# Function of the Vibrio cholerae RND efflux systems

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2020 · $225,908

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that is caused by Vibrio cholerae. V. cholerae is a Gram-
negative bacterium and facultative human pathogen that is native to aquatic ecosystems around the
world. The worldwide distribution of V. cholerae makes it a significant health threat anytime human
populations lack access to clean water; a fact exemplified by the ongoing cholera epidemic in Yemen.
The devastating consequences of cholera combined with its ability to persist in the environment have
accentuated the need for new therapeutic approaches to limit the epidemic spread of this disease. We
recently discovered that RND-mediated efflux is linked to V. cholerae adaptive responses. In the
absence of RND-mediated efflux unknown cell metabolites accumulate in V. cholerae can serve as
cues to repress V. cholerae virulence. The overarching goal of this proposal is to identify these
metabolites and characterize the role of the V. cholerae RND transporters in their efflux. Two specific
aims are proposed. The first aim will identify the metabolites that are substrates of the RND efflux
systems. The second aim will identify regulators of the RND efflux systems and determine how the
metabolites affect the expression of the RND systems. Determining the regulatory mechanisms and
environmental cues that modulate V. cholerae adaptive responses will illuminate important aspects of
V. cholerae pathogenesis, provide a better understanding of the factors that contribute to epidemic
spread, and may lead to the development of novel approaches to combat the disease cholera.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9829531
- **Project number:** 5R21AI141934-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** JAMES Edward BINA
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $225,908
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-12-01 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9829531

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9829531, Function of the Vibrio cholerae RND efflux systems (5R21AI141934-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9829531. Licensed CC0.

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