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Health Sciences profile

Associate Professor Keith Ireton

PositionAssociate Professor
DepartmentDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology
QualificationsBSc, PhD
Research summaryMedical microbiology and microbial pathogenesis, cellular microbiology

Research

My laboratory studies molecular mechanisms of virulence of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. One ongoing project focuses on understanding the process by which Listeria induces its internalization into host human cells. Another project examines how Listeria spreads from infected human cells to surrounding healthy cells.

Publications

Ireton, K., Gyanwali, G. C., Herath, T. U. B., & Lee, N. (2023). Exploitation of the host exocyst complex by bacterial pathogens. Molecular Microbiology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/mmi.15034

Gyanwali, G. C., Herath, T. U. B., Gianfelice, A., & Ireton, K. (2022). Listeria monocytogenes co-opts the host exocyst complex to promote internalin A-mediated entry. Infection & Immunity, 90(12), e00326-22. doi: 10.1128/iai.00326-22

Ireton, K., Mortuza, R., Gyanwali, G. C., Gianfelice, A., & Hussain, M. (2021). Role of internalin proteins in pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes. Molecular Microbiology, 116, 1407-1419. doi: 10.1111/mmi.14836

Herath, T. U. B., Roy, A., Gianfelice, A., & Ireton, K. (2021). Shigella flexneri subverts host polarized exocytosis to enhance cell-to-cell spread. Molecular Microbiology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/mmi.14827

Dowd, G. C., Mortuza, R., & Ireton, K. (2021). Molecular mechanisms of intercellular dissemination of bacterial pathogens. Trends in Microbiology, 29(2), 127-141. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.008

Gyanwali, G. C., Herath, T. U. B., Gianfelice, A., & Ireton, K. (2022). Listeria monocytogenes co-opts the host exocyst complex to promote internalin A-mediated entry. Infection & Immunity, 90(12), e00326-22. doi: 10.1128/iai.00326-22

Journal - Research Article

Herath, T. U. B., Roy, A., Gianfelice, A., & Ireton, K. (2021). Shigella flexneri subverts host polarized exocytosis to enhance cell-to-cell spread. Molecular Microbiology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/mmi.14827

Journal - Research Article

Dowd, G. C., Mortuza, R., Bhalla, M., Ngo, H. V., Li, Y., Rigano, L. A., & Ireton, K. (2020). Listeria monocytogenes exploits host exocytosis to promote cell-to-cell spread. PNAS, 117(7), 3789-3796. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1916676117

Journal - Research Article

Nakatani, Y., Shimaki, Y., Dutta, D., Muench, S. P., Ireton, K., Cook, G. M., & Jeuken, L. J. C. (2020). Unprecedented properties of phenothiazines unraveled by a NDH-2 bioelectrochemical assay platform. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 142(3), 1311-1320. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b10254

Journal - Research Article

Saila, S., Gyanwali, G. C., Hussain, M., Gianfelice, A., & Ireton, K. (2020). The host GTPase Arf1 and its effectors AP1 and PICK1 stimulate actin polymerization and exocytosis to promote entry of Listeria monocytogenes. Infection & Immunity, 88(2), e00578-19. doi: 10.1128/iai.00578-19

Journal - Research Article

Bhalla, M., Van Ngo, H., Gyanwali, G. C., & Ireton, K. (2019). The host scaffolding protein Filamin A and the exocyst complex control exocytosis during InlB-mediated entry of Listeria monocytogenes. Infection & Immunity, 87(1), e00689-18. doi: 10.1128/iai.00689-18

Journal - Research Article

Bhalla, M., Law, D., Dowd, G. C., & Ireton, K. (2017). Host serine/threonine kinases mTOR and protein kinase C-α promote InlB-mediated entry of Listeria monocytogenes. Infection & Immunity, 85(7), e00087-17. doi: 10.1128/iai.00087-17

Journal - Research Article

Ngo, H. V., Bhalla, M., Chen, D.-Y., & Ireton, K. (2017). A role for host cell exocytosis in InlB-mediated internalization of Listeria monocytogenes. Cellular Microbiology, 19(11), e12768. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12768

Journal - Research Article

Dowd, G. C., Bhalla, M., Kean, B., Thomas, R., & Ireton, K. (2016). Role of host type IA Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase pathway components in invasin-mediated internalization of Yersinia enterocolitica. Infection & Immunity, 84(6), 1826-1841. doi: 10.1128/iai.00142-16

Journal - Research Article

Gianfelice, A., Le, P. H. B., Rigano, L. A., Saila, S., Dowd, G. C., McDivitt, T., … Ireton, K. (2015). Host endoplasmic reticulum COPII proteins control cell-to-cell spread of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Cellular Microbiology, 17(6), 876-892. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12409

Journal - Research Article

Polle, L., Rigano, L. A., Julian, R., Ireton, K., & Schubert, W.-D. (2014). Structural details of human tuba recruitment by InlC of Listeria monocytogenes elucidate bacterial cell-cell spreading. Structure, 22(2), 304-314. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2013.10.017

Journal - Research Article

Rigano, L. A., Dowd, G. C., Wang, Y., & Ireton, K. (2014). Listeria monocytogenes antagonizes the human GTPase Cdc42 to promote bacterial spread. Cellular Microbiology, 16(7), 1068-1079. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12260

Journal - Research Article

Ireton, K. (2013). Molecular mechanisms of cell – cell spread of intracellular bacterial pathogens. Open Biology, 3, 130079. doi: 10.1098/rsob.130079

Journal - Research Article

Leung, N., Gianfelice, A., Gray-Owen, S. D., & Ireton, K. (2013). Impact of the Listeria monocytogenes protein inlC on infection in mice. Infection & Immunity, 81(4), 1334-1340. doi: 10.1128/IAI.01377-12

Journal - Research Article

Jiwani, S., Wang, Y., Dowd, G. C., Gianfelice, A., Pichestapong, P., Gavicherla, B., … Ireton, K. (2012). Identification of components of the host type IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway that promote internalization of Listeria monocytogenes. Infection & Immunity, 80(3), 1252-1266. doi: 10.1128/IAI.06082-11

Journal - Research Article

Gavicherla, B., Ritchey, L., Gianfelice, A., Kolokoltsov, A. A., Davey, R. A., & Ireton, K. (2010). Critical role for the host GTPase-activating protein ARAP2 in InIB-mediated entry of Listeria monocytogenes. Infection & Immunity, 78(11), 4532-4541. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00802-10

Journal - Research Article

Ireton, K. (2010). Anthrax toxins: Roadblocks for exocytic trafficking. Developmental Cell, 19(5), 643-644. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2010.10.019

Journal - Research Article

Taylor, M., Navarro-Garcia, F., Huerta, J., Burress, H., Massey, S., Ireton, K., & Teter, K. (2010). Hsp90 is required for transfer of the cholera toxin A1 subunit from the endoplasmic reticulum to the cytosol. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 285(41), 31261-31267. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.148981

Journal - Research Article

Gao, X., Lorinczi, M., Hill, K. S., Brooks, N. C., Dokainish, H., Ireton, K., & Elferink, L. A. (2009). Met receptor tyrosine kinase degradation is altered in response to the leucine-rich repeat of the Listeria invasion protein Internalin B. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 284(2), 774-783. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M805989200

Journal - Research Article

Goldoni, S., Humphries, A., Nyström, A., Sattar, S., Owens, R. T., McQuillan, D. J., Ireton, K., & Iozzo, R. V. (2009). Decorin is a novel antagonistic ligand of the Met receptor. Journal of Cell Biology, 185(4), 743-754. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200901129

Journal - Research Article

Rajabian, T., Gavicherla, B., Heisig, M., Müller-Altrock, S., Goebel, W., Gray-Owen, S. D., & Ireton, K. (2009). The bacterial virulence factor InIC perturbs apical cell junctions and promotes cell-to-cell spread of Listeria. Nature Cell Biology, 11(10), 1212-1218. doi: 10.1038/ncb1964

Journal - Research Article

Dokainish, H., Gavicherla, B., Shen, Y., & Ireton, K. (2007). The carboxyl-terminal SH3 domain of the mammalian adaptor CrkII promotes internalization of Listeria monocytogenes through activation of host phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Cellular Microbiology, 9(10), 2497-2516. doi: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2007.00976.x

Journal - Research Article

Ireton, K. (2007). Entry of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes into mammalian cells. Cellular Microbiology, 9(6), 1365-1375. doi: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2007.00933.x

Journal - Research Article

Lee, W. L., Cosio, G., Ireton, K., & Grinstein, S. (2007). Role of CrkII in Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 282(15), 11135-11143. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M700823200

Journal - Research Article

Li, N., Lorinczi, M., Ireton, K., & Elferink, L. A. (2007). Specific Grb2-mediated interactions regulate clathrin-dependent endocytosis of the cMet-tyrosine kinase. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 282(23), 16764-16775. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M610835200

Journal - Research Article

Ireton, K., Gyanwali, G. C., Herath, T. U. B., & Lee, N. (2023). Exploitation of the host exocyst complex by bacterial pathogens. Molecular Microbiology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/mmi.15034

Journal - Research Other

Dowd, G. C., Mortuza, R., & Ireton, K. (2021). Molecular mechanisms of intercellular dissemination of bacterial pathogens. Trends in Microbiology, 29(2), 127-141. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.008

Journal - Research Other

Ireton, K., Mortuza, R., Gyanwali, G. C., Gianfelice, A., & Hussain, M. (2021). Role of internalin proteins in pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes. Molecular Microbiology, 116, 1407-1419. doi: 10.1111/mmi.14836

Journal - Research Other

Ireton, K. (2018). A helpful PEST for Listeriolysin O? [Preview]. Cell Host & Microbe, 23(6). doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.05.010

Journal - Research Other

Ireton, K., Van Ngo, H., & Bhalla, M. (2018). Interaction of microbial pathogens with host exocytic pathways. Cellular Microbiology, 20(8), e12861. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12861

Journal - Research Other

Ireton, K. (2016). Rickettsia evades a tense situation [Preview]. Cell Host & Microbe, 20(5), 549-550. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.10.017

Journal - Research Other

Ireton, K., Rigano, L. A., & Dowd, G. C. (2014). Role of host GTPases in infection by Listeria monocytogenes. Cellular Microbiology, 16(9), 1311-1320. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12324

Journal - Research Other

Ireton, K., Rigano, L. A., Polle, L., & Schubert, W.-D. (2014). Molecular mechanism of protrusion formation during cell-to-cell spread of Listeria. Frontiers in Cellular & Infection Microbiology, 4, 21. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00021

Journal - Research Other

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