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Project F05 aims to uncover the roles of microproteins in autophagy and their response to bacterial infections. We will study how post-translational (protein) and post-transcriptional (RNAs) modifications influence (i) the impact of microproteins on autophagy, (ii) autophagic modulation of intracellular bacteria proliferation, and (iii) progression of infection. We will also investigate how microprotein expression is regulated by autophagy and infection, and the importance of RNA modifications at the level of both host and pathogen. To this end we will combine biochemical approaches and cellular studies with innovative MS and ribosomal profiling techniques. We will focus our infection models to the opportunistic pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii, which constitutes a rising threat, especially in the healthcare environment, with the emergence of multi- drug resistant strains.

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