712, George Lynn Cross
770 Van Vleet Oval
Norman, OK 73019
405-325-6302 (Office)
405-325-5762 (Lab)
akdunn@ou.edu
B.S., Biology, Iowa State University, 1996
PhD, Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 2002
Postdoc, University of Georgia, 2002-2007
Research Areas: Microbiology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Anaerobic Microbiology, Aerobic Microbiology, Beneficial Host-Microbe Interactions, Microbial Physiology
Research Interests:
The Dunn lab uses molecular and genetic tools to understand how bacterial physiology contributes to the ability of microbes to survive and thrive in the environment, whether while free-living or during association with another organism. Our current model organism is the bioluminescent marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. This organism has both a free-living and a symbiotic host-associated lifestyle, making it an ideal organism for studying how different physiological attributes contribute to flexibility in lifestyle. V. fischeri has diverse pathways for energy conservation, and the lab is interested in understanding how these pathways contribute to both host colonization and survival outside of the host. Through these studies we have become interested in the unusual respiratory oxidase, alternative oxidase (AOX). We are currently using the wealth of molecular and genetic tools in V. fischeri to better understand how AOX function physiologically benefits bacteria.
Recent Publications:
Dunn, A.K. 2023. Alternative oxidase in bacteria. (Invited review) BBA-Bioenergetics. 1864(1):148929 DOI 10.1016/j.bbabio.2022.148929
Speare, L, Woo, M, Dunn A.K., Septer, A.N. 2022. A putative lipoprotein mediates cell-cell contact for type VI secretion system-dependent killing of specific competitors. mBio. Apr. 26;13(2):e0308521. DOI 10.1128/mbio.03085-21
Fidopiastis, P.M., V. Mariscal, J. McPherson, S. McAnulty, A. Dunn, E.V. Stabb, and K.L. Visick, 2021. Vibrio fischeri amidase activity is required for normal cell division and symbiotic competence. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 87(3):e02109-20; DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02109-20
Dunn, A.K., 2018. Alternative oxidase activity reduces stress in Vibrio fischeri cells exposed to nitric oxide. J. Bact. 200(15):e00797-17; DOI 10.1128/JB.00797-17
Lyell, N. L., Septer, A. N., Dunn, A. K., Duckett, D., Stoudenmire, J. L., Stabb, E. V. 2017. An expanded transposon-mutant library reveals that Vibrio fischeri δ-aminolevulinate auxotrophs can colonize Euprymna scolopes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 83(5). pii: e02470-16. doi: 10.1128/AEM.02470-16
