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

Magnus Höök, Ph.D.

Back

  • Magnus Höök, Ph.D.Professor
  • Department of Microbiology &
    Molecular Genetics
  • University of Texas-Houston Medical School
    6431 Fannin Street, IBT 603D
    Houston, Texas 77030
  • Telephone: (713) 677-7551
    e-mail:mhook@ibt.tamhsc.edu

Education:

Ph.D., Uppsala University, 1974

Research Interests:

Extracellular matrix biology

The primary interests of our laboratory is to try to understand the structure and function of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Of particular interest is the study of the role of host ECM molecules as substrata for microbial adhesion. This process, which is believed to represent a critical initial step in the development of an infection, involves specific cell-surface proteins that recognize and bind with a high affinity to components in the host tissue. Our goal is to decipher these events at a molecular level, and based on structural analysis of the interacting components, design new strategies to prevent and treat infections. In these studies, we use a combination of biochemical, molecular biological and cell biological techniques. In addition, we are studying the importance of the ECM in the structural organization of tissues and in cell signaling and development.

Selected Publications:

  • Seo, N-S., Zeng, C.Q.-Y., Yyser, J.M., Utama, B., Crawford, S.E., Kim, K.J., Höök M ., Estes, M.K. (2008) “Integrins α1β1 and α2β1 are receptors fo the rotavirus enterotoxin” PNAS 105:8811-8818.[abstract]
  • Bowden, M.G., Heuck, A.P., Ponnuraj, K., Kolosova, E., Choe, D., Gurusiddappa, S., Narayana, S.V.L., Johnson, A.E., Höök M. (2008) “Evidence for the “dock, lock and latch” ligand binding mechanism of the Staphylococcal MSCRAMM SdrG” J. Bio. Chem. 283:638-47.[abstract]
  • Caswell, C.C., Lukomska, E., Seo, N.-S., Höök M , Lukomski, S. (2007) “Scl1-dependent internalization of group A Streptococcus via direct interactions with the α2β1 integrin enhances pathogen survival and re-emergence” Mol. Microbiol. 64:1319-1331.[abstract]
  • Labandeira-Rey, M., Couzon, F., Boisset, S., Brown, E.L., Bes, M., Benito, Y., Barbu, E.M., Vazquez, V., Höök M ., Etienne, J., Vandenesch, F., Bowden, M.G. (2007) “Staphylococcus aureus Panton Valentine Leukocidin causes necrotizing pneumonia” Science. 315:1082-3.[abstract]
  • Nallapareddy, S.R., Singh, K.V., Sillanpaa, J., Garsin, D.A., Höök M ., Erlandsen, S.L., Murray, B.E., (2006) Endocarditis and biofilm-associated pili of Enterococcus faecalis J. Clin. Investigation 116:2799-807.[abstract]
  • Zong, Y., Xu, Y., Liang, X., Keene, D.R., Höök, A., Gurusiddappa, S., Höök M Narayana, S.V.L. (2005) “A ‘collagen hug’ model for Staphylococcus aureus CNA binding to collagen” EMBO 24:4224-4236.[abstract]
  • Bowden MG, Chen W, Singvall J, Xu Y, Peacock SJ, Valtulina V, Speziale P, Höök M (2005) Identification and preliminary characterization of cell-wall-anchored proteins of Staphylococcus epidermidis. Microbiolgy 151:1453 [abstract]
  • Schwarz-Linek U, Höök M, Potts JR (2004) The molecular basis of fibronectin-mediated bacterial adherence to host cells. J Mol Micro 52:631 [abstract]
  • Rivas JM, Speziale P, Patti JM, Höök M (2004) MSCRAMM-targeted vaccines and immunotherapy for staphylococcal infection. Curr Opin Drug Discov Devel 7:223 [abstract]
  • Lee LYL, Liang X, Höök M, Brown EL (2004) Indentification and characterization of the C3-binding domain of the Staphylococcus aureus extracellular fibrinogen-binding protein (Efb). J Biol Chem, 279:50710 [abstract]
  • Ponnuraj K, Bowden MG, Davis S, Gurusiddappa S, Moore D, Choe D, Xu Y, Höök M, Narayana SVL (2003) A "dock, lock and latch" structural model for a staphylococcal adhesin binding to fibrinogen. Cell 115:217 [abstract]
  • Schwarz-Linek U, Werner JM, Pickford AR, Gurusiddappa S, Kim JH, Pilka ES, Briggs JAG, Höök M, Campbell ID, Potts JR (2003) Pathogenic bacteria attach to human fibronectin via a tendem beta-zipper. Nature 423:177 [abstract]

[Search PubMed for more papers by Magnus Höök]