Tarang Gupta

Liquid crystal–aqueous interface renders selective detection of distinct mycobacterial cell envelope responses† Antibiotic-resistant latent tuberculosis mandates sensitive, label-free screening platforms that permit the detection of changes in bacterial membranes as a potential therapeutic target. Growth stage–induced alterations in the mycobacterial lipidome, which underlie drug tolerance, further intensify this goal.

Utilizing an aqueous-liquid crystal interface to investigate membrane protein interactions and mutation effects of a pore-forming toxin† Listeriolysin O (LLO) is a crucial cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) secreted by Listeria monocytogenes. LLO lyses the phagosomal membrane via pore-formation, resulting in pathogenesis. CDCs’ ability to recognize and bind to membrane cholesterol is a hallmark in the pathogenesis of these pore-forming toxins, distinguishing them from other toxins.