Areas of Our Research

Comparative genomics, proteomics and structural biology of staphylococcal bacteriophages

This research is focused on the analysis of the temperate and virulent bacteriophage genome by physical mapping and sequencing, as well as searching genes and specific DNA sequences using PCR methods and genomic tools to study the modular structure and evolution of phage genomes. In proteomic studies focusing on the analysis of the phage particle structure, the laboratory collaborates with CEITEC MU Laboratories - Central Laboratory - Proteomics, Structural virology and Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Tomography.

Use of polyvalent phages for phage therapy

This research is focused on studying the lytic properties of virulent bacteriophages, which are characterized by a wide host range across many staphylococcal strains. Part of this research is a study of the genetic basis of polyvalence and elucidating the causes of insensitivity of some strains to these phages. A number of mutants with an expanded host range have been prepared in the laboratory and they have a possible application as phage preparations for the treatment of staphylococcal infections. Attention is also paid to the use of phage lytic enzymes as enzybiotics for pharmaceutical preparations. The laboratory collaborates on preparing such preparations with SMEs.

Development and application of genotyping methods for molecular diagnostics of pathogenic staphylococci

Research in this area focuses on the genome analysis of Staphylococcus aureus and other staphylococcal species in order to find specific genes and DNA sequences that can be used for the identification of staphylococcal species and strain typing. In particular, genes responsible for virulence and resistance to antimicrobial agents, especially antibiotics, are analyzed. A new research trend is the analysis of mobile genetic elements dynamics, mostly prophages, SCCmec cassettes, and plasmids, and clarification of their role in the evolution of bacterial strains. The laboratory performs the routine identification of S. aureus strains by single-locus spa-typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Molecular Biology of Staphylococcus aureus toxigenic strains

The aim of this study is to identify genes and mobile genetic elements that code for staphylococcal toxins and enzymes, for example hemolysins, nucleases, enterotoxins, exfoliative toxins, TSST-1, PVL, etc.), which cause serious diseases in humans and animals. The lab studies the essence of lysogenic conversion in bacteria. This research focuses mainly on lysogenizing bacteriophages isolated from clinical S. aureus strains that are responsible for severe epidermolysis of neonates and other toxicoses. These genetically variable bacteriophages, which are able to convert non-toxic bacteria to toxin-producing strains, are analyzed in detail by molecular biological methods and subsequently used for the reliable diagnosis of pathogenic S. aureus strains. Attention is paid to the study of molecular mechanisms of toxicity formation and divergence in staphylococcal strains. A new trend is the introduction of modern diagnostic methods for the detection of bacterial toxins and enzymes using a MALDI-TOF MS system. In this field the laboratory cooperates with the National Reference Laboratory for Staphylococci and the Central Laboratory - Proteomics.

Study of horizontal gene transfer within the genus Staphylococcus

An important component of the genome of most staphylococcal strains is a number of variable genetic elements (plasmids, transposons, prophages, genomic islands and SCC cassettes) that are frequently transferred horizontally between individual strains and species and are involved in their rapid evolution. Many of these elements carry genes for toxin production and antibiotic resistance determinants. As part of this research, these elements and the genes they carry are identified and precisely characterized. Temperate bacteriophages that are capable of transduction are used for the horizontal transfer of these genes between S. aureus strains. Therefore, attention is also paid to the analysis of transducing bacteriophages and to studying their ability to pack various genes and genomic elements into their virions.

Molecular taxonomy of the genus Staphylococcus

Due to the importance of the accurate, rapid and reliable identification of staphylococcal isolates, especially in assessing their clinical relevance, rapid molecular diagnostic techniques based mostly on the sequence analysis of conserved genes are used in the laboratory. The reason is an increasing number of new species, many of which are difficult to diagnose with commonly used phenotypic methods and can play an important role in human or veterinary infections. The results of these studies are of great importance for the determination of biodiversity in the group of gram-positive cocci and in practice demonstrate the potential of applied genetic methods for the identification of new potentially pathogenic bacterial species. The application of molecular taxonomy methods enabled, in cooperation with the Czech Collection of Microorganisms (CCM), the description of new species of gram-positive cocci from the genus Staphylococcus, Macrococcus and Enterococcus and bacterial species from polar environment.