Post-transcriptional control of gene expression
Večeřek LAB
| Our laboratory is generally focused on various molecular aspects of Bordetella pertussis pathogenicity. B. pertussis is a re-emerging human pathogen of the respiratory tract and the cause of whooping cough (pertussis). Despite vaccination programs, pertussis incidence is currently on the rise in industrialized countries with highly vaccinated populations. We believe that the re-emergence of pertussis strongly suggests that we need to widen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of B. pertussis. Therefore, we use genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and a great variety of in silico tools to elucidate the evolution and adaptation of the global B. pertussis population, to decipher molecular mechanisms involved in the control of virulence and physiological fitness such as small regulatory RNAs, to analyze the interplay between B. pertussis and human phagocytic cells and to identify novel biomarkers required for pertussis pathogenesis. |
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Focus of research
Analysis of original pertussis vaccine strains
Comparative analysis of genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of Czech pertussis strains isolated in the pre-vaccine era and recent isolates to reveal how the 60 years of vaccination translated into phenotypic diversity of current B. pertussis population.
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The role of RNA in virulence
The role of RNA chaperone Hfq and small regulatory RNAs in virulence and fitness of pertussis.
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The mechanisms governing the expression
The regulatory mechanisms governing the expression and production of T3SS components and elucidation of the role of T3SS in B. pertussis pathogenesis.
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The interaction of B. pertussis with human macrophages
The interaction of B. pertussis with human macrophages with special focus on metabolic aspects of adaptation to intracellular environment and survival strategies of intracellular bacteria during infection.
International cooperation
- Dr. David Hot, Transcriptomics and Applied Genomics, Institute Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
- (transkriptomické analýzy, malé regualční RNA)
- Prof. Dr. Ivo Hofacker, Dr. Fabian Amman, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Vienna, Austria
- (bioinformatické analýzy, transkriptomika)
- Dr. Maria Eugenia Rodriguez, School of Science, La Plata University, La Plata, Argentina
- (interakce B. pertussis s lidskými fagocyty)
- Domácí spolupráce:
- Prof. Peter Šebo, Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
- (host-pathogen interactions, in vivo infection experiments)
- Dr. Hana Macíčková Cahová, Institute of organic chemistry and biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
- (RNA modification and metabolism)
Our Team
Meet the members of our Laboratory of Post-Transcriptional Control of Gene Expression team
Večeřek Lab