RACK1 roles during Shigella and Listeria infection of human cells

RACK1 is a host protein that participates in important cellular processes, such as cytoskeleton stability and autophagy degradation. Bacteria can manipulate these processes to establish intracellular infection. In preliminary experiments, I found that RACK1 depletion in host cells led to altered infectivity of the food-borne pathogens Shigella and Listeria. Thus, the objective of this project will be to further characterize how RACK1 deferentially controls the establishment of Shigella and Listeria infection. Specifically, I will evaluate RACK1 involvement during bacteria induced cytoskeleton modifications to promote entry to host cell and cell-to-cell spreading. I will also study how RACK1 participates during Shigella and Listeria escape from autophagy degradation. At the Institut Pasteur, I will access cutting edge fluorescence microscopy technologies to monitor bacteria invasion, intracellular replication and cell-to-cell spreading in real time. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Zhenyu Cheng

Student:

Partner:

Institut Pasteur

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: