An unbiased method for clustering bacterial effectors using host cellular phenotypes.

ABSTRACT: We present a novel method implementing unbiased high-content morphometric cell analysis to classify bacterial effector phenotypes. This clustering methodology represents a significant advance over more qualitative visual approaches and can also be used to classify, and therefore predict the likely function of, unknown effector genes from any microbial genome. As a proof of concept, we use this approach to investigate 23 genetic regions predicted to encode antimacrophage effectors located across the genome of the insect and human pathogen Photorhabdus asymbiotica. Statistical cluster analysis using multiple cellular measures categorized treated macrophage phenotypes into three major groups relating to their putative functionality: (i) adhesins, (ii) cytolethal toxins, and (iii) cytomodulati

SUBMITTER: Dowling AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3911202 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature