Project description:Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) is amongst the leading causes of diarrheal disease worldwide. The colonization of the gut mucosa by aEPEC results in actin pedestal formation at the site of bacterial attachment. This cytoskeletal rearrangement is triggered by the interaction between the bacterial adhesin intimin and its receptor Tir, which is translocated through the type three secretion system, to the host cell. While some aEPEC require tyrosine phosphorylation of Tir and recruitment of the host Nck to trigger actin polymerization, certain aEPEC strains, whose Tir is not phosphorylated, rely on the effector EspFu for efficient actin remodeling. To understand how the host responds to these different actin polymerization signaling pathways, we analyzed gene expression changes in epithelial cells infected with pedestal-forming aEPEC strains using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq).
Project description:Identification and expression analysis of microRNAs in infected larvae of the insect model Galleria mellonella with uropathogenic (UPEC) and commensal E. coli strains that are known to cause symptomatic and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) in humans, respectively.
Project description:Although asymptomatic malaria was historically perceived as innocuous, emerging evidence revealed an immunosuppressive signature induced by asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections. To examine if a similar process occurs in Plasmodium vivax malaria, we pursued a systems approach, integrating transcriptional profiling together with previously reported and novel mass cytometry phenotypes from individuals with symptomatic and asymptomatic P. vivax malaria. Symptomatic P. vivax malaria featured upregulation of anti-inflammatory pathways and checkpoint receptors. A profound downregulation of transcripts with roles in monocyte function was observed in symptomatic P. vivax malaria. This reduction in monocyte transcriptional activity was accompanied by a significant depletion of CCR2+CXCR4+ classical monocytes in symptomatic individuals. Despite allowing transcriptional profiles supporting T-cell differentiation, dysregulation of genes associated with monocyte activation and the inflammasome was also evident in individuals carrying P. vivax asymptomatic infections. Our results identify monocyte dysregulation as a key feature of the response to P. vivax malaria and support the concept that asymptomatic infection is not innocuous and might not support all immune processes required to eliminate parasitemia or efficiently respond to vaccination.
Project description:New insights into enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) genomics based on a global comparison of symptomatic versus asymptomatic isolates
Project description:New insights into enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) genomics based on a global comparison of symptomatic versus asymptomatic isolates
Project description:New insights into enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) genomics based on a global comparison of symptomatic versus asymptomatic isolates
Project description:New insights into enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) genomics based on a global comparison of symptomatic versus asymptomatic isolates
Project description:New insights into enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) genomics based on a global comparison of symptomatic versus asymptomatic isolates
Project description:New insights into enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) genomics based on a global comparison of symptomatic versus asymptomatic isolates
