Toxigenic corynebacteria: Adhesion, invasion and host response

Abstract

Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis form a distinct group within the genus Corynebacterium, the toxigenic corynebacteria. The three species are able to colonize a number of hosts including humans, e.g. in case of diphtheria. However, besides diphtheria toxin action, information about molecular mechanisms of host pathogen interaction is rare. The recent availability of genome sequence information gave new impetus to the characterization of putative virulence factors of C. ulcerans, C. pseudotuberculosis and C. diphtheriae and the recent knowledge about these is summarized here.