Mitochondrial defense against an intracellular parasite (B09*)

线粒体调节着无数的细胞功能，但在感染的背景下，这些动态细胞器被认为是微生物可以利用的目标。然而，病原体已经制定了扰乱线粒体功能的策略，这一事实支持了线粒体对抗病原体的反策略的存在。我们的首要目标是加深我们对线粒体如何调节细胞对微生物的防御的理解。在这个项目中，我们将探索两种新的线粒体防御机制，在感染人类寄生虫弓形虫。

Mitochondria regulate a myriad of cellular functions, but in the context of infection these dynamic organelles are considered exploitable targets for microbes. However, the fact that pathogens have developed strategies to perturb mitochondrial function supports the existence of mitochondrial counterstrategies to defend against pathogens. Our overarching goal is to deepen our understanding of how mitochondria regulate cellular defense against microbes. In this project, we will explore two novel mechanisms of mitochondrial defense during infection with human parasite Toxoplasma.