Project Details
Projekt
Pmt proteins in host sensing of Candida albicans
Applicant
Professor Dr. Joachim F. Ernst
Subject Area
Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
Term
from 2004 to 2011
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5426635
Contact with the human host triggers different signal transduction pathways in Candida albicans, which promote its survival and growth, as well as the expression of its virulence traits. Although different signal transduction pathways habe been described, which regulate the transition from a yeast to the hyphal growth form, it is yet completely unknown how these are activated during host contact. In this project, different experimental approaches are used to identify distinct sensors of the fungal cell surface (cell wall, cytoplasic membrane), which mediate between host structures and fungal signal transduction pathways. By the analysis of homologues to yeast sensors, by interactions with presumed sensor-activating Pmt-proteins and by a biochemical approach C. albicans-sensors will be identified and characterised, which react to human morphogenesis-inducing molecules, such as serum components and sugars including N-acetylglucosamine.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
