SPP 1150:  Signal Pathways to the Cytoskeleton and Bacterial Pathogenesis

• Subject Area: Biology
• Term: from 2003 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5471897

The Priority Programme investigates the cytoskeleton as a "signal-responsive subcompartment" involved in various cellular processes, including signal transduction by extracellular stimuli and especially as a target of pathogen-host interactions. Dynamic changes of the cytoskeleton play pivotal roles in the interaction of microbial pathogens with their eukaryotic host cells and are prerequisites of infection biological processes (cellular microbiology). In the Priority Programme, cellular receptors, regulatory proteins and signal pathways are studied, which are involved in rapid, temporally and spatially regulated cytoskeleton changes. Dynamic protein-protein interactions of cytoskeleton components are investigated and structure-functions analyses of signaling molecules involved are studied. Of particular interest are signal proteins and molecular switches of the family of low-molecular-mass GTPases (e.g. Rho proteins) and their various effectors, including direct regulators of actin dynamics. Of interest are also signal pathways and regulatory proteins, which are involved in pathogen-host cell-interactions and which are modified and/or modulated by bacterial effectors and protein toxins. The experimental approach is multi- and interdisciplinary and covers methods from cell biology, microbiology and structural biology, including modern protein interaction analysis, protein structure analysis and genetic approaches. Aim of the Priority Programme is to define the precise pathways of signal/receptor-mediated changes in the cytoskeleton and to understand the dynamics of the cytoskeleton in pathogen-host interactions.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• International Connection: Sweden

Projects

• Analyses of G-protein mediated signals on the organization of the actin cytoskeleton, polar cell growth and the pathogenicity of Candida albicans (Applicant Wendland, Jürgen )
• Characterization of Legionella pneumophila genes with impact on bacterial uptake into host cells and on bacterial virulence (Applicant Flieger, Antje )
• Dynamic modification of microtubule-dependent transport by Salmonella effector proteins (Applicant Hensel, Michael )
• Dynamics of the Plasmodium Actin Cytoskeleton during Host Cell Invasion (Applicant Matuschewski, Kai )
• Dynamics of the Plasmodium Actin Cytoskeleton during Host Cell Invasion (Applicant Schüler, Herwig )
• Focal Adhesion Proteins as Mediators between Signalling Pathways and the Actin Cytoskeleton (Applicant Ziegler, Wolfgang Helmut )
• Function of the actin-activated Yersinia kinase YopO (Applicant Aepfelbacher, Martin )
• Functional implications of the up-regulation of the RhoB protein induced by lethal toxin from Clostridium sordellii (Applicant Genth, Harald )
• Koordination des Schwerpunktprogramm "Signalwege zum Zytoskelett und bakterielle Pathogenität" (Applicant Aktories, Klaus )
• Manipulating the actin cytoskeleton from the outside - induction of focal adhesion-like protein complexes an actin cytoskeletal rearrangements by fibbronectin-binding bacteria (Applicant Hauck, Christof Robert )
• Mode of action of Yersinia enterocolitica "outer protein" T (Yop T) (Applicant Schmidt, Gudula )
• Modification of actin by bacterial protein toxins and effectors (Applicant Barth, Holger )
• Molecular regulation of cellular protrusions by Rac and Cdc42 subfamily GTPases (Applicant Stradal, Theresia )
• Novel mechanisms in actin polymerization: trans-regulation of the Spir-family proteins and Cappuccino-family formins (Applicant Kerkhoff, Eugen )
• Regulation of Rho by p190 RhoGAPs and the Smurf1 ubiquitin ligase in neurons (Applicant Püschel, Andreas )
• Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton by ROPs in plants (Applicant Wittinghofer, Alfred )
• Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton via the RhoGEF proteins PDZ-RhoGEF/LARG (Applicant Offermanns, Stefan )
• Rho GTPases and Diaphanous related Formins in HIV-1 replication (Applicant Fackler, Ph.D., Oliver T. )
• Signal-dependent generation and function of the actin filament arrays defined by SWAP-70 (Applicant Bähler, Martin )
• Signaling cascades of the CagA protein to induce host actin cytoskeletal rearrangements during infection with Helicobacter pylori (Applicant Backert, Steffen )
• Signalling networks in latex bead- and mycobacterial-phagosomes: Analysis of dynamics and modulation of actin-membrane assembly (Applicant Griffiths, Ph.D., Gareth )
• Signalling networks in latex bead- and mycobacterial-phagosomes: Analysis of dynamics and modulation of actin-membrane assembly (Applicant Kuznetsov, Sergei A. )
• Structural an functional investigation of pathogenicity factors form Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica: Involvement in pathogenesis, cellular up-take and cytoskeletal rearrangement (Applicants Heinz, Dirk ;  Niemann, Hartmut )
• The analysis of membrane signalling networks in latex bead- and mycobacterial-phagosomes regulating actin binding and de novo assembly (Applicant Dandekar, Thomas )
• The functional role of the endocytic protein syndapin in controlling actin cytoskeletal organization and dynamics (Applicant Qualmann, Britta )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Klaus Aktories