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Molecular Immunology and Microbiology

Principal Investigador of the lab: Fernando Goldbaum, Ph.D.

Lab Team:

Lic. Natalia Ainciart. PhD student (CONCET). Director: Dr. Fernando Goldbaum.
Dra. Vanina Alzogaray. Postdoctoral student (CONICET). Director Dr. Fernando Goldbaum, Co-Director Dra Paula M. Berguer.
Dra. Paula M. Berguer. Assistant Investigator (CONICET). Director Dr. Fernando Goldbaum.
Lic. Hernán Ruy Bonomi. PhD student (CONICET). Director, Dr. Fernando Goldbaum.
Dra. Mariela del Carmen Carrica. Postdoctoral student (CONICET). Director Dr. Fernando Goldbaum.
Dra. Ana Albina Cauerhff. Adjunct Investigator (CONICET). Director Dr. Fernando Goldbaum.
Dr. Víctor Antonio García Angulo. Postdoctoral student (CONACyT). Director Dr Fernando Goldbaum.
Dr. Gastón Paris. Assistant Investigator (CONICET). Director Dr. Fernando Goldbaum.
Dra. Jimena Rinaldi. Postdoctoral student (CONICET). Director Dr. Fernando A. Goldbaum.
Lic. María Inés Serer. PhD student (CONICET). Director Dr. Fernando A. Goldbaum.
Lic. Gabriela Sycz. PhD student (CONICET). Director Dr. Gastón Paris.

Main objective of the lab

Flavins are essential cofactors for a multitude of mainstream metabolic enzymes that mediate hydride, oxygen, and electron transfer reactions. Only plants, fungi, and microorganisms can synthesize riboflavin, whereas higher animals, including man, must obtain it through diet. Our lab discovered that in Brucella and Rhizobium, two very important bacteria in medicine and agriculture, the flavin metabolism is essential in the interaction with their respective hosts: mammals and plants. Thus, we study the role of flavin metabolism and flavoproteins in these two bacteria.

Main questions that address our lab

The endogenous synthesis of flavins is essential for the survival of Brucella and Rhizobium in the interaction with their hosts

The specific questions that we try to answer are:

Particular:

  • The role of the biosynthesis of flavins in this adaptation
  • The role of flavins and flavoproteins in the sensing of external signals like light, oxygen tension and others.

Methodology

The questions that our lab addresses recquire a multidisciplinary approach. Brucella lacks classical virulence factors. Its virulence resides in its capacity to metabolically adapt to different conditions. This bacteria behaves completely different in culture than in vivo.

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Selected Publications

Bonomi, H.R., Marchesini, M.I., Klinke, S., Ugalde, J.E., Zylberman, V., Ugalde, R.A., Comerci, D.J., Goldbaum, F.A. An atypical riboflavin pathway is essential for Brucella abortus virulence. PLos One. 5: e9435 (2010).     PubMed

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Grants

  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NIH, ANPCyT and CONICET.

Achievements

We generated a platform for the development of new acellular vaccines (BLS technology). It has been created a spin-off company (Start UP) that exploits BLS technology called Inmunova.

Awards

"Leonardo Satz" award: "The insertion of peptide Omp31 to the N-termini of Brucella Lumazine Synthase improves its protective properties”, Juliana Cassataro, Karina Pasquevich, Silvia Estein, Silvia S. de La Barrera, Fernando A. Goldbaum, Carlos A. Fossati and Guillermo H. Giambartolomei. LII Meeting of the Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología. November 2004.

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Patents

"Proteínas quiméricas aisladas de Lumazina sintetasa modificada para la presentación múltiple de moléculas y sus aplicaciones" June 3 2004/ P040101923 (Instituto Nacional de Propiedad Industrial) Inventors: Fernando Alberto

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