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PI: Yasuko Rikihisa

Awards & Honors

 

Contact Info:
 Dept. of Veterinary
  Biosciences,
 The Ohio State Univ.
 1925 Coffey Road
 Columbus, OH 43210
 Phone: 614-292-5661
 
WEB LINKS:
OSU Homepage
Dept. of Vet. Biosciences
Research Interests

Understand the molecular pathogenic mechanisms of ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis, vector-borne emerging infectious diseases of man (zoonosis) and animals.

We study how ehrlichia subvert the host immune system; how they manipulate host cells to create an effective replicative niche; how they regulate the dichotomous tasks of intracellular replication and intercellular spreading; and how they cause human disease. The deletion of a large number of genes that are present in the genomes of free-living bacteria, including genes required for the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan, and the acquisition of a cholesterol uptake mechanism, has set these bacteria on the path towards a life within eukaryotic cells.  In contrast, the repertoire of genes encoding outer membrane porins and the type IV secretion system has been expanded to ensure nutrient acquisition and subversion of host antimicrobial defenses.

  • Elucidation of Ligand and Receptor, and Invasion Mechanisms of Intracellular Bacteria.
  • Determination of Nutritional Virulence of Intracellular Bacteria-Hijacking Autophagy Pathway by Bacterial Molecules Secreted by Type IV Secretion System.
  • Analysis of Regulation of Intracellular Growth and Development by Bacterial Two-component Regulatory System.
  • Investigation of Ehrlichia strain-variable Disease Pathogenesis In vivo Virulence Linked to Comparative Genome Sequence and Transcriptome Analysis
  • Isolation, and Molecular and Antigenic Characterization of New Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Neorickettsia spp., Aegyptianella and Haemotropic Mycoplasma.
  • Test Disease Intervention Strategy by using Animal models of Potomac horse fever, canine ehrlichiosis, human monocytic ehrilichiosis, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis.
  • Development of Vaccines and Diagnostic Procedures: PCR, dot blot, Western blot, IFA, ELISA, culture isolation, cloning protective and diagnostic antigens. 
  • Analysis of Molecular Mechanisms of Vector (tick, trematode) transmission, and determination of Natural Reservoirs.
 
Last Updated: June 15, 2017. | Maintained by: Mingqun Lin. | © OSU Rickettsiology Lab, 2001 - 2024.
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