Research groups

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Research

Molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions.

Confocal images of actin rearrangement induced during Salmonella infection of epithelial cells.

The virulence of pathogenic bacteria relies on their ability to induce signals within host cells to alter their behaviour. This can involve surface expression of proteins, secretion of toxins or, in some of the most interesting examples, direct transfer of proteins by bacteria into host cells. The molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial modulation of host cells have yet to be fully defined.

My group’s research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying the cross-talk between pathogenic bacteria with epithelial cells. Our work has principally focused on Salmonella and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) but newer projects have extended our research interests to encompass also Campylobacter, Streptococci and EHEC. Specific areas of interest include:

• understanding how bacteria modulate the actin cytoskeleton and intracellular trafficking;
• understanding how bacteria alter epithelial permeability;
• defining the role of particle-transporting epithelial cells (M cells) in bacterial infection;
• applying cell imaging techniques to the study of microbial pathogenesis.

Group

Layla Malt, Caryn Harward, Alan Leard, Katy Jepson

Recent publications

Clark L, Perrett CA, Malt L, Harward C, Humphrey S, Jepson CA, Martinez-Argudo I, Carney LJ, La Ragione RM, Humphrey TJ, Jepson MA. (2011) Differences in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain invasiveness are associated with heterogeneity in SPI-1 gene expression. Microbiology. 157: 2072-2083.

Humphrey S, MacVicar T, Stevenson A, Roberts M, Humphrey TJ, Jepson MA. (2011) SulA-induced filamentation in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium: Effects on SPI-1 expression and epithelial infection. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 111: 185-196.

Maddocks SE, Wright CJ, Nobbs AH, Brittan JL, Franklin L, Strömberg N, Kadioglu A, Jepson MA, Jenkinson HF. (2011) Streptococcus pyogenes antigen I/II family polypeptide AspA shows differential ligand-binding properties and mediates biofilm formation. Molecular Microbiology. 81: 1034-1049.

Perrett CA, Jepson MA. (2009) Regulation of Salmonella-induced membrane ruffling by SipA differs in strains lacking other effectors. Cellular Microbiology. 11: 475-487.

Clark L, Martinez-Argudo I, Humphrey TJ, Jepson MA. (2009) GFP plasmid induced defects in Salmonella invasion depend on plasmid architecture not protein expression. Microbiology. 155: 461-467.

Perrett CA, Karavolos MH, Humphrey S, Mastroeni P, Martinez-Argudo I, Spencer H, Bulmer D, Winzer K, McGhie E, Koronakis V, Williams P, Khan CMA, Jepson MA. (2009) LuxS-based quorum sensing does not affect the ability of Salmonella to express the SPI-1 Type 3 secretion system, induce membrane ruffles or invade epithelial cells. Journal of Bacteriology. 191: 7253-7259.

Berger CN, Crepin VF, Jepson MA, Arbeloa A, Frankel G. (2009) The mechanisms used by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to control filopodia dynamics. Cellular Microbiology. 11: 309-322.

View all publications listed on the University of Bristol's publication database