Barbara E. Murray, M.D.
1973, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Medical School
Department of Infectious Diseases
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Barbara E. Murray, M.D. 1973, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School |
Research Interests:
This laboratory's broad interests involve the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of pathogenicity and of resistance to antibiotics, particularly of enterocci (e.g., Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium). Recent acquisition of new antibiotic resistance traits have led these organisms to be called "super bugs" because of the paucity of any known effective antimicrobials. This laboratory described the first isolate of enterococci producing beta-lactamase and also described the first gentamicin resistance transposon in these organisms, a property which has important consequences for therapy of enterococcal endocarditis. Work in pathogenicity has also focused on enterococci because they are important causes of endocarditis and hospital-acquired infections. Current work, funding by NIH, involves defining the enterococcal antigens which elicit antibody responses in patients infected by these organisms, generating isogenic mutants for studies of virulence and pathogenicity, testing antiserum for protective capabilities, investigating biofilm formation, defining the mechanism of resistance to phagocytosis by white blood cells, and studying potential virulence genes (including collagen and other extracellular matrix adhesin genes, a polysaccharide capsular gene cluster, a gelatinase-serine protease operon regulated by a homolog of a staphylococcal global regulator, and hyaluronidase, among others). Dr. Murray participated in a collaboration with Dr. George Weinstock and the Department of Energy, which resulted in sequencing in a day of a strain of Enterococcus faecium, and is currently collaborating with Dr Weinstock and Dr. Daneille Garsin of microbiology to sequence strains of E. faecalis. Procedures routinely used include genomic sequencing and annotation with Dr. George Weinstock, ELISAs, Western blot analysis, cloning, mutagenesis, microarray analyses and RT-PCR, and other molecular biology techniques, as well as extracellular matrix protein adherence assays, biofilm assays, fluorescent microscopy, transcytosis assays, and animal models (peritonitis and endocarditis). There are active collaborations between the Division of Infectious Diseases, MMG and the Center for Matrix Biology-IBT and shared graduate students with faculty in these areas. Dr. Murray is the Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases and co-director for the Center for the Study of Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens. Work in the Center provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of bacterial pathogenesis, from clinical issues to details of gene expression and protein function.
Publications
Program Affiliation:
Program in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics