Charles D. Cox, Ph.D.
Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1971 |
Professor of Microbiology Campus address: 3-752 BSB Mailing address: 51 Newton Rd. 3-752 Bowen Science Building Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone: 319-335-7779 Email: |
Iron Metabolism and Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a lethal pathogen in nosocomial infections. Mucoid isolates from cystic fibrosis patients demonstrate low invasiveness in comparison to classical strains from hospital patients. Bacterial growth and iron acquisition are being studied in defined media, human sera, and epithelial lining fluid in order to define the critical environmental factors determining growth rate. One of these factors is iron. P. aeruginosa produces siderophores, hemolysins, and proteinases that release iron from cells and from iron-binding proteins. This research has resulted in the biosynthesis of siderophore analogues that inhibit the iron acquisition by P. aeruginosa. Research projects involve the physiology and molecular biology of P. aeruginosa growth in order to develop additional mechanisms of inhibiting bacterial growth.
New Products from Corn
Additional research is directed toward assisting corn growers and industries. The wet milling industry conducts an ill-defined corn fermentation called steeping. Steep lactobacilli have been isolated and are being developed for industrial inoculation strategies. This technology will assist in increasing starch yields and the value of the high protein co-products, steep liquor and gluten. Genetically engineered improvements in the steep lactobacilli will increase industrial productivity and corn value.
Recent publications
DeWitte, J. J., C. D. Cox, G. T. Rasmussen, and B. E. Britigan. 2001. Assessment of structural features of the pseudomonas siderophore pyochelin required for its ability to promote oxidant-mediated endothelial cell injury. Arch. Bioehcm. Biophys. 393:236-244.
Zerr, M. A., D. Drake, W. Johnson, and C. D. Cox. 2001. Porphyromonas endodontalis binds, reduces and grows on human hemoglobin. Oral Microbiol. and Immunol. 16:229-234.
Britigan, B. D., G. T. Rasmussen, O. Olakanmi, C. D. Cox. 2000. Iron acquisition from Pseudomonas aeruginosa siderophores by human phagocytes: an additional mechanism of host defense through iron sequestration. Infect. Immun. 68:1271-1275.