Johnson innovates in the study of a neglected parasite
The parasite Trichomonas vaginalis causes the world’s most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named trichomoniasis one of the U.S.’s “Neglected Parasitic Infections.” Yet has done anything but neglect this parasite — she’s made a career of it.
For her work, Johnson, a distinguished professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, will receive the 麻豆传媒色情片 and 麻豆传媒色情片 Biology’s 2020/2021 Alice and C.C. Wang Award recognizing seminal contributions to the field of molecular parasitology.
Johnson began working on Trichomonas 30 years ago. Research on this parasite was minimal at the time, she said, describing the field as a blank slate. She used her training in molecular biology to lay the groundwork for what we know about Trichomonas today. She was the first researcher to clone and analyze a gene in T. vaginalis, and she led a team of researchers to sequence and annotate the first T. vaginalis genome.
“I realized that many systems could be studied in parasites,” Johnson said. “I’m fascinated by how many properties parasites have evolved to interact with the host and survive in such hostile environments.”
For the past decade, Johnson has focused on these interactions. Her work has shed light on a novel mechanism of immune-cell killing of T. vaginalis and has defined critical factors that influence infection outcome, including parasitic surface molecules that are involved with adherence and lysis of host cells.
In her letter nominating Johnson for the award, , distinguished professor at the University of California, Berkeley, lauded Johnson’s “distinguished career, defined by innovation, creativity, and discovery” and called her a “leader and innovator” in the field.
Johnson said she finds comfort in her research as a refuge from real-life worries, which is part of what keeps her motivated, along with the challenge of answering scientific questions.
“I like solving the puzzle,” she said, “looking at new information and trying to make sense of it.”
Killing a parasite with trogocytosis
Trichomonas vaginalis annually in the U.S. Men typically have no symptoms, but in women the parasite causes pain, itching and, if they are pregnant, a risk of premature delivery.
Patricia Johnson’s recent research focuses on the aspects of the host–parasite interaction that affect infection outcome. Her lab has found that neutrophils, white blood cells involved in the early immune response to infection, use a mechanism called trogocytosis to kill T. vaginalis. Trogocytosis is essentially immune cells nibbling away at the parasite until a critical level of damage is reached, leading to the parasite’s death. This work is the first to describe trogocytosis as a mechanism of neutrophil killing.
Johnson also has characterized extracellular vesicles called exosomes that are secreted by T. vaginalis during infection. These vesicles then are internalized by host cells and can modify the host cell response to infection, essentially reprogramming these cells and the host response in a way that is beneficial to the parasite. Johnson’s research will continue to expand the field’s understanding of parasite–host interactions.
Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition weekly.
Learn moreGet the latest from ASBMB Today
Enter your email address, and we鈥檒l send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in People
People highlights or most popular articles
ASBMB names 2025 fellows
麻豆传媒色情片 and 麻豆传媒色情片 Biology honors 24 members for their service to the society and accomplishments in research, education, mentorship, diversity and inclusion and advocacy.
When Batman meets Poison Ivy
Jessica Desamero had learned to love science communication by the time she was challenged to explain the role of DNA secondary structure in halting cancer cell growth to an 8th-grade level audience.
The monopoly defined: Who holds the power of science communication?
鈥淎t the official competition, out of 12 presenters, only two were from R2 institutions, and the other 10 were from R1 institutions. And just two had distinguishable non-American accents.鈥�
In memoriam: Donald A. Bryant
He was a professor emeritus at Penn State University who discovered how cyanobacteria adapt to far-red light and was a member of the 麻豆传媒色情片 and 麻豆传媒色情片 Biology for over 35 years.
鈥痀es, I have an accent 鈥� just like you
When the author, a native Polish speaker, presented her science as a grad student, she had to wrap her tongue around the English term 鈥渇luorescence cross-correlation microscopy.鈥�
Professorships for Booker; scholarship for Entzminger
Squire Booker has been appointed to two honorary professorships at Penn State University. Inayah Entzminger received a a BestColleges scholarship to support their sixth year in the biochemistry Ph.D. program at CUNY.