# Addressing genetic tractability and species-specific infection biology in Chlamydia pneumoniae

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2024 · $191,250

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 Chlamydia species represent a paradigm for understanding successful obligate intracellular
parasitism. While C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae are both prevalent human pathogens, C.
pneumoniae respiratory infections are likely most common. Acute C. pneumoniae infections
manifest as community acquired pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinusitis while additional
inflammatory sequelae are associated with chronic infection. Advances in genetic tractability
have facilitated considerable progress in characterizing C. trachomatis pathogenesis.
Unfortunately, similar progress has lagged for C. pneumoniae, leading to a paucity in details
regarding molecular mechanisms of infection and precluding informative approaches leveraging
comparative studies. To overcome this barrier, we will engineer plasmid systems enabling allelic
replacement and ectopic gene expression for C. pneumoniae. These new technologies will be
applied in proof-of-principle studies to address functional aspects manifested by a pair of
divergent type III secreted effectors employed by C. pneumoniae to manipulate host cell
biology. At the end of these studies, we will have established new approaches that will benefit
the entire Chlamydia research community and advance the understanding of how chlamydial
species have evolved to accomplish common developmental requirements.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10735892
- **Project number:** 5R21AI173735-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** KENNETH A FIELDS
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $191,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-11-07 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10735892

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10735892, Addressing genetic tractability and species-specific infection biology in Chlamydia pneumoniae (5R21AI173735-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10735892. Licensed CC0.

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