Investigating the roles of type IV pilus system in regulating enteric infection of bacterial pathogens

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K07024
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Kawahara Kazuki 大阪大学, 大学院薬学研究科, 助教 (60585058)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 腸管系病原菌 / 定着 / IV型線毛 / 分泌タンパク質 / X線単結晶構造解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the post-antibiotic era, there has been an increasing interest in developing novel therapeutics targeting bacterial infection processes involving adhesion and colonization. In enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection, we have demonstrated that type IVb pilus (T4bP) plays crucial roles in such processes, but it also requires a secreted protein at its pilus-tip to attach to and colonize host intestinal epithelium. We here show that this interplay between T4bP and secreted protein is widely conserved among enteric pathogens and is considered to be a potential new therapeutic target.

Free Research Field

構造生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で得られた成果は、腸管系病原菌の感染過程の理解につながるだけでなく、定着阻害剤やワクチンの開発等への応用が可能である。特に、定着阻害剤は、細菌を死滅させる抗生物質とは異なり、耐性菌を生じさせないことから、薬剤耐性菌問題の解決に向けた新規の感染症予防・治療アプローチとなる可能性がある。