CAS CONNECT 2015

15 Working with a bacterial pathogen, Pseudomonas aeru- ginosa , Patrauchan is hoping to identify what exactly causes cystic fibrosis patients’ infec- tions, which eventually lead to suffocation. This pathogen can form biofilms, which contain layers and layers of cells in very complex structures. These biofilms are highly resistant to host responses and antimicro- bial treatments and therefore are extremely difficult to eradicate. However, this pathogen isn’t always harmful. It occurs natu- rally and only becomes a prob- lem when it enters a human body with an underlying medical condition, such as cystic fibrosis. “We are trying to under- stand what it is that happens to this bacterium when it enters a human body and makes it patho- genic,” says Patrauchan. “What are the signals that this bacterium will recognize coming from the host that could trigger this transi- tion between non-pathogenic and pathogenic state?” Patrauchan and her team are researching if calcium is the signal triggering the transi- tion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Cystic fibrosis produces calcium Progress via Passion OSU’s Patrauchan and her team leads the way toward treating cystic fibrosis concentrations that are increased in the liquids associated with the mouth, nose or lungs. “We already know that when we add calcium to the bacte- rial growth medium, it enhances production of certain virulence factors in P. aeruginosa ,” says Patrauchan. “These factors assist bacteria in forming biofilms and becoming more resistant.” While cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease, people do not die from having the genetic mutations. The bacterial infections cause the complications that eventually lead to death. “The genetic disease will change the environment in the human body in such a way it will be predisposed for infection,” says Patrauchan. While there is a line of treat- ments trying to address the genetic side of cystic fibrosis, Patrauchan and her team are focusing on trying to overcome the infection part of the disease. “We’ve made quite a bit of progress,” she says. “We started from just trying to understand how calcium affects growth of these bacteria and the virulence of these bacteria. We started very STORY BY Karolyn Bolay | PHOTOGRAPHY BY Gary Lawson / UNIVERSITY MARKETING Dr. Marianna Patrauchan, an associate professor in Oklahoma State University’s department of microbiology and molecular genetics, has followed her passion for the past seven years — a passion that will pave the way for developing a treatment for cystic fibrosis patients. broad and first had to identify all kinds of proteins that may be responding to the calcium.” Because there is no cure for cystic fibrosis, an abundance of basic research is required to determine exactly what is happening with cystic fibrosis patients. “There is a gap in the basic science about calcium signaling in bacteria and its role in host- pathogen interactions … if we are missing basic science, we cannot progress in developing therapies,” says Patrauchan. “Only by utiliz- ing the advancements in basic science, we can come up with effective treatments.” Four graduate students and nine undergraduates work along- side Patrauchan in her lab. The lab has been able to maintain its team despite funding challenges. Manita Guragain, a Ph.D. candidate working in the lab, has been helping develop this research for five years. “I hope that through my research, I’ll be able to contribute a lot to the scientific society and ultimately contribute to human life,” says Guragain. “I want to help contribute to the betterment of human life.” CONTINUES