Molecular biology of Vibrio cholerae pathogenesis and host interaction: Regulation and mechanism
The longest ongoing research project of our group concerns the understanding of pathogenesis of Vibrio cholerae and the mechanism by which the bacterium interacts with the host. The project has a number of goals to achieve.
In vivo gene expression
One of the goals of the laboratory is to identify genes diferentially expressed under in vivo conditions in rabbit ileal loop model compared to in vitro /normal laboratory conditions. A variety of genetic strategies are being used and a number of genes have already been identified which turned out to be essential for survival/pathogenesis including secretion of virulence factors.
Host - V. cholerae interaction
We are investigating the entire signal transduction pathways in intestinal epithelial cells alone and in epithelial cell-dendritic cell co-culture model in response to V. cholerae, so as to understand the key aspects of the early immune response against this pathogen. The V. cholerae determinants in initiating the immune response are also being studied using gene specific mutagenesis of the pathogen and different components isolated from the bacteria such as cholera toxin, lipopolysaccharide, flagellin, membrane fraction, outer membrane vesicles and so on.
