Knauss legislative fellowships in Congress help build careers — and they're fun and educational. See our video and fact sheet for details.
The Maryland Sea Grant bookstore is closed from December 10 to January 3.
R/ODR-18
Intracellular Survival of Perkinsus Marinus: The Oxidative Stress Pathway As A Potential Target For Therapy
Principal Investigator:
Gerardo R. VastaStart/End Year:
2001 - 2004Institution:
Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology InstituteCo-Principal Investigator:
Eric J. Schott, Jose A. Fernandez-Robledo, Wolf T. Pecher, Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology InstituteTopic(s):
Description:
Using knowledge of the P. marinus-C. virginica interaction, we will discover strategies to disadvantage the parasite, whether by identification of parasite targets for drug therapy, or by augmentation of host defense responses. We will complete the characterization of APX, including subcellular localization, catalytic properties, and structure; study the effect of environmental and host factors on Fe-SOD and APX expression in P. marinus; examine if C. virginica possess Fe-SOD and APX activities, and if does, find differences between host and parasite in the localization or biochemical characteristics of these enzymes; and explore ways to stimulate ROI production by hemocytes.
Related Publications:
Joseph, SJ; Fernandez-Robledo, JA; Gardner, MJ; El-Sayed, NM; Kuo, CH; Schott, EJ; Wang, H; Kissinger, JC; Vasta, GR. 2010. The Alveolate Perkinsus marinus: biological insights from EST gene discovery. BMC Genomics11:1 -21. doi:10.1186/1471-2164-11-228. UM-SG-RS-2010-05.
Alavi, MR; Fernandez-Robledo, JA; Vasta, GR. 2009. Development of an in vitro assay to examine intracellular survival of perkinsus marinus trophozoites upon phagocytosis by oyster (crassostrea virginica and c. Journal of Parasitology95(4):900 -907. doi:10.1645/GE-1864.1. UM-SG-RS-2009-07.
Lin, Z; Fernandez-Robledo, JA; Cellier, MFM; Vasta, GR. 2009. Metals and membrane metal transporters in biological systems: the role(s) of Nramp in host-parasite interactions. The Journal of the Argentine Chemical Society97(1):210 -225. UM-SG-RS-2009-14.
Asojo, OA; Schott, EJ; Vasta, GR; Silva, AM. 2006. Structures of PmSOD1 and PmSOD2, two superoxide dismutases from the protozoan parasite Perkinsus marinus. Acta Crystallographica62:1072 -1075. doi:10.1107/S1744309106040425. UM-SG-RS-2006-04.
Elandalloussi, LM; Leite, RM; Afonso, R; Nunes, PA; Robledo, JAF; Vasta, GR; Cancela, ML. 2004. Development of a PCR-ELISA assay for diagnosis of Perkinsus marinus and Perkinsus atlanticus infections in bivalve molluscs. Molecular and Cellular Probes18(2):89 -96. doi:10.1016/j.mcp.2003.09.008. UM-SG-RS-2004-06.
Robledo, JAF; Courville, P; Cellier, MFM; Vasta, GR. 2004. Gene organization and expression of the divalent cation transporter Nramp in the protistan parasite Perkinus marinus. Journal of Parasitology90(5):1004 -1014. doi:10.1645/GE-240R. UM-SG-RS-2004-14.
Program Announcements
News and Blogs
Featured Fellow
Leone Yisrael is a cephalopod-loving scuba diver, cook, and loves to try new activities. She conducts genetic analysis and fieldwork at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center through the Coastal Disease Ecology Lab.
Featured Research Project
Developing a habitat model for mysids, an important link in Chesapeake Bay food webs
Mysids are important mesozooplankton prey for many species of fish in Chesapeake Bay and are an important link in transferring energy from lower to upper trophic levels. Mysids also serve as biological vectors for benthic-pelagic coupling due to their diel vertical migration and omnivorous prey-switching behavior, which makes mysids important regulators of food web architecture. Despite their central role in coastal food webs, surprisingly little is known about mysid ecology and dynamics in Chesapeake Bay.
