Common Worm Provides Insights Into Salmonella Virulence

Common Worm Provides Insights Into Salmonella Virulence

Researchers at Duke University are using a nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, to study virulence mechanisms of Salmonella bacteria. They have found a specific factor, SptP, which is injected into the host via a Type III Secretory System (TTSS) that suppresses the host immune response.

An interesting aspect of the continuing research is that they are using genetic screens on the host nematodes to determine genetic variability and identify which variations confer greater resistance to Salmonella infection. This populational variation is something that is often overlooked in studies that rely on genomic data.