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Team's presentation

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a human opportunistic pathogen displaying multiple strategies to ensure efficient acute and chronic infections. Our team is interested in the membrane transport mechanisms underlying the infection process. In this respect we are investigating at molecular level, dynamic aspects of effector recognition and transport by the type II secretion systems (T2SS). A second project developed in the lab consists in the characterization of a new zinc import pathway, involving the zincophore, pseudopaline and essential for P. aeruginosa survival in metal scarce environments.

Team's news

Team projects

AXIS 1

Biology of transport systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

AXIS 3

Biology of transport systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a human opportunistic pathogen that exhibits multiple strategies for effective acute and chronic infections in immunocompromised or cystic fibrosis patients. Our team studies membrane transport mechanisms underlying and governing these infection processes. In this respect, we are deciphering at the molecular level and through genetic, biochemical, biophysical and cellular microbiology approaches, two essential trans-envelope transport pathways. We are investigating how large folded virulence factors are recognised and transported by the type 2 secretion system (T2SS) through a type 4 pili-mediated process. Chronic infections are also addressed by dissecting the recently discovered Cnt zinc import pathway which, through the release and retrieval of the zinc-binding metallophore, pseudopaline, enables bacteria to cope with nutritional immunity and survive in metal-scarce environments such as the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Understanding these transport pathways is not only important at a fundamental level, but also crucial to reveal novel targets for the development of new antibacterials such as therapeutic antibodies or inhibitory molecules like those developed in the different consortia currently carried or contributed by our group.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a human opportunistic pathogen that exhibits multiple strategies for effective acute and chronic infections in immunocompromised or cystic fibrosis patients. Our team studies membrane transport mechanisms underlying and governing these infection processes. In this respect, we are deciphering at the molecular level and through genetic, biochemical, biophysical and cellular microbiology approaches, two essential trans-envelope transport pathways. We are investigating how large folded virulence factors are recognised and transported by the type 2 secretion system (T2SS) through a type 4 pili-mediated process. Chronic infections are also addressed by dissecting the recently discovered Cnt zinc import pathway which, through the release and retrieval of the zinc-binding metallophore, pseudopaline, enables bacteria to cope with nutritional immunity and survive in metal-scarce environments such as the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Understanding these transport pathways is not only important at a fundamental level, but also crucial to reveal novel targets for the development of new antibacterials such as therapeutic antibodies or inhibitory molecules like those developed in the different consortia currently carried or contributed by our group.

The Team

Lola Bosc

PhD student (PhD-CNRS)

Romé Voulhoux

Group leader / Research director (DR-CNRS)

Geneviève Ball

Engineer (IE-CNRS)

Mathilde Tribout

Engineer (CDD-AMU)

Scientific publications