Molecular Interactions between Fungi and their Hosts

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Molecular Interactions between fungi and their hosts

ECTS-fiche: https://onderwijsaanbod.kuleuven.be/syllabi/e/G0B98AE.htm

Examenvragen

31 januari 2018 voormiddag

1. An essential, volatile oil derivative illustrates an antifungal activity in vitro. How would you try to reveal the mode of action of this compound? And how would you validate your results in vitro?
2. Explain Aspergillus fumigatus and what happens if this fungus is recognized by the host immune system
3. Explain ALS3 and its functions for Candida albicans. Would this compound be an interesting antifungal drug target? How would you investigate this? What research is still necessary?
4. Explain the most important signal transduction pathways that occur when a plant succesfully manages to recognize a pathogen.
5. Explain Fusicoccin and victorin, what are the differences. Explain their mode of action.
6. What are symbiotic interactions? Explain in detail the most important symbiotic interactions.

29 januari 2018 voormiddag

1. Explain Avr-R system with Cladosporium fulvum - tomato as an example + link with the zigzag-model
2. What is Victorine? How is its function investigated?
3. Explain different types of Mycorrhiza + how they exchange nutrients
4. Describe the molecular mechanism of morphogenesis in C. albicans
5. What are the major classes of antifungal drugs? Describe mechanism of action and resistance
6. Explain the virulence factors of Aspergillus fumigatus? Why are healthy people not infected by A. fumigatus? How would you investigate whether a protein is important in virulence or not? How would you search for a drug against this a protein (if it is involved in virulence)?

21 januari 2018 voormiddag

1. Explain all types of Mycorrhiza
2. Explain toxin types and give 1 example of both
3. Fully explain SA signalling
4. Simmilarities and differences of Histoplasma and Coccidioides
5. A new gene in Candida glabrata has been found in gene expression that plays a large roll in biofilms. How would you research this?
6. Candida albicans recognition at endothelial cells and immunity

31 januari 2017 voormiddag

1. histoplasma capsulatum and coccudioides immitis. What have these two pathogens in common? What are the known virulence factors? How can you treat such an infection?
2. Explain Immune response against a Candida albicans ephitilial invasion. How would you study this? Can this specific host-pathogen interaction be targeted by compounds? How would you identify these compounds?
3. How is morphogenesis regulated in Candida Albicans?
4. What are the different types of toxins that a plant uses? Give an example of each and explain their function.
5. What is an appressorium? Explain its function.
6. Explain how carbon is translocated in plant-mycorrhiza. How would you investigate this?

30 januari 2017 voormiddag

1. The first technique that was used to delete a gene in C. albicans was the URA-blaster cassette. How does that work. What are the problems with this method (position effect)? What are the currently used methods?
2. Biofilm formation by C. albicans is a major problem in hospitals. What are the different stages of biofilm developtment? Which molecules are omportant during biofilm formation? How can this be investigated? What are the available methods to study biofilm formation? What would you do if you were asked to develop a novel antibiofilm molecule?
3. What is Cryptococcus neoformans and what are the most important virulence factors?
4. Describe the processes that can occur after initial contact between a fungus and a plant. How is the fungus able to penetrate the plant? Discuss the several forms of parasitism and pathogenesis that can occur and gice a schematic overview.
5. Discuss the possible outcomes of a host-pathogen interaction, comment on the immune system of the plant and give a schematic overview. What is gene for gene resistance? And how can we exploit this for resistance breeding?