The role of REEL sequence in the activity of Pasteurella multocida toxin
The research focuses on determining the role of REEL sequence in the activity of Pasteurella multocida toxin. Pasteurella multocida is a microbial pathogen that causes severe diseases in animals and humans. It has been show that Pasteurella multocida toxin in animals cause: pasteurellosis, bone atrophy and respiratory disease (Wilson et al 1999). Also, in humans it can cause dermonecrosis and bacteremia from an animal bite infected. Although all of these effects have been identified, the infection pathway of Pasteurella multocida is not well understood. Pasteurella multocida toxin seems to enter to the cells by cell receptor-mediated endocytosis and acts intracellularly to initiate the DNA synthesis and cytoskeletal rearrangement. In the cells, it initiates DNA synthesis and cytoskeletal rearrangements. Previous studies demonstrated that the KDEL motif play an important role in the intracellular trafficking of several bacterial toxins. Due to the similarity of the REEL sequence to the KDEL sequence we want to determine the role of the REEL sequence in the intracellular trafficking. Our experimental objective is the mutagenesis of the REEL sequence into the RAAL sequence. After it has been achieved, the plasmid will be transformed into a protein expressing strain of E. coli, and the protein will be purified from bacterial culture. The effect of this mutation will be evaluated in experiments treating the cells with mutant Pasteurella multocida toxin protein.
School:
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
Department:
Microbiology
Research Advisor:
Brenda Wilson & Mengfei Ho
Department of Research Advisor:
Microbiology
Year of Publication:
2002