Robert G. Holt, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immune Response
Department of Biomedical Sciences
Director of the Molecular Biology Core Facility

(615) 327-6673/6402
WBS, Room 4131 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Boulevard
Nashville, TN  37208

rholt@mmc.edu

Lab URL

CV or Bio (PDF)

B.S.   Florida A & M University, 1972
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, 1978
Postdoc, Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1982

Dr. Holt and his colleagues focus their research on Streptococci mutans, the principal etiologic agents of dental caries and prominent causative agents of chronic infective endocarditis. The mutans streptococci consist of a number of distinct bacterial species whose pathogenicity is related to their ability to colonize surfaces, such as enamel, in the etiology of caries or to adhere in the form of vegetations to heart tissue in infective endocarditis.  The long-term goal of Dr. Holt’s studies is to determine the roles of streptococci gene products that function as virulence determinants and to identify antigens or epitopes that have the potential to induce an effective immune response against these streptococci.  Currently, they are determining the cell surface molecules involved in the adherence of streptococci mutans to damaged endocardium.

Jones, M. N. and R. G. Holt.  Activation of plasminogen by Streptococcus mutans.  Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 322, 37-41, 2004.

Beg, A. M., M. N. Jones, T. Miller-Torbert and R. G. Holt.  Binding of Streptococcus mutans to extracellular matrix molecules and fibrinogen. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 298, 75-79, 2002.

Holt, R. G. and L. Raju. Signal sequence and alanine-rich region of streptococcal protein antigen A of Streptococcus sobrinus can direct localization of alkaline phosphatase to the periplasm of Escherichia coli. FEMS Microbiol Lett , 184, 17-21, 2000.