words: mycoplasmas, heat shock, minibodies, extracellular membrane vesicles, resistance to stress,
virulence, small heat shock protein
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