Human Biochemistry

Organisation profile:The research unit Human Biochemistry explores at the molecular level the mechanisms of action of bacterial protein toxins such as Cholera toxin and the heat labile enterotoxin of E. Coli and use these as model systems for the study of membrane-mediated cell regulation and retrograde intracellular vesicular transport . More specifically the research focuses on the study of : - Mechanism(s) of internalization of the toxins with the emphasis on the role of clathrin- , caveolae- and lipid raft mediated routes in the functional pathway . - Retrograde vesicular transport of the toxins with specific attention for the role of intermediate compartments , the trans Golgi network , Golgi complex and endoplasmatic reticulum . - Role of lipids (cholesterol) and the multivalent binding in the internalization and vesicular transport of the toxins . - Site and mechanism of activation of the toxins . - Role of metalloendoproteinases in the retrograde vesicular transport and translocation of the active parts of the toxins . - Structure-function relationship of the toxins using toxin mutants obtained by site directed mutagenesis

Keywords:CHOLERA TOXIN, INTRACELLULAR, METALLOENDOPROTEINASES, E. COLI, STRUCTURE-FUNCTION RELATIONSHIPS

Disciplines:Biochemistry and metabolism, Medical biochemistry and metabolism