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Characterisation of host cell pathways altered by effectors of Brucella, Chlamydia, and Coxiella: identification of novel therapeutic targets

Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica
Project classification

Scientific area

1.6 Biological sciences (Medical sciences go to scientific area 3.n; Agricultural sciences go to scientific area 4.n)

Discipline(s)

Other biological topics

Project description

Project title

Characterisation of host cell pathways altered by effectors of Brucella, Chlamydia, and Coxiella: identification of novel therapeutic targets

Scientific Coordinator's name:

Jaime Mota

Scientific Coordinator's e-mail:

jmota@itqb.unl.pt

Principal R&D Unit:

Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica

Other R&D Units involved in the project:

n/a

Project keyword(s)

Bacterial pathogenesis Chlamydia Chlamydia Effectors Type III Secretion

Short abstract and comments

Brucella spp., Chlamydia trachomatis, and Coxiella burnetii are intracellular bacterial pathogens causing human infections of clinical and public health relevance. As many other Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, they use specialised secretion systems to manipulate eukaryotic host cells by injection of bacterial virulence proteins (effectors). However, current knowledge about how these pathogens establish infection is limited. The overall purpose of this project is to characterize the function of effector proteins from Brucella, Chlamydia and Coxiella. Our specific objectives are to identify host cell signaling pathways targeted by effectors of Brucella, Chlamydia, and Coxiella; to characterize the molecular and cellular mode of action of effectors of Brucella, Chlamydia and Coxiella; and to correlate the knowledge on the mode of action of the effectors to their sequence variability and expression amongst different strains, including recent clinical isolates. This project is framed within an ERA-NET PathoGenoMics network, and our group focuses on the study of Chlamydia effectors. Potential uses/ indications of the knowledge/ technologies resulting from the project The expected results may lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches and could help in the design of vaccines and novel diagnostics. In particular, the host signaling pathways altered by one (or more) effector(s) will be excellent candidates as novel therapeutic targets. Furthermore, the knowledge that we will produce could also lead to the identification of inhibitors targeting the effectors directly.

Potential uses/indications

n/a

Status

Ongoing

Partner Status: Seeking Partners?

No

Project weblink

http://n/a

Grant number (QREN, FP7, Eureka, etc)

ERA-PTG/0005/2010

Last edited on

2012-12-05 17:36:44

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