FIGURE 1.

AnkA alters chromatin structure at the CYBB promoter. During Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection, AnkA accumulates in the host cell nucleus where it can directly bind DNA and influence the transcription of CYBB, which encodes the gp91^phox component of the NADPH oxidase. (A) In the absence of infection, CYBB is activated by inflammatory signals and is easily transcribed. (B) During infection, AnkA binds the proximal promoter and recruits HDAC which deacetylates nearby histones in order to inhibit transcription. (C) We propose that additional host or bacterial-derived chromatin modifying enzymes, such as DNMT methylation of host CpGs, may also be involved in altering the host epigenome to the bacterium’s advantage.