Lab Research Focus
Mycoplasmas are small wall-less prokaryotes that are pathogens of a wide variety of animals, including man. Our laboratory focuses on the basic biology of mycoplasmas and the pathogenesis of mycoplasmal diseases. Most of our research projects involve species that are murine pathogens and serve as models for understanding host-parasite interactions in humans. The respiratory and genital pathogen Mycoplasma pulmonis is the principle focus of our studies. One major effort is a study of high-frequency changes that occur in M. pulmonis surface proteins that affect disease pathogenesis. Both the genetic mechanism responsible for these variations and the impact these variations have on disease pathogenesis are under study. A second major effort is a study of a novel genetic locus in M. pulmonis that encodes phase-variable (on/off switching) enzymes that modify DNA (restriction and modification enzymes). Changes in the restriction enzyme system correlate with changes in surface protein production, suggesting that the restriction system may also play a role in disease pathogenesis. A third major effort is to characterize a bacteriophage which infects Mycoplasma arthritidis, a causative agent of arthritis in rats. The presence of this phage is required for virulence of M. arthritidis. The goal is to identify the phage-encoded factor responsible for virulence. These experiments will pave the way for future studies aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of mycoplasma-induced arthritis in humans.
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