Dr Jo Stevens
Group Leader
Contact details
Address
- Street
-
The Roslin Institute
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian - City
- Post code
- EH25 9RG
Availability
Willingness to take Ph.D. students: Yes
Background
Since obtaining my PhD on the subject of ‘Influenza Virus Assembly Mechanisms’ in 2000, I have worked on cell signalling mechanisms of human platelets and host: pathogen interactions of bacterial intracellular pathogens. As Group Leader at The Roslin Institute, my group focuses on the study of bacterial pathogens of both clinical and veterinary importance. We are interested in identifying novel virulence factors and understand how these microbes evade cell-autonomous immunity mechanisms. Common approaches include bacterial genetic manipulation, quantitative proteomics, protein-protein interaction techniques (i.e. Y2H), siRNA knockdown and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Our goal is to carry out basic science that will ultimately inform the design of diagnostic assays, novel vaccines and treatments.
In addition to my scientific research interests, I am also Postgraduate Convenor for the Division of Infection and Immunity, manage the Containment Level 3 laboratory at Roslin and perform the role of GM Biological Safety Officer for the Easter Bush Campus.
Qualifications
BSc. (Hons) Microbiology, Class 2(I), University of Reading, 1996.
PhD Molecular Virology, Thesis Title: Assembly of Influenza Viruses, University of Reading, 2000.
Research summary
Studies intracellular bacterial pathogens, with specific interest in the bacterial genes required for intracellular survival and evasion of innate immune responses.
Current research interests
The melioidosis pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei is a facultative intracellular pathogen of humans and animals that enters non-phagocytic cells, escapes from endosomes and propels itself within and between cells by continuous polymerisation of actin at one bacterial pole (known as actin based motility). Actin-based motility is also a feature of infection by the closely related glanders pathogen B. mallei and the avirulent saprophyte B. thailandensis. With previous BBSRC support, I have unravelled how B. pseudomallei stimulates actin assembly to propel itself within and between eukaryotic cells. I characterised a factor required for intracellular actin-based motility (BimA), surveyed its diversity in natural populations and identified functional orthologues in other Burkholderia species . BimA is required for intracellular survival, intercellular spread and virulence and acts in a manner distinct from most other pathogen-associated factors required for actin-based motility. Moreover, I recently found that BimA from closely-related Burkholderia species use distinct strategies to nucleate actin. B. thailandensis BimA recruits and activates a cellular complex that assembles actin (Arp2/3) via a unique central acidic domain, whereas B. pseudomallei BimA exhibits an intrinsic Arp2/3-independent ability to nucleate actin in a manner akin to eukaryotic formin- and spire-family proteins. My ongoing research is aimed at further understanding the mechanisms by which BimA proteins from related Burkholderia species function as actin nucleators. Towards this aim I am trying to understand how posttranslational modifications of the proteins affect function as well as define any differences in the host cell proteins they may interact with. I am also investigating the role of BimA and actin-based motility in the evasion of intracellular recognition and killing mechanisms in host cells.-
Analysis of the role of the QseBC two-component sensory system in epinephrine-induced motility and intracellular replication of Burkholderia pseudomallei
In:
PLoS ONE, vol. 18
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282098
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Lymphostatin, a virulence factor of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli, inhibits proliferation and cytokine responses of human T cells in a manner associated with cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis or necrosis
In:
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, vol. 12, pp. 1-20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2022.941939
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The Development of 3D Bovine Intestinal Organoid Derived Models to Investigate Mycobacterium Avium ssp Paratuberculosis Pathogenesis
In:
Frontiers in Veterinary Science, vol. 9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.921160
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Using species A rotavirus reverse genetics to engineer chimeric viruses expressing SARS-CoV-2 spike epitopes: Heterologous viral peptide expression by rotavirus A
(25 pages)
In:
Journal of Virology, vol. 96, pp. 1-25
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00488-22
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Tissue proteomic analysis identifies mechanisms and stages of immunopathology in fatal COVID-19
In:
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1165/rcmb.2021-0358OC
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Mechanisms and Stages of Covid-19 Immunopathology Revealed by Tissue-Specific Proteomes
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3854606
Research output: › Other contribution (Published) -
Detection and differentiation of Burkholderia species with pathogenic potential in environmental soil samples
In:
PLoS ONE, vol. 16, pp. e0245175
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245175
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Functional redundancy of Burkholderia pseudomallei phospholipase C enzymes and their role in virulence
In:
Scientific Reports, vol. 10, pp. 19242
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76186-z
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The interaction of Escherichia coli O157 :H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium flagella with host cell membranes and cytoskeletal components
In:
Microbiology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.000959
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei Genes Induced During Infection of Macrophages by Differential Fluorescence Induction
In:
Frontiers in Microbiology, vol. 11, pp. 72
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.00072
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)