Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious bacterium that is classified as a CDC Category A biological agent. The primary objectives of this proposal is to understand the role of gene products of a recently discovered """"""""pathogenicity island"""""""" found in F. tularensis. The pathogenicity island was discovered by the applicants and collaborators, and found to contain genes needed for F. tularensis to grow in macrophages and cause disease in mice. An unusual feature of most of the genes of the pathogenicity island is that they were imported from a protozoa related to the causative agent of malaria. The experiments proposed in this application are designed to characterize the protein products of the pathogenicity island and to determine if some of the proteins play a role in disease that is similar to their counterparts in protozoan pathogens. Genetic and biochemical techniques will be used to characterize the expression pattern and the biochemical nature of the proteins encoded by the pathogenicity island, and microscopy approaches will be used to determine how the proteins affect macrophages infected by F. tularensis. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI056215-03
Application #
7071677
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IDM-A (90))
Program Officer
Mukhopadhyay, Suman
Project Start
2004-09-01
Project End
2008-05-31
Budget Start
2006-06-01
Budget End
2007-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$210,924
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Victoria
Department
Type
DUNS #
209567957
City
Victoria
State
BC
Country
Canada
Zip Code
V8 5-C2
Ludu, Jagjit S; Nix, Eli B; Duplantis, Barry N et al. (2008) Genetic elements for selection, deletion mutagenesis and complementation in Francisella spp. FEMS Microbiol Lett 278:86-93
de Bruin, Olle M; Ludu, Jagjit S; Nano, Francis E (2007) The Francisella pathogenicity island protein IglA localizes to the bacterial cytoplasm and is needed for intracellular growth. BMC Microbiol 7:1
Nix, Eli B; Cheung, Karen K M; Wang, Diana et al. (2006) Virulence of Francisella spp. in chicken embryos. Infect Immun 74:4809-16