# Type III exported effectors of Chlamydia trachomatis

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2021 · $450,070

## Abstract

Grant title: Type III exported effectors of Chlamydia trachomatis
Abstract:
The human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis is a significant concern in the United States due
to its prevalence and the combined health and socioeconomic impact of acute and chronic
disease. Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular pathogens that possess the ability to modulate
host-cell functions while sequestered within a membrane-bound parasitophorous vacuole.
Although it is established that a type III secretion system (T3SS) represents one mechanism
employed to modulate critical host cell pathways, the overall understanding of this process in
Chlamydia remains limited. During the past funding cycle, we made significant progress in
understanding the role of T3S effectors designated CT694 and CT695. Importantly, we also
leveraged novel genetic manipulation techniques to investigate the impact of T3S in chlamydial
pathogenesis. Perhaps our most important contribution was the development of a
fluorescence-reported allelic exchange mutagenesis (FRAEM) approach to allow, for the first
time, deletion of targeted chlamydial genes. We have used this technique to create null
mutants for ct694 and ct695, and these strains are attenuated in both tissue-culture and
animal-infection models. We propose to elucidate molecular details by which mutant
phenotypes are manifested. A balanced combination of genetic, biochemical, cell-biology, and
animal-based studies are proposed that will define developmental defects, identify host targets
important for effector function(s), and gauge the overall role of effectors and target proteins in
promoting Chlamydia pathogenesis. Completion of this work will extend the efficacy of
genetically manipulating a challenging pathogen and lead to an enhanced understanding of
Chlamydia-mediated disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10053288
- **Project number:** 5R01AI065530-16
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** KENNETH A FIELDS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $450,070
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2005-06-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10053288

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10053288, Type III exported effectors of Chlamydia trachomatis (5R01AI065530-16). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10053288. Licensed CC0.

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