Mycobacteria are multifaceted pathogens capable of causing both acute disease as well as an asymptomatic latent infection. Host immune responses during mycobacterial infection involve potent cell effector functions including ...

The global re-emergence of TB and other mycobacterial infections have underscored the need for a thorough investigation of the biology of the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, at the molecular level. The peculiar ...

In the present thesis, two positive sense single-stranded RNA viruses have been used as models to understand the structure and function of viral-encoded proteins. One of them, Pepper Vein Banding Virus (PVBV; genus Potyvirus; ...

The ability of our immune system to mount a response against non-self-antigens legitimates the semi-allogenic fetus as a target for maternal immune attack. Yet, in a normal pregnancy the fetus stays well protected due to ...

T lymphocytes are an essential component of the adaptive immune response and are highly versatile in function. Each T cell has a unique T cell receptor that can recognize an antigenic peptide in the context of the major ...

Type II Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs), commonly known as A/B toxins are heterodimers comprising of a catalytically active A chain, an RNA N-glycosidase which inhibits protein synthesis and a lectin-like B chain ...

The survival of the any living organism depends on its availability to communicate, and a breakdown of cellular signaling can have dire consequences such as uncontrolled cellular proliferations or even cell death. Environmental ...