Close
20/07/2018
Molecular mimicry does not mislead ALBA!
Many intracellular pathogens use molecular mimicry to ensure their survival. A part of a protein of the pathogen resembles another protein totally different from the host and many intracellular microorganisms use this capability to interfere in cellular processes that enable their survival and replication.

Researchers from the CIC bioGUNE in the Basque Country in collaboration with other groups from the United States have carried out experiments at the XALOC beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron and I04 beamline of Diamond Light Source (UK). The results enabled scientists to solve the structure of RavN, a protein of the Legionella pneumophila bacteria that uses this molecular mimicry to trick the infected cell.

Researchers have showed that the structure of RavN has a certain structural similarity with E3 eukaryotes (a set of enzymes) despite its different composition. This result allows making progress in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms active in Legionnaires' disease that can transform into pneumonia and kill infected people.
 
Article: Yi-Han Lin et al. in PLOS Pathogen

More news

27/06/2017 ​Barcelona Synchrotron Park’s sustainable brownfield restoration program presented at AquaConSoil 2017 21/06/2017 Catalonia confirms itself as pole of attraction for foreign investments 15/06/2017 Construction of the Natura Bissé’s new world headquarters is well on its way 06/06/2017 ​Walk in the Park: the biodiversity routes await you 31/05/2017 UAB second most innovative university in Spain 24/05/2017 PRUAB: 10 years in strengthening relationships between research and business fabric
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26