A5027689135- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Cystic Fibrosis Research Advances
- Immune Cell Function and Interaction
- Drug Transport and Resistance Mechanisms
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Gut microbiota and health
- Cerebrospinal fluid and hydrocephalus
- Respiratory and Cough-Related Research
- Immune cells in cancer
- Microbial Inactivation Methods
- Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Organ Transplantation Techniques and Outcomes
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Liver Disease and Transplantation
- Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reactions
- Pharmacogenetics and Drug Metabolism
- Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Sphingolipid Metabolism and Signaling
- Gastrointestinal disorders and treatments
- Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
Western University
2011-2023
University of Victoria
2007-2013
Hopanoids are pentacyclic triterpenoids that thought to be bacterial surrogates for eukaryotic sterols, such as cholesterol, acting stabilize membranes and regulate their fluidity permeability. To date, very few studies have evaluated the role of hopanoids in physiology. The synthesis depends on enzyme squalene-hopene cyclase (Shc), which converts linear squalene into basic hopene structure. Deletion 2 genes encoding Shc enzymes Burkholderia cenocepacia K56-2, BCAM2831 BCAS0167, resulted a...
Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that the causative agent of tularemia. Nearly century ago, researchers observed tularemia was often fatal in North America but almost never Europe and Asia. The chromosomes F. strains carry two identical copies pathogenicity island (FPI), FPIs America-specific biotypes contain genes, anmK pdpD, are not found distributed over entire Northern Hemisphere. In this work, we studied contribution pdpD to...
The Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI) encodes proteins thought to compose a type VI secretion system (T6SS) that is required for the intracellular growth of novicida. In this work we used deletion mutagenesis and genetic complementation determine F. novicida was dependent on 14 18 genes in FPI. products iglABCD operon were localized by biochemical fractionation novicida, tularensis LVS. Sucrose gradient separation water-insoluble material showed FPI-encoded IglA, IglB IglC found...
Abstract Burkholderia cenocepacia is a Gram-negative aerobic bacterium that belongs to group of opportunistic pathogens displaying diverse environmental and pathogenic lifestyles. B. known for its ability cause lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis it possesses large 8 Mb multireplicon genome encoding wide array pathogenicity fitness genes. Transcriptomic profiling across nine growth conditions was performed identify the global gene expression changes made when niches from an...
Summary Hopanoids are bacterial surrogates of eukaryotic membrane sterols and among earth's most abundant natural products. Their molecular fossils remain in sediments spanning more than a billion years. However, hopanoid metabolism function not fully understood. B urkholderia species environmental opportunistic pathogens that produce hopanoids also occupy diverse ecological niches. We investigated biosynthesis cenocepacia by deletion mutagenesis structural characterization the produced...
Organic anion transporting polypeptide 2B1 (OATP2B1) is a widely expressed membrane transporter with diverse substrate specificity. In vitro and clinical studies suggest role for intestinal OATP2B1 in the oral absorption of medications. Moreover, highly hepatocytes where it thought to promote liver drug clearance. However, until now, shortcoming implicating disposition has been lack vivo models. Here, we report development knockout (KO) mouse model targeted, global disruption Slco2b1 gene...
Several genes contained in the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI) encode proteins needed for intracellular growth and virulence of tularensis. The pdpA gene is first cistron larger two operons found FPI. In this work we studied phenotype a novicida mutant gene. DeltapdpA strain was capable small amount replication but, unlike wild-type F. novicida, remained associated with lysosomal marker LAMP-1, suggesting that PdpA necessary progression from early phagosome phase infection. Strains...
All bacteria share a set of evolutionarily conserved essential genes that encode products are required for viability. The great diversity environments inhabit, including at extreme temperatures, place adaptive pressure on genes. We sought to use this evolutionary engineer bacterial pathogens be stably temperature-sensitive, and thus useful as live vaccines. isolated from found in the Arctic substituted them their counterparts into mammals. substitution nine different psychrophilic...
Sepsis-elicited immunosuppression elevates the risk of secondary infections. We used a clinically relevant mouse model and serial peripheral blood samples from patients to assess antimicrobial activities mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in sepsis. Hepatic splenic MAIT B6-MAITCAST mice displayed increased CD69 expression robust interferon-γ (IFNγ) production capacity shortly after sublethal cecal ligation puncture, but not at late timepoint. Peripheral cell frequencies were reduced...
Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent, intracellular pathogen that causes the disease tularaemia. A research surrogate for F. novicida, which tularaemia-like in mice, grows similarly macrophages, and yet unable to cause humans. Both species contain cluster of genes referred as pathogenicity island (FPI). Pathogenicity determinant protein (PdpA), encoded by pdpA gene, located within FPI has been associated with virulence species. In this work we examined properties PdpA expression...
Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are at great risk of opportunistic lung infection, particularly by members the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). This group bacteria can cause damage to tissue infected and difficult eradicate due their high levels antibiotic resistance. Although highly virulent cenocepacia has been focus virulence research for past decade, multivorans is emerging as most prevalent Bcc species infecting CF in North America. Despite several studies detailing intramacrophage...
Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is characterized by eosinophilic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and bronchial asthma, along with the onset of reactions after ingestion nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). In addition to therapeutic routines surgical options available, a low dietary intake food salicylate has been suggested as adjunctive therapy for this condition. This study aimed assess influence short-term diet on inflammatory...
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is chronic, often relapsing, remitting inflammation affecting the rectum to proximal colon. UC activity linked reduced gut microbial diversity. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) a quantifiable plasma metabolite produced from dietary choline and carnitine through microbial-mammalian pathway. A previous study by our group demonstrated decreased TMAO was associated with UC. It hypothesized that changes in profile accounted for differences concentrations. To evaluate of...