Search

A human neurohormone secreted by nerve terminals in the superficial parts of the skin, the CGRP (Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide), has been identified by the laboratory as a factor inducing an increase in the virulence of staphylococci in the skin microbiota (N'Diaye et al. 2016). We have shown that

The aim of the project is to find and synthetize new non-enzymatic oxidized metabolites of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids able to activate TREK-1 channel in order to cure pain, epilepsy and/or myocardial infarction. To do so, we have to 1/ identify the oxidized metabolites activating TREK-1; 2/

Brown algae are large biomass producers in coastal regions. Cultivation projects have increased sharply in Europe, essentially of the kelp Saccharina latissima. Carbohydrates are among the top-value added products and major constituents of this biomass. The main polymers are the alginates and the fu

Thanks to a tool (Smurf Assay) and theoretical framework (Two phases of ageing – 2PAC) developed by this project’s coordinator using the model organism D. melanogaster we now have in our hands 1) an evolutionarily conserved predictor of natural death that we have used to identify a 2) strong transcr

The peptidoglycan is an essential and specific component of the bacterial cell wall. It consists of long glycan chains crosslinked by short peptide motifs. This semi-rigid polymer surrounds the cytoplasmic membrane, allowing the cell to resist internal osmotic pressure and providing each bacterium a

As potent immunomodulatory molecules, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) (glyco)lipids are key players in host-pathogen interactions. This repertoire has been essentially characterized by studying the composition of the envelope of the bacillus grown in broth culture and with the use of conventional b

Clinical proteomics mostly relies on the absolute quantification of targeted proteins or on global proteome quantification. Although highly successful, this type of analysis does not reveal the turnover (i.e. synthesis and clearance rates) behind the observed abundance, which detailed and tissue-spe

Schizophrenia affects 1% of the world population. Current treatments poorly control symptoms and induce side effects. A promising new generation of antipsychotics that activate metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 is under clinical trial but first molecules failed due to inference with broadly prescrib

Ribosomally-synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are an emerging class of natural products mainly produced by bacteria. These peptides contain myriad post-translational modifications which confer them with a wide structural diversity and major biological properties (e.g. an

One of the major challenge of the century, the fight against antimicrobial resistance, can be addressed using the emerging field of synthetic biology. One strategy to eradicate multidrug resistant bacteria is to design new antibiotic vectors, more specific and efficient. Siderophores (small peptide

Allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema are common diseases that affect many patients from childhood to adulthood. According to World Health Organization estimates, there are currently 235 million people worldwide who suffer from asthma. It is therefore very important to provi

Aspergillus fumigatus (Afm) is an opportunistic pathogenic fungus responsible for invasive aspergillosis whose mortality, despite treatment, remains very high in immunocompromised patients or patients with pulmonary pathologies and/or lesions. As with other fungal pathogens, the emergence of resista

Drug delivery into cells is one of the main challenges that faces therapeutical development. Among strategies, peptide-driven delivery has become attractive in the last decades, and consists in the attachment of drugs to a peptide endowed with cell penetrating properties. Although significant achiev

In every living organism, protein homeostasis (also called proteostasis) is ensured by a class of proteins called chaperones. One of them, Hsp90, is a very abundant ATP-dependent protein conserved from bacteria to human. In eukaryotes, Hsp90 participates to the folding and activation of hundreds of

Phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannosides (PIMs) are essential components of the cell wall of mycobacteria. Their biosynthesis starts with the transfer of a mannopyranosyl residue from GDP-Man to the inositol ring of phosphatidylinositol catalyzed by the mannosyltransferase PimA. Then a second mannopyran

Influenza A viruses remain a serious threat to human health, causing up to 500,000 deaths worldwide each year despite the development of seasonal vaccines and antiviral drugs. Due to its limited coding capacity of ~10 proteins, Influenza A virus (IAV) must highjack the host cellular machinery to per

Bacteria are generally thought as isolated cells growing in well-stirred culture media and we tend to forget that they attach to surfaces and form organized structures. This multicellular life is accompanied by challenges such as the acquisition and sharing of micronutrients such as iron or zinc. Th

N-Myristoylation (MYR) is a major cotranslational and essential N-terminal lipid modification of Eukaryotes. MYR is catalyzed by the enzymes N-Myristoyltransferases (NMT) and consists in the addition of a C:14:0 fatty acid moiety to the N-terminal Glycine (N-Gly) of the target protein. The N-Gly is

Malaria is a major global health problem and the main parasitic endemic disease in the world. Recent progress in malaria control is again threatened by the parasite's resistance to the most effective drugs. The development of new antimalarial treatments involving new pharmacological targets remains

Since the discovery of penicillin, humans have widely developed and used antibiotics to protect themselves from microbial infections. However, the intensive use or misused of these compounds has led to the emergence of pathogens resistant to all classes of antibiotics. This major public health threa

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria become a major threat for public health worldwide. Tuberculosis is responsible for ~1,5 million of deaths every year and the number of multi-drug resistant cases increases. Nosocomial infections are responsible for ~ 25 000 deaths a year in the Europe. Development of ne

M. tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), stores triglycerides (TAG) in the form of Intracytoplasmic Lipid Inclusions (ILI) either within foamy macrophages or inside the granuloma caseum center. These lipid-overloaded bacilli can persist silently within the host and establish a late