How spotted fever bacteria invade and move inside cells
Mechanisms of Rickettsia invasion, intracellular survival, and actin-based motility
Researchers are finding how the bacteria that cause spotted fever and typhus invade, survive, and spread inside cells to help guide new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162255 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or someone you know gets spotted fever, this research uses a related bacterium called Rickettsia parkeri to model the infection in lab-grown cells and in mice. Scientists are studying bacterial factors (like Pat1, OmpB, and modifications such as lysine methylation) that let the bacteria escape immune compartments, avoid being tagged for destruction, and replicate. They are also examining how bacterial proteins (RickA and Sca2) hijack cell actin to move between cells. The team uses cell biology, molecular genetics, and an interferon receptor–deficient mouse model to pinpoint which bacterial mechanisms drive disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with or strongly suspected of having a spotted fever group rickettsial infection (for example eschar-associated Rickettsia parkeri infection) would be the most relevant candidates for any linked clinical or sample-donation efforts.
Not a fit: Patients with illnesses unrelated to rickettsial infection or who are unable to travel to research sites are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic-science work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify targets for new drugs or vaccines to prevent or treat spotted fever and related rickettsial infections.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory studies have identified bacterial proteins that affect rickettsial virulence and cell spread, but translating those findings into therapies remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Berkeley, United States
- University of California Berkeley — Berkeley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Welch, Matthew D — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Welch, Matthew D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.