October 29, 2020
Peer-reviewed publication by Roman Ganta team selected for journal's spotlight feature
A peer-reviewed scientific research article by a K-State veterinary medicine professor and team was published this month in the American Society for Microbiology journal, Infection and Immunity.
The article, "Multiple Ehrlichia chaffeensis Genes Critical for Its Persistent Infection in a Vertebrate Host Are Identified by Random Mutagenesis Coupled with In Vivo Infection Assessment," was selected in the spotlight feature highlighting its significant interest.
The article is published by Roman Ganta, professor and director of the Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, and colleagues Ying Wang, Arathy D. S. Nair, Andy Alhassan, Deborah C. Jaworski, Huitao Liu, Kathleen Trinkl, Paidashe Hove, Charan K. Ganta, Nicole Burkhardt and Ulrike G. Munderloh.
The following is the highlighted section.
"Mutagenesis and Infection Assessment in a Physiologically Relevant Canine-Tick Infection Model Identified Genes/Genomic Regions Essential for Persistent Ehrlichia chaffeensis Infection"
Understanding tick-borne diseases, including human monocytic ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis, is hampered by inefficient mutagenesis and lack of physiologically relevant infection models. Wang et al. (e00316-20) describe Himar1 mutagenesis in E. chaffeensis coupled with canine-tick infection assessment to identify vital pathogen genes. The authors demonstrate that disruptions in the majority of pathogen genes/genomic regions are detrimental. They identify essential genes encoding outer membrane, protein synthesis, fatty acid and biotin biosynthesis, DNA repair, oxidoreductase, and multidrug resistance efflux pump proteins. This study opens novel research in defining pathogenesis, prevention, and therapeutics in E. chaffeensis and other important Anaplasmataceae pathogens.