Sarbani Sarkar
Personal Data:
Country of Origin: India
Start of PhD: April 2009
Institution: HKI
PhD Project:
Complement evasion strategies of Streptococcus pneumoniae
Supervisor(s):
P.F. Zipfel (HKI)
Abstract:
My project aims
on complement escape strategies used by the human pathogenic
bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. Upon infection
S.pneumoniae similar to other pathogenic microbes is
constantly challenged by the complement defense system of the
human host. The complement system as a part of the innate immune
system forms a human line of defence that recognizes and damages
infectious microbes. Complement is activated by three pathways:
the alternative, the classical and the lectin pathway.
Pathogenic microbes have developed diverse mechanisms to evade
host complement system.
Streptococcus pneumoniae
is a facultative human pathogen that can cause pneumonia, acute
sinusitis, otitis media, bacteraemia and meningitis. S.
pneumoniae binds the human plasma protein Factor H, which is
the central inhibitor of the alternative complement pathway.
Factor H bound to the bacterial surface protects the pathogen
from the damaging effects of the complement cascade. My project
deals with identifying complement escape strategies used by
S. pneumoniae. Particularly, I want to identify and
characterise bacterial proteins that bind host complement
inhibitors. I aim to study interactions of streptococcal surface
proteins with regulators of the complement and coagulation
cascades. |
