2017
Multiple UBXN family members inhibit retrovirus and lentivirus production and canonical NFκΒ signaling by stabilizing IκBα
Hu Y, O’Boyle K, Auer J, Raju S, You F, Wang P, Fikrig E, Sutton RE. Multiple UBXN family members inhibit retrovirus and lentivirus production and canonical NFκΒ signaling by stabilizing IκBα. PLOS Pathogens 2017, 13: e1006187. PMID: 28152074, PMCID: PMC5308826, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006187.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGene expressionHundreds of genesCycle assaysNFκB pathwayCo-immunoprecipitation studiesMouse embryo fibroblastsDownstream effector functionsJurkat T cellsPrimary human fibroblastsEmbryonic lethalityFamily membersUBA domainUBXN1HIV gene expressionSingle-cycle assaysProtein turnoverEmbryo fibroblastsCell adhesionGlobal regulationCanonical NFκB pathwayNFκB signalingHuman fibroblastsLike receptorsPathwayKnockdown
2016
A novel mosquito ubiquitin targets viral envelope protein for degradation and reduces virion production during dengue virus infection
Troupin A, Londono-Renteria B, Conway MJ, Cloherty E, Jameson S, Higgs S, Vanlandingham DL, Fikrig E, Colpitts TM. A novel mosquito ubiquitin targets viral envelope protein for degradation and reduces virion production during dengue virus infection. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta 2016, 1860: 1898-1909. PMID: 27241849, PMCID: PMC4949077, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.05.033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProtein degradationUbiquitin proteinGene expressionProtein expression constructsSite-directed mutagenesisViral protein degradationInnate immune signalingDengue virusProteasomal degradationProtein interactionsExpression constructsMosquito cellsSignificant human diseaseMicroarray analysisImmune signalingViral envelope proteinsVirus infectionHuman diseasesBlood feedingAmino acidsProteinMultiple functionsQRT-PCRVirion productionAntiviral function
2013
The lipoprotein La7 contributes to Borrelia burgdorferi persistence in ticks and their transmission to naïve hosts
Yang X, Hegde S, Shroder DY, Smith AA, Promnares K, Neelakanta G, Anderson JF, Fikrig E, Pal U. The lipoprotein La7 contributes to Borrelia burgdorferi persistence in ticks and their transmission to naïve hosts. Microbes And Infection 2013, 15: 729-737. PMID: 23774694, PMCID: PMC3769513, DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2013.06.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsComplex enzootic cycleInner membrane proteinB. burgdorferi persistenceProtein-protein interactionsOuter membrane lipoproteinNaïve hostsSpirochete life cycleCo-immunoprecipitation studiesMammalian infectivityMembrane proteinsRedundant rolesMolecular detailsMammalian hostsMembrane lipoproteinGene expressionWild typeInfection cycleLiquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysisPathogen survivalBiological significanceHost transmissionEnzootic cyclePathogen transmissionSpectrometry analysisLA7
2008
Anaplasma phagocytophilum Increases Cathepsin L Activity, Thereby Globally Influencing Neutrophil Function
Thomas V, Samanta S, Fikrig E. Anaplasma phagocytophilum Increases Cathepsin L Activity, Thereby Globally Influencing Neutrophil Function. Infection And Immunity 2008, 76: 4905-4912. PMID: 18765732, PMCID: PMC2573316, DOI: 10.1128/iai.00851-08.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnaplasma phagocytophilumCathepsin LCathepsinsCysteine EndopeptidasesEhrlichiosisElectrophoretic Mobility Shift AssayGene Expression Regulation, BacterialHL-60 CellsHomeodomain ProteinsHumansImmunoblottingImmunoprecipitationNeutrophilsNuclear ProteinsRepressor ProteinsReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionTranscription FactorsConceptsA. phagocytophilum infectionPhagocytophilum infectionCathepsin L activityNeutrophil functionA. phagocytophilumL activityHuman neutrophil peptides 1Polymorphonuclear leukocyte functionNeutrophil peptide-1Human granulocytic anaplasmosisTherapeutic optionsNeutrophil defenseLeukocyte functionCathepsin LPeptide-1InfectionObligate intracellular pathogensMarked reductionGranulocytic anaplasmosisIntracellular pathogensCDP activityHost oxidative burstAnaplasma phagocytophilumPhagocytophilumOxidative burst