Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 2R01AI092531-16
Megaplasmids in Gut Microbial Colonization of Premature Infants
Recipient
University of California Berkeley
Award Amount
$615,963.00
Ceiling
$615,963.00
Awarded
July 10, 2026
Identifier
2R01AI092531-16
Research project funded by NIAID to study megaplasmids in infant gut microbiomes, focusing on their prevalence, gene expression, and impact on bacterial fitness and immune responses, aiming to inform clinical interventions for neonatal health.
Description
This research investigates megabase-scale plasmids of E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae in infant gut microbiomes. Megaplasmids have vast genetic repertoires that likely increase host bacterial resilience, contribute to virulence, and confer antimicrobial resistance. Understanding megaplasmid prevalence, persistence, gene expression, impacts on bacterial fitness and inflammatory responses will add a new dimension to understanding of bacteria in human microbiomes and may ultimately provide actionable insights for clinical interventions.