Assistant Professor-Bacterial Pathogenesis
Department of Biology
Member, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases
Office: BSE 3.230
Office Telephone: (210) 458-6578
Lab Telephone: (210) 458-6679
J.Seshu@utsa.edu
Labpage: Seshu Lab
Research Interests
Our research interests focus on two infectious diseases: 1) Lyme Disease and 2) Q fever.
Lyme Disease is the most prevalent arthropod-borne infectious disease in the US. Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease is transmitted to humans (and to other mammals) by the bite of infected ticks. This spirochetal pathogen rapidly alters its gene expression depending on the feeding status of the ticks and upon transmission to mammalian hosts. Our current research interests are directed towards:
2). Characterization of the mechanisms of interactions of B. burgdorferi with mammalianhost cell surfaces.
3) Metabolomics of B. burgdorferi facilitating its adaptation to host-specific conditions.
Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii - an obligate, intracellular pathogen. Acute Q fever is a self-limiting flu-like illness and is readily amenable to treatment with antibiotics. Chronic Q fever, on the other hand, is not easily treated with antibiotics and results in endocarditis, hepatitis and pneumonia. C. burnetii is highly infectious, disseminated as an aerosol, capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions and is a category-B biothreat agent. C. burnetii resides and replicates within the phagolysosomal vacuoles of macrophages and hence has a unique niche protected from the neutralizing effects of humoral immune response. A potent cell-mediated immunity is required to clear this intracellular acidophile. Our current research efforts are therefore directed towards:
1). Identification of T cell epitopes of C. burnetii
2). Modification of select C. burnetii antigens to enhance protective T cell response against C. burnetii
Recent Publications
- Eva Sanjuan, Maria D. Esteve-Gassent, Mahulena Maruskova and J. Seshu (2009). Overexpression of BbCsrA (BB0184) alters morphology and antigen profiles of Borrelia burgdorferi. Infection and Immunity; (In Press)
- Cong Y., J-J Yu, M. N. Guentzel, M. T. Berton, J. Seshu, K. E. Klose and B. Arulanandam (2009). Vaccination with a defined Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida pathogenecity island mutant (DiglB) induces protective immunity against homotypic and heterotypic challenge. Vaccine. (In Press).
- Murthy A.K., B.K. R. Chaganty, W. Li, M. N. Gunetzel, J. P. Chambers, J. Seshu, G. Zhong and B. P. Arulanandam (2009). A Limited Role for Antibody in Protective Immunity Induced by rCPAF and CpG Vaccination Against Primary Genital Chlamydia muridarum Challenge FEMS Microbiol Immunol. 55: 271-279
- Esteve-Gassent, M.D., Elliott, N and J. Seshu (2009). sodA is essential for virulence of Borrelia burgdorferi in the murine model of Lyme disease. Mol. Microbiol. 71:594-612
- Maruskova, M and J. Seshu (2008). Deletion of BBA64, BBA65 and BBA66 does not alter the infectivity phenotype of Borrelia burgdorferi in the murine model of Lyme disease. Infect. Immun. 76: 5274-84.
- Li, W., A.K. Murthy, M. N. Guentzel, J. Seshu, G. Zhong, B. P. Arulanandam (2008). IFN-g from Antigen Specific CD4+ T cells is Required and Quantitatively Sufficient to Induce Anti-Chlamydial Protective Immunity. J. Immunol. 180:3375-3382
- Mahulena Maruskova, M. Dolores Esteve-Gassent, Valerie L. Sexton and J. Seshu (2008). The role of bba64 locus of Borrelia burgdorferi in early stages of infectivity in the murine model of Lyme disease. Infect. Immun. 76: 391-402
- Li, W., M. N. Guentzel, J. Seshu, G. Zhong, A.K. Murthy and B. P. Arulanandam (2007). Targeted Multi-Subunit Vaccination Approach to Evaluate Cross-Serovar Protection against Genital Chlamydial Infection. Clin. Vaccine. Immunol. 14: 1537-1544
- Hyde, J. A., Seshu, J. and J. T. Skare. (2006). Transcriptional profiling of Borrelia burgdorferi containing a unique bosR allele identifies a putative oxidative stress regulon. Microbiol. 152:2599-2609.
- Seshu, J., M. Labandeira-Rey, M. Esteve-Gassent, M. Höök and J. T. Skare. (2006). The Isolation and Characterization of Isogenic mutants in Infectious Borrelia burgdorferi. pg 25-41. In Molecular Biology of Spirochetes, NATO Science Series, Life and Behavioral Sciences Vol: 373. IOS Press.
- Seshu, J., M. Esteve-Gassent, M. Labandeira-Rey, J. H. Kim, J.P. Trzeciakowski, M. Höök and J. T. Skare. (2006) Inactivation of the Fibronectin-binding Adhesin Gene bbk32 Significantly Attenuates the Infectivity Potential of Borrelia burgdorferi. Mol. Microbiol. 59:1591-1601
Dr Seshu's Lab
People; position; research and other interests
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Dr. J. Seshu, PhD; Hobbies: |
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Dr. Maria D. Esteve-Gassent, PhD; Hobbies: |
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Dr. Weidang Li, PhD; |
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Dr. Eva Sanjuan, PhD; Hobbies: |
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Dr. B.V.S.Raju, PhD; Hobbies:
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Lab members
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Mahulena Maruskova Hobbies: |
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S-L. Rajsekhar Karna Hobbies: |
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Tricia VanLaar Hobbies: |
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Christine “Lindsay” Miller, BS; Hobbies: |
Bachelor's of Science Student Lab members
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Nathan Elliot; BS; Research Technician-Part Time Expression of TIM and MIM of B. burgdorferi |
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Seth Parker; BS;
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Undergraduate Lab members
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Ann Reyes; |
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Elizabeth Xavier; Undergraduate Research Scholar Current Position: Sophomore - UT Austin |
Former Lab members; current position…
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Shemina Momen; MS (Biotechnology); |
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Valerie Sexton; BS; |