Areas of Interest
Host & Bacterial Adaptation to Intracellular Infection
Our laboratory explores the interaction of intracellular bacterial pathogens with their host cells. We primarily study the Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, a facultative intracytosolic pathogen, investigating mechanisms of adaptation to the host cell environment. In addition, we use L. monocytogenes and other bacterial pathogens as tools with which to explore host mechanisms that regulate infection and innate immune signaling.
Projects in the lab include:
Defining host pathogen interactions that regulate infection by the intracellular bacterial pathogenListeria monocytogenes
Elucidating pathways of bacterial metabolism that enable Listeria monocytogenes to replicate robustly in the mammalian cytosol, facilitating infection and cell-to-cell spread.
Determining key regulatory mechanisms by which the mammalian host initiates protective immunity in response to bacterial pathogens.
Published Articles or Reviews
Bronner DN, Abuaita BH, Chen X, Fitzgerald KA, Nuñez G, He Y, Yin XM,
O'Riordan MX. Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Activates the Inflammasome via NLRP3-
and Caspase-2-Driven Mitochondrial Damage. Immunity. 2015 Sep 15;43(3):451-62.
Abuaita BH, Burkholder KM, Boles BR, O'Riordan MX. The Endoplasmic Reticulum
Stress Sensor Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1α Augments Bacterial Killing through
Sustained Oxidant Production. MBio. 2015 Jul 14;6(4):e00705.
Bronner DN, O'Riordan MX. A near death experience: Shigella manipulates host
death machinery to silence innate immunity. EMBO J. 2014 Oct 1;33(19):2137-9.
Charbonneau ME, Gonzalez-Hernandez MJ, Showalter HD, Donato NJ, Wobus CE,
O'Riordan MX. Small molecule deubiquitinase inhibitors promote macrophage
anti-infective capacity. PLoS One. 2014 Aug 5;9(8):e104096.
Abuaita BH, O'Riordan MX. Listeria exploits damage and death to spread bad
news. Trends Microbiol. 2014 Jul;22(7):370-1.
Bronner DN, O'Riordan MX, He Y. Caspase-2 mediates a Brucella abortus
RB51-induced hybrid cell death having features of apoptosis and pyroptosis. Front
Cell Infect Microbiol. 2013 Nov 27;3:83.
Sun Y, O'Riordan MX. Regulation of bacterial pathogenesis by intestinal
short-chain Fatty acids. Adv Appl Microbiol. 2013;85:93-118.
Cassidy SK, O'Riordan MX. More than a pore: the cellular response to
cholesterol-dependent cytolysins. Toxins. 2013 Apr 12;5(4):618-36.
Sun Y, Wilkinson BJ, Standiford TJ, Akinbi HT, O'Riordan MX. Fatty acids
regulate stress resistance and virulence factor production for Listeria
monocytogenes. J Bacteriol. 2012 Oct;194(19):5274-84.
Cassidy SK, Hagar JA, Kanneganti TD, Franchi L, Nuñez G, O'Riordan MX.
Membrane damage during Listeria monocytogenes infection triggers a caspase-7
dependent cytoprotective response. PLoS Pathog. 2012;8(7):e1002628.
Burkholder KM, Perry JW, Wobus CE, Donato NJ, Showalter HD, Kapuria V,
O'Riordan MX. A small molecule deubiquitinase inhibitor increases localization of
inducible nitric oxide synthase to the macrophage phagosome and enhances
bacterial killing. Infect Immun. 2011 Dec;79(12):4850-7.
Radtke AL, Anderson KL, Davis MJ, DiMagno MJ, Swanson JA, O'Riordan MX.
Listeria monocytogenes exploits cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance
regulator (CFTR) to escape the phagosome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Jan
25;108(4):1633-8.
