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ORCID
N/A
Access Type
Open Access Thesis
Document Type
thesis
Degree Program
Molecular & Cellular Biology
Degree Type
Master of Science (M.S.)
Year Degree Awarded
2016
Month Degree Awarded
September
Abstract
The Type III Secretion (T3S) system is a system utilized by many pathogenic bacteria to inject proteins into host cells during an infection. Effector proteins enter the host cell by passing through the proteinaceous T3S translocon, which forms a pore on the host cell membrane. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that utilizes the T3S system, and very little is known about how the P. aeruginosa translocon forms.
The proteins PopB and PopD are believed to assemble into the P. aeruginosa translocon. A pore-forming heterocomplex of PopB and PopD has been reconstituted in model membranes, however this heterocomplex has not been assessed in its relation to the translocon formed on the host cell. The interaction of this heterocomplex with other T3S system components was measured to determine if this complex acts similarly to the translocon. Initial assays that can be used to compare the molecular weight of the translocon isolated from eukaryotic cells after P. aeruginosa contact to the calculated molecular weight of the heterocomplex were developed as well. This study provides insight into how the PopB:PopD heterocomplex formed in model membranes relates to the translocon formed during a P. aeruginosa infection.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/7568693
First Advisor
Alejano Heuck
Second Advisor
Lynmarie Thompson
Third Advisor
David Gross
Recommended Citation
Monopoli, Kathryn R., "Characterization of the Reconstituted and Native Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type III Secretion System Translocon" (2015). Masters Theses. 287.
https://doi.org/10.7275/7568693
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/287
Included in
Bacteria Commons, Biochemistry Commons, Other Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons, Pathogenic Microbiology Commons