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Black Spot, Black Death, Black Pearl: The Tales of Bacterial Effectors
Author(s) -
Orth Kim
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.352.1
Subject(s) - effector , virulence , biology , secretion , microbiology and biotechnology , cytosol , yeast , pathogen , actin , genetics , biochemistry , gene , enzyme
The Orth lab is interested in elucidating the activity of virulence factors (also called effectors) from pathogenic bacteria to gain molecular insight into critical pathogenic targets. Virulence factors are secreted by bacterial using a type III secretion system (T3SS) resembling a needle‐like structure that translocates virulence factors from bacteria into the cytosol of a host cell. Effectors are predicted to have usurped a eukaryotic activity that is then modified by the pathogen for its own advantage. My lab focuses on bacterial effectors because we predict that this research will help us provide novel insight into eukaryotic host signaling systems. Based on this hypothesis, we have discovered that pathogens utilize novel posttranslational modifications, including Ser/Thr acetylation and AMPylation, to control host signaling pathways. We have also uncovered unique mechanisms that manipulate the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton, induction of autophagy and the maintenance of cell membrane integrity. Our work is accomplished using a broad range of tools, including biochemistry, molecular microbiology, protein chemistry, structural biology, yeast genetics and cell biology.