Evolution and cellular resistance mechanisms of the Immunity-Related GTPases [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Julia Hunn

Evolution and Cellular Resistance Mechanisms of the Immunity-Related GTPases Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität zu Köln vorgelegt von Julia Hunn aus Singen (Htwl.) Köln 2007 Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Jonathan C. Howard Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer Prof. Dr. Otto Haller Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 7. February 2008 Success is nothing more than going from failure to failure with undiminished optimism. Winston Churchill TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents I. INTRODUCTION 1 I.1. INFECTION, IMMUNITY AND CYTOKINES 1 I.2. INTERFERONS 1 I.3. IFN-MEDIATED CELL AUTONOMOUS RESISTANCE 4 I.4. GUANOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASES (GTPASES) 4 I.4.1. Dynamin 6 I.4.2. Large, interferon-inducible GTPases 7 I.5. TOXOPLASMA GONDII 19 I.6. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY 22 II. MATERIAL AND METHODS 24 II.1. MATERIAL 24 II.1.1. Mammalian cells and media 24 II.1.2. Bacterial strains and media 24 II.1.3. Yeast strains and media 24 II.1.4. Toxoplasma gondii strains 25 II.1.5. Vectors 25 II.1.6. Generation of expression constructs 25 II.1.7. Primers 27 II.1.8. Primary immunoreagents 27 II.1.9. Secondary immunoreagents 28 II.2.