Dr. Paula B. Kavathas

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Yale University
School of Medicine
Laboratory Medicine
Appointed: 1986
Yale University
School of Medicine
Immunobiology/Genetics
Yale University
School of Medicine
Laboratory Medicine
Professor
Professional Headshot of Paula B. Kavathas

Mailing Address

300 Cedar Street
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8011
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (203) 785-6223
Fax: (203) 785-3706
paula.kavathas@yale.edu

Qualifications

Ph.D., Stanford University, 1980.
B.A., Stanford University, 1972.
Fellowship, Stanford University.

Expertise and Research Interests

The interests of our lab are on the function/structure of the T cell coreceptor CD8 and characterizing immune responses to Chlamydia Trachomatis.

CD8 Co-Receptor:
1) Ligand Interaction. We are determining the structural basis of how CD8ab interacts with MHC class I by both mutagenesis studies and NMR analysis.
2) The CD8b gene is alternatively spliced resulting in 4 isoforms with different cytoplasmic tails. Differences in function, down-regulation, modification by phosphorylation,ubiquitination, etc are being studied.

Immune Response to Chlamydia Trachomatis (Ct). Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease worldwide and of preventable blindness in the developing world. We are studying host-pathogen interaction by infecting human trophoblast cells with Ct and monitoring changes in chemokines/cytokines. We are also determining if a set of genes in the Ct genome encodes a typeII-like secretion system that may be important for lateral gene transfer.

Other Expertise

Academic Experience:
I wish to be contacted by interested students (medical, graduate or undergraduates) as a potential research mentor/thesis advisor.

Keywords

COS Keywords:

Gene Regulation, Immunology, Molecular Cellular Entities, Receptors, Structure Or Function (Health Or Safety Or Medical), Transgenic Animals.

Additional Terms:

CD8, Chlamydia Trachomatis, Immunology, Lateral Gene Transfer, MHC Class I, Signal Transduction, Trophoblast Cells.

Honors and Awards

1995-2010, Ivy Award, Yale University, Science Outreach Program

Funding Received

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH): Molecular Analysis of CD8, MHC Class I Interaction, 2008 to 2013.
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH): Characterization of human T cells agaInst Chlamydia, 2004 to 2009.

Publications

  • Lee SJ, Kavathas PB, Cresswell P (2007) Severe Tryptophan Starvation Blocks Onset of Conventional Persistence and Reduces Reactivation of Chlamydia trachomatis, Infect Immun, 75 (11), 5105-17
  • Devine L, Thakral D, Nag S, Dobbins J, Hodsdon ME, Kavathas PB (Sep 2006) Mapping the binding site on CD8 beta for MHC class I reveals mutants with enhanced binding., Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 177 (6), 3930-8 Abstract
  • Attinger A, Devine L, Wang-Zhu Y, Martin D, Wang JH, Reinherz EL, Kronenberg M, Cheroutre H, Kavathas P (Mar 2005) Molecular basis for the high affinity interaction between the thymic leukemia antigen and the CD8alphaalpha molecule., Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 174 (6), 3501-7 Abstract
  • Kim SK, Devine L, Angevine M, DeMars R, Kavathas PB, Direct detection and magnetic isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis major outer membrane protein-specific CD8 CTLs with HLA class I tetramers, Journal of Immunology, 165(12), 7285-92, 2000 Abstract
  • Devine L, Kieffer LJ, Aitken V, Kavathas PB, Human CD8 beta, but not mouse CD8 beta, can be expressed in the absence of CD8 alpha as a beta beta homodimer., Journal of Immunology, 164(2), 833-8, 15 2000 Abstract
  • Devine L, Sun J, Barr MR, Kavathas PB, Orientation of the Ig domains of CD8 alpha beta relative to MHC class I., Journal of Immunology, 162(2), 846-51, 15 Jan 1999 Abstract
  • Kieffer L, Kavathas PB, A modified cell surface marker gene for transgenic animal studies., Nucleic Acids Research, 26(22), 5228-9, 15 Nov 1998 Abstract
  • Sun J, Kavathas P B, Comparison of the roles of CD8 alpha alpha and CD8 alpha beta in interaction with MHC class I., Journal of Immunology, 159(12), 6077-82, 15 Dec 1997 Abstract
  • Kieffer L J, Yan L, Hanke J H, Kavathas P B, Appropriate developmental expression of human CD8 beta in transgenic mice., Journal of Immunology, 159(10), 4907-12, 15 Nov 1997 Abstract
  • Kieffer L J, Bennett J A, Cunningham A C, Gladue R P, McNeish J, Kavathas P B, Hanke J H, Human CD8 alpha expression in NK cells but not cytotoxic T cells of transgenic mice., International Immunology, 8(10), 1617-26, October 1996 Abstract
  • Sun J, Leahy DJ, Kavathas PB, Interaction between CD8 and major histocompatibility complex \(MHC\) class I mediated by multiple contact surfaces that include the alpha 2 and alpha 3 domains of MHC class I., Journal of Experimental Medicine, 182(5), 1275-80, 1 Nov 1995 Abstract
  • Hanke J H, Hambor J E, Kavathas P, Repetitive Alu elements form a cruciform structure that regulates the function of the human CD8 alpha T cell-specific enhancer., Journal of Molecular Biology, 246(1), 63-73, 10 Feb 1995 Abstract
  • Giblin PA, Leahy DJ, Mennone J, Kavathas PB, The role of charge and multiple faces of the CD8 alpha/alpha homodimer in binding to major histocompatibility complex class I molecules: support for a bivalent model., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 91(5), 1716-20, 1 1994 Abstract
  • Hambor J E, Mennone J, Coon M E, Hanke J H, Kavathas P, Identification and characterization of an Alu-containing, T-cell-specific enhancer located in the last intron of the human CD8 alpha gene., Molecular and Cellular Biology, 13(11), 7056-70, November 1993 Abstract
  • Sanders S K, Giblin P A, Kavathas P, Cell-cell adhesion mediated by CD8 and human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen G, a nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class 1 molecule on cytotrophoblasts., Journal of Experimental Medicine, 174(3), 737-40, 1 Sep 1991 Abstract
  • Sanders S K, Fox R O, Kavathas P, Mutations in CD8 that affect interactions with HLA class I and monoclonal anti-CD8 antibodies., Journal of Experimental Medicine, 174(2), 371-9, 1 Aug 1991 Abstract
  • Chalupny N J, Ledbetter J A, Kavathas P, Association of CD8 with p56lck is required for early T cell signalling events., Embo Journal, 10(5), 1201-7, May 1991 Abstract
  • Shaw A S, Chalupny J, Whitney J A, Hammond C, Amrein K E, Kavathas P, Sefton B M, Rose J K, Short related sequences in the cytoplasmic domains of CD4 and CD8 mediate binding to the amino-terminal domain of the p56lck tyrosine protein kinase., Molecular and Cellular Biology, 10(5), 1853-62, May 1990 Abstract
  • Giblin P, Ledbetter J A, Kavathas P, A secreted form of the human lymphocyte cell surface molecule CD8 arises from alternative splicing., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 86(3), 998-1002, February 1989 Abstract
  • Kieffer, L.J., Yan, L., Hanke, J.H., and Kavathas, P.B. Appropriate Developmental Expression of Human CD8b in Transgenic Mice. J Immunol. 159:4907-4912,1997
  • Devine, L., Sun, J., Barr, M., and Kavathas, P., Orientation of the Ig-like domains of CD8ab relative to MHC class I, Journal of Immunology

Profile Details

Last Updated: 3/31/2008

COS Expertise ID #397049
Reference this profile directly: http://myprofile.cos.com/kavathap49