Emmanuelle Charpentier Molecular mechanisms governing gram-positive bacterial pathogenesis Our group is interested in the understanding of molecular mechanisms governing the interaction of gram-positive bacterial pathogens with their hosts, mainly employing the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A streptococcus, GAS) as a model organism. During an ongoing disease process, pathogens are heavily exposed to different specific and non-specific host defence mechanisms, amongst others growth-limiting conditions and stress factors at the site of infection. To thrive under these hostile conditions, pathogenic bacteria have developed well-directed strategies leading to a coordinated expression of virulence factors in response to host-induced environmental changes and stress. In this regard, small regulatory RNA molecules and regulated protein quality control play key roles in gram-positive bacterial pathogenesis and constitute the current research focus of our lab. Read More (Emmanuelle Charpentier's group at MIMS)