Note: Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- 34 Deconstructing the Chlamydial Cell Wall -- Abstract -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 The Bacterial Cell Wall -- 1.2 Chlamydiae -- 2 On the Traces of PG in Chlamydiae -- 2.1 Early Experiments -- 2.2 Visualize the Invisible-The Discovery of PG Material in Chlamydiae -- 3 Functional and Genomic Studies of the Chlamydial PG Biosynthesis Pathway -- 3.1 Cytoplasmic and Membrane-Bound Steps of Chlamydial PG Biosynthesis -- 3.2 Periplasmic Steps of Chlamydial PG Biosynthesis -- 3.2.1 Penicillin-Binding Proteins -- 3.2.2 Amidase AmiA-A Bifunctional Target Protein of Penicillin -- 3.2.3 "NlpD"-A Septal Lipid II/PG-Binding Hydrolase -- 4 Organization of the Chlamydial Division Septum -- 5 Antichlamydial Activity of Cell Wall Antibiotics-Cellular Effects and Molecular Targets -- 5.1 Beta-Lactam Treatment of Chlamydiae -- 5.2 Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor Clavulanic Acid -- 5.3 Fosfomycin, d-Cycloserine, and Bacitracin -- 6 Role of PG Components in Chlamydial Immune Modulation -- 7 Missing Bricks in the Ring-Future Research and Perspectives -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 12 One Face of Chlamydia trachomatis: The Infectious Elementary Body -- Abstract -- 1 The Infectious Particle: Not so Elementary, My Dear Bedson! -- 1.1 A Morphology Tailored for Specific Needs -- 1.2 Non-dividing, But Not Inactive -- 1.3 A Metabolism Centred on Glucose Catabolism -- 2 From the Generation to the Conversion of EBs: A Chronological Perspective -- 2.1 EB Biogenesis -- 2.2 The Extracellular Episode -- 2.3 The Adhesion Step -- 2.4 The Entry Step -- 2.5 Still Space for Early Effectors -- 2.6 Setting Up the Decor Before Leaving the Stage to the RB -- 3 Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 10 Manipulation of the Host Cell Cytoskeleton by Chlamydia -- Abstract -- 1 Cytoskeletal Dynamics in Epithelial Cells -- 1.1 Actin -- 1.2 Microtubules. , 1.3 Intermediate Filaments -- 2 The Host Cell Cytoskeleton and Chlamydia Invasion -- 2.1 Actin Recruitment During Invasion -- 2.2 Signaling to the Actin Remodeling Machinery -- 2.3 Direct Actin Nucleation by TarP -- 2.4 Disassembly of F-Actin at the Sites of Invasion -- 2.5 Microtubule and Chlamydia Invasion -- 2.6 Intermediate Filaments and Chlamydia Invasion -- 3 The Host Cell Cytoskeleton and the Vesicular Interactions and Structural Integrity of the Inclusion -- 3.1 Early Observations of Nascent Inclusion Trafficking to the Microtubule Organizing Center -- 3.2 Molecular Basis for MTOC Transport of Nascent Inclusions -- 3.3 Homotypic Fusion of Chlamydia Inclusions -- 3.4 Post-Translational Modification of Microtubules in Chlamydia-Infected Cells -- 3.5 The Role of Actin and Intermediate Filaments in Inclusion Integrity -- 4 The Host Cell Cytoskeleton and Chlamydia Egress -- 4.1 Chlamydia Egress by Extrusion of Intact Inclusions -- 4.2 The Role of the Chlamydia Plasmid in Extrusion Versus Lysis Decision -- 5 Summary -- References -- 13 Subversion of Cell-Autonomous Host Defense by Chlamydia Infection -- Abstract -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Innate Immunity Against Intracellular Bacteria -- 2.1 The Innate Immune System -- 2.2 Cell-autonomous Immunity -- 3 Subversion of Host Innate Defense by Chlamydia -- 3.1 Interference with IFN-Signaling and Autophagy -- 3.2 Interference with Inflammasome Activation and Inflammation -- 4 Inhibition of Host Cell Death -- 4.1 Manipulation of Survival Signaling Pathways -- 4.2 Enrichment of Anti-apoptotic Proteins -- 4.3 Depletion of P53 -- 5 Concluding Remarks -- References -- 39 The Hidden Genomics of Chlamydia trachomatis -- Abstract -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Next Generation Sequencing Techniques -- 2.1 Culture-Based Versus Culture-Independent Sequencing. , 2.2 Immuno-magnetic Separation and Multiple Displacement Amplification (IMS-MDA) -- 2.3 Target DNA Pull-Down -- 3 C. trachomatis in the Genomic Era: Genome Content -- 3.1 Comparative Genomics and Genome Synteny -- 4 The Link Between Tryptophan and Ocular Isolates -- 5 Species Phylogeny -- 6 Recombination -- 6.1 Direct Experimental Evidence of Recombination -- 6.2 Understanding C. Trachomatis Population Structure -- 6.3 Lineage-Specific Patterns of Recombination -- 7 Global and Temporal Population Structure of C. trachomatis -- 8 The Plasmid -- 9 The Swedish New Variant -- 10 Antimicrobial Resistance in C. trachomatis -- 11 Chlamydia trachomatis in the Field -- References -- 76 Advances and Obstacles in the Genetic Dissection of Chlamydial Virulence -- Abstract -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Chlamydial Genomes Are Malleable -- 3 Moving Genes Between and into Chlamydial Genomes with Recombination and Lateral Gene Transfer -- 4 Transformation of Chlamydia with Plasmid Shuttle Vectors -- 5 Applications of the Plasmid as a Shuttle Vector -- 6 Reverse Genetic Dissection of Chlamydia Plasmids -- 7 Genetic Manipulation of Chlamydial Chromosomes -- 8 Forward Genetic Analysis of Chlamydial Genomes -- 9 Overview and Future Perspectives -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 15 Chlamydia trachomatis as the Cause of Infectious Infertility: Acute, Repetitive or Persistent Long-Term Infection? -- Abstract -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Acute Infections with C. trachomatis -- 2.1 Prevalence, Incidence, Screening and Treatment of Acute Chlamydial Infection -- 2.2 What Are the Risk Factors? -- 2.3 Paradigms for the Development of Infectious Infertility -- 3 Multiple Infections -- 3.1 Is Reinfection a Common Problem? -- 3.2 Are Women More Susceptible to C. trachomatis upon Reinfection? -- 3.3 What Is the Risk for TFI After Chlamydial Infection and Is It Increased by Multiple Infections?. , 4 Chronic Infections -- 4.1 The Induction of Aberrant RBs In Vitro -- 4.1.1 Iron Depletion -- 4.1.2 IFN-γ -- 4.1.3 Antibiotics -- 4.1.4 Coinfection with Herpes Simplex Virus -- 4.2 What Would Be the Clinical Relevance, if We Could Translate the In Vitro Findings to the In Vivo Situation? -- 4.3 What Evidence Do We Have for Finding Persistence In Vivo? -- 4.4 Is the Induction of Chlamydial Aberrant RBs a Necessary Survival Mechanism or Merely a Stress Response to Unfavourable Circumstances? -- 4.5 Can a Human Fallopian Tube Cell Model Further Elucidate the Connection Between In Vivo and In Vitro? -- 5 Chronic Colonization of the Gastrointestinal Tract -- 5.1 How Does Intestinal Colonization Happen and How Often Does It Affect Humans? -- 5.2 What Would Be the Consequences? -- 6 Conclusions -- References -- 18 Immunopathogenesis of Chlamydial Infections -- Abstract -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Diseases Caused by Chlamydia in Humans -- 3 Animal Models of Chlamydial Pathogenesis -- 4 Chlamydial Immunopathogenesis -- 5 Role of Components of Innate Immune System in Chlamydial Pathogenesis -- 6 Role of Components of Adaptive Immune System in Chlamydial Pathogenesis -- 6.1 B Cells -- 6.2 T Helper Cells -- 6.3 Regulatory T Cells -- 6.4 Th 17 Cells -- 6.5 CD8+ T Cells -- 7 Summary -- 8 Outlook for Future -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 6 Chlamydia trachomatis: Protective Adaptive Responses and Prospects for a Vaccine -- Abstract -- 1 Overview -- 2 Obstacles to Vaccine Development -- 3 Immune Responses and Pathogenesis -- 4 Protective Adaptive Responses -- 4.1 CD4 T Cells -- 4.2 Resident Memory CD4 T Cells -- 4.3 CD8 T Cells -- 4.4 B Cells and Antibodies -- 5 Vaccinology -- 5.1 Antigens -- 5.2 Types of Vaccines -- 5.2.1 Live Vaccines -- 5.2.2 Subunits -- 5.2.3 Recombinant Protein -- 5.2.4 DNA Plasmid -- 5.3 Adjuvants -- 5.4 Vaccination Routes. , 6 Future Challenges and Conclusions -- References.