Roberto E. Bruna

Genomic and biochemical contexts determine the physiological role of a horizontally acquired gene

This paper shows that horizontally acquired mgtC genes can have different physiological roles depending on genomic and biochemical contexts in Salmonella enterica and other bacteria.

Serratia marcescens Outer Membrane Vesicles rapidly paralyze Drosophila melanogaster through triggering apoptosis in the nervous system

This study shows that Serratia marcescens outer membrane vesicles trigger apoptosis in Drosophila neurons, leading to rapid paralysis through reactive oxygen species and the metalloprotease PrtA.