Melissa W. McCoy
BS, Biology & Music Performance, University of New Hampshire,
Durham, NH
Ph.D. Student in Molecular Microbiology
E-mail: melissa.mccoy@tufts.edu

YopM is a leucine rich repeat protein, which is translocated into mammalian cells by the Type III secretion system of pathogenic Yersinia species. YopM trafficks to the nucleus of eukaryotic cells by an unknown mechanism, and is essential for the virulence of all pathogenic Yersinia species.  In addition, YopM interacts with the mammalian serine/threonine kinase RSK1 and forms tetramers when crystallized.  My research focuses on dissecting the structure and function of YopM and its role in infection of specific tissues. By constructing mutants of YopM, I am determining which regions and residues of the protein are necessary for its ability to multimerize, to interact with mammalian protein targets, and to promote colonization of Yersinia in lymph tissues, spleen and liver.