Autophagy and Intracellular Pathogens: the Killer, the Victim and the Suspects

Abstract

Until recently, autophagy was viewed as a process primarily involved in controlling intracellular biomass as well as protecting cells against toxic protein aggregates and the accumulation of damaged organelles. Recent research, however, has revealed a central role of autophagy in the innate immune system by mediating the degradation of intracellular pathogens. Various viruses and bacteria, including Streptococcus pyogenus, are subjected to this elimination, whereas others have developed strategies to overcome autophagy or even subvert it for their own advantage like Coxiella burnetii. Molecular links between pathogen receptors and the initiation of autophagy have been identified, which increased the insights into autophagy regulation during infection. Research to pathogens suspected to interact with the autophagic pathway such as Chlamydia trachomatis have shed light into the autophagy-independent function of the autophagosome protein marker LC3. The aim of this thesis is to review the intracellular life cycle of few bacteria to illustrate the different types of interactions that have evolved between bacteria and autophagy.