# Metabolic modulation of Fusobacterium nucleatum virulence

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2024 · $40,185

## Abstract

The Gram-negative oral anaerobe Fusobacterium nucleatum has the ability to spread to different extra-oral sites, such as placenta and colon, promoting preterm birth and colorectal cancer. How this pathobiont adapts to various metabolically changing environments is not well understood. This diversity supplement supports the research training of a graduate student who aims to test the hypothesis that F. nucleatum utilizes environmental ethanolamine via specialized organelles called bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) as a mechanism of metabolic adaptation. Specially, this student will examine how BMCs are formed in response to environmental ethanolamine and how genetic disruption of BMC formation affects bacterial virulence in a mouse model of infection. The results generated from this study will not only provide important knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of F. nucleatum and identify promising therapeutic targets, but also have potential to advance the broad field of host-pathogen interactions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11068240
- **Project number:** 3R21DE032906-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Hung Ton-That
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $40,185
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2023-03-01 → 2026-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11068240

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11068240, Metabolic modulation of Fusobacterium nucleatum virulence (3R21DE032906-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11068240. Licensed CC0.

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