Host-pathogen interactions: insights at atomic level

ITQB Seminar

Speaker: Paula Salgado

Affiliation: Lecturer in Macromolecular Crystallography, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, UK

Host: Adriano Oliveira Henriques Head of Microbial Development Lab.

Abstract:

Interactions between pathogenic and human host cells are crucial for
infections caused by microorganims. Knowledge of the molecular details
of these interactions is therefore essential to better understand and
develop strategies to fight infections.

Our work has focused on  proteins from Candida albicans and Clostridium
difficile and their interactions with host cells. Both pathogens have
become important health concerns as they are responsible for emerging
hospital acquired infections.

Candida albicans can cause a wide range of diseases and its ability to
form biofilms on medical instruments is a significant source of systemic
infections in the hospital environment, which, in the most severe cases,
have a mortality rate of 50%, particularly in patients with a
compromised immune system. We recently determined the structure of the
first candidal adhesi,  and identified key aspects of its binding
mechanism.

C. difficile is now the most prevalent hospital acquired infection in
the UK. These gram-positive bacteria express a layer (S-layer) which
coats the surface of the bacterium and is proposed to facilitate
interaction of the bacterium with host enteric cells. We will report
results of our structural efforts which contribute to the understanding
of the assembly and structure of the mature S-layer in C. difficile.