Award
NIH Reporter #1R01AI187515-01A1
How capsule O-acetyltransferases modulate pneumococcal fitness
Recipient
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
Award Amount
$512,842.00
Ceiling
$512,842.00
Awarded
July 13, 2026
Identifier
1R01AI187515-01A1
Research project funded by NIAID to study the role of capsule O-acetyltransferases in pneumococcal bacteria, focusing on their impact on bacterial fitness, capsule structure, and pathogenicity, with potential implications for other bacterial pathogens.
Description
The project aims to investigate how O-acetyltransferase enzymes integrate with capsule synthesis machinery, mediate capsule structure variability, and contribute to pneumococcal survival in the human respiratory tract. The study includes creating OAcT-deficient variants, screening clinical isolates, elucidating protein interactions, and comparing interactions with factors in human airways. Findings may have broad implications across multiple pathogens.