UNDERSTANDING THE PATHOGENESIS OF CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Our long objectives are to understand the unique biology and pathogenicity of Campylobacter jejuni, an important human pathogen and commensal of food species including the chicken, from which the majority of human cases originate (Centers for Disease Control). We developed a number of essential genetic tools previously unavailable for the study of this microbe, including random and site specific mutagenesis mutagenesis systems, reporter plasmids for studying transcription regulation and shuttle/expression vectors (Hendrixson, et al., 2001; Hendrixson, O¿Rourke and DiRita, unpublished). We have used these to identify and characterize genes required for colonization of chickens, flagellar motility, cell invasion, and competence for DNA transformation (Hendrixson, et al., 2001; Hendrixson and DiRita, unpublished, Fogg and DiRita, unpublished, Wiesner, Hendrixson and DiRita, in preparation). Interaction data and protein expression profiling data will both be very helpful to our studies on C. jejuni. Different ongoing projects relate to identifying and characterizing protein complexes or assessing the protein profiles of key mutants. High-throughput cloning technology as proposed, leaving the individual clones tagged for protein purification, will be of enormous value to my group as it would obviate the need for us to produce tagged proteins for purification on an individual basis.