Karl Wooldridge

Contact

• workRoom B102 Life Sciences
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 82 30743
• fax0115 82 39759
• karl.wooldridge@nottingham.ac.uk
• http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mbig/karl.html

Biography

I obtained my BSc (First Class) in Biological & Biochemical Sciences from the University of Salford (1987) and my PhD in Molecular Microbiology from the Department of Genetics, University of Leicester (1991). After postdoctoral work in Leicester I took up a post-doctoral fellowship in the Molecular Bacteriology & Immunology Group (MBIG), University of Nottingham. After moving to the BBSRC Institute of Food Research I returned to Nottingham in 2001 as a University Research Fellow within the MBIG and was appointed as a Lecturer in Bacteriology in 2003. My research interests include molecular pathogenesis, host cell interactions of bacterial pathogens and bacterial protein secretion. I have carried out extensive studies on the interactions of the enteric pathogen Campylobacter jejuni with model host cells in vitro and on iron-responsive gene regulation in this organism. My current research focuses on the molecular pathogenesis of, and host response to, Neisseria meningitidis and C. jejuni and the role of bacterial secreted proteins in pathogenesis and their potential as vaccine candidates.

Expertise Summary

My main areas of expertise are in molecular and cellular microbiology, bacterial protein secretion, and bacterial vaccines

Teaching Summary

I am the Programm Lead for the MSc in Clinical Microbiology and a member of the Postgraduate Taught Course Committee. I am the Examinations Officer for the School of Molecular Medical Sciences. I am… read more

Research Summary

My current research focuses on the molecular pathogenesis of, and host response to Neisseria meningitidis and Campylobacter jejuni and the role of bacterial secreted proteins in pathogenesis and… read more

Selected Publications

• ORIHUELA, C.J., MAHDAVI, J., THORNTON, J., MANN, B., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., ABOUSEADA, N., OLDFIELD, N.J., SELF, T., ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A. and TUOMANEN, E.I., 2009. Laminin receptor initiates bacterial contact with the blood brain barrier in experimental meningitis models. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 119(6), 1638-1646
• LI, Y., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., JAVED, M.A., TANG, C.M. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2009. Secreted proteins of Neisseria meningitidis protect mice against infection Vaccine. 27(17), 2320-2325
• TUNIO, S.A., OLDFIELD, N.J., BERRY, A., ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and TURNER, D.P.J., 2010. The moonlighting protein fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase of Neisseria meningitidis: surface localization and role in host cell adhesion Molecular Microbiology. 76(3), 605-615

• View all publications

I am the Programm Lead for the MSc in Clinical Microbiology and a member of the Postgraduate Taught Course Committee. I am the Examinations Officer for the School of Molecular Medical Sciences. I am a module convenor for the Advanced Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control & Public Health modules. I teach on these, as well as a number of other modules contributing to several MSc courses in areas including Campylobacter jejuni biology and pathogenesis; Bacterial Protein Secretion; Phase and Antigenic Variation in bacterial pathogens; and Bacterial vaccines. In addition to delivering traditional lectures I have designed Problem-based learn sessions and Student-based learning activities. I also contribute to teaching in practical sessions.

Current Research

My current research focuses on the molecular pathogenesis of, and host response to Neisseria meningitidis and Campylobacter jejuni and the role of bacterial secreted proteins in pathogenesis and their potential as vaccine candidates. Specifically, I am interested in the role of the non-integrin laminin receptor in the pathogenesis of N. meningitidis, the role of bacterial autotransporters in Neisserial pathogenesis, characterisation of the iron (transferrin and lactoferrin) scavenging systems of N. meningitidis, and the role of blood group antigens in the pathogenesis of C. jejuni.

Past Research

My PhD studies - under the guidance of Professor Peter Williams - focused on the aerobactin-mediated iron scavenging system found in many pathogenic isolates of Escherichia coli. Following my PhD I undertook postdoctoral work in the laboratory of Professor Julian Ketley in Leicester. My work initially focused on iron metabolism and regulation in Campylobacter jejuni, after which I worked on the cellular microbiology of this pathogen. I then moved to the laboratory of Professor Dlawer Ala'Aldeen in Nottingham, where I worked on characterising a number of vaccine candidates of Neisseria meningitidis. I then moved to the BBSRC Institute of Food Research to work on iron metabolism and two-component signalling systems in C. jejuni. Since my return to Nottingham in 2001 my work has focused on various aspects of molecular and cellular microbiology of N. meningitidis, C. jejuni and the porcine pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae; bacterial protein secretion in a number of pathogens; development of rapid diagnostic assays for detection of MRSA; as well as vaccine development in N. meningitidis and A. pleuropneumoniae.

Future Research

The work described above is ongoing for the foreseeable future.

• RONNI, A. G. DA SILVA, KARLYSHEV, A. V., OLDFIELD, N. J., WOOLDRIDGE, K. G., BAYLISS, C. D., RYAN, A. and GRIFFIN R, 2019. Variant Signal Peptides of Vaccine Antigen, FHbp, Impair Processing Affecting Surface Localization and Antibody-Mediated Killing in Most Meningococcal Isolates Frontiers in Microbiology.
• DUFAILU OA, MAHDAVI J, ALA'ALDEEN DAA, WOOLDRIDGE KG and OLDFIELD NJ, 2018. Uptake of Neisserial autotransporter lipoprotein (NalP) promotes an increase in human brain microvascular endothelial cell metabolic activity. Microbial pathogenesis. 124, 70-75
• SHAMS F, OLDFIELD NJ, LAI SK, TUNIO SA, WOOLDRIDGE KG and TURNER DPJ, 2016. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase of Neisseria meningitidis binds human plasminogen via its C-terminal lysine residue Microbiologyopen. 5, 340–350
• KHAIRALLA AS, OMER SA, MAHDAVI J, ASLAM A, DUFAILU OA, SELF T, JONSSON A, GEÖRG M, SJÖLINDER H, ROYER P, MARTINEZ-POMARES L, GHAEMMAGHAMI AM, WOOLDRIDGE KG, OLDFIELD NJ and ALA'ALDEEN DAA, 2015. Nuclear trafficking, histone cleavage and induction of apoptosis by the meningococcal App and MspA autotransporters. Cellular Microbiology. 17, 1008-1020
• OKOLIE, CHARLES E., WOOLDRIDGE, KARL G., TURNER, DAVID P.J., COCKAYNE, ALAN and JAMES, RICHARD, 2015. Development of a heptaplex PCR assay for identification of Staphylococcus aureus and CoNS with simultaneous detection of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes BMC Microbiology. 15, 157
• OKOLIE CE, WOOLDRIDGE KG, TURNER DP, COCKAYNE A and JAMES R, 2015. Development of a new pentaplex real-time PCR assay for the identification of poly-microbial specimens containing Staphylococcus aureus and other staphylococci, with simultaneous detection of staphylococcal virulence and methicillin resistance markers. Molecular and cellular probes. 29(3), 144-50
• MAHDAVI, JAFAR, PIRINCCIOGLU, NECMETTIN, OLDFIELD, NEIL J., CARLSOHN, ELISABET, STOOF, JEROEN, ASLAM, AKHMED, SELF, TIM, CAWTHRAW, SHAUN A., PETROVSKA, LILJANA, COLBORNE, NATALIE, SIHLBOM, CARINA, BORÉN, THOMAS, WOOLDRIDGE, KARL G. and ALA'ALDEEN, DLAWER A. A., 2014. A novel O-linked glycan modulates Campylobacter jejuni major outer membrane protein-mediated adhesion to human histo-blood group antigens and chicken colonization: Open Biology Open Biology. 4(1),
• ALQAHTANI F, MAHDAVI J, WHELDON LM, VASSEY M, PIRINCCIOGLU N, ROYER P-J, QARANI SM, MORROLL S, STOOF J, HOLLIDAY ND, TEO SY, OLDFIELD NJ, WOOLDRIDGE KG and ALA'ALDEEN DAA, 2014. Deciphering the complex three-way interaction between the non-integrin laminin receptor, galectin-3 and Neisseria meningitidis. Open Biology. 4, 140053
• SHAMS F, OLDFIELD NJ, WOOLDRIDGE KG and TURNER DPJ, 2014. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA)-a conserved glycolytic enzyme with virulence functions in bacteria: 'ill met by moonlight'. Biochemical Society transactions. 42(6), 1792-5
• ROYER, P-J, ROGERS, A. J., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., TIGHE, P.J., MAHDAVI, J, RITTIG, M.G. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2013. Deciphering the contribution of human meningothelial cells to the inflammatory / antimicrobial response at the meninges. Infection and Immunity. 81(11), 4299-4310
• BAYLISS, C.D., BIDMOS, F.A., ANJUM, A., MANCHEV, V.T., RICHARDS, R.L., GROSSIER, J., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., KETLEY, J.M., BARROW, P.A., JONES, M.A. and TRETYAKOV, M.V., 2012. Phase Variable Genes Of Campylobacter Jejuni Exhibit High Mutation Rates And Specific Mutational Patterns But Mutability Is Not The Major Determinant Of Population Structure During Host Colonization. Nucleic Acids Research. 40(13), 82152
• ABOUSEADA, N.M., ASSAFI, M.S.A., MAHDAVI, J., OLDFIELD, N.J., WHELDON, L.M., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and ALA’ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2012. Mapping the laminin receptor binding domains of Neisseria meningitidis PorA and Haemophilus influenzae OmpP2 PLoS ONE. 7(9), e46233
• TAUSEEF, ISFHAN, HARRISON, ODILE B, WOOLDRIDGE, KARL G, FEAVERS, IAN M, NEAL, KEITH, GRAY, STEPHEN J, KRIZ, PAULA, TURNER, DAVID P J, ALA'ALDEEN, DLAWER, MAIDEN, MARTIN C J and BAYLISS, CHRISTOPHER DAVID, 2011. Influence of the Combination and Phase Variation Status of the Haemoglobin Receptors, HmbR and HpuAB, on Meningococcal Virulence. Microbiology (Reading, England). 157, 1446-1456
• TUNIO, S.A., OLDFIELD, N.J., ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and TURNER, D.P.J., 2010. The role of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GapA-1) in Neisseria meningitidis adherence to human cells BMC Microbiology. 10(November), 280
• TUNIO, S.A., OLDFIELD, N.J., BERRY, A., ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and TURNER, D.P.J., 2010. The moonlighting protein fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase of Neisseria meningitidis: surface localization and role in host cell adhesion Molecular Microbiology. 76(3), 605-615
• HARDIE, K.R, POMMIER, S and WILHELM, S., 2009. The secreted proteins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: their export machineries and how they contribute to pathogenesis. In: KARL WOOLDRIDGE, ed., Bacterial Secreted Proteins Caister Academic Press. 451-479
• ORIHUELA, C.J., MAHDAVI, J., THORNTON, J., MANN, B., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., ABOUSEADA, N., OLDFIELD, N.J., SELF, T., ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A. and TUOMANEN, E.I., 2009. Laminin receptor initiates bacterial contact with the blood brain barrier in experimental meningitis models. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 119(6), 1638-1646
• OLDFIELD N.J. AND WOOLDRIDGE K.G., 2009. Protein secretion and the pathogenesis of Campylobacter jejuni. In: WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., ed., Bacterial secreted proteins Horizon Academic Press. 299-312
• LI, Y., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., JAVED, M.A., TANG, C.M. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2009. Secreted proteins of Neisseria meningitidis protect mice against infection Vaccine. 27(17), 2320-2325
• WOOLDRIDGE, K. G. and VAN VLIET, A. H. M., 2009. In: KETLEY, JULIAN M. and KONKEL, MICHAEL E., eds., Iron Transport and Regulation Horizon Scientific Press. 293-310
• OLDFIELD, N.J., WORRALL, K.E., RYCROFT, A.N., ALI, T., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2009. AasP autotransporter protein of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae does not protect pigs against homologous challenge Vaccine. 27(38), 5278-5283
• OLDFIELD, N.J., DONOVAN, E.A., WORRALL, K.E, WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., LANGFORD, P.R, RYCROFT, A.N and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2008. Identification and characterization of novel antigenic vaccine candidates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Vaccine. 26(16), 1942-1954
• ALI, T., OLDFIELD, N.J., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., TURNER, D.P. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2008. Functional characterization of AasP, a maturation protease autotransporter protein of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Infection and Immunity. 76(12), 5608-5614
• SPENCE, R.P., WRIGHT, V., ALA-ALDEEN, D.A.A., TURNER, D.P., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and JAMES, R., 2008. Validation of virulence and epidemiology DNA microarray for identification and characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolates Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 46(5), 1620-1627
• ASHGAR S.S., OLDFIELD N.J., WOOLDRIDGE K.G., JONES M.A., IRVING G.J., TURNER D.P. and ALA'ALDEEN D.A., 2007. CapA, an autotransporter protein of Campylobacter jejuni, mediates association to human epithelial cells and colonization of the chicken gut. Journal of Bacteriology. 189(5), 1856-1865
• OLDFIELD, N.J., BLAND, S.J., TARAKTSOGLOU, M., DOS RAMOS, F.J., ROBINSON, K., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2007. T-cell stimulating protein A (TspA) of Neisseria meningitidis is required for optimal adhesion to human cells. Cellular Microbiology. 9(2), 463-478
• ASHGAR, S.S.A., OLDFIELD, N.J., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., JONES, M.A., IRVING, G.J., TURNER, D.P.J. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2007. CapA, an autotransporter protein of Campylobacter jejuni, mediates association to human epithelial cells and colonization of the chicken gut Journal of Bacteriology. 189(5), 1856-65
• TURNER, D.P.J., MARIETOU, A.G., JOHNSTON, L., HO, K.K.L., ROGERS, A.J., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2006. Characterisation of MspA - an immunogenic autotransporter protein that mediates adhesion to epithelial and endothelial cells in Neisseria meningitidis. Infection and Immunity. 74(5), 2957-2964
• ROBINSON, K., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., WELLS, D.B., HASAN, A., TODD, I., ROBINS, A., JAMES, R. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2005. T-cell-stimulating protein A elicits immune responses during meningococcal carriage and human disease Infection and Immunity. 73(8), 4684-4693
• WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., KIZIL, M., WELLS, D.B. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2005. Unusual genetic organization of a functional type I protein secretion system in Neisseria meningitidis Infection and Immunity. 73(9), 5554-5567
• LANGLEY, CHRIS, BROCK, CHRIS, BROUWER, GERARD, BROWN, ALUN, CLAPP, LUCIE, COHEN, JON, EVANS, TOM, NEWMAN, CAROL, ORR, SAMANTHA, PHILLIPS, BARRY, RHODES, ANDY, WEBSTER, NIGEL and WOOLDRIDGE, KARL, 2005. Opportunities to replace the use of animals in sepsis research. The report and recommendations of a Focus on Alternatives workshop. ATLA. 33(6), 641-8
• ROBINSON, K., TARAKTSOGLOU, M., ROWE, K.S., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A., 2004. Secreted proteins from Neisseria meningitidis mediate differential human gene expression and immune activation Cellular Microbiology. 6(10), 927-938
• TURNER, D.P.J., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2002. Autotransported serine protease A of Neisseria meningitidis: an immunogenic, surface-exposed outer membrane, and secreted protein Infection and Immunity. 70(8), 4447-4461
• WELLS, D.B., TIGHE, P.J., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., ROBINSON, K. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A.A., 2001. Differential gene expression during meningeal-meningococcal interaction: evidence for self-defense and early release of cytokines and chemokines Infection and Immunity. 69(4), 2718-2722
• HADI, H.A., WOOLDRIDGE, K.G., ROBINSON, K. and ALA'ALDEEN, D.A., 2001. Identification and characterization of App: an immunogenic autotransporter protein of Neisseria meningitidis. Molecular Microbiology. 41(3), 611-623
• AIT-TAHAR, K., WOOLDRIDGE, K. G., TUMER, D. P. J., ATTA, M., TODD, I. and ALA ALDEEN, D. A. A., 2000. Auto-transporter A protein of Neisseria meningitidis: a potent CD4^+ T-cell and B-cell stimulating antigen detected by expression cloning Molecular Microbiology. VOL 37(PART 5), 1094-1105
• VAN VLIET, A. H., WOOLDRIDGE, K. G. and KETLEY, J. M., 1998. Iron-responsive gene regulation in a campylobacter jejuni fur mutant J Bacteriol. 180(20), 5291-8
• WOOLDRIDGE, K. G. and KETLEY, J. M., 1997. Campylobacter-host cell interactions Trends Microbiol. 5(3), 96-102
• WOOLDRIDGE, K. G., WILLIAMS, P. H. and KETLEY, J. M., 1996. Host signal transduction and endocytosis of Campylobacter jejuni Microb Pathog. 21(4), 299-305
• WOOLDRIDGE, K. G., WILLIAMS, P. H. and KETLEY, J. M., 1994. Iron-responsive genetic regulation in Campylobacter jejuni: cloning and characterization of a fur homolog J Bacteriol. 176(18), 5852-6
• WOOLDRIDGE, K. G. and WILLIAMS, P. H., 1993. Iron uptake mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria FEMS Microbiol Rev. 12(4), 325-48
• WOOLDRIDGE, K. G., MORRISSEY, J. A. and WILLIAMS, P. H., 1992. Transport of ferric-aerobactin into the periplasm and cytoplasm of Escherichia coli K12: role of envelope-associated proteins and effect of endogenous siderophores J Gen Microbiol. 138(3), 597-603
• WOOLDRIDGE, K. G. and WILLIAMS, P. H., 1991. Sensitivity of Escherichia coli to cloacin DF13 involves the major outer membrane protein OmpF J Bacteriol. 173(8), 2420-4