James Alexander Booth

  • Researcher; PhD
  • +47 230 13 910

James Alexander Booth’s project group:
Bacterial type I toxin-antitoxin systems

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are present in bacterial genomes and on mobile genetic elements. These systems serve diverse functions, ranging from plasmid maintenance to the inhibition of phage infection. Our focus is on type I systems, where the antitoxin is a small RNA (sRNA) molecule that interferes with the translation of the toxin transcript. Our research spans from understanding the RNA dynamics leading to toxin translation to examining the mechanisms of action of the toxins, as well as comprehending the biological functions of these systems. Additionally, we translate our insights into the origins of toxin toxicity to produce synthetic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in an effort to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Our work on synthetic AMP development encompasses a multitude of in vitro assays to assess their efficacy, toxicity and synergy with clinically approved antibiotics.

The techniques we utilize in our projects above allow us to feely modify the genomes of microbes. One potentially important organism in the transition to a low carbon society is Cupriavidus Necator, as it fixes carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce more complex carbon based chemicals. We carry out research on C. Necator and attempt to produce useful chemicals from waste carbon dioxide.

Link to google scholar

Contact information
James Booth PhD
Department of Microbiology
Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet 
PO Box 4950 
Nydalen NO-0424 
Oslo, Norway
jamboo@ous-hf.no
james.booth@ntnu.no

 

Publications 2023

Sæbø IP, Bjørås M, Franzyk H, Helgesen E, Booth JA (2023)
Optimization of the Hemolysis Assay for the Assessment of Cytotoxicity
Int J Mol Sci, 24 (3)
DOI 10.3390/ijms24032914, PubMed 36769243

Thorfinnsdottir LB, Bø GH, Booth JA, Bruheim P (2023)
Survival of Escherichia coli after high-antibiotic stress is dependent on both the pregrown physiological state and incubation conditions
Front Microbiol, 14, 1149978
DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1149978, PubMed 36970700

Publications 2021

Lobie TA, Roba AA, Booth JA, Kristiansen KI, Aseffa A, Skarstad K, Bjørås M (2021)
Antimicrobial resistance: A challenge awaiting the post-COVID-19 era
Int J Infect Dis, 111, 322-325
DOI 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.003, PubMed 34508864

Publications 2020

Booth JA, Špírek M, Lobie TA, Skarstad K, Krejci L, Bjørås M (2020)
Antibiotic-induced DNA damage results in a controlled loss of pH homeostasis and genome instability
Sci Rep, 10 (1), 19422
DOI 10.1038/s41598-020-76426-2, PubMed 33173044

Publications 2016

Kristiansen KI, Weel-Sneve R, Booth JA, Bjørås M (2016)
Mutually exclusive RNA secondary structures regulate translation initiation of DinQ in Escherichia coli
RNA, 22 (11), 1739-1749
DOI 10.1261/rna.058461.116, PubMed 27651528

Publications 2014

Booth JA, Suganthan R, Gaustad P, Bjørås M (2014)
Development of DinQ from Escherichia coli as an anti-cell-envelope antibiotic
Int J Antimicrob Agents, 45 (2), 196-7
DOI 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2014.10.005, PubMed 25465525

Publications 2013

Booth JA, Thomassen GO, Rowe AD, Weel-Sneve R, Lagesen K, Kristiansen KI, Bjørås M, Rognes T, Lindvall JM (2013)
Tiling array study of MNNG treated Escherichia coli reveals a widespread transcriptional response
Sci Rep, 3, 3053
DOI 10.1038/srep03053, PubMed 24157950

Weel-Sneve R, Kristiansen KI, Odsbu I, Dalhus B, Booth J, Rognes T, Skarstad K, Bjørås M (2013)
Single transmembrane peptide DinQ modulates membrane-dependent activities
PLoS Genet, 9 (2), e1003260
DOI 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003260, PubMed 23408903

Publications 2010

Thomassen GO, Weel-Sneve R, Rowe AD, Booth JA, Lindvall JM, Lagesen K, Kristiansen KI, Bjørås M, Rognes T (2010)
Tiling array analysis of UV treated Escherichia coli predicts novel differentially expressed small peptides
PLoS One, 5 (12), e15356
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0015356, PubMed 21203457

Publications 2008

Olsen PA, Solhaug A, Booth JA, Gelazauskaite M, Krauss S (2008)
Cellular responses to targeted genomic sequence modification using single-stranded oligonucleotides and zinc-finger nucleases
DNA Repair (Amst), 8 (3), 298-308
DOI 10.1016/j.dnarep.2008.11.011, PubMed 19071233

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