Phenotypic Contribution and Regulation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Cold-Shock Protein Homologue VP1889

Author

• Oleg Borisovich Ermolinsky, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Date of Award

5-1-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

First Advisor

Daniele Provenzano

Second Advisor

Robert Gilkerson

Third Advisor

Robin Choudhury

Abstract

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the primary causative agent of a form of gastroenteritis called vibriosis commonly acquired from ingestion of raw and undercooked seafood. The primary mitigation of seafood-borne illnesses is immediate storage on ice following catch, which inhibits bacterial metabolism and replication. Mesophilic bacteria such as V. parahaemolyticus induce expression of cold-shock proteins in a process named the cold shock response, which facilitates survival at low temperatures. V. parahaemolyticus bears 3 homologues of the major Escherichia coli cold-shock protein CspA, an RNA chaperone. Induction of E. coli CspA at low temperatures depends on autogenous modulation by its mRNA structure, which is unstable above 20 °C. VP1889, a V. parahaemolyticus CspA homologue, is shown to contribute to cold resistance alongside 2 adjacent ORFs, VP1888 (encoding a hypothetical protein) and VP1890 (encoding RNase R), and to be cold-induced and regulated autogenously. A second homologue, VPA1289, is also shown to be cold-induced and autogenously regulated.

Comments

Copyright 2026 Oleg Borisovich Ermolinsky. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3371272610

Recommended Citation

Ermolinsky, O. B. (2026). Phenotypic Contribution and Regulation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Cold-Shock Protein Homologue VP1889 [Master's thesis, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley]. ScholarWorks @ UTRGV. https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/etd/1870