Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5R21AI173839-02
Host range determinants of bacterial exfoliative toxins
Recipient
University of Oregon
Award Amount
$184,375.00
Ceiling
$184,375.00
Awarded
July 31, 2024
Identifier
5R21AI173839-02
NIH awarded a research grant to University of Oregon to study genetic and molecular factors determining host specificity of bacterial exfoliative toxins, aiming to understand and prevent skin diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus toxins.
Description
The project aims to define the genetic and molecular determinants of toxin specificity in bacterial exfoliative toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. These toxins cause severe blistering skin diseases and are effective only against specific host species. The study will generate high-resolution maps of mutations in desmoglein-1 that restrict toxin tropism and test how toxin mutations contribute to host specificity. This research will establish a framework to understand genetic barriers to bacterial infections and help prevent future disease outbreaks.