The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Barbara E. Murray, M.D.

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  • Barbara Murray, M.D. Professor
  • Department of Internal Medicine
  • Director, Division of Infectious Diseases
  • University of Texas-Houston Medical School
    6431 Fannin Street, MSE R238
    Houston, Texas 77030
  • Telephone: (713) 500-6745
    Laboratory Telephone: (713) 500-6748
    e-mail: Barbara.E.Murray@uth.tmc.edu

Education:

M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, 1973

Research Interests:

Genetics and mechanisms of pathogenicity and of antibiotic resistance in Enterococcus

This laboratory's broad interests involve the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of pathogenicity, resistance to antibiotics and molecular epidemiology, particularly of enterococci (e.g., E. faecalis and E. faecium). Recent acquisition of new antibiotic resistance traits have led these organisms to be called "super bugs" because of the paucity of any known effective antimicrobials. This laboratory described the first isolate of enterococci producing penicillinase and also their first gentamicin resistance transposon, a property which has important consequences for enterococcal endocarditis. Work in pathogenicity has also focused on enterococci because they are important causes of endocarditis and hospital-acquired infections. Current work, funding by NIH, involves defining the enterococcal antigens which elicit antibody responses in patients infected by these organisms, generating isogenic mutants for studies of virulence and pathogenicity, testing antiserum for protective capabilities, investigating biofilm formation, and studying potential virulence genes (including collagen and other extracellular matrix adhesin genes), pili, and the mechanisms by which these molecules cause infection. Dr. Murray has participated in collaborations to sequence strains of enterococci, including the first closure of an E. faecium genome. Procedures routinely used include genomic sequencing, ELISAs, Western blot analysis, cloning, mutagenesis, microarray analyses and RT-PCR, and other molecular biology techniques, as well as extracellular matrix protein adherence assays, biofilm assays, fluorescent microscopy, transcytosis assays, and animal models (peritonitis, UTI, endocarditis, GI colonization). There are active collaborations between the Division of Infectious Diseases, MMG and the Center for Matrix Biology-IBT and shared graduate students with faculty in these areas. Dr. Murray is the Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases and co-director for the Center for the Study of Emerging and Re-Emerging Pathogens. Work in her group provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of bacterial pathogenesis, from clinical issues to details of gene expression and protein function.

Selected Publications:

  • Nallapareddy SR, Singh KV, Sillanpää J, Zhao M, Murray BE (2011). Relative Contributions of Ebp Pili and the Collagen Adhesin Ace to Host Extracellular Matrix Protein Adherence and Experimental Urinary Tract Infection by Enterococcus faecalis OG1RF.. Infect Immun. 2901-2910. [abstract].
  • Nallapareddy SR, Sillanpää J, Mitchell J, Singh KV, Chowdhury SA, Weinstock GM, Sullam PM, Murray BE (2011). Conservation of Ebp-Type Pilus Genes among Enterococci and Demonstration of Their Role in Adherence of Enterococcus faecalis to Human Platelets. Infect Immun. 79:2911-2920. [abstract].
  • Galloway-Peña JR, Rice LB, Murray BE (2011). Analysis of PBP5 of Early U.S. Isolates of Enterococcus faecium: Sequence Variation Alone Does Not Explain Increasing Ampicillin Resistance over Time. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 55:3272-3277. [abstract].
  • Singh KV, Nallapareddy SR, Sillanpää J, Murray BE (2010). Importance of the collagen adhesin ace in pathogenesis and protection against Enterococcus faecalis experimental endocarditis. PLoS Pathog. 6:e1000716. [abstract].
  • Bourgogne A, Thomson LC, Murray BE (2010). Bicarbonate enhances expression of the endocarditis and biofilm associated pilus locus, ebpR-ebpABC, in Enterococcus faecalis. BMC Microbiol. 10:17. [abstract].
  • Sillanpää J, Nallapareddy SR, Qin X, Singh KV, Muzny DM, Kovar CL, Nazareth LV, Gibbs RA, Ferraro MJ, Steckelberg JM, Weinstock GM, Murray BE (2009). A collagen-binding adhesin, Acb, and ten other putative MSCRAMM and pilus family proteins of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (Streptococcus bovis Group, biotype I). J Bacteriol. 191:6643-6653. [abstract].
  • Nallapareddy SR, Singh KV, Okhuysen PC, Murray BE (2008). A functional collagen adhesin gene, acm, in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium correlates with the recent success of this emerging nosocomial pathogen. Infect Immun.76:4110-4119. [abstract].
  • Nallapareddy SR, Singh KV, Murray BE (2008). Contribution of the collagen adhesin Acm to pathogenesis of Enterococcus faecium in experimental endocarditis. Infect Immun. 76:4120-4128. [abstract].