DR.CHRISTINE SZYMANSKI
CREM ASSOCIATE (RESEARCH)
NRC Institute for Biological Sciences
100 Sussex Dr.
Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6
Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of foodborne illness in North America and around the globe. My research group has been involved in studying campylobacter glycosylation systems including the first identified bacterial N-linked protein glycosylation pathway and the newly described phase-variable capsule, both of which have been demonstrated to play multiple roles in host-pathogen interactions.
Research Interests:
Host-pathogen interactions
Selected Publications:
- Karlyshev, A. V., Champion, O. L., Churcher, C., Brisson, J. R., Jarrell, H. C., Gilbert, M., Brochu, D., St. Michael, F., Li, J., Wakarchuk, W. W., Goodhead, I., Sanders, M., Stevens, K., White, B., Parkhill, J., Wren, B. W., and Szymanski, C. M. Analysis of Campylobacter jejuni capsular loci reveals multiple mechanisms for the generation of structural diversity and the ability to form complex heptoses. (Mol. Micro. in press).
- Larsen, J. C., Szymanski, C. M. and Guerry, P. Glycosylation of VirB10 is required for the function of the type IV secretion system in Campylobacter jejuni 81-176. (J. Bacteriol. in press).
- Szymanski, C., Goon, S., Allan, B. and Guerry, P. Campylobacter protein glycosylation. In Campylobacter: New perspectives in molecular and cellular biology, Ketley, J., and Konkel, M. (eds). Horizon Scientific and Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, U. K. (book chapter in press).
- Carrillo, C. D., Taboada, E., Nash, J. H. E., Lanthier, P., Kelly, J., Lau, P., Verhulp, R., Mykytczuk, O., Sy, J., Findlay, W., Amoako, K., Gomis, S., Willson, P., Austin, J. W., Potter, A., Babiuk, L., Allan, B. and Szymanski, C. M. Genome-wide expression analyses of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 reveals coordinate regulation of motility and virulence by flhA. J. Biol. Chem. 279(19): 20327-20338 (2004).
- Szymanski, C. M., Logan, S. M., Linton, D., and Wren, B. W. Campylobacter - a tale of two protein glycosylation systems. Invited review for Trends in Microbiology. 11(5): 233-238 (2003).