Award details

Oxidative stress response and its role in bovine tuberculosis

Reference	BBS/E/I/00000886
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Tracey Coffey
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	The Pirbright Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	7,820
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2001
End date	30/09/2004
Duration	36 months

Abstract

As a result of an increase in bovine TB caused by Mycobacterium bovis, there is renewed interest in understanding the pathogenicity with the objective of developing better vaccines and strategies for disease control. Oxidative stress response (OSR) in pathogenic mycobacteria is believed to be significant for host-pathogen interactions at various stages of infection; implicated in intracellular survival and persistence. With the macrophage being the primary source of exogenous reactive oxygen intermediates in vivo, exposure to reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates is likely to represent an important aspect of the pathogenthats life cycle. The project will involve the analysis of OSR systems in M. bovis/BCG and their comparison to other mycobacteria. This will involve the complete characterisation of gene homologues already identified in closely related mycobacteria, as well as the possible identification of novel loci. Gene regulation will be analysed, as the delineation of such processes may improve our understanding of host-pathogen interactions. The generation of gene knockout mutants will elucidate the role of the genes in mycobacterial physiology, intracellular survival, and other host-pathogen interactions. Studies are ultimately aimed at identifying bacterial genes that determine their survival, and which could be deleted to produce attenuated bacteria for vaccination. An understanding of the protective immune response could lead to the identification of bacterial antigens for use in subunit vaccines.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search