Associate Professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Cell Biology Ph.D., Oregon Health Sciences University (Portland, OR) 2090 Health Science North (Office) (304) 293-5843 (Office) 2074 Health Science North (Lab) (304) 293-3951 (Lab.) jolson@hsc.wvu.edu Curriculum Vitae

The research focus of our laboratory is microbial-host interactions, specifically examining how bacteria interact with and are able to manipulate host or eukaryotic cell function. Bacteria have incorporated eukaryotic cell strategies in the design of toxins, which provide them with a mechanism for controlling the eukaryotic cell environment with which they co-exist. Bacterial toxins frequently include common enzymatic activities and manipulate eukaryotic cells by altering the function of proteins integral to cell structure, function and signal transduction pathways. One toxin we study, ExoS, is translocated into eukaryotic cells through a needle-like structure (the type III secretory process), providing the bacterium with a mechanism for directly manipulating eukaryotic cells it contacts. Using ExoS and other bacterial toxins, studies in our laboratory are directed at examining: 1) how bacteria use toxins to manipulate eukaryotic cells; 2) how the host cell influences bacterial infectious processes; 3) how bacterial toxins can be used as tools to understand complex signal transduction mechanisms in normal and abnormal cells; and 4) how bacterial toxins can be used as therapeutic agents. Our studies focus on problems associated with infectious diseases, cystic fibrosis, cancer and bioterrorism.

Publications:

Fraylick, J.E., E.A. Rucks, D.M. Greene, T.S. Vincent, J.C. Olson. Eukaryotic cell determination of ExoS ADP-ribosyltransferase substrate specificity. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 291:91-100, 2002.

Fraylick, J.E., M.J. Riese, T.S. Vincent, J.T. Barbieri, J.C. Olson. ADP-ribosylation and functional effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoenzyme S on cellular RalA. Biochemistry 41:9680-9687, 2002.

Rucks, E.A., J.E. Fraylick, L.M Brandt, T.S. Vincent, J.C. Olson. Cell line differences in bacterially translocated ExoS ADP- ribosyltransferase substrate specificity. Microbiology 149:319-331, 2003.

Rocha, C.L., J. Coburn, E.A. Rucks, J.C. Olson. Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoenzyme S as a bifunctional enzyme in J774A.1 macrophages. Infect. Immun. 71:5296-5306. 2003.

Rucks, E.A., J.C. Olson. Characterization of an ExoS type III translocation resistant cell line. Infect. Immun. 73:638-643, 2005.

Rocha, C.L., E.A. Rucks, D.M. Vincent, J. C. Olson. Examination of the coordinate effects of Pseudomonas ExoS on Rac1. Infect. Immun 73: 5458-5467, 2005.