TB STRUCTURAL GENOMICS CONSORTIUM

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中利用 资源由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目和 调查员(PI)可能从NIH的另一个来源获得了主要资金， 并因此可以在其他清晰的条目中表示。列出的机构是 该中心不一定是调查人员的机构。 结核病的病原体是结核分枝杆菌(Mtb)。这种致病细菌感染了世界三分之一的人口，每年导致200多万人死亡，比任何其他传染病都要多。结核病结构基因组联合会的目标是确定介导感染和持久性的蛋白质的晶体结构。我们的团队已经结晶了一个完整的膜蛋白的胞外结构域，它已经被证明是结核病的毒力因子。晶体的衍射率很高(1.2？分辨率)。我们有初步的生化证据来确定这个胞外区的配体的身份，并将尝试共结晶和浸泡实验来确定结合机制。该配体及其结合机制的鉴定有望对结核病毒力提供新的见解，并可能为减轻结核病感染提供新的靶点。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The causative agent of tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This pathogenic bacterium infects one third of the world's population and kills over two million people annually, more than any other infectious disease. The TB Structural Genomics Consortium is aimed at determining the crystal structures of the proteins that mediate infection and persistence. Our group has crystallized the extra-cellular domain of an integral membrane protein which has been shown to be a virulence factor for TB. The crystals are highly diffracting (1.2 ¿ resolution). We have preliminary biochemical evidence as to the identity of the ligand for this extracellular domain and will be attempting both co-crystallisation and soaking experiments to determine the binding mechanism. Identification of this ligand and its binding mechanism is expected to give new insights into TB virulence and may provide a new target for attenuating TB infection.