| Staff Listings |
Dr Ana Traven
Research Fellow
 |
Tel: +61-3-9902 9219
Fax: +61-3-9905 3726
Rm 251, Level 2, Building 76 (STRIP 2)
Email: ana.traven@med.monash.edu.au
Link to Molecular Biology of Host-pathogens Interaction
MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF FUNGAL PATHOGENESIS
Photo: Wild type C. albicans
biofilms imaged with Scanning
electron microscopy (SEM)
Photo: The worm C. elegans is an
effective model host for C. albicans
infections. C. albicans forms long
filamentous cells upon infection,
piercing through the cuticle of the worm
and causing death. We are using this model
infection system to screen for new regulators
of C. albicans virulence.
The work in my lab is focused on Candida albicans, the main pathogenic fungus causing disease in humans. C. albicans is a serious hospital-acquired pathogen, which causes life-threatening disease in the most vulnerable patients: those suffering from HIV and cancer, intensive care unit patients and babies and the elderly. Mortality rates for systemic candidiasis are high, commonly 30-50%. New strategies for treatment and prevention of these often fatal fungal infections are urgently needed.
The projects in my lab aim to understand key pathways important for virulence of C. albicans: the synthesis of the cell wall, and changes to fungal cell morphology and growth which enable formation of multicellular, drug resistant fungal biofilms. We are using an interdisciplinary approach to these questions, combining Molecular genetics of C. albicans, with Biochemistry, Glycomics, Lipidomics, Transcriptomics, Confocal and Electron microscopy imaging, as well as Virulence studies in animal models of infection. Our C. abicans work is also informed by studies in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which represents an unprecedented genetic model for eukaryotic biology. We are using these two yeasts comparatively to enhance our understanding of fundamental biology governing the system networks that impinge on cell wall integrity and changes to cell morphology, and ultimately control virulence of C. albicans towards humans.
The current projects in the lab are:
- Understanding the system networks linking cell wall integrity to mitochondrial function in fungi
- Characterisation of gene expression regulators controlling hyphal growth and biofilm formation in C. albicans
- Understanding how gene regulation by the PUF RNA binding proteins controls hyphal growth, cell wall integrity and mitochondrial biogenesis in model and pathogenic yeasts
Lab members:
Dr. Yue Qu (postdoc)
Dr. Branka Jelicic (postdoc, European Group of Eight fellow)
Ms Nathalie Uwamahoro (PhD student)
Ms Tara Quenault (PhD student)
Ms Tricia Lo (Research Assistant)
Alumni:
Dr. Michael Dagley (postdoc 2009-2010)
A recent lab photo:
Back: Tara Quenault and Nathalie Uwamahoro; Front: Tricia Lo, Ana Traven and Yue Qu.
Relevant publications:
- Dagley MJ, Gentle IE, Beilharz TH, Pettolino FA, Djordjevic JT, Lo TL, Uwamahoro N, Rupasinghe T, Tull DL, McConville M, Beaurepaire C, Nantel A, Lithgow T, Mitchell AP, TRAVEN A (2011) Cell wall integrity is linked to mitochondria and phospholipid homeostasis in Candida albicans through the activity of the posttranscriptional regulator Cccr4-Pop2. Mol Microbiol. 79(4): 968-89.
- Quenault T, Lithgow T, TRAVEN A (2011) PUF proteins: repression, activation and mRNA localization. Trends Cell Biol. 21(2): 104-12.
- TRAVEN A, Lo TL, Lithgow T, Heierhorst J (2010) The yeast PUF protein Puf5 has Pop2-independent roles in response to DNA replication stress. PLoS One 5(5):e10651.
- TRAVEN A, Lo TL, Pike BL, Friesen H, Guzzo J, Andrews B, Heierhorst J (2010) Dual functions of Mdt1 in genome maintenance and cell integrity pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast. 27(1): 41-52.
- TRAVEN A, Beilharz TH, Lo TL, Lueder F, Preiss T, Heierhorst J (2009) The Ccr4-Pop2-NOT mRNA deadenylase contributes to septin organization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics. 182(4): 955-66.
- TRAVEN A, Jelicic B, Sopta M (2006) Yeast Gal4: a transcriptional paradigm revisited. EMBO Rep. 7(5): 496-9.
- TRAVEN A, Hammet A, Tenis N, Denis CL, Heierhorst J (2005) Ccr4-not complex mRNA deadenylase activity contributes to DNA damage responses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics. 169(1): 65-75.
- TRAVEN A, Huang DC, Lithgow T (2004) Protein hijacking: key proteins held captive against their will. Cancer Cell. 5(2): 107-8.
- TRAVEN A, Staresincić L, Arnerić M, Sopta M (2002) The yeast protein Xtc1 functions as a direct transcriptional repressor. Nucleic Acids Res. 30(11): 2358-64.
- TRAVEN A, Wong JM, Xu D, Sopta M, Ingles CJ (2001) Interorganellar communication. Altered nuclear gene expression profiles in a yeast mitochondrial DNA mutant. J Biol Chem. 276(6): 4020-7.
