Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Clostridium perfringens is a common bacterium, which is responsible for food poisoning and gas gangrene in humans. The infectious properties of this bacterium rely on the enzymes that it produces and secreted in to the extracellular environment. We will determine the structure of novel secreted enzyme and characterize its function in relation to its putative role in pathogenesis. In particular, we will look at how regions of the enzyme interact with host sugars and cells found in the human gut and tissue. The results from these studies will provide new insights into the function of this enzyme in C. perfringens viability and pathogenesis. Findings from this study may contribute to the future design of novel antimicrobial compounds.