Newcastle University

Roles and Responsibilities

Institute Biological Safety Supervisor

Qualifications

B.A. Mod. Genetics (Hons; 1986) Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
PhD: (1991) Microbial Molecular Biology, Dept. of Genetics, Leicester University

Previous Positions

Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow in Basic Biomedical Sciences (2001-2006)
Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow in Basic Biomedical Sciences (1997-2001)

Research Fellow University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (1993-97): Funded in part by fellowships from
EMBO (European European Molecular Biology Organisation)
HFSP (Human Frontiers Science Program)

Research Fellow at University of Paris-Sud (1992-1993)

Memberships

Society of General Microbiology (2000 onwards)

British Society of Cell Biology (2007 onwards)

Honours and Awards

Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow in Basic Biomedical Sciences (2001-2006)

Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow in Basic Biomedical Sciences (1997-2001)

10th Anniversary Award 1999 (Human Frontiers Science Program)

Fleming Prize Lecture 2001 (Society of General Microbiology)

EMBO (European European Molecular Biology Organisation) Fellowship

HFSP (Human Frontiers Science Program) Fellowship

Languages

English

Research Interests

Current Research
Pathogenicity of enteropathogenic (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) Escherichia coli.

Use of molecular, biochemical, cellular and microscopy based approaches to study pathogen-host interactions and elucidate the mechanism(s) by which these pathogens subvert host cellular processes to induce disease.

Past Research
Mechanism of secretion of haemolysin from Escherichia coli (Leicester University and Universite Paris-Sud [Orsay], France)

Molecular biology of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and cell biology of EPEC - host cell interactions (University of British Columbia, Vancouver)

Present co-workers

Postgraduate Supervision

Jonathan Warawa 1999-2002
Jonathan Scott 2005-2009

Esteem Indicators

Associate Editor of Microbiology (2003-2009)

Editorial Board member of Microbes and Infection (2003-2007)

Co-editor with Raphael Valdivia on 'Host-microbe interactions- bacteria issue for Current Opinions in Microbiology (Vol. 12, Issue 1 scheduled for Feb 2009)'

Funding

Wellcome Trust project grant (eGrant Ref: 4616):Jan 2008-Jan 2011

Undergraduate Teaching

MIC3047 (Bacterial Pathogenicity and Disease)
MIC225
MIC2028 (Practical)
PSC311 (Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract)
PSC3013_11, PSC3012
PGY8003 (MRes Cell Signalling

Essays (MIC225 - 2nd Stage)

Undergraduate Projects

Postgraduate Teaching

BBSRC funded studentship 2005-2009(Institute allocated)
BBSRC funded studentship 2010-2014(Institute allocated) Available

• Dean P, Scott JA, Knox AA, Quitard S, Watkins NJ, Kenny B. The Enteropathogenic E. coli Effector EspF Targets and Disrupts the Nucleolus by a Process Regulated by Mitochondrial Dysfunction. PLoS Pathogens 2010, 6(6), 14.
• Dean P, Muhlen S, Quitard S, Kenny B. The bacterial effectors EspG and EspG2 induce a destructive calpain activity that is kept in check by the co-delivered Tir effector. Cellular Microbiology 2010,12 9 1308.
• Iguchi A, Thomson NR, Ogura Y, Saunders D, Ooka T, Henderson IR, Harris D, Asadulghani M, Kurokawa K, Dean P, Kenny B, Quail MA, Thurston S, Dougan G, Hayashi T, Parkhill J, Frankel G. Complete Genome Sequence and Comparative Genome Analysis of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O127:H6 Strain E2348/69. Journal of Bacteriology 2009, 191(1), 347-354.
• Brandt S, Kenny B, Rohde M, Martinez-Quiles N, Backert S. Dual infection system identifies a crucial role for PKA-mediated serine phosphorylation of the EPEC-Tir-injected effector protein in regulating Rac1 function. Cellular Microbiology 2009, 11(8), 1254-1271.
• Kenny B, Valdivia R. Host-microbe interactions: bacteria. Current Opinion in Microbiology 2009. London: Elsevier Ltd., Current Opinion Journals, 12(1), 1-3.
• Dean P, Kenny B. The effector repertoire of enteropathogenic E-coli: ganging up on the host cell. Current Opinion in Microbiology 2009, 12(1), 101-109.
• Brandt S, Kenny B, Konig W, Rohde M, Backert S. Dual infection of mammalian cells provides novel insights into injected bacterial effector protein function. In: International Journal of Medical Microbiology: 60th Annual Meeting of the Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Hygiene und Mikrobiologie.2008,Dresden, Germany:Urban und Fischer Verlag
• Ruchaud-Sparagano MH, Maresca M, Kenny B. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) inactivate innate immune responses prior to compromising epithelial barrier function. Cellular Microbiology 2007, 9(8), 1909-1921.
• Schuller S, Chong YW, Lewin J, Kenny B, Frankel G, Phillips AD. Tir phosphorylation and Nck/N-WASP recruitment by enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli during ex vivo colonization of human intestinal mucosa is different to cell culture models. Cellular Microbiology 2007, 9(5), 1352-1364.
• Dean P, Maresca M, Schüller S, Phillips A, Kenny B. Potent diarrheagenic mechanism mediated by the cooperative action of three enteropathogenic Escherichia coli-injected effector proteins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2006, 103(6), 1876-1881.
• Papatheodorou P, Domanska G, Oxle M, Mathieu J, Selchow O, Kenny B, Rassow J. The enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) Map effector is imported into the mitochondrial matrix by the TOM/Hsp70 system and alters organelle morphology. Cellular Microbiology 2006, 8(4), 677-689.
• Quitard S, Dean P, Maresca M, Kenny B. The enteropathogenic Escherichia coli EspF effector molecule inhibits PI-3 kinase-mediated uptake independently of mitochondrial targeting. Cellular Microbiology 2006, 8(6), 972-981.
• Maresca M, Miller D, Quitard S, Dean P, Kenny B. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) effector-mediated suppression of antimicrobial nitric oxide production in a small intestinal epithelial model system. Cellular Microbiology 2005, 7(12), 1749-1762.
• Dean P, Maresca M, Kenny B. EPEC's weapons of mass subversion. Current Opinion in Microbiology 2005, 8(1), 28-34.
• Dean P, Kenny B. Intestinal barrier dysfunction by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli is mediated by two effector molecules and a bacterial surface protein. Molecular Microbiology 2004, 54(3), 665–675.
• Creasey EA, Delahay RM, Bishop AA, Shaw RK, Kenny B, Knutton S, Frankel G. CesT is a bivalent enteropathogenic Escherichia coli chaperone required for translocation of both Tir and Map. Molecular Microbiology 2003, 47(1), 209-221.
• Hawrani AS, Dempsey CE, Banfield MJ, Scott DJ, Clarke AR, Kenny B. Effect of protein kinase-A mediated phosphorylation on the structure and association properties of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Tir virulence protein. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2003, 278(28), 25839-25846.
• Kenny B, Warawa J. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and its effector molecules. In: O'Connor, C.D., Smith, D.G.E, ed. Society for General Microbiology Symposium #62: Microbial Subversion of Host Cells. Cambridge, UK: Society For General Microbiology, 2003, pp.17-36.
• Jepson MA, Peto L, Pellegrin S, Banbury DN, Leard AD, Mellor H, Kenny B. Synergistic roles for the Map and Tir effector molecules in mediating uptake of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) into non-phagocytic cells. Cellular Microbiology 2003, 5(11), 773-784.
• Kenny B, Ellis S, Leard A, Warawa J, Mellor H, Jepson MA. Co-ordinate regulation of distinct host signalling pathways by multifunctional enteropathogenic Escherichia coli effector molecules. Molecular Microbiology 2002, 44(4), 1095-1107.
• Kenny B. Enteropathogenic E. coli - a crafty subversive little bug. Microbiology 2002, 148, 1967-1978.
• Kenny B. Mechanism of action of EPEC Type III effector molecules. International Journal of Medical Microbiology 2002, 291(6-7), 469-477.
• Warawa J, Kenny B. Phosphoserine modification of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Tir molecule is required to trigger conformational changes in Tir and efficient pedestal elongation. Molecular Microbiology 2001, 42, 1269-1280.
• Jepson MA, Kenny B, Leard AD. Role of sipA in the early stages of Salmonella typhimurium entry into epithelial cells. Cellular Microbiology 2001, 3(6), 417-426.
• Kenny B. The enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (serotype O157:H7) Tir molecule is not functionally interchangeable for its enteropathogenic E. coli (serotype O127:H6) homologue. Cellular Microbiology 2001, 3(8), 499-511.
• Kenny B, Warawa J. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) Tir Receptor Molecule Does Not Undergo Full Modification When Introduced into Host Cells by EPEC-Independent Mechanisms. Infection & Immunity 2001, 69(3), 1444-1453.
• Kenny B, Jepson M. Targeting of an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) effector protein to host mitochondria. Cellular Microbiology 2000, 2(6), 579-590.
• Goosney DL Celli J, Kenny B, Finlay BB. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli inhibits phagocytosis.. Infection & Immunity 1999, 67, 490 495.
• Kenny B. Phosphorylation of tyrosine 474 of the enteropathogenic E.coli (EPEC) Tir receptor molecule is essential for actin nucleating activity and is preceded by additional host modifications. Molecular Microbiology 1999, 31, 1229-1243.
• Warawa J, Finlay BB, Kenny B. Type III secretion-dependent haemolytic activity of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). Infection & Immunity 1999, 67, 5538-5540.
• Abe A, Kenny B, Stein M, Finlay BB. Characterisation of two rabbit enteropathogenic E.coli (RDEC) secreted proteins, EspA and EspB, whose maximal secretion is sensitive to host body temperature. Infection & Immunity 1997, 65, 3547-3555.
• Kenny B, Abe A, Stein M, Finlay BB. Enteropathogenic E.coli protein secretion is modulated in response to conditions similar to those found in the gastrointestinal tract. Infection & Immunity 1997, 65, 2606-2612.
• Kenny B, DeVinney R, Stein M, Reinscheid DJ, Frey EA, Finlay BB. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) transfers its receptor for intimate adherence into mammalian cells. Cell 1997, 91, 511-520.
• Kenny B, Finlay BB. Intimin-dependent binding of Enteropathogenic E. coli to host cells triggers new signaling events including tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC-gamma1. Infection & Immunity 1997, 65, 2528-2536.
• Stein M, Kenny B, Stein MA, Finlay BB. Characterization of EspC, a 110 kDa protein secreted by enteropathogenic E.coli which is homologous to members of the IgA protease-like family of secreted proteins. Journal of Bacteriology 1996, 178, 6546-6554.
• Kenny B, Lai L-C, Finlay BB, Donnenberg MS. EspA, a protein secreted by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), is required to induce signals in epithelial cells. Molecular Microbiology 1996, 20, 313-323.
• Finlay B.B., Ruschkowski S., Kenny B., Stein M., Reinscheid D.J ., Stein M.A. and Rosenshine I. Enteropathogenic E.coli exploitation of host epithelial cells.. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1995, 307, 26-31.
• Kenny B, Finlay BB. Protein secretion by enteropathogenic E.coli is essential for transducing signals to epithelial cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 1995, 92, 7991-7995.
• Chervaux C, Sauvonnet N, Le Clainche A, Kenny B, Hung AL, Broome-Smith JK, Holland IB. Secretion of active beta-lactamase to the medium mediated by the Escherichia coli haemolysin transport pathway. Mol Gen Genet. 1995, 249(2), 237-45..
• Kenny B., Chervaux C. and Holland I.B. Evidence that residues -15 to -46 of the haemolysin secretion signal are involved in early steps in secretion, leading to recognition of the translocator.. Mol. Microbiol. 1994, 11(1), 99-109.
• Zychlinsky A., Kenny B., Menard R., Prevost M.C., Holland I.B., Sansonetti P.J. IpaB mediates macrophage apoptosis induced by Shigella flexneri.. Mol. Microbiol. 1994, 11(4), 619-627.
• Zychlinsky A., Kenny B., Prevost M.C., Holland I.B. and Sansonetti P.J. The ipaB gene of Shigella flexneri and macrophage-programmed cell death.. Infectious Agents and Disease - Review Issue & Commentary 1993, 2(4), 212-214.
• Kenny B., Taylor S. and Holland I.B. Identification of individual amino acids required for secretion within the haemolysin (HlyA), C-terminal targeting region.. Mol. Microbiol. 1992, 6(11), 1477-1489.
• Blight M.A., Kenny B., Chervaux C., Pimenta A., Cecchi C and Holland I.B. The structure and function of E. coli haemolysin A (HlyA) toxin and the membrane localised transport protein, HlyB.. Developments in Biochemistry 29: 207-216. 1992.
• Kenny B., Haigh R. and Holland I.B. Analysis of the haemolysin transport process through the secretion from Escherichia coli of Pcm, CAT and Beta-galactosidase fused to the HlyA C-terminal signal domain.. Mol. Microbiol. 1991, 5(10), 2557-2568.
• Finlay B.B., Kenny B., Stein M., Reinscheid D.J., Ruschkowski S and Rosenshine I. Molecular mechanisms of Enteropathogenic E.coli signal transduction, pedestal formation, intimate contact and diarrhea.. Rev. Microbial. Sao Paulo. 10:28-31. 1991.
• Holland I.B., Kenny B., and Blight M. Haemolysin secretion from Escherichia coli.. Biochimie 1990, 72(1-2), l31-141.
• Holland I.B., Blight M., and Kenny B. The mechanism of secretion of haemolysin and other polypeptides from gram-negative bacteria.. J. of Bioenergetics & Biomembranes. 1990, 22(3), 473-91.
• Gray L., Baker K., Kenny B., Mackman N., and Holland I.B. A novel C-terminal signal sequence targets Escherichia coli haemolysin to the medium.. J. Cell Science 1989, Supplement 11, 45-57.
• Holland I.B., Kenny B., Streipe B., and Pluckthun A. Secretion of heterologous proteins in Escherichia coli.. In:Meths. in Enzymology . 1989, pp. l32-143.
• Dean P, Kenny B. Cell-surface nucleolin is sequestered into EPEC microcolonies and may play a role during infection. Microbiology 2011, 157(6), 1761-1767.
• Mühlen S, Ruchaud-Sparagano M, Kenny B. Proteasome-independent degradation of canonical NF [kappa]B complex components by the NleC protein of pathogenic E.coli. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2011, 286(10), 5100-5107.
• Ruchaud-Sparagano MH, Muhlen S, Dean P, Kenny B. The Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) Tir Effector Inhibits NF-kappa B Activity by Targeting TNF alpha Receptor-Associated Factors. PLoS Pathogens 2011, 7(12), e1002414.
• Backert S, Kenny B, Gerhard R, Tegtmeyer N, Bran S. PKA-mediated phosphorylation of EPEC-Tir at serine residues 434 and 463: A novel pathway in regulating Rac1 GTPase function. Gut Microbes 2010, 1(2), 94-99.