Microbiology & Immunology Graduate Student

  Research | Publications | Awards| Posters & Presentations

Anel Lizcano Orihuela lab - STRF: 275.1 A-F Tel: (210) 562-4172 Fax: (210) 562-4191 Email: Anel

Education

B.S. Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Texas at El Paso

Research

Research interests:

Dr. Orihuela's laboratory focuses on the pathogenicity island psrP-secY2A2, which has been positively correlated with the ability to cause invasive pneumococcal disease in humans. psrP-secY2A2 encodes the adhesin PsrP, 10 glycosyltransferases, and 7 components of an alternate secretion (Sec) system. PsrP is a member of the serine-rich repeat protein (SRRP) family, which has been shown to be a conserved glycoprotein in oral Streptococci (see page 1). Our lab has shown that PsrP plays an important role in bacterial attachment to lungs cells and bacterial-bacterial interactions during biofilm formation. For my dissertation project, I am elucidating the role of PsrP glycosylation and its function during adhesion, biofilm formation, and modulation of the innate immune response. The specific aims of my dissertation project include: 1) determining the manner by which PsrP is glycosylated, 2) identifying and determining the hierarchy of genes that glycosylate PsrP, and 3) determining how the glycoconjugates presented on PsrP modulate the immune system in vivo during biofilm colonization of the pharynx.

Publications

• Lizcano A, Chin T, Sauer K, Tuomanen EI and Orihuela CJ. Early biofilm formation on microtiter plates is not correlated with the invasive disease potential of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Microb Pathog. 2010 Mar-Apr; 48(3-4): 124-30. PMCID: PMC2834858.
• Fu J, Mares C, Lui Y, Lizcano A, and Wickes BL. Insertional mutagenesis combined with an inducible filamentation phenotype reveals a conserved STE50 homolog in Cryptococcus neoformans that is required for monokaryotic fruiting and mating. Mol Microbiol. 2011 Feb; 79(4): 990-1007. PMCID: In progress
• Sanchez CJ, Hurtgen BJ, Lizcano A, Shivshankar P, Cole GT, Orihuela CJ. Biofilm and planktonic pneumococci demonstrate disparate immunoreactivity to human convalescent sera. BMC Microbiol. 2011 Nov 2; 11:245. PMCID: PMC3216281.
• Sanchez CJ, Kumar N, Lizcano A, Shivshankar P, Dunning Hotopp JC, Jorgensen JH, Tettelin H, Orihuela CJ. Streptococcus pneumoniae in biofilms are unable to cause invasive disease due to altered virulence determinant production. PLoS One. 2011; 6(12):e28738. PMCID: PMC3216281
• Lizcano A, Sanchez CJ, Orihuela CJ. Role for the glycosylated serine-rich repeat proteins in Gram-positive pathogenesis. (Invited Review), Mol. Oral Microbiol. In press May 2012.

Awards

2011 - COSTAR (Craniofacial Oral-Biology Student Training in Academic Research)

Posters & Presentations

• Lizcano A, Flores MA, Ornelas MA, and Dominguez D. 2006 Workforce Survey of Key Clinical Laboratories in El Paso, Texas. Texas Association for Clinical Laboratory Science. March 2007, Fort Worth, TX.
• Lizcano A, Magner D, Tanner E, Gibson J, Murray DD, Weinstock G, Gibbs R, and Rosenberg S. Understanding the role of the yafN gene in E. coli. Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. October 12, 2007. Kansas City, MO.
• Lizcano A, Magner D, Tanner E, Gibson J, Murray DD, Weinstock G, Gibbs R, and Rosenberg S. Understanding the role of yafN gene in E. coli. Sigma Xi. November 3, 2007. Orlando, FL.
• Lizcano and Orihuela CJ. Glycosylation of PsrP is required for Protein Stability. Department of Microbiology & Immunology Retreat. November 13, 2009. Mayan Dude Ranch, Bandera, TX.
• Lizcano A, and Orihuela CJ. Elucidating the Role of psrP-secY2A2 during Glycosylation and transport of PsrP in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Mikiten Graduate Student Research Forum. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. May 5th, 2010. San Antonio, TX.
• Lizcano A, and Orihuela CJ. Elucidating the Role of psrP-secY2A2 Accessory Genes during Glycosylation and Transport of the Pneumococcal Serine-Rich Protein (PsrP). National Conference on Gram-Positive Pathogens. October 11, 2010. Omaha, NE.
• Lizcano A, and Orihuela CJ. Elucidating the Role of psrP-secY2A2 Accessory Genes during Glycosylation and Transport of the Pneumococcal Serine-Rich Protein (PsrP). The American Society for Microbiology, Texas Branch, October 29th, 2010. San Marcos, TX.
• Lizcano A, Rose LF., and Orihuela CJ. The Pneumococcal Serine-rich repeat Protein binds to N-acetylneuraminic acid. Mikiten Graduate Student Research Forum. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. April 8th, 2011. San Antonio, TX.
• Lizcano A, Rose LF., and Orihuela CJ. The Pneumococcal Serine-rich repeat Protein binds to N-acetylneuraminic acid. Annual Dental Science Symposium. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. April 13th, 2011. San Antonio, TX.
• Lizcano A, Rose LF and Orihuela CJ. The Pneumococcal Serine-rich repeat Protein binds to N-acetylneuraminic acid. The American Society for Microbiology, General Meeting, May 23nd, 2011 New Orleans, LA.
• Lizcano A, Sanchez CJ, Kumar N, Shivshankar P, Dunning Hotopp JC, Jorgensen JH, Tettelin H, Orihuela CJ. Streptococcus pneumoniae in biofilms are avirulent due to an altered virulence determinant profile. San Antonio Infectious Disease Symposium, November 18th, 2011. University of Texas at San Antonio. San Antonio, TX.
• Lizcano A, and Orihuela CJ. Role of psrP-secY2A2 accessory genes in the glycosylation and transport of Streptococcus pneumoniae, PsrP. Annual Dental Science Symposium. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. April 11th, 2012. San Antonio, TX.
• Lizcano A, and Orihuela CJ. Role of psrP-secY2A2 accessory genes in the glycosylation and transport of Streptococcus pneumoniae, PsrP. Mikiten Graduate Student Research Forum. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. May 3rd, 2012. San Antonio, TX.
• Lizcano A, and Orihuela CJ. Role of psrP-secY2A2 accessory genes in the glycosylation and transport of Streptococcus pneumoniae, PsrP. The American Society for Microbiology, General Meeting, June, 2012 San Francisco, CA.