2022
Cross-kingdom expression of synthetic genetic elements promotes discovery of metabolites in the human microbiome
Patel JR, Oh J, Wang S, Crawford JM, Isaacs FJ. Cross-kingdom expression of synthetic genetic elements promotes discovery of metabolites in the human microbiome. Cell 2022, 185: 1487-1505.e14. PMID: 35366417, PMCID: PMC10619838, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.03.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynthetic genetic elementsGenetic elementsBiosynthetic gene clusterCross-species expressionCross-species interactionsDiverse organismsGene clusterBiosynthetic machineryHeterologous expressionRegulatory regionsTRNA synthetasesBiosynthetic pathwayNative contextTranslational activityBiosynthetic capacityHuman microbiomeMetabolic capacityPositive bacteriaSmall moleculesExpressionPathwayValuable compoundsLactobacillus inersEukaryotesSynthetases
2021
A Conserved Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase in Xenorhabdus bovienii Produces Citrulline-Functionalized Lipopeptides
Li JH, Cho W, Hamchand R, Oh J, Crawford JM. A Conserved Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase in Xenorhabdus bovienii Produces Citrulline-Functionalized Lipopeptides. Journal Of Natural Products 2021, 84: 2692-2699. PMID: 34581573, PMCID: PMC9970011, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00573.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNonribosomal peptide synthetasePeptide synthetaseBiosynthetic gene clusterComparative genomic analysisFree-living infective juvenilesNRPS genesEffector proteinsInsect larvaeSpecialized metabolitesGene clusterMutualistic relationshipXenorhabdus bovieniiHeterologous expressionGenomic analysisRichest producersEntomopathogenic bacteriumSecondary metabolitesHost larvaeInfective juvenilesTermination domainInhibitor pathwayExogenous alcoholsLarvaeSpeciesComplex array
2019
Characterization of a Hybrid Nonribosomal Peptide–Carbohydrate Biosynthetic Pathway in Photorhabdus luminescens
Perez CE, Crawford JM. Characterization of a Hybrid Nonribosomal Peptide–Carbohydrate Biosynthetic Pathway in Photorhabdus luminescens. Biochemistry 2019, 58: 1131-1140. PMID: 30694662, DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b01120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHypothetical proteinsBiosynthetic pathwayNRPS machineryHybrid nonribosomal peptide synthetaseBacterial biosynthetic pathwaysStable isotope labelingNonribosomal peptide synthetaseProtein mass spectrometryEntomopathogen PhotorhabdusFascinating chemistryOrphan pathwaysCharacterization of oligosaccharidesAcetyl-glucosamine moietyProduction of metabolitesGenomic islandsGlycoamino acidsNovel chemistryGene clusterHeterologous expressionProtein biochemistryPeptide synthetaseBiological functionsGenome sequencingMass spectrometryIsotope labeling
2018
Discovering antibiotics from the global microbiome
Lam YC, Crawford JM. Discovering antibiotics from the global microbiome. Nature Microbiology 2018, 3: 392-393. PMID: 29588534, DOI: 10.1038/s41564-018-0135-5.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2014
An Atypical Orphan Carbohydrate-NRPS Genomic Island Encodes a Novel Lytic Transglycosylase
Guo X, Crawford JM. An Atypical Orphan Carbohydrate-NRPS Genomic Island Encodes a Novel Lytic Transglycosylase. Cell Chemical Biology 2014, 21: 1271-1277. PMID: 25219963, PMCID: PMC4224617, DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2014.07.025.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome synteny analysisSynteny analysisGenomic islandsLytic transglycosylaseNatural product gene clustersOrphan biosynthetic pathwaysGene deletion analysisGenome sequencing platformsRare structural featureBiochemical reconstructionHypothetical proteinsGene clusterAcetyl-glucosamine moietyHeterologous expressionDeletion analysisProtein homologyBiosynthetic pathwayIsland contentNew small moleculesSequencing platformsMetabolic chemistryTransglycosylasePathwaySmall moleculesNatural products
2012
Small molecule perimeter defense in entomopathogenic bacteria
Crawford JM, Portmann C, Zhang X, Roeffaers MB, Clardy J. Small molecule perimeter defense in entomopathogenic bacteria. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2012, 109: 10821-10826. PMID: 22711807, PMCID: PMC3390839, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1201160109.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBacterial cell surfaceConfocal fluorescence microscopyCell surfacePhysical associationHuman pathogen Vibrio choleraeInsect innate immune systemBiochemical assaysInnate immune systemPathogen Vibrio choleraeFluorescence microscopyPrecursor-directed biosynthesisE. coli cellsInsect pathogensPathway mutantsEntomopathogenic bacteriaHeterologous expressionXenorhabdus nematophilaColi cellsEscherichia coliVibrio choleraeClass of moleculesBioorthogonal probesEffective inhibitor concentrationBiosynthesisHost defense