The biology of an obligate intracellular parasite
Her laboratory has addressed fundamental questions in the biology of Apicomplexa related to invasion and egress form infected cell. This complex event touch upon the actomyosin system for parasite motility, the contribution of adhesins and the importance of processing as well as the biogenesis of secretory organelle and regulation of their exocytosis. The parasites secrete proteins into the host cells that subvert their function including the neutralization of host cell autonomous and innate immunity defense mechanisms.
Her group is combining state of the art genetic approaches with in-depth cellular and molecular phenotyping to investigate various aspect of the cell biology of the parasite in interplay with the host. More recently, the group is conducting a distinct line of research to unravel the molecular mechanisms governing cyst wall formation and subversion of host cellular functions during encystation as well as the metabolism needs and capabilities if the parasite in function of its niche.
Specific expertise
Her laboratory has acquired additional sets of expertise including computational modeling, metabolomics, lipidomics and advance imaging technologies both in tissue culture and applicable to animal infection.
Selected Publications
Functional and Computational Genomics Reveal Unprecedented Flexibility in Stage-Specific Toxoplasma Metabolism. Krishnan A, Kloehn J, Lunghi M, Chiappino-Pepe A, Waldman BS, Nicolas D, Varesio E, Hehl A, Lourido S, Hatzimanikatis V, Soldati-Favre D. Cell Host Microbe. 2020 Feb 12;27(2):290-306.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.01.002
Neuroinflammation-Associated Aspecific Manipulation of Mouse Predator Fear by Toxoplasma gondii. Boillat M, Hammoudi PM, Dogga SK, Pagès S, Goubran M, Rodriguez I, Soldati-Favre D. Cell Rep. 2020 Jan 14;30(2):320-334.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.12.019
The lectin-specific activity of Toxoplasma gondii microneme proteins 1 and 4 binds Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 N-glycans to regulate innate immune priming. Sardinha-Silva A, Mendonça-Natividade FC, Pinzan CF, Lopes CD, Costa DL, Jacot D, Fernandes FF, Zorzetto-Fernandes ALV, Gay NJ, Sher A, Jankovic D, Soldati-Favre D, Grigg ME, Roque-Barreira MC. PLoS Pathog. 2019 Jun 21;15(6):e1007871. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007871
Fundamental Roles of the Golgi-Associated Toxoplasma Aspartyl Protease, ASP5, at the Host-Parasite Interface. Hammoudi PM, Jacot D, Mueller C, Di Cristina M, Dogga SK, Marq JB, Romano J, Tosetti N, Dubrot J, Emre Y, Lunghi M, Coppens I, Yamamoto M, Sojka D, Pino P, Soldati-Favre D. PLoS Pathog. 2015 Oct 16;11(10):e1005211. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005211
Subversion of host cellular functions by the apicomplexan parasites. Kemp LE, Yamamoto M, Soldati-Favre D. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2013 Jul;37(4):607-31. doi: 10.1111/1574-6976.12013. Epub 2012 Dec 27. PMID: 23186105
6 Nov 2020