Question

When the pathogen Salmonella typhimurium infects mammalian cells, the host cell protease caspase-1 is enabled to cleave and thereby activate signaling proteins that instigate the immune response. The targets of caspase-1 also include aldolase and enolase. What effect would this have on the infected cell and why might this be advantageous to the organism?

Answer 1

Salmonella typhimurium is an enteric pathogen can cause diseases such as food poisoning that can result in gastroenteritis. The effector protein of the Salmonella typhimurium is SipA. This effector protein assist gastroenteritis through functional motifs (by stimulation of inflammation or entry of bacteria). 41 proteins are cleaved by the caspase-1, which is a cysteine protease & it includes the protein that aids in immunity. S. typhimurium induces a pronounced processing of the proteins, thus preventing glycolysis & causing pyroptosis. Pyroptosis is the caspase-1 dependent cell death subroutine, related to the production of pyrogenic mediators (IL-1 beta etc.) & it becomes a response against the microbe & hence it is advantageous.

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