F. Heath Damron, PhD

Associate Professor and Director of the Vaccine Development center WVU-Health Sciences Center

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Microbiology, Immunology & Cell Biology

Classification:

Faculty

Publications of F. Heath Damron, PhD

2016

1. M. Barbier, F. H. Damron. Rainbow vectors for broad-range bacterial fluorescence labeling. PLOSOne. In print

2015

2. Varga J., Barbier M., Mulet X, Bielecki P, Bartell J, Owings J, Martinez-Ramos I, Hittle L, Davis MR Jr, Damron F.H., Liechti G, Puchałka J, Dos Santos V, Ernst R, Papin J, Albertí S, Oliver A, Goldberg J. Genotypic and phenotypic analyses of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic bronchiectasis isolate reveal differences from cystic fibrosis and laboratory strains. BMC Genomics 2015 Oct 30; 16(1):883 PMID 26519161
3. J. Dai, H. Wei, C. Tian, F. H. Damron, J. Zhou, D. Qiu. An extracytoplasmic function sigma factor-dependent periplasmic glutathione peroxidase is involved in oxidative stress response of Shewanella oneidensis.  BMC Microbiology 2015 Feb 18;15(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s12866-015-0357-0. 25887418

2014

4. M. Barbier*, F.H. Damron, P. Bielecki, M. Suárez-Diez, J. Puchałka, S. Albertí, V. dos Santos, J. B. Goldberg.  From the environment to the host: re-wiring of the transcriptome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from 22°C to 37°C PLOS ONE 9(2): e89941. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089941 * M.B. and F.H.D contributed equally to this publication. PMID 24587139

2013

5. F.H. Damron* and M. Barbier* Predatory bacteria: Living Antibiotics, Biocontrol Agents, or Probiotics? Journal of Postdoctoral Research Dec. 2013 * M.B. and F.H.D contributed equally to this publication. Link to article - http://dx.doi.org/qnz

6. M. Barbier* and F.H. Damron.* A Recipe for a Successful Postdoctoral Research Symposium. Journal of Postdoctoral Affairs Link to article * M.B. and F.H.D contributed equally to this publication
7. Y. Yin, F. H. Damron, T. R. Withers, C. L. Pritchett, X. Wang, M. J. Schurr and H. D. Yu.  Expression of mucoid induction factor MucE is dependent upon the alternate sigma factor AlgU in Pseudomonas aeruginosa BMC Microbiology 13:232. PMID 24138584
8. F. H. Damron, M. Barbier, E. S. McKenney, M. J. Schurr and J. B. Goldberg. Genes Required for and Effects of Inducible Alginate Overproduction by Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on PIAAMV. Journal of Bacteriology 195:4020-4036. PMID 23794622
   • PIAAMV is a growth medium that I developed which activates alginate overproduction and several other cystic fibrosis-relevant phenotypes.  Here is this study, we determined all of the genes required for alginate production on PIAAMV.  We next analyzed the transcriptional response due to growth on PIAAMV.  And third, we observed that growth on PIAAMV attenuates P. aeruginosa in a mouse acute pneumonia model of infection.  And finally, we observed the mice immunized with P. aeruginosa grown on PIAAMV are protected from future infections, indicating PIAAMV may be useful as a novel attenuated live vaccine strategy.    
   • Cover art: The image was selected from this publication and featured on the cover of the Journal of Bacteriology in August 2013
   • 7^th Most-Read article in Journal of Bacteriology in the month of September 2013
9. M. Barbier, J. P. Owings, I. Martinez-Ramos, F. H. Damron, R. Gomila, J. Blazquez, J. B. Goldberg, and S. Alberti. 2013. Lysine Trimethylation of EF-Tu Mimics Platelet-Activating Factor To Initiate Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pneumonia. MBio 4. PMID 23653444
   • This publication describes a novel post-translational modification that is involved in colonization and virulence of P. aeruginosa.
   • Highlighted on mBio sphere:  Protein as spork: Opportunistic pathogen uses 1 protein in 2 ways
   • Highlighted on Science Daily: Pathogen Turns Protein Into a Virulence Factor in One Easy Step
10. F. H. Damron, E. S. McKenney, M. Barbier, G. W. Liechti, H. P. Schweizer, and J. B. Goldberg. 2013. Construction of Mobilizable Mini-Tn7 Vectors for Bioluminescent Detection of Gram-Negative Bacteria and Single-Copy Promoter lux Reporter Analysis. Applied Environmental Microbiology 79:4149-53. PMID 23584769
    • In this work, several new vectors are described for bioluminescent tagging via the mini-Tn7 system.
    • Cover art: This image was featured on the cover of AEM in July 2013.
11. T.R. Withers, F. H. Damron, Y. Yin, H. Yu.  Truncation of type IV pilin induces mucoidy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO579. 2013.  Microbiology Open 2:459-70. PMID 23533140
    • Whole genome sequencing of strain PAO579 revealed mutations in pilin can cause activation of AlgW proteolysis and alginate overproduction.
12. F. H. Damron, E. McKenney, H. P. Schweizer, J.B. Goldberg. 2013. Construction of a Broad-Host-Range Tn7-Based Vector for Single-Copy PBAD-Controlled Gene Expression in Gram-Negative Bacteria. Applied Environmental Microbiology 79: 718-721. PMID 23124231
    • In this work a new vector (pTJ1 named for Thomas Jefferson) was constructed which integrates genes into the chromosome under the control of the arabinose inducible promoter P_BAD. 

2012

13. F. H. Damron and J. B. Goldberg. 2012. Proteolytic regulation of alginate overproduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Molecular Microbiology 84:595-607.  PMID 22497280
    • This review describes the current state of knowledge in the field.

14. F. H. Damron, J. P. Owings, Y. Okkotsu, J. J. Varga, J. R. Schurr, J. B. Goldberg, M. J. Schurr and H. D. Yu. 2012. Analysis of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Regulon Controlled by the Sensor Kinase KinB and Sigma Factor RpoN. Journal of Bacteriology 194: 1317-1330. PMID 22210761
    • 20^th Most-Read article in Journal of Bacteriology in the month of March 2012
    • Microarray analysis, proteomics, phenotypic analysis, and an acute pneumonia model were used to show that the sensor kinase KinB is not only a regulator of the exopolysaccharide alginate, but also directly controls virulence of the bacterium.

2011

15. J. Rao*, F. H. Damron*, M. Basler,  A. DiGiandomenico, N. E. Sherman, J.W. Fox, J. Mekalanos, and J. B. Goldberg. 2011. Proteomic analysis of nonmucoid and mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates from a cystic fibrosis patient. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 2: 162 *J.R. and F.H.D contributed equally to this publication. PMID 21863142
    • Highlighted in editorial:  Frank, D., Research topic on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Biology, Genetics, and Host-Pathogen Interactions. Frontiers in Microbiology. PMID 22347214
    • Multiple proteomic approaches were compared to describe the key differences in two cystic fibrosis isolates.
16. F. H. Damron, M. R. Davis Jr., T. R. Withers, R. K. Ernst, J. B. Goldberg, G. Yu, and H. D. Yu. 2011. Vanadate and triclosan synergistically induce alginate overproduction by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1.  Molecular Microbiology. 81: 554-570. PMID 21631603
    • “Cystic Fibrosis - Study Findings from F.H. Damron et al. Broaden Understanding of Cystic Fibrosis” Life Science Weekly
    • This publication laid the foundation for most of my current research and best exemplifies my postdoctoral studies.  In this work, a novel medium was formulated which activates multiple phenotypes that are currently observed in cystic fibrosis isolates.  The medium, PIAAMV, induces alginate overproduction mimicking the stress responses that P. aeruginosa activates for survival in the lung.
17. F. H. Damron and H.D. Yu. 2011. Pseudomonas aeruginosa MucD regulates alginate pathway through activation of MucA degradation via MucP proteolytic activity. Journal of Bacteriology. 193, 286-291. PMID 21036998
    • Typically regulated proteolysis of MucA by protease AlgW is the initial proteolytic event leading to alginate overproduction.  However, here an exception to that dogma was observed where protease MucP could directly activate proteolysis. 

2009

18. F. H. Damron, J.Napper, M.A. Teter and H.D. Yu.  2009. Lipotoxin F of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an AlgU-dependent and alginate-independent outer membrane protein involved in resistance to oxidative stress and adhesion to A549 human lung epithelia Microbiology 155, 1028 - 1038.  PMID 19332805
    • Activation of alginate overproduction causes expression of co-regulated factors.  LptF is highly up-regulated in mucoid and cystic fibrosis strains and provides the bacterium with several advantageous phenotypes.
19. F. H. Damron, D. Qiu and H.D. Yu. 2009. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa sensor kinase KinB negatively controls alginate production through AlgW-dependent MucA proteolysis. Journal of Bacteriology 191, 2285-2295. PMID 19168621
    • This publication is the key work of my Ph.D. research.  KinB is a sensor kinase that regulates alginate overproduction.  In the absence of kinB, regulated proteolysis of MucA occurs.  It is possible that KinB senses environmental conditions and activates alginate overproduction through AlgB and RpoN transcription factors.

2008

20. D. Qiu*, F. H. Damron*, T.Mima, H.P. Schweizer, H.D. Yu. 2008. PBAD-Based shuttle vectors for functional analysis of toxic and highly regulated genes in Pseudomonas and Burkholderia spp. and other bacteria.  Applied Environmental Microbiology. 74:7422-7426.* D.Q. and F.H.D contributed equally to this publication.  PMID 18849445  
    • In this publication, we described the construction of multi-copy vectors for gene expression.  Currently these vectors are being utilized in many laboratories for numerous applications.  Link to Google Scholar citations.