How the foodborne bacterium Yersinia interacts with the gut microbiome
Mechanisms of Yersinia Enterocolitica Interaction with the Gut Microbiota
This project looks at how a common foodborne germ called Yersinia responds to short-chain fatty acids from gut bacteria and how that could help prevent gut infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11229640 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research studies how the Yersinia bacterium reacts to short-chain fatty acids made by your gut bacteria. Scientists will use lab-grown bacteria and mouse infection models while altering bacterial and host genes to find what makes the germ vulnerable or resistant. They will track small molecules (metabolomics) and gene activity (transcriptomics) to see if propionate is misprocessed inside the bacteria and disrupts acetyl-CoA metabolism. These results could point to ways to strengthen your natural defenses against foodborne Yersinia infection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had or are at risk for Yersinia foodborne illness, or volunteers willing to provide stool or clinical samples for microbiome research, would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients with unrelated conditions or those needing immediate treatment for an active infection are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic and animal-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new ways to prevent or treat Yersinia food poisoning by boosting gut bacterial defenses or targeting bacterial metabolism.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows short-chain fatty acids can help block gut pathogens, but the specific mechanism proposed here—propionate being misconverted to propionyl-CoA by bacterial enzymes—is a new idea that has not been tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Winter, Sebastian E — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Winter, Sebastian E
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.