Researchers claims that the bacterium Salmonela seems to take over and infect microscopic host cells. The extremely uncomfortable symptoms of diseases caused by the bacteria salmonella are something no one ever wants to live through, or repeat. There may be as many as 150,000 cases of this bacterial infection in the United States every year. Most of these salmonella caused cases are usually undiagnosed and unreported. The microscopic salmonella germ multiplies in undercooked or raw food may be through what scientists compare to the ancient Trojan Horse. Samonella, multiplies by taking over and infecting host cells. This unusual observation of the deadly food borne bacteria was done using an electron microscope and other technologies. Scientists believe that such finding may one day help researchers design drugs to thwart this and other germs. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallies about 40,000 cases of salmonella infection in the United States alone each year. However, the actual number of cases may be 30 times higher or more. Although most people with cases of salmonella disease recover without treatment, some 600 people die every year. Most people who were infected with the microscopic bacteria salmonella usually would develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours of infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days. For some cases, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient may need to be hospitalized and treated with antibiotics. The use of the electron microscope determines the salmonella germs migration. The researchers view the use of the electron microscope as the beginning of an enlightening journey. Using an electron microscope along with X ray crystallography and 3 Dimensional reconstructions, researchers at Rockefeller University in New York City and the University of Virginia managed to get the first high-resolution picture of part of the SipA protein. This SipA protein is a key component of the salmonella bacterias machinery. Researchers of the bacterua claim that Salmonella secretes a number of proteins that are involved in taking control of the host cell to engulf the bacterium and in that way infecting the host cells. The researchers further explain that this SipA protein is one of a number that are produced, and it has been shown previously to bind to actin. Actin happens to be one of the most abundant proteins in the human body and is involved in the cytoskeleton and in cell movement. The scientists knew salmonella proteins bind to actin, they did not know precisely how this occurred. As it turns out in the study, the SipA protein essentially staples actin into long filaments. It is then reorganize the cytoskeleton of the host cell. The researchers explain that this reorganization causes the host cell to engulf the bacterium. Once the host cell engulfs the bacterium, it can multiply within the host cells. Sip turned out to be compact and heart-shaped with a globular core, with two arms project from either side. Read the entire article