Innate immunity is an evolutionarily conserved first line mode of defense against a pathogen attack. Major progress has been made both in plants and animals in deciphering key components of the innate immunity involved in perceiving microbes (Kawai and Akira, 2009). Animals, like plants, are able to launch successful defense responses against invading microorganisms. Recognition of conserved microbial associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) by intracellular (NLRs) and extracellular (TLRs) receptors triggers activation of signaling cascades culminating in the expression of genetic programs of alarm and defense. This comprises the production of chemokines and antimicrobial peptides from innate immune effector cells. In addition to the Pattern Recognition Receptor-based recognition, plants have also evolved a sophisticated system of effector-triggered immunity (ETI) based on the direct or indirect recognition of pathogen-encoded effectors via NLR proteins (Jones and Dangl, 2006). Using the prototypal RhoGTPase targeting toxin CNF1 we proved that the animal host is able to monitor the activity of virulence factors (Boyer et al., 2011, Diabate et al., 2015). Our laboratory aims at deciphering the molecular mechanism of this immune response and how the pathogenic strains counteract this defense mechanism. Our project aims at determining the molecular mechanism and regulation of the CNF1-Triggered Immunity in mice and its importance In vivo during infection.
Animal and cellular models
Mouse model and primary mouse macrophages
Technics and methods:
Inflammasome activation assay, cytokine measurement, various infection models