Projects / Programmes
Strukturne in funkcijske raziskave proteinov celičnega signaliziranja iz mikobakterij (Slovene)
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.05.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Biochemistry and molecular biology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.07 |
Natural Sciences |
Other natural sciences |
Researchers (8)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0104 |
National Institute of Chemistry |
Ljubljana |
5051592000 |
10 |
Significance for science
Results of this project contribute to the development of science at several levels: (1) general principles of mechanisms of cAMP mediated cell signaling, (2) cAMP mediated cell signaling in mycobacteria, which are organisms with extremely high cAMP concentrations, and (3) role of mycobacterial cAMP and corresponding signaling proteins in the pathogen-host cross-talk.
During this project we have developed two separate stories on cAMP signaling. (I) We continued our research on mycobacterial cAMP phosphodiesterase Rv0805 form M. tuberculosis and its first known ortholog from mammals, MPPED2 protein, that plays a potential role in the development of the nervous system. Our results have confirmed the rationality of the Nature (level 1). Namely, the two orthologs between the evolutionary very distant organisms show high resemblance in the three dimensional structure and the main principles of enzymatic mechanism, which classifies them into the same Class III of phosphodiesterases as well as the superfamily of metalophosphoesterases. However, based on our results we are able to say which differences in structural details and how lead to very distant biological roles for these two proteins. (II) On the other hand, there is the unique mycobacterial cAMP-dependent acetyltransferase, that however, does not seem to be that cAMP dependent in the case of non-pathogenic M. smegmatis, while in pathogenic M. tuberculosis, this enzyme is completely cAMP dependent. With our research we try to understand the differences in the structures of the orthologs between different mycobacteria that impact their enzymatic activity and cAMP dependent mechanism of action (level 2). Knowing this differences helps us with designing experiments in vivo to see the impact of certain structural elements as well as components in the cell in the biological role of these proteins, especially in the virulence towards eukaryotic hosts (level 3).
Our results are published in high quality scientific journals and have also been presented in the forms of invited talks and posters at the international scientific meetings.
Significance for the country
Our aim to contribute as much as possible to development of science in the same time translates to our interest to contribute to wellbeing and development of Slovenia.
This is reflected at the following levels:
(1) by publishing in world-wide recognized scientific journals we contribute to the development of scientific knowledge as well as possibilities to implicate our knowledge in the battle against infectious and other diseases, that are present in Slovenia as well.
(2) By publishing, giving talks and posters at the conferences or when visiting other research institutions worldwide, we represent not only our science but also Slovenia. We always clearly show and acknowldege all the funding schemes that help with the realizations of our projects, and we also try to make more collaborations with other groups to show how Slovenian science and nation in general can contribute to the development of the whole world.
(3) We have a long-standing collaboration with the laboratory at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, a group of Prof. Sandhya S. Visweswariah. We have a bilateral grant (Slovenian Research Agency and India Government) and we have been already granted two three-months AdFutura fellowships for two Indian post-docs. Prof. Visweswariah visits Slovenia at least once a year, and Dr. Podobnik and Prof. Anderluh have recently visited The Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, where our laboratory and also other Slovenian research groups have already been quite well known.
(4) Coming from the contents and the funding of this project, there was one PhD thesis (by dr. Urška Dermol) and two diplomas (Omar Naneh and Davor Obradović) as well as smaller research projects done by several undergraduate students. This is to show the important contribution of our group and this project in the education process in Slovenia.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
