SPP 1316: Host-adapted Metabolism of Bacterial Pathogens

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What enables bacteria to proliferate with their host organisms and to cause disease? To answer this question, it is not sufficient to understand the function of specific virulence determinants such as toxins or invasins. Traditionally, the interaction with the host defense has been defined as the basis microbial pathogenicity, leading to the characterisation of defensive and offensive virulence determinants. More recently, it became obvious that the co-evolution of host and pathogen also resulted in an adaptation of the metabolism of the pathogen. Examples are "fitness factors" such as iron uptake systems or the reduction or extension of metabolic pathways. Recently developed highly sensitive bioanalytical techniques now allow the in-depth study of the adaptation of the pathogen's metabolism to the host organism. In the framework of this Priority Pogramme researchers will investigate how bacterial pathogens adapt their metabolism during colonisation of host organisms, how the metabolism of pathogenic bacteria and host organism is interconnected and which mechanisms of control are active. Projects in this Priority Pogramme aim to identify metabolic pathways that are important for the bacteria during infection and to determine the metabolic fluxes. The metabolic reactions of the host organisms and the genetic mechanisms of metabolic adaptation will be unraveled. Specific aims of the programme are: