Food-borne illness: Researchers redefine the invasion mechanism of Salmonella

ScienceDaily (2009-12-20) -- Bacteria of the genus Salmonella cause most food-borne illnesses. The bacteria attach to cells of the intestinal wall and induce their own ingestion by cells of the intestinal epithelium. Up till now, researchers assumed that Salmonella have to induce the formation of distinctive membrane waves in order to invade these gut cells. Researchers in Germany have now refuted this common doctrine.