Phone: (413) 585-3815
Office: Sabin-Reed Hall 457
Email: cwhitezi@smith.edu
Website:

Courses:

Fall

Bio 306 Immunology
Bio 307 Immunology Laboratory

Spring
Bio 321 Seminar: Topics in Microbiology

Research Interests:

Bacteria are able to sense a variety of environmental stimuli, such as temperature, pH, osmolarity, and various nutrients. Bacteria subsequently use this information to regulate gene expression based on their surroundings. This is particularly true among bacterial pathogens in which the expression of virulence factors, including toxins, adhesins, and pili, is regulated in response to host and external environments. My laboratory researches the signal transduction pathways by which the bacterium Escherichia coli senses environmental cues and uses these signals to control expression of pyelonephritis associated pili (Pap), hairlike appendages that allow attachment to uroepithelilal cells. Understanding the regulation of Pap expression is important as these fimbrial adhesins facilitate colonization of a host, leading to upper urinary tract infections. Our recent research focuses on the role of the protein RimJ as a repressor of pap transcription in response to environmental changes. In addition, we are investigating, genome-wide, the effect of temperature and RimJ on gene transcription. Our laboratory utilizes a variety of molecular biology, genetic, immunological, and biochemical approaches in the course of our research.

Representative Publications:

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles (** indicates Smith College student author):

White-Ziegler, Christine A., Alia M. Black, Stacie H. Eliades**, Sarah Young**, and Kimberly Porter**. 2002. The N-acetyltransferase RimJ responds to environmental stimuli to repress pap fimbrial transcription in Escherichi coli. Journal of Bacteriology. Vol. 184, pp. 4334-4342.

White-Ziegler, Christine A., Anuradha Villapakkam**, Karla Ronaszeki**, and Sarah Young**. 2000. H-NS controls pap and daa fimbrial transcription in Escherichi coli in response to multiple environmental cues. Journal of Bacteriology. Vol. 182, pp. 6391-6400.

White-Ziegler, Christine A., Melinda L. Angus Hill, Bruce A. Braaten, Marjan W. van der Woude, and David A. Low. 1998. Thermoregulation of Escherichia coli pap transcription: H-NS is a temperature-dependent DNA methylation blocking factor. Molecular Microbiology. Vol. 28 , pp. 1121-1137.

White-Ziegler, Christine A. and David A. Low. 1992. Thermoregulation of the pap operon: evidence for the involvement of RimJ, the N-Terminal acetylase of ribosomal protein S5. Journal of Bacteriology. Vol. 174, pp. 7003-7012.

White-Ziegler, Christine A., Lawrence B. Blyn, Bruce A. Braaten, and David A. Low. 1990. Identification of an Escherichia coli genetic locus involved in thermoregulation of the pap operon. Journal of Bacteriology. Vol. 172, pp. 1775-1782.

Published Abstracts (** = Smith College student author, poster presenters underlined):

Malhowski, A.J. **, S. Young**, and C. A. White-Ziegler. Investigation of Temperature- and RimJ- Regulated Genes in Escherichia coli using DNA Microarrays. American Society for Microbiology 104th General Meeting Abstracts (2004): B-225

Slack, J. **, A. L. LeClerc**, A.J. Malhowski**, and C. A. White-Ziegler. Expression Analysis and functional domain mapping of RimJ, an environmental regulator of pap fimbrial transcription in Escherichia coli. American Society for Microbiology 104th General Meeting Abstracts (2004): B-223

Young, S.**, M. S. Ploutz**, A. M. Black, and C. A. White-Ziegler. RimJ, an acetyltransferase that acts as an environmental regulator of pap fimbrial transcription in Escherichia coli. Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Response 2003 Meeting Abstracts (2003): 192

Black, A. M., S. H. Eliades**, K. Porter**, S. Young**, J. L. Hoot**, C. A. White-Ziegler. The N-acetyltransferase RimJ responds to environmental stimuli to repress pap fimbrial transcription in Escherichia coli. American Society for Microbiology 102nd General Meeting Abstracts (2002): B-175

Eliades, S. H. **, S. Mehta**, C. A. White-Ziegler. Regulation of pap fimbrial transcription by RimJ and S5 acetylation in Escherichia coli. American Society for Microbiology 102nd General Meeting Abstracts (2002): B-176