Research interests

Production of extracellular enzymes by bacteria. Current research involves: studies on extracellular enzymes produced by staphylococci and streptococci that kill closely related organisms and the possible evolutionary relationships among some of these enzymes; studies on the cell wall modifications that allow these organisms to be resistant to their own bacteriolytic enzymes; and studies on the physiological significance of proteolytic processing of proenzyme forms of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes.

Selected publications

Chen, Y., R.S. Simmonds, G.L. Sloan, and R. Timkovich. 2008. The metal binding site of zoocin A. J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 13:855-860.

Akesson, M., M. Dufour, G.L. Sloan, and R.S. Simmonds. 2007. Targeting of streptococci by zoocin A. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 270:155-161.

Heath, L. S., S. R. Gargis, S. R. Smithberg, H. P. Johnson, H. E. Heath, P. A. LeBlanc, and G. L. Sloan. 2005. Plasmid-specified FemABX-like immunity factor in Staphylococcus sciuri DD 4747. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 249:227-231.

Heath, L.S., H.E. Heath, P.A. LeBlanc, S.R. Smithberg, M. Dufour, R.S. Simmonds, and G.L. Sloan. 2004. The streptococcolytic enzyme zoocin A is a penicillin-binding protein. 2004. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 236: 205-211.

Farris, M.H., H.E. Heath, L.S. Heath, P.A. LeBlanc, R.S. Simmonds, and G.L. Sloan. 2003. Expression of the genes for lysostaphin and lysostaphin resistance in streptococci. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 228: 115-119.

Kloos,W. E., D. N. Ballard, J. A. Webster, R. J. Hubner, A. Tomasz, I. Couto, G. L. Sloan, H. P. DeHart, F. Fiedler, K. Schubert, H. DeLencastre, I. S. Sanches, H. E. Heath, P. A. LeBlanc, and A. Ljungh. 1997. Ribotype delineation and description of Staphylococcus sciuri subspecies and their potential as reservoirs for methicillin resistance and staphylolytic enzyme genes. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 47:313-323.

Bunn, W. J., H.E. Heath, P.A. LeBlanc, and G.L. Sloan. 1998. Wall-associated processing of extracellular enzymes of Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 165:123-127.

Beatson, S.A., G.L. Sloan, and R.S. Simmonds. 1998. Zoocin A immunity factor: A femA-like gene found in a Group C Streptococcus. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 163:73-77.

DeHart, H. P., H.E. Heath, L. S. Heath, P. A. LeBlanc, and G. L. Sloan. 1995. The lysostaphin endopeptidase resistance gene (epr) specifies modification of peptidoglycan cross bridges in Staphylococcus simulans and Staphylococcus aureus. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:1475-1479.

Fondren, L.M., G.L. Sloan, P.A. LeBlanc and H.E. Heath. 1994. Plasmid-encoded catalase of Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 117:231-235.