
Christopher J. Kristich, PhD
Professor; Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research
Locations
- Translational and Biomedical Research Center
TBRC C3930
Contact Information
General Interests
Education
Research Interests
We use a combination of genetics, biochemistry, genomics, molecular biology, and structural biology to study several interrelated problems in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We primarily focus on enterococci, which are bacteria that both inhabit the intestinal tract and cause untreatable, antibiotic-resistant infections.
Genetic and biochemical basis for antibiotic resistance. We seek to define the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which enterococci overcome antibiotic treatment. In doing so, we will identify new targets for antibacterial molecules that disable antibiotic resistance, thereby providing an opportunity to restore the effectiveness of our existing antibiotics against untreatable infections.
Bacterial signal transduction. We are exploring the mechanisms by which enterococci sense changes in their environment and mount adaptive biological responses, including transmembrane Ser/Thr kinases and two-component signaling systems. We define signaling pathway components, signaling networks, conformational changes in signaling proteins, post-translational modifications that impact signal transduction, and effector outputs.
Bacterial cell wall synthesis. The enterococcal cell wall is essential for bacterial survival. We are defining mechanisms and regulation of cell wall synthesis, with the long-term goal of identifying weak points that can serve as targets for new antibiotics to treat antibiotic-resistant enterococcal infections.
Intestinal colonization. We are exploring the dynamics and molecular mechanisms of intestinal colonization by enterococci. We study how enterococci establish a foothold in the competitive intestinal environment, and how enterococcal populations in the intestine change in response to antibiotics and other environmental perturbations.
Publications
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The enterococcal PASTA kinase: A sentinel for cell envelope stress.
(Djorić D, Minton NE, Kristich CJ.) Mol Oral Microbiol. 2020 Sep 18 PMID: 32945615 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85092077534 09/19/2020
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(Djorić D, Little JL, Kristich CJ.) Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 03 24;64(4) PMID: 32041714 PMCID: PMC7179317 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85082388512 02/12/2020
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Reciprocal Regulation of PASTA Kinase Signaling by Differential Modification.
(Labbe BD, Hall CL, Kellogg SL, Chen Y, Koehn O, Pickrum AM, Mirza SP, Kristich CJ.) J Bacteriol. 2019 05 15;201(10) PMID: 30858297 PMCID: PMC6482931 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85065131964 03/13/2019
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Sortase-Dependent Proteins Promote Gastrointestinal Colonization by Enterococci.
(Banla LI, Pickrum AM, Hayward M, Kristich CJ, Salzman NH.) Infect Immun. 2019 03;87(5) PMID: 30804098 PMCID: PMC6479037 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85065021405 02/26/2019
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Colonization of the mammalian intestinal tract by enterococci.
(Banla LI, Salzman NH, Kristich CJ.) Curr Opin Microbiol. 2019 02;47:26-31 PMID: 30439685 PMCID: PMC6511500 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85056238106 11/16/2018
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(Chakraborty R, Lam V, Kommineni S, Stromich J, Hayward M, Kristich CJ, Salzman NH.) Infect Immun. 2018 12;86(12) PMID: 30224553 PMCID: PMC6246901 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85056802367 09/19/2018
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(Kirkpatrick CL, Parsley NC, Bartges TE, Wing CE, Kommineni S, Kristich CJ, Salzman NH, Patrie SM, Hicks LM.) Microb Biotechnol. 2018 09;11(5):943-951 PMID: 30014612 PMCID: PMC6116741 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85050586641 07/18/2018
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(Kellogg SL, Kristich CJ.) J Bacteriol. 2018 06 15;200(12) PMID: 29632091 PMCID: PMC5971478 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85047458915 04/11/2018
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(Banla IL, Kommineni S, Hayward M, Rodrigues M, Palmer KL, Salzman NH, Kristich CJ.) Infect Immun. 2018 01;86(1) PMID: 29038125 PMCID: PMC5736811 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85039561569 10/19/2017
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(Djorić D, Kristich CJ.) J Bacteriol. 2017 Dec 01;199(23) PMID: 28874409 PMCID: PMC5686589 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85032975375 09/07/2017
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Growth- and Stress-Induced PASTA Kinase Phosphorylation in Enterococcus faecalis.
(Labbe BD, Kristich CJ.) J Bacteriol. 2017 11 01;199(21) PMID: 28808126 PMCID: PMC5626955 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85030528788 08/16/2017
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(Hall CL, Lytle BL, Jensen D, Hoff JS, Peterson FC, Volkman BF, Kristich CJ.) J Mol Biol. 2017 07 21;429(15):2324-2336 PMID: 28551334 PMCID: PMC5527686 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85020666072 05/30/2017