NWNR002368 Immune evasion and manipulation: Insights into bacterial protease virulence mechanisms

Type
course with non-continuous assessment
Semester hours
1
Lecturer (assistant)
Schäffer, Christina
Organisation
Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources
Offered in
Sommersemester 2027
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Fields of study involved:
Enzymology, proteolytic enzymes, oral biology, bacteriology, virulence mechanisms, biofilm diseases
Previous knowledge expected

basic knowledge in microbiology and enzymology
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
•understand the nomenclature of proteolytic enzymes, their inhibitors, and their classification based on catalytic mechanisms, specificity, and structural similarities,
•recognize the key physiological functions of endogenous mammalian proteases and understand the importance of mechanisms that tightly regulate proteolysis,
•acknowledge bacterial proteases as essential virulence factors,
•understand mechanisms of hijacking proteolytic cascades involved in coagulation and complement activation by bacterial proteases,
•comprehend why hijacking signaling via protease-activating receptors (PARs) by bacterial proteases can contribute to the pathobiology of infectious diseases,
•realize the pathological consequences of gingipain-dependent illegitimate signaling via PARs,
•understand the structure and function of the Type IX Secretion System (T9SS),
•comprehend the molecular mechanisms of secretion and post-translational processing of progingipains and other proteins secreted by P. gingivalis,
•appreciate the unique features of the protease-protease inhibitor system of Tannerella forsythia,
•recognize a dirty game periodontal pathogens play with neutrophils,
•understand the structure, assembly, and function of unique proteases encoded in bacterial genomes,
•identifiy the synergistic contribution of gingipains and P. gingivalis peptidyl arginine deiminase (PPAD) in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis,
•appreciate the application of modern Koch's postulates to bacterial pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.