F. Chris Minion, M. S., PhD. received his doctorate in December, 1983 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he majored in Cellular and Molecular Biology in the Department of Microbiology. His research focused on Mycoplasma pulmonis as a model system for in vitro analysis of potential mycoplasmal virulence factors. Following his graduate studies, he completed a postdoctoral research assistantship in Bacterial Genetics on temperature regulation of plasmic borne calcium response genes of Yersinia pestis. Dr. Minion received a New Investigator Award from the N. I. H. (April l, 1986) which was successfully renewed July 1, l989, and accepted a tenure track faculty appointment in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine at the Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Iowa State University (June 1, 1986). Dr. Minion's long-range goal is to characterize the genetic and biochemical mechanisms in pathogenesis of mycoplasmal diseases. The model system employed for these studies is Mycoplasma pulmonis, a respiratory and genital tract pathogen of laboratory rodents. Dr Minion's research efforts in mycoplasmal pathogenesis have been focused in two areas: surface components with virulence potential, and development of genetics systems to use in the study of these components. His contributions to this field include the identification of multiphasic binding activities of M. pulmonis, the identification of a membrane-bound hemolysin and nuclease in M. pulmonis, the characterization and optimization of a polyethylene glycol transformation procedure for M. pulmonis, the first use of Tn4001 in mycoplasmas, the development of an integrative vector shuttle system between Escherichia coli and M. pulmonis, and the characterization of high frequency genetic exchange in M. pulmonis. Future studies will focus on the identification and characterization of virulence-related surface activities(our immediate focus will be on the membrane nuclease and hemolysin proteins); the construction of genetic mutants to assess the contribution of specific membrane-related activities to virulence; the fine structure mapping, sequence analysis, and regulation of mycoplasmal promoters; the construction of chromosomal and genetic maps of M. pulmonis; and the study of genetic exchange in mycoplasmas and how it relates to antigenic variation and pathogenesis. This award will allow continued progress toward these goals by providing Dr Minion with sufficient opportunity for research, by reducing future teaching responsibilities, and by ensuring continued support by Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine for his program. The University's commitment to long-range health-related research remains firm as evidenced by the continued support for the Veterinary Medical Research Institute and its commitment to Dr. Minion with technical support and release time for research.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Modified Research Career Development Award (K04)
Project #
5K04AI001021-02
Application #
3071027
Study Section
Bacteriology and Mycology Subcommittee 2 (BM)
Project Start
1991-09-01
Project End
1996-08-31
Budget Start
1992-09-01
Budget End
1993-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Iowa State University
Department
Type
Schools of Veterinary Medicine
DUNS #
City
Ames
State
IA
Country
United States
Zip Code
50011
Hsu, T; Artiushin, S; Minion, F C (1997) Cloning and functional analysis of the P97 swine cilium adhesin gene of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. J Bacteriol 179:1317-23
Artiushin, S; Minion, F C (1996) Arbitrarily primed PCR analysis of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae field isolates demonstrates genetic heterogeneity. Int J Syst Bacteriol 46:324-8
Minion, F C; VanDyk, C; Smiley, B K (1995) Use of an enhanced Escherichia coli opal suppressor strain to screen a Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae library. FEMS Microbiol Lett 131:81-5
Jarvill-Taylor, K J; Minion, F C (1995) The effect of thiol-active compounds and sterols on the membrane-associated hemolysin of Mycoplasma pulmonis. FEMS Microbiol Lett 128:213-8
Artiushin, S; Duvall, M; Minion, F C (1995) Phylogenetic analysis of mycoplasma strain ISM1499 and its assignment to the Acholeplasma oculi strain cluster. Int J Syst Bacteriol 45:104-9
Cao, J; Kapke, P A; Minion, F C (1994) Transformation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum with Tn916, Tn4001, and integrative plasmid vectors. J Bacteriol 176:4459-62
Knudtson, K L; Minion, F C (1994) Use of lac gene fusions in the analysis of Acholeplasma upstream gene regulatory sequences. J Bacteriol 176:2763-6
Tigges, E; Minion, F C (1994) Physical map of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. J Bacteriol 176:4157-9
Kapke, P A; Knudtson, K L; Minion, F C (1994) Transformation of Mollicutes with single-stranded Tn4001 DNA. Plasmid 32:85-8
Tigges, E; Minion, F C (1994) Physical map of the genome of Acholeplasma oculi ISM1499 and construction of a Tn4001 derivative for macrorestriction chromosomal mapping. J Bacteriol 176:1180-3

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