Metabolic stringent response in intracellular stages of Leishmania

Leishmania are unusual in being able to survive long-term in the mature phagolysosome compartment of macrophages and other phagocytic cells in their mammalian hosts. Key to their survival in this niche, Leishmania amastigotes switch to a slow growth state and activate a stringent metabolic response. The stringent metabolic response may be triggered by multiple stresses and is associated with decreased metabolic fluxes, restricted use of sugars and fatty acids as carbon sources and increased dependence on metabolic homeostasis pathways. Heterogeneity in expression of the Leishmania stringent response occurs in vivo reflects temporal and spatial heterogeneity in lesion tissues and includes non-dividing dormant stages. This response underpins the capacity of these parasites to maintain long-term chronic infections and survive drug treatments.

Automated summary

Leishmania parasites can survive long-term in the mature phagolysosome compartment of host cells by switching to a slow growth state and activating a stringent metabolic response. The heterogeneous expression of this response in vivo reflects temporal and spatial differences in lesion tissues, including dormant stages.