Eric V. Stabb

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University of Georgia
College of Arts and Sciences
Microbiology
Associate Professor
Professional Headshot of Eric V. Stabb

Mailing Address

University of Georgia
Department of Microbiology
828 Biological Sciences
Athens, Georgia 30602
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (706) 542-2414
Fax: (706) 542-2674
estabb@uga.edu
http://www.uga.edu/mib/people/stabb.htm

Qualifications

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bacteriology, 1997.
B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Molecular Biology and Philosophy, 1990.

Expertise and Research Interests

My lab studies the light-organ symbiosis between the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri and the squid Euprymna scolopes, as a model for natural bacteria-animal interactions. E. scolopes hatchlings lack V. fischeri, which they must obtain from their surroundings. After infection, the squid carry V. fischeri, and only this bacterium, in epithelium-lined crypts of a specialized light-emitting organ, and both partners alter their gene expression. Several features make this symbiosis uniquely tractable. Notably, this natural infection can be reconstituted, so we are able to observe the bacteria and their gene expression in an ecologically relevant context while also in a controlled lab setting.

A main focus of my lab is the regulation and symbiotic role of bioluminescence. Interestingly, dark (lux) mutants are attenuated in the ability to colonize the E. scolopes light organ. Moreover, the lux genes responsible for bioluminescence are induced upon entering the symbiosis. The lux genes are controlled in part by a cell-density dependent pheromone-mediated regulatory circuit often referred to as "quorum sensing". However, bioluminescence is not simply regulated by cell density, and environmentally responsive regulators also strongly influence pheromone (autoinducer) production. My lab is seeking to elucidate the complexities of this regulatory web, the environmental factors that ultimately govern lux regulation, the significance of pheromone-mediated communication in these bacterial populations, and the physiological relevance of bioluminescence for the bacteria.

Other research projects in my lab are aimed at: (i) understanding the interspecies signaling by which the host recognizes and responds to V. fischeri, and (ii) developing genetic tools and expanding genomic datasets (including plasmids) for V. fischeri.

For Reviews see:
Stabb, E.V., A. Schaefer, J.L. Bose, and E.G. Ruby. 2008. Quorum Signaling and Symbiosis in the Marine Luminous Bacterium Vibrio fischeri, In S. C. Winans and B. L. Bassler (eds.), Chemical Communication Among Microbes. ASM Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 233-250

Stabb, E.V. 2006. The Vibrio fischeri-Euprymna scolopes light organ symbiosis. In F. L. Thompson, B. Austin and J. Swings (eds.), The biology of Vibrios. ASM Press, Washington D.C., pp. 204-218

Stabb, E.V. 2005. Shedding light on the bioluminescence "paradox". ASM News 71:223-229.

Keywords

COS Keywords:

Bacteriology, Bioluminescence, Genetics, Microbiology.

Additional Terms:

Bioluminescence, Genetics, Vibrio.

Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Microbiology
International Symbiosis Society

Honors and Awards

2004, CAREER Young Investigator Award, National Science Foundation (NSF)
1999-2001, Postdoctoral National Research Service Award, National Institutes of Health
1996, inductee, Gamma Sigma Delta
1991-1996, Predoctoral Fellow, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
1991, Predoctoral Fellowship (awarded but declined), National Science Foundation
1990-1991, Molecular and Cellular Biology Training Grant Fellow, National Institutes of Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1989, inductee, Phi Beta Kappa
1988, Research Experience For Undergraduates Award, National Science Foundation, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Previous Positions

1997-2001, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Hawaii, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, Kewalo Marine Laboratories
1990-1997, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Bacteriology
1988-1990, Undergraduate Researcher, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Patents

Handelsman, J., S.J. Stewart, and E.V. Stabb. Bacillus cereus strain Z8, Patent Number: 6030610, 2000, , United States.
Handelsman, J., S.J. Stewart, and E.V. Stabb. Bacillus cereus strain W35, Patent Number: 6033659, 2000, , United States.
Handelsman, J., S.J. Stewart, and E.V. Stabb. Disease suppression by novel Bacillus cereus strain SOY130, Patent Number: 5998196, 1999, , United States.
Handelsman, J., L.M. Jacobson, and E.V. Stabb. Bacillus cereus strain DGA34, Patent Number: 5736382, 1998, , United States.
Handelsman, J., J.L. Milner, E.A. Stohl, S.J. Stewart, and E. Stabb. Zwittermicin resistance gene and biocontrol bacteria with the gene, Patent Number: 5618692, 1997, , United States.
Handelsman, J., E.V. Stabb, L.M. Jacobson, R.M. Goodman, D.W. Johnson, and K.P. Smith. Bacillus cereus strain MS1-9, Patent Number: 5700462, 1997, , United States.
Handelsman, J., L.M. Jacobson, D.W. Johnson, K.P. Smith, R.M. Goodman, and E.V. Stabb. Bacillus cereus strain AS4-12, Patent Number: 5552138, 1996, , United States.
Handelsman, J., L. Halverson, E.V. Stabb, B. Lethbridge, and L. Silo. Method of identifying Bacillus cereus having biocontrol activity, Patent Number: 5543301, 1996, , United States.

Publications

  • Stabb, E.V., Millikan, D.S. (2009) Is the Vibrio fischeri-Euprymna scolopes symbiosis a defensive mutualism?, Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis, Boca Raton, Taylor and Francis, In Press (bookchapter)
  • Lyell NL, Dunn AK, Bose JL, Vescovi SL, Stabb EV (Sep 2008) Effective mutagenesis of Vibrio fischeri using hyperactive mini-Tn5 derivatives., Applied and environmental microbiology Abstract
  • Dunn AK, Stabb EV (Sep 2008) Genetic analysis of trimethylamine N-oxide reductases in the light organ symbiont Vibrio fischeri ES114., Journal of bacteriology, 190 (17), 5814-23 Abstract
  • Bose JL, Rosenberg CS, Stabb EV (Aug 2008) Effects of luxCDABEG induction in Vibrio fischeri: enhancement of symbiotic colonization and conditional attenuation of growth in culture., Archives of microbiology, 190 (2), 169-83 Abstract
  • Adin DM, Visick KL, Stabb EV (Jul 2008) Identification of a cellobiose utilization gene cluster with cryptic beta-galactosidase activity in Vibrio fischeri., Applied and environmental microbiology, 74 (13), 4059-69 Abstract
  • Adin DM, Phillips NJ, Gibson BW, Apicella MA, Ruby EG, McFall-Ngai MJ, Hall DB, Stabb EV (Feb 2008) Characterization of htrB and msbB mutants of the light organ symbiont Vibrio fischeri., Applied and environmental microbiology, 74 (3), 633-44 Abstract
  • Dunn AK, Stabb EV (Feb 2008) The twin arginine translocation system contributes to symbiotic colonization of Euprymna scolopes by Vibrio fischeri., FEMS microbiology letters, 279 (2), 251-8 Abstract
  • Mandel MJ, Stabb EV, Ruby EG (2008) Comparative genomics-based investigation of resequencing targets in Vibrio fischeri: focus on point miscalls and artefactual expansions., BMC genomics, 9, 138 Abstract
  • Stabb, E.V., Schaefer, A., Bose, J.L., Ruby, E.G. (2008) Quorum Signaling and Symbiosis in the Marine Luminous Bacterium Vibrio fischeri, Chemical Communication Among Microbes, Washington D.C., ASM Press, 233-250 pages (bookchapter)
  • Bose JL, Kim U, Bartkowski W, Gunsalus RP, Overley AM, Lyell NL, Visick KL, Stabb EV (Jul 2007) Bioluminescence in Vibrio fischeri is controlled by the redox-responsive regulator ArcA., Molecular microbiology, 65 (2), 538-53 Abstract
  • Dunn AK, Stabb EV (Jan 2007) Beyond quorum sensing: the complexities of prokaryotic parliamentary procedures., Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, 387 (2), 391-8 Abstract
  • Sawabe T, Fukui Y, Stabb EV (Nov 2006) Simple conjugation and outgrowth procedures for tagging vibrios with GFP, and factors affecting the stable expression of the gfp tag., Letters in applied microbiology, 43 (5), 514-22 Abstract
  • Walker EL, Bose JL, Stabb EV (Oct 2006) Photolyase confers resistance to UV light but does not contribute to the symbiotic benefit of bioluminescence in Vibrio fischeri ES114., Applied and environmental microbiology, 72 (10), 6600-6 Abstract
  • Cloud-Hansen KA, Peterson SB, Stabb EV, Goldman WE, McFall-Ngai MJ, Handelsman J (Sep 2006) Breaching the great wall: peptidoglycan and microbial interactions., Nature reviews. Microbiology, 4 (9), 710-6 Abstract
  • Dunn AK, Millikan DS, Adin DM, Bose JL, Stabb EV (Jan 2006) New rfp- and pES213-derived tools for analyzing symbiotic Vibrio fischeri reveal patterns of infection and lux expression in situ., Applied and environmental microbiology, 72 (1), 802-10 Abstract
  • Stabb, E.V. (2006) The Vibrio fischeri-Euprymna scolopes light organ symbiosis, The Biology of Vibrios, Washington D.C., ASM Press, 204-218 pages (bookchapter)
  • Burgents JE, Burnett LE, Stabb EV, Burnett KG (2005) Localization and bacteriostasis of Vibrio introduced into the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei., Developmental and Comparative Immunology, 29 (8), 681-91 Abstract
  • Ruby EG, Urbanowski M, Campbell J, Dunn A, Faini M, Gunsalus R, Lostroh P, Lupp C, McCann J, Millikan D, Schaefer A, Stabb E, Stevens A, Visick K, Whistler C, Greenberg EP (2005) Complete genome sequence of Vibrio fischeri: a symbiotic bacterium with pathogenic congeners., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 102 (8), 3004-9 Abstract
  • E.V. Stabb (2005) Shedding light on the bioluminescence "paradox", ASM News, 71, 223-229
  • Dunn AK, Martin MO, Stabb EV (2005) Characterization of pES213, a small mobilizable plasmid from Vibrio fischeri., Plasmid, 54 (2), 114-34 Abstract
  • Koropatnick TA, Engle JT, Apicella MA, Stabb EV, Goldman WE, McFall-Ngai MJ, Microbial factor-mediated development in a host-bacterial mutualism, Science, 306(5699), 1186-8, Nov 2004 Abstract
  • Stabb EV, Butler MS, Adin DM, Correlation between osmolarity and luminescence of symbiotic Vibrio fischeri strain ES114, Journal of Bacteriology, 186(9), 2906-8, May 2004 Abstract
  • McCann J, Stabb EV, Millikan DS, Ruby EG, Population dynamics of Vibrio fischeri during infection of Euprymna scolopes, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 69(10), 5928-5934, October 2003
  • Stabb EV, Ruby EG, Contribution of pilA to competitive colonization of the squid Euprymna scolopes by Vibrio fischeri, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 69(2), 820-6, February 2003 Abstract
  • Stabb, EV and EG Ruby, New RP4-based plasmids for conjugation between Escherichia coli and members of the Vibrionaceae, Methods in Enzymology, 358, 413-426, 2002
  • Stabb EV, Reich KA, Ruby EG, Vibrio fischeri genes hvnA and hvnB encode secreted NAD(+)-glycohydrolases, Journal of Bacteriology, 183(1), 309-17, Jan 2001 Abstract
  • Stabb, EV, KL Visick, DS Millikan, AA Corcoran, L Gilson, SV Nyholm, M. McFall-Ngai and E.G. Ruby., The Vibrio fischeri-Euprymna scolopes symbiosis: A model marine animal-bacteria interaction. In N.K. Saxena (ed.), Recent Advances in Marine Science and Technology, 2000. PACON International, Honol, pp. 269-277, 2001
  • Nyholm SV, Stabb EV, Ruby EG, McFall-Ngai MJ, Establishment of an animal-bacterial association: recruiting symbiotic vibrios from the environment, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 97(18), 10231-5, August 2000 Abstract
  • Silo-Suh LA, Stabb EV, Raffel SJ, Handelsman J, Target range of zwittermicin A, an aminopolyol antibiotic from Bacillus cereus, Current Microbiology, 37(1), 6-11, July 1998 Abstract
  • Stabb EV, Handelsman J, Genetic analysis of zwittermicin A resistance in Escherichia coli: effects on membrane potential and RNA polymerase, Molecular Microbiology, 27(2), 311-22, Jan 1998 Abstract
  • Raffel SJ, Stabb EV, Milner JL, Handelsman J, Genotypic and phenotypic analysis of zwittermicin A-producing strains of Bacillus cereus, Microbiology (reading, England), 142 ( Pt 12), 3425-36, December 1996 Abstract
  • Handelsman, J and EV Stabb., Biocontrol of soilborne plant pathogens, Plant Cell, 8, 1855-1869, 1996
  • Stohl, EA, J Handelsman, and EV Stabb., Zwittermicin A and biological control of oomycete pathogens, In G. Stacey, B. Mullen and P. Gresshoff (eds.), Advances in molecular genetics of plant-microbe interactions, Vol. 4. Kluwer Academic Publ, 475-479, 1996
  • Stabb EV, Jacobson LM, Handelsman J, Zwittermicin A-producing strains of Bacillus cereus from diverse soils, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 60(12), 4404-12, December 1994 Abstract
  • Stabb, EV, LM Jacobson, M Janowiak, and J Handelsman., Biological control with zwittermicin A-producing strains of Bacillus cereus from diverse soils (abstract), Molecular Ecology, 3, 608-609, 1994
  • Brandner JP, Stabb EV, Temme R, Donohue TJ, Regions of Rhodobacter sphaeroides cytochrome c2 required for export, heme attachment, and function, Journal of Bacteriology, 173(13), 3958-65, July 1991 Abstract

Profile Details

Last Updated: 11/7/2008

COS Expertise ID #355468
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