Elisabeth Kravets

Characterization of murine guanylate-binding proteins (mGBPs) in context of the host immune response to intracellular pathogens

The 65-kDa guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs) belong to the family of GTPases and are among the most abundantly activated transcripts induced by IFN-gamma. They are highly conserved throughout the vertebrate lineage. In mice, 11 members of the GBP family have been described. In our studies, induction of all 65-kDa GBPs could be measured in Toxoplasma gondii infected mice. Using fluorescent tagged fusion proteins an IFN-gamma dependent accumulation of mGBP2 at the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) of intracellular T. gondii could be observed, indicating a direct GTPase – pathogen interaction. The mechanisms involved in the recruitment of mGBP proteins to the PV and their molecular and biochemical activity are the major focus of our current studies.
The long term goal of the studies is the investigation of the function of the 65 kDa mGBP proteins in the cell autonomous defense against intracellular pathogens.

1st supervisor: Prof. Dr. Klaus Pfeffer
2nd supervisor:

Institute:
Department of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

Telephone: +49 (0)211 - 81 - 12492
E-mail: ekravets@gmx.de