Toll-like receptors of the immune system studied by atomic force microscopy and confocal microscopy.

Toll-like receptors (TLR) are responsible for an immediate response of the innate immune system against invading pathogens. TLR recognize evolutionary conserved microbial patterns such as glycolipids and bacterial DNA. While many of the trafficking and signaling processes that play a role in TLR mediated immune response have been characterized, the exact mechanisms of interaction between TLR and various ligands and other interacting partners during activation are not known yet. The goal of this project is to study the molecular details of the first step in the TLR signaling cascade; the activation of the receptors.

References:

• Higher order structure of short immunostimulatory oligonucleotides studied by atomic force microscopy.
  Klein D.G.C., Latz E., Espevik T., and Stokke, B.T.
  Ultramicroscopy 110 (2010) 689-693
• Effects of CpG-DNA on Toll-like receptor 9 studied by AFM.
  Klein, D.C.G., Latz, E., Espevik, T., and Stokke, B.T.
  In: Proceedings of the IX. Linz Winter Workshop 2007 Advances in Single Molecule Research for Biology and Nanoscience (2008). Trauner Verlag (ISBN 978-3-85499-400-8)