Georgiana Purdy
EDUCATION:
B.S. (Microbiology and Cell Science) University of Florida, 1998
B.A. (History) University of Florida, 1998
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
I am interested in those genes that allow S. flexneri to grow within the host cell and spread to adjacent cells later in the infection process. Specifically, my project focuses on the role of the periplasmic protein DegP in S. flexneri virulence. The degP mutant shows defects in surface expression of the outer membrane protein IcsA, which is required for intercellular spread. In addition, this mutant is more sensitive to acid, an environmental condition encountered by Shigella in the human stomach. Combined, these two defects may attenuate the virulence of the Shigella degP mutant.
See here for images of Shigella IcsA localization and actin tail formation.
PUBLICATIONS / ABSTRACTS:
Purdy, G.E., and S.M. Payne. 2002. DegP is a potential S. flexneri virulence factor. Oral presentation at the Texas Branch of the American Society of Microbiology Fall Meeting.
Purdy, G. E. and S. M. Payne. 2002. Shigella flexneri DegP facilitates IcsA surface expression and is required for efficient intercellular. Infect. Immun. (Abstract)
Purdy, G. E. and S. M. Payne. 2002. Shigella flexneri DegP is required for wild type levels of intercellular spread. Abstract. 102nd. ASM General Meeting.
Purdy, G.E. and S.M. Payne. 2001. The SHI-3 Iron Transport Island of Shigella
boydii 0-1392 Carries the Genes for Aerobactin Synthesis and Transport. J.
Bacteriol. 183: 4176-4182. (Abstract)
Purdy, G.E. and S. M. Payne. 2000. A Shigella boydii Island Encodes
Aerobactin Synthesis and Transport. Abstract. 100th. ASM General Meeting.
EMAIL ADDRESS: geharnist@mail.utexas.edu
