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New advances to break the genetic tractability barrier of human Prevotella species

Award Number: R21DE034151
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/10/2025
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2027

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New advances to break the genetic tractability barrier of human Prevotella species - PROJECT SUMMARY The Prevotella genus is one of the most abundant and diverse genera in the oral cavity, and includes numerous prominent oral microbiome species that have been recognized for decades to play critical roles in mucosal health and disease. Accordingly, recent culture-independent studies have found oral Prevotella species to be strongly associated with a broad range of both oral and extraoral conditions, especially polymicrobial abscesses and multiple types of malignancies. Despite this, shockingly little is known about the biology of all Prevotella species, largely as a consequence of the notorious genetic intractability within the entire genus. Recently, we encountered this same limitation due to our ongoing studies of host interactions with our Prevotella human odontogenic abscess clinical isolates. While we have identified a variety of intriguing host interaction phenotypes, further mechanistic studies of these phenomena have been stymied by the lack of options for Prevotella genetic manipulation. Consequently, we have recently focused our attention on genetic system development for oral prevotellae. In our preliminary studies, we provide evidence of natural competence from 20 fully sequenced abscess clinical isolates of P. melaninogenica, and we have been able to exploit this ability to genetically manipulate multiple strains using cloning-independent methodologies. Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggests that the P. melaninogenica DNA uptake apparatus is likely to represent an entirely new class of natural competence machinery. Thus, we hypothesize that P. melaninogenica natural competence can serve as a model to break the genetic tractability barrier within the Prevotella genus and reveal the genetic basis for its natural competence ability. The goals of this project will be achieved in two Specific Aims that: 1) characterize the natural competence ability of oral Prevotella and 2) develop a complete genetic toolbox for detailed genetic studies of oral Prevotella.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $195,000 )
2026	2026	OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY	3181 SW SAM JACKSON PARK RD	PORTLAND	OR	97239	MULTNOMAH	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	000	2	5/7/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$195,000
														Subtotal = $195,000

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $234,000 )
2025	2025	OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY	3181 SW SAM JACKSON PARK RD	PORTLAND	OR	97239	MULTNOMAH	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	000	1	6/10/2025	NEW	$234,000
														Subtotal = $234,000

Grand Total All Awards = $429,000

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New advances to break the genetic tractability barrier of human Prevotella species

Award Number: R21DE034151

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/10/2025

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2027

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