Alexandra R. MeyAlexandra R. Mey

EDUCATION:

B.A.Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 1994
Ph.D. Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2002

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Acquisition of the essential element iron is critical for the ability of most pathogens to establish and maintain an infection in the host.  Vibrio cholerae, the etiologic agent of the diarrheal disease cholera, has multiple iron acquisition systems.  V. cholerae secretes an iron-scavenging siderophore, vibriobactin, which binds iron in the environment and delivers it to the bacterial cell surface.  In addition, V. cholerae can use heme and hemoglobin, as well as siderophores produced by other organisms, as iron sources. Uptake of heme and siderophores by the cell involves specific, high-affinity outer membrane receptors.  The energy required by these receptors to internalize their ligand is provided by one of two energy-transducing TonB/ExbBD complexes.  My research in the lab focuses on identifying and characterizing TonB-dependent receptors in V. cholerae, with respect to both substrate specificity and preference for a particular TonB system.  I am also interested in understanding the nature of the interaction between the TonB protein and its target receptors.

PUBLICATIONS

  • Payne, S. M., and A. R. Mey. 2010.  Iron Uptake in Shigella and E. coli.  In Cornelis, P. and Andrews, S. C. (ed.).  Iron Uptake and Homeostasis in Microorganisms.  Horizon Press, Norfolk, UK.  In press
  • Mey, A. R., E. E. Wyckoff, L.A. Hoover, C. R. Fisher and S. M. Payne. 2008. Vibrio cholerae VciB promotes iron uptake via ferrous iron transporters. J. Bacteriol.190:5953-5962. (Abstract)
  • Wyckoff E. E., A. R. Mey, and S. M. Payne. 2007. Iron acquisition in Vibrio cholerae. Biometals. 20(3-4):405-16. (Abstract)
  • Wyckoff, E. E., A. R. Mey, A. Leimbach, C. R. Fisher, and S. M. Payne. 2006.  Characterization of ferrous and ferric iron transport systems in Vibrio cholerae.  J. Baceriol. 188:6515-6523. (Abstract)
  • Mey, A. R., E. E. Wyckoff, V. Kanukurthy, C. R. Fisher, and S. M. Payne. 2005. Iron and Fur regulation in Vibrio cholerae and the role of Fur in virulence. Infect. Immun. 73:8167-8178. (Abstract)
  • Mey A. R., S. A. Craig, and S. M. Payne. 2005. Characterization of Vibrio cholerae RyhB: the RyhB regulon and role of RyhB in biofilm formation. Infect. Immun. 73(9): 5706-5719. (Abstract)
  • Payne, S. M., and A. R. Mey. 2004. Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Shigella, p. 199-218. In J. H. Crosa, A. R. Mey, S. M. Payne (ed.).  Iron Transport in Bacteria. ASM Press, Washington, D.C.
  • Crosa, J. H., A. R. Mey, and S. M. Payne (ed.). 2004. Iron Transport in Bacteria. ASM Press, Washington, D.C.
  • Mey, A. R. and S. M. Payne. 2003. Analysis of residues determining specificity of Vibrio cholerae TonB1 for its receptors. Journal of Bacteriology. 185: 1195-207. (Abstract)
  • Mey. A.R., E. E. Wyckoff, A. G. Oglesby , E. Rab, R. K. Taylor, and S. M. Payne. 2002.  Identification of the Vibrio cholerae enterobactin receptors VctA and IrgA: IrgA Is not required for virulence.  Infect. Immun. 70:3419-3426. (Abstract)
  • Mey, A. R. and S. M. Payne. 2001. Haem utilization in Vibrio cholerae involves multiple TonB-dependent haem receptors. 42: 835-849. (Abstract)
  • Seliger. S.S., A. R. Mey,  A. M. Valle, and S. M. Payne.  2001. The two TonB systems of Vibrio cholerae: redundant and specific functions. Mol. Microbiol. 39: 801-812. (Abstract)

ABSTRACTS/PRESENTATIONS

Mey, A. R., Craig, S. A.., and Payne, S. M.  2009.  The effects of amino acid supplementation on porin expression and ToxR levels in Vibrio cholerae.  US-Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program 43d Annual Joint Panel Meeting on Cholera and Other Bacterial Enteric infections, San Diego.

Helton, E. A., Wyckoff, E. E., Mey, A. R.,  and Payne, S. M.  2008.  Characterization of the Vibrio cholerae Feo system.  US-Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program 43d Annual Joint Panel Meeting on Cholera and Other Bacterial Enteric infections, San Diego.

Mey, A. R., Wyckoff, E. E., Hoover, L. A., Fisher, C. R., and Payne, S. M. 2008. Vibrio cholerae VciB promotes iron uptake via ferrous iron transporters.  Fall Meeting of the Texas/South Central Branches of The American Society for Microbiology. Austin.

Helton, E. A., Wyckoff, E. E., Mey, A. R.,  and Payne, S. M.  2008.  Characterization of the Vibrio cholerae Feo system.  Fall Meeting of the Texas/South Central branches of the American Society for Microbiology. Austin.

Mey, A. R., E. E. Wyckoff, L. Hoover, C. R. Fisher, and S. M. Payne. 2007. Characterization of VciB, a novel iron utilization protein in Vibrio cholerae.  US-Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program 42nd Annual Joint Panel Meeting on Cholera and Other Bacterial Enteric infections.

Mey, A.R., S. A. Craig, S. M. Payne. 2005. Characterization of Vibrio cholerae RyhB: the RyhB regulon and the role of ryhB in biofilm formation. 7th International Symposium on Microbial Iron Transport Storage and Metabolism, Paris, France.

Mey, A. R., Leimbach, A., Wyckoff, E. E., Reus, B., and Payne, S. M. 2003.  Investigation of the role of individual iron transport systems in the growth of Vibrio cholerae.  103rd ASM General Meeting.

Davies, N. M. L., Mey, A. R., Purdy, G. E., and Payne, S. M. 2003.  Shigella flexneri TonB is not required for intracellular growth and cell-to-cell spread.  103rd ASM General Meeting.

Mey, A. R., Wyckoff, E. E., Oglesby, A. G., Rab, E., Taylor, R. K., and Payne, S. M. 2002.  Vibrio cholerae IrgA is a receptor for enterobactin. 102nd ASM General Meeting. 

Mey, A. R. and Payne, S. M. 2001. Characterization of HutR, a second heme receptor in Vibrio cholerae. 101st ASM General Meeting. 

Mey, A. R., Occhino, D. A., and Payne, S. M. 2000. Analysis of domains involved in the interaction between TonB and TonB-dependent receptors. Abstract. 100th ASM General Meeting, Los Angeles. 

Seliger, S. S., Mey, A. R., and Payne, S. M. 2000.  TonB1 but not TonB2 mediates heme transport by Vibrio cholerae under increased osmotic conditions.  Abstract. 100th ASM General Meeting, Los Angeles. 

Payne,S. M., Seliger, S. S., Occhino, D. A., and Mey, A. R. 1999.  The two TonB systems of Vibrio cholerae are required for virulence in the mouse and for growth under different environmental conditions.  US-Japan Joint Conference on Diarrheal Diseases, Baltimore.

Seliger, S. S., Mey, A. R., Occhino, D. A., and Payne, S. M. 1999. The dual Ton B systems in V. cholerae and their roles in iron acquisition in vivo and in vitro. Abstract. 99th. ASM General Meeting.

Mey, A. R., Occhino, D. A., and Payne, S. M. 1998. Specificity of TonB for Outer Membrane Receptors. Abstract. 98th. ASM General Meeting.

 

EMAIL ADDRESS: armey@mail.utexas.edu