Identification of virulence factors of Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum: from human transcriptomic data to in vitro characterization of strains
Public support
Provider
Czech Science Foundation
Programme
Standard projects
Call for proposals
SGA0202600001
Main participants
Masarykova univerzita / Lékařská fakulta
Contest type
VS - Public tender
Contract ID
26-22086S
Alternative language
Project name in Czech
Identification of virulence factors of Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum: from human transcriptomic data to in vitro characterization of strains
Annotation in Czech
The infections caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (TPA) represent a serious health problem with increasing number of new syphilis cases worldwide. In this study, we are planning to perform first transcriptomic studies on TPA-containing samples isolated directly from the infected patients and compare them to the transcriptomes obtained during in vitro cultivation of the same TPA strains derived from clinical material. Gene expression differences will be used to identify genes potentially encoding virulence determinants. A directed mutagenesis will be employed to prepare deletion mutants that will be tested in vitro for TPA growth and interactions with human cells by monitoring of several eukaryotic signaling pathways. The identified TPA proteins involved in interaction with human eukaryotic cells will be considered as possible virulence factors representing potential targets to develop new therapeutics and/or vaccine against syphilis.
Scientific branches
R&D category
ZV - Basic research
OECD FORD - main branch
10606 - Microbiology
OECD FORD - secondary branch
30303 - Infectious Diseases
OECD FORD - another secondary branch
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CEP - equivalent branches <br>(according to the <a href="http://www.vyzkum.cz/storage/att/E6EF7938F0E854BAE520AC119FB22E8D/Prevodnik_oboru_Frascati.pdf">converter</a>)
EE - Microbiology, virology<br>FN - Epidemiology, infection diseases and clinical immunology
Solution timeline
Realization period - beginning
Jan 1, 2026
Realization period - end
Dec 31, 2028
Project status
Z - Beginning multi-year project
Latest support payment
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Data delivery to CEP
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data delivery code
CEP26-GA0-GA-R
Data delivery date
May 4, 2026
Finance
Total approved costs
11,693 thou. CZK
Public financial support
11,489 thou. CZK
Other public sources
204 thou. CZK
Non public and foreign sources
0 thou. CZK