Ian R. Monk

Nov 13, 2024 | nature.com | Heran Zhang |Ian R. Monk |Claerwen M. Jones |Andrew Brooks |Timothy P. Stinear

AbstractSuperantigens (sAgs) are bacterial virulence factors that induce a state of immune hyperactivation by forming a bridge between certain subsets of T cell receptor (TCR) β chains on T lymphocytes, and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC-II) molecules; this cross-linking leads to indiscriminate T cell activation, cytokine storm and toxic shock.

Oct 23, 2024 | nature.com | Adrianna M Turner |Ian R. Monk |Danielle Ingle |Stephanie Portelli |Torsten Seemann |Liam Sharkey | +7 more

AbstractMultidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens like vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) are a critical threat to human health1. Daptomycin is a last-resort antibiotic for VREfm infections with a novel mode of action2, but for which resistance has been widely reported but is unexplained. Here we show that rifaximin, an unrelated antibiotic used prophylactically to prevent hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver disease3, causes cross-resistance to daptomycin in VREfm.

Aug 11, 2024 | nature.com | Ian R. Monk |Ying-Tsun Cheng |Camilla Predella |Jack Boylan |Ahmed Moustafa |Gaurav Kumar Lohia | +5 more

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus is a pulmonary pathogen associated with substantial human morbidity and mortality. As vaccines targeting virulence determinants have failed to be protective in humans, other factors are likely involved in pathogenesis. Here we analysed transcriptomic responses of human clinical isolates of S. aureus from initial and chronic infections. We observed upregulated collagenase and proline transporter gene expression in chronic infection isolates.

Mar 20, 2024 | nature.com | Yi Nong |Georgina L Pollock |Glen P. Carter |Ian R. Monk |Stanley Pang |Brian Forde | +3 more

AbstractThe past decade has seen an increase in the prevalence of sequence type (ST) 45 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), yet the underlying drivers for its emergence and spread remain unclear. To better understand the worldwide dissemination of ST45 S. aureus, we performed phylogenetic analyses of Australian isolates, supplemented with a global population of ST45 S. aureus genomes.