Our model systems: Gram-negative pathogens affecting humans and fish
- The Yersiniae
The genus Yersinia includes important pathogens that infect humans, mammals, fish, and even insects. In our lab, we mostly work with Yersinia enterocolitica, a diarrhea pathogen, and Yersinia ruckeri, a commercially important fish pathogen. By comparing the structure and function of homologous adhesion factors on the cell surface, we try to understand the molecular basis of host specificity.
- Other Enterobacteria
Expanding on our comparative approach, we use other Gram-negative enteropathogens that are related to the Yersiniae. Rather than working on one model species, we run projects on model surface proteins and protein families, comparing their functions across species groups. For this purpose, we often work with pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. More recently, we have also started work on various Gram-negative fish pathogens from different genera, e.g. Tenacibaculum spp.
- Gram-negative pathogens of the oral cavity
The oral cavity is an interesting environment to study bacterial adhesion to host tissues, mineral surfaces (teeth), and medical implants. Gram-negative pathogens such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans can outcompete the natural oral flora and cause various conditions, sometimes including severe damage to bone and tissue, or implant loss.
In our group, we use interdisciplinary methods to elucidate the structure, function, and evolution of bacterial cell surface factors. We use well-equipped central facilities and international collaborations for our work. Our methods include, but are not limited to:
- Molecular microbiology
- Biophysics (e.g. adhesion assays, spectroscopy)
- Structural Biology (including x-ray crystallography and NMR)
- Electron microscopy
- Equipment available in the group:
- Plate reader (optical and fluorescence)
- SPR
- Single-channel conductance (BLM setup)
- Protein purification (FPLC)
- Anaerobic chamber
- Fermentation equipment
Our main projects fall into two loosely connected categories: projects dealing with bacterial adhesion, and with membrane transport processes. Other published work relates to method development and is shown at the end of this section.
Projects on host specificity
- Previous and current funding sources
- Research Council of Norway (FriPro): BACTAD (2015-2018)
- DiKu (INTPART): MISC (2018-2022)
- Horizon2020 (Marie Curie): Vibrant ITN (2018-2021)
- Key collaboration partners
- Nagoya University (Japan)
- University Hospital Frankfurt (Germany)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
Projects on adhesion to inorganic surfaces
- Previous and current funding sources
- Horizon2020 (Marie Curie): BACSTAR (2017-2019)
- Key collaboration partners
- Faculty of Odontology (UiO)
- Nagoya University (Japan)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
Projects on biofilm formation and autoaggregation
- Previous and current funding sources
- Research Council of Norway (HAVBRUK): TENACIVIR (2020-2024)
- UiO internal funding (IBV): COMPI (2014-2018)
- Horizon2020 (COST ACTION): NGP-NET (2015-2019)
- Key collaboration partners
- SINTEF (Norway)
- Frankfurt University Hospital (Germany)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
- Wrobel et al.: The inverse autotransporters of Yersinia ruckeri YrInv and YrIlm contribute to biofilm formation and virulence
- Wrobel et al.: The repeat structure of two paralogous genes, Yersinia ruckeri Invasin (yrInv) and a "Y. ruckeri Invasin-like molecule", (yrIlm) sheds light on the evolution of adhesive capacities of a fish pathogen.
Projects on anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm approaches
- Previous and current funding sources
- Horizon2020 (Marie Curie): BACSTAR (2017-2019)
- NovoNordisk Fonden: Pre-Seed (2018-2019)
- Horizon2020 (Marie Curie): Vibrant ITN (2018-2021)
- Key collaboration partners
- Faculty of Odontology (UiO)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
Projects on Autotransport (Type 5 Secretion)
- Previous and current funding sources
- Research Council of Norway (FriPro): BACTAD (2015-2018)
- Research Council of Norway (FriNaTek PostDoc): YADA (2015-2018)
- DiKu (INTPART): MISC (2018-2022)
- Key collaboration partners
- Peking Union Medical College (China)
- Frankfurt University Hospital (Germany)
- Nagoya University (Japan)
- FMP Berlin (Germany)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
Projects on membrane protein folding
- Previous and current funding sources
- National Institute of Health (NIH): sub-award from GeorgiaTech (2017-2021)
- Key collaboration partners
- GeorgiaTech (USA)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
Projects on membrane-active toxins and endotoxins
- Previous and current funding sources
- DAAD/RCN mobility grant (2017-2018)
- Key collaboration partners
- University of Potsdam (Germany)
- University of Brno (Czech Republic)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
Projects on metal ion transport and nanoparticle formation
- Previous and current funding sources
- Research Council of Norway (Digital Life): BEDPAN (2018-2023)
- UiO internal funding (MN Innovation PhD program): PARTICAT (2016-2020)
- VISTA (PostDoc stipend): NANOP (2014-2017)
- Key collaboration partners
- NTNU (Norway)
- University of Granada (Spain)
- DTU (Denmark)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
- in preparation
Projects related to method development
- Previous and current funding sources
- Research Council of Norway (FriNaTek PostDoc): YADA (2015-2018)
- various other funding sources
- Key collaboration partners
- FMP Berlin (Germany)
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)
- Meuskens et al.: A New Strain Collection for Improved Expression of Outer Membrane Proteins.
- Shahid et al.: Solid-state NMR study of the YadA membrane-anchor domain in the bacterial outer membrane.
- Hatlem et al.: Catching a Spy: using the SpyCatcher-SpyTag and related systems for labeling and localizing bacterial proteins.
Projects related to genomics and proteomics approaches
- Previous and current funding sources
- Research Council of Norway (HAVBRUK): TENACIVIR (2020-2024)
- Horizon2020 (COST ACTION): NGP-NET (2015-2019)
- various other funding sources
- Key collaboration partners
- SINTEF (Norway)
- Medical Faculty (UiO)
- various core facilities
- Selected reading (up to 3 papers)