Biography

Bacterial Genetics and Physiology – My group uses the model organism E. coli to study basic cellular physiology with a focus on ribosome function and capsule production.

In regard to ribosome function, our goal is to establish the roles of conserved ribosome parts that are not directly involved in protein synthesis. This information is important because it will allow researchers to explore new antibiotic targets and also to have a comprehensive model of protein synthesis in the study of disease.

Our interest in capsule synthesis developed from a genetic screen we used to identify mutant bacteria that resist sedimentation when they are centrifuged. We discovered that E. coli can produce long sugar polymers and anchor them to the cell surface. We also discovered that the bacteria can release those polymers and we are working to figure out how that process works.

Applied Industrial Microbiology (AIM) – AIM uses a collection of student-driven projects to combine classical microbiology with advanced molecular biology to put students in touch with industry before they graduate. Some examples include: understanding how biofilms are formed by bacteria, characterizing food production microbes, and identifying fungi that produce new medically important molecules.

Some research highlights:

Kessler, N.G., Caraballo Delgado, D.M., Shah, N.K., Dickinson Jr., J.A., Moore, S.D. (2021) “Exopolysaccharide anchoring creates an extreme resistance to sedimentation” J. Bacteriol., PubMed PMID: 33753470.

Bose, N., Auvil, D.P., Moore E. L., Moore, S.D. (2021) “Microbial communities in retail draft beers and the biofilms they produce” Microbiol. Spectr. PubMed PMID: 34935420.

Smith, A.M., Costello, M.S., Kettring, A.H., Wingo, R.J., Moore, S.D. (2019) “Ribosome collisions alter frameshifting at translational reprogramming motifs in bacterial mRNAs.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., PubMed PMID: 31591196.

Click this link to see a complete list of my publications: