publications Archives - Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases

Membrane contact activation of Piezo2 drives lysosome-mitochondrion Ca2+ transfer and signaling in Trypanosoma cruzi

Donna Huber on October 20, 2026

Calcium ion (Ca2+) transfer from other organelles is central to mitochondrial metabolism and cell survival, yet how mechanical forces regulate interorganelle communication remains unclear. Here we report a lysosome-to-mitochondrion pathway in Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, mediated by the mechano/osmosensitive channel TcPiezo2. Using ultrastructural, biochemical, and live-cell superresolution imaging, we define …

BDF6 Deficiency Severely Compromises Intracellular Amastigote Development and Infectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi

Donna Huber on October 9, 2026

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, relies on complex gene regulatory mechanisms to adapt to its diverse host environments. In recent years, it has been established that epigenetics plays an essential role in these mechanisms via the regulation of chromatin structure. Bromodomain-containing factors (BDFs), known for recognizing acetylated lysines on histones, have emerged …

Molecular recognition of myosin L by the Toxoplasma gondii calmodulin

Donna Huber on September 29, 2026

Calmodulin is a conserved EF-hand Ca2+ sensor that transduces intracellular Ca2+ signals through interactions with target proteins. Recent cryo-electron microscopy studies revealed the Toxoplasma gondii calmodulin (TgCaM) as a light chain associated with the neck of the unconventional myosin MyoL within the preconoidal P2 ring , a key component of the conoid involved in parasite …

Discovery of repurposed drugs that disrupt intracellular replication of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei and protect against lethal aerosol infection

Donna Huber on September 16, 2026

Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) and Burkholderia mallei (Bm) are the etiological agents of the fatal diseases melioidosis and glanders, respectively. No licensed vaccine is available to protect against these facultative intracellular bacteria and treatment of infection is difficult, requiring intensive and prolonged antimicrobial therapy with low success rates due to intrinsic resistance of Bp and Bm …

Another host, another mystery: Infection of polychaete Pista palmata (Annelida: Terebellidae) with a new blood fluke (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) in the coastal Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Donna Huber on September 8, 2026

Terebelliform annelids can serve as intermediate hosts for blood flukes of marine fishes and sea turtles. The scarcity of global reports on the life cycles of these parasites reflects the need for further exploration. Our objective was to further our knowledge of the diversity and life cycles of blood flukes in coastal South Carolina (SC), …

A suite of eight Toxoplasma gondii effectors cooperates to activate the non-canonical NF-κB pathway

Donna Huber on August 28, 2026

As a master of host-cell reprogramming, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) tachyzoites manipulate diverse signaling networks to establish a niche permissive for long-term infection. While the parasite’s subversion of canonical NF-κB signaling (p65/p50) is well established, how infection impacts the non-canonical NF-κB pathway has been largely unexplored. Here, we report that T. gondii infection induces nuclear accumulation of the non-canonical …

Navigating imaging artifacts: challenges with visualizing intrinsically fluorescent antimalarials

Donna Huber on August 17, 2026

Elucidating the target of an antiparasitic small molecule can aid in the drug development process. However, various technical challenges related to parasite biology prevent timely target identification. Microscopy methods determining the co-localization of a drug with subcellular markers is a powerful approach that provides evidence of its localization within the cell. This technique can help …

VAMP3 vesicles support host protein recruitment and Plasmodium liver stage development

Donna Huber on August 12, 2026

Plasmodium remodels the host liver cell as an obligatory step in malaria infection. Although several host proteins are recruited to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) after invasion, the mechanisms underlying this acquisition remain unknown. Here, we validated the upregulation and recruitment of the host protein CGA during liver stage Plasmodium berghei infection. We then depleted a panel …

Behavior of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Enteritidis in Cilantro Crops (Coriandrum sativum L.) and the Antimicrobial Effect of Salvia officinalis Essential Oil

Donna Huber on August 12, 2026

Fresh, ready-to-eat vegetables are susceptible to contamination by several bacterial pathogens. This study evaluated the behavior of inoculated Escherichia coli and Salmonella Enteritidis (7 Log10 CFU/g) through viable cell counts on eosin methylene blue (EMB) and brilliant green agar (BGA) in soil, seeds, and cilantro plants. Samples were analyzed at 2 h, 3, 7, 15, and 60 days (d) …

Evidence for the multistage malaria vaccine gamble

Donna Huber on August 11, 2026

New vaccines to reduce disease and mortality caused by Plasmodium falciparum malaria are urgently needed. Most vaccines target a single life-cycle stage and confer modest protection. Kirtley et al. test whether multistage immunity can improve protection and provide some of the first evidence that ‘multistage’ vaccines should be pursued. Chester J Joyner, Amadis R Vivas, …

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