The main purpose of my research is to better understand how the environment effects gene expression and DNA methylation in V. vulnificus. To test this, I am using a combination of culture based assays, reverse transcriptase qPCR, and SMRT sequencing. From my research, I have identified changes in genomic methylation in the known pathogen V. vulnificus CMCP6 when grown in seawater versus human serum. Currently I am investigating differential methylation and expression of six genes related to survival and virulence. This research may shed light on a novel method for virulence expression in bacteria lacking definitive virulence genes.
Publications
3. Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. Under review. Comparison of DNA Methylation in Vibrio vulnificus Grown in Human Serum vs Seawater. Microbial Resource Announcements.
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2. K.H. Nguyen, C. Senay, S. Young, B. Nayak, A. Lobos, J. Conrad, and V.J. Harwood. 2018. Determination of Wild Animal Sources of Fecal Indicator Bacteria by Microbial Source Tracking (MST) Influences Regulatory Decisions. Water Research 144: 424-434. PDF
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1. Kathleen M. Scott, John Williams, Cody M. B. Porter, Sydney Russel, Tara L. Harmer, John H. Paul, Kirsten M. Antonen ,Megan K. Bridges, Gary J. Camper, Christie K. Campla, Leila G. Casella, Eva Chase, James W. Conrad, Mercedez C. Cruz, Darren S. Dunlap, Laura Duran, Elizabeth M. Fahsbender, Dawn B. Goldsmith, Ryan F. Keeley, Matthew R. Kondoff, Breanna I. Kussy, Marannda K. Lane, Stephanie Lawler, Brittany A. Leigh, Courtney Lewis, Lygia M. Lostal, Devon Marking, Paola A. Mancera, Evan C. McClenthan, Emily A. McIntyre, Jessica A. Mine , Swapnil Modi, Brittney D. Moore, William A. Morgan. Kaleigh M. Nelson, Kimmy N. Nguyen, Nicholas Ogburn, David G. Parrino, Anangamanjari D. Pedapudi, Rebecca P. Pelham, Amanda M. Preece, Elizabeth A. Rampersad, Jason C. Richardson, Christina M. Rodgers, Brent L. Schaffer, Nancy E. Sheridan, Michael R. Solone, Zachery R. Staley, Maki Tabuchi, Ramond J. Waide, Pauline W. Wanjugi, Suzanne Young, Alicia Clum, Chris Daum, Marcel Huntemann, Natalia Ivanova, Nikos Kyrpides, Natalia Mikhailova, Krishnaveni Palaniappan, Manoj Pillay, T.B.K. Reddy, Nicole Shapiro, Dimitrios Stamatis, Neha Varghese, Tanja Woyke, Rich Boden, Sharyn K. Freyermuth, Cheryl A. Kerfeld. 2018. Genomes of ubiquitous marine and hypersaline Hydrogenovibrio, Thiomicrorhabdus and Thiomicrospira spp. encode a diversity of mechanisms to sustain chemolithoautotrophy in heterogeneous environments. Environmental Biology 20: 2686-2708. PDF
Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. 2019. Does Gene Expression Modulation in Vibrio vulnificus Support Habitat Plasticity? Oral. Water Microbiology 2019. UNC Chapel Hill, NC.
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Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. 2018. Environmental Effects on Virulence Associated Gene Expression in Vibrio vulnificus and Potential for Epigenetic Regulation. Oral. Florida Branch American Society for Microbiology. Orlando, Florida.
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Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. 2018. Methylation of Virulence-Associated Genes in the Opportunistic Human Pathogen Vibrio vulnificus: Transition from Seawater to Human Serum. Oral. Water Microbiology 2018. UNC Chapel Hill, NC.
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Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. 2017. DNA Methylation is a Potential Regulator of Virulence Associated Gene Expression in Vibrio vulnificus. Poster. American Society for Microbiology Southeastern Branch Meeting. St. Petersburg, Florida.
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Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. 2017. Epigenetic Modifications are Potential Regulators of Virulence Associated Gene Expression in Vibrio vulnificus. Oral. Florida Branch American Society for Microbiology. Clearwater, Florida.
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Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. 2017. Potential for Epigenetic Modifications of the Genome to Influence Vibrio vulnificus Virulence. Poster. FEMS. Valencia, Spain.
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Conrad, J. W. and V. J. Harwood. 2016. Evaluation of ultrafiltration and elution solutions as a means to concentrate indicators of fecal contamination in water bodies. Poster. American Society for Microbiology (General Meeting). Boston, Massachusetts.
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Conrad, J. and V. J. Harwood. 2015. Evaluation of ultrafiltration as a means to concentrate indicators of fecal contamination in water bodies. Poster. American Society for Microbiology Southeastern Branch Meeting. Kennesaw, Georgia.
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Conrad, J., P. Vasudevan, J. Moore, and J. Mott. 2015. Association of Putative Virulence Factors and Antibiotic Resistance with Phylogenetic Analysis of a Region of the vvhA gene in Vibrio vulnificus. Poster. American Society for Microbiology (General Meeting). New Orleans, Louisiana.
Presentations
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