Structural and functional definition of the Mtb glycoproteome

Protein glycosylation is of the most abundant and biologically significant post-translational modification of proteins with considerable effects on their properties and biological activities. Protein O-mannosylation, known to be essential for fungi and animals, had been evidenced in actinobacteria, including M. tuberculosis. We have recently shown that this process is required for the virulence of M. tuberculosis.

Main working axes:

Identification of glycoproteins and definition their roles in the in vivo replication and virulence of M. tuberculosis.
Understanding the structure/function relationships of protein-O-mannosyl transferase.
Setting-up a high-throughput screening test for bacterial protein-O-mannosylation inhibitors of potential therapeutic value.