AUTHOR=Jury Brittany , Fleming Charlotte , Huston Wilhelmina M. , Luu Laurence Don Wai 

TITLE=Molecular pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1281823

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1281823

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Chlamydia trachomatis</italic> is a strict intracellular human pathogen. It is the main bacterial cause of sexually transmitted infections and the etiologic agent of trachoma, which is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Despite over 100 years since <italic>C. trachomatis</italic> was first identified, there is still no vaccine. However in recent years, the advancement of genetic manipulation approaches for <italic>C. trachomatis</italic> has increased our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of <italic>C. trachomatis</italic> and progress towards a vaccine. In this mini-review, we aimed to outline the factors related to the developmental cycle phase and specific pathogenesis activity of <italic>C. trachomatis</italic> in order to focus priorities for future genetic approaches. We highlight the factors known to be critical for developmental cycle stages, gene expression regulatory factors, type III secretion system and their effectors, and individual virulence factors with known impacts.</p>