Computational evolutionary approaches
Summary
We are developing an integrated computational evolutionary framework that will bring together: 1) molecular evolution and phylogeny; and 2) comparative genomics/pangenomics to study any pathogen-group or protein family, and discover distinctive protein/genomic features relevant to biological comparisons of interest (such as identifying diagnostic or candidate vaccine targets in emerging, poorly characterized pathogens).
Team
Students
Current
- Joe Burke
- Elliot Majlessi
- Vignesh Sridhar
- Ethan Wolfe
Alumni
- Samuel Chen
- Lo Sosinski
- Karn Jongnarangsin
- Lauryn Brooks
Collaborators
- Neal Hammer, MSU (Staphylococci)
- Srinand Sreevatsan, Robert Abramovitch, and Andrew Olive (MSU), Christina Stallings, WUSTL (Mycobacteria)
- Antonella Fioravanti, VUB Brussels (B. anthracis)
- Chris Waters, MSU (Vibrio)
- Jonathan Hardy, MSU (Listeria)
- Stephanie Shames, KSU (Legionella)
- Priya Shah, UCD (Flaviviruses)
- Sean Crosson, MSU (Brucella, Caulobacter)
Janani Ravi
Assistant Professor
My research interests include computational pathogenomics and host-directed drug-repurposing.
Publications
DciA Helicase Operators Exhibit Diversity across Bacterial Phyla
Despite the fundamental importance of DNA replication for life, this process remains understudied in bacteria outside Escherichia coli …
Novel Internalin P homologs in Listeria ivanovii londoniensis and Listeria seeligeri
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis in immunocompromised individuals, particularly pregnant …
MolEvolvR: a web-app for characterizing proteins using molecular evolution and phylogeny
Studying proteins through the lens of evolution can help identify conserved features and lineage-specific variants, and potentially, …
The glutathione import system satisfies the Staphylococcus aureus nutrient sulfur requirement and promotes interspecies competition
Sulfur is an indispensable element for proliferation of bacterial pathogens. Prior studies indicated that the human pathogen, …
Discovery of a predominant and distinct lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Brazilian indigenous population.
After nearly a century of vaccination and six decades of drug therapy, tuberculosis (TB) kills more people annually than any other …
Talks
MolEvolvR: A webapp for characterizing proteins using molecular evolution and phylogeny
Studying how bacterial pathogenic proteins evolve can help identify lineage-specific and pathogen-specific signatures and variants, and …
MolEvolvR: Web-app and R-package for characterizing proteins using molecular evolution and phylogeny
Molecular evolution and phylogeny can provide key insights into pathogenic protein families. Studying how these proteins evolve across …
Using a computational molecular evolution and phylogeny to study pathogenic proteins
Background: Studying bacterial physiology, adaptation, and pathogenicity through the lens of evolution requires delineating the …
MolEvolvR: a web-app for molecular evolution and phylogeny
We will discuss the alpha version of their new easy-to-use interactive webapp: MolEvolvR, for characterizing proteins using molecular …
