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Personal Summary

Education

B.A. Colorado College, 1983

Ph.D. University of Arizona, 1991

Courses Taught

BIOB 260 Cellular and Molecular Biology

BIOB 160N Principles of Living Systems

BCH 380 Biochemistry

Research Interests

Research in our laboratory focuses on the spirochete Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. The enzootic life cycle of B. burgdorferi involves a tick vector and a vertebrate host: different sets of genes are expressed in these diverse environments. We are primarily interested in the molecular mechanisms by which the spirochete senses that the tick vector is feeding on a vertebrate host and subsequently regulates its gene expression to effect transmission. We also study the cellular mechanisms required for persistence of B. burgdorferi in the tick vector.

We dissect the roles of alternative sigma factors, the stringent response and transcription factors as well as small RNAs, RNA chaperones and ribonucleases in the regulation of gene expression and in response to changes in nutrient availability. In addition, we are interested in the molecular physiology of the spirochete because of its unusual bacterial genome, in particular the biology of its bacteriophage, the biogenesis of its ribosomal RNAs, and the replication of its linear DNA. Furthermore, we have been involved in developing molecular genetic tools to address these research questions, including a system to artificially regulate transcription in B. burgdorferi in an enzootic cycle model.

Projects

Field of Study

Molecular borreliology

Selected Publications

Van Gundy, T., Patel, D., Bowler, B.E., Rothfuss, M.T., Hall, A.J., Davies, C., Hall, L.S., Drecktrah, D., Marconi, R.T., Samuels, D.S., and Lybecker, M.C. (2023)  Mol. Microbiol. 119: 711-727.

Drecktrah, D., Hall, L.S., Crouse, B., Schwarz, B., Richards, C., Bohrnsen, E., Wulf, M., Long, B., Bailey, J., Gherardini, F., Bosio, C.M., Lybecker, M.C., and Samuels, D.S. (2022)  PLoS Pathog. 18: e1010385.

Drecktrah, D., Hall, L.S., Brinkworth, A.J., Comstock, J.R., Wassarman, K.M., and Samuels, D.S. (2020)  Mol. Microbiol. 113: 399-417. ()

Drecktrah, D., Lybecker, M., Popitsch, N., Rescheneder, P., Hall, L.S., and Samuels, D.S. (2015)  PLoS Pathog. 11: e1005160.

Lybecker, M.C., Abel, C.A., Feig, A.L., and Samuels, D.S. (2010)  Mol. Microbiol. 78: 622-635.

Gilbert, M.A., Morton, E.A., Bundle, S.F., and Samuels, D.S. (2007)  Mol. Microbiol. 63: 1259-1273.

Alverson, J., Bundle, S.F., Sohaskey, C.D., Lybecker, M.C., and Samuels, D.S. (2003)  Mol. Microbiol. 48:1665-1677.

Eggers, C.H., Kimmel, B.J., Bono, J.L., Elias, A., Rosa, P., and Samuels, D.S. (2001)  J. Bacteriol. 183:4771-4778.

Knight, S.W. and Samuels, D.S. (1999)  EMBO J. 18:4875-4881.

Publications

Book chapters, commentary, and reviews:

Samuels, D.S, Lybecker, M.C., Yang, X.F., Ouyang, Z., Bourret, T.J., Boyle, W.K., Stevenson, B., Drecktrah, D., and Caimano, M.J. (2021) In: Radolf, J.D. and Samuels, D.S. (eds.) Lyme Disease and Relapsing Fever Spirochetes: Genomics, Molecular Biology, Host Interactions, and Disease Pathogenesis, pp. 87-130. Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, England. Available as a review in: .

Samuels, D.S., Drecktrah, D., and Hall, L.S. (2018) , Chapter 15. In: Pal, U. and Buyuktanir, O. (eds.) Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 1690: Borrelia burgdorferi: Methods and Protocols, pp. 183-200. Humana Press, New York NY.

Drecktrah D. and Samuels, D.S. (2018)  In: Adler, B. (ed.) Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol, vol. 415: Spirochete Biology: The Post Genomic Era, pp. 113-140. Springer, Cham, Switzerland.

Lybecker, M.C. and Samuels, D.S. (2017)  Yale J. Biol. Med. 90: 317-323.

Samuels, D.S. and Samuels, L.R.N. (2016)  For. Immunopathol. Dis. Therap. 7: 205-212.

Caimano, M.J., Drecktrah, D., Kung, F., and Samuels, D.S. (2016) . Cell. Microbiol. 18: 919-927. ()

Brisson, D., Drecktrah, D., Eggers, C.H., and Samuels, D.S. (2012)  Annu. Rev. Genet. 46: 513-534.

Samuels, D.S. (2011) Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 65: 479-499.

Rosa, P.A., Cabello, F., and Samuels, D.S. (2010) Genetic manipulation of Borrelia burgdorferi. In: Samuels, D.S. and Radolf, J.D. (eds.) Borrelia: Molecular Biology, Host Interaction and Pathogenesis, pp. 189-219. Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, England.  

Skare, J.T., Carroll, J.A., Yang, X.F., Samuels, D.S., and Akins, D.R. (2010) Gene regulation, transcriptomics, and proteomics. In: Samuels, D.S. and Radolf, J.D. (eds.) Borrelia: Molecular Biology, Host Interaction and Pathogenesis, pp. 67-101. Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, England.

Samuels, D.S. and Radolf, J.D. (2009)  Mol. Microbiol. 74: 1295-1299.

Samuels, D.S. (2006) . In: Cabello, F.C., Hulinska, D., and Godfrey, H.P. (eds.) Molecular Biology of Spirochetes, pp. 56-70. IOS Press, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Eggers, C.H., Casjens, S. and Samuels, D.S. (2001) Bacteriophages of Borrelia burgdorferi and other spirochetes, Chapter 4. In: Saier, Jr., M.H. and García-Lara, J. (eds.) The Spirochetes: Molecular and Cellular Biology, pp. 35-44. Horizon Scientific Press, Wymondham, United Kingdom.

Eggers, C.H., Casjens, S., Hayes, S.F., Garon, C.F., Damman, C.J., Oliver, D.B., and Samuels, D.S. (2000) . J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2: 365-373.

Samuels, D.S. (1995) , Chapter 25. In: Nickoloff, J.A. (ed.) Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 47: Electroporation Protocols for Microorganisms, pp. 253-259. Humana Press, Totowa NJ.

Books:

Radolf, J.D. and Samuels, D.S., eds. (2021) . Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, England.

Samuels, D.S. and Radolf, J.D., eds. (2010) . Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, England.

Brownian motion (it is a long story):

Pearle, P., Collett, B., Bart, K., Bilderback, D., Newman, D., and Samuels, S. (2010) . Am. J. Phys. 78: 1278-1289.

Hobbies

, hiking, backpacking, bicycling, and skiing.