Publications

Scientific figure from research articles displaying gene maps (A), a heatmap of phage fold protection (B), bar graphs of viral titer (C), gene arrangement diagrams (D), and 3D protein structure models (E–I).

A large, distinct family of RNase H fold nucleases associated with numerous defense systems in prokaryotes

Wolf YI, Arshad K, Kannatey-Asibu K, Theisen RQ, Kitzinger KA, Jain PV, Koonin EK*, Makarova KS*, Ledvina HE* (2026) bioRxiv https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.11.03.763955

*co-corresponding authors

A digital illustration for publications shows bacteriophages attaching to a cell surface, injecting genetic material. The foreground highlights cellular components and molecules within the cell, under a soft, bluish light.

The Panoptes system uses decoy cyclic nucleotides to defend against phage

Sullivan AE, Nabhani A, Izrailevsky DS, Schinkel K, Hoffman CRK, Robbins LK, Nagy TA, Duncan ML, Ledvina HE, Erbse AH, Kibby EM, Tak U, Dinh DM, Ednacot EMQ, Ngyuen CM, Burroughs AM, Aravind L, Whiteley AT, Morehouse BRT (2025) Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09557-z

Feature in: Nature Bacteria use a decoy defence molecule to set a trap for viruses (2026)

Four petri dishes labeled by strain and mutant type: wild-type dishes (top row) appear mostly clear, while waav::kanR (top right) and csgA::frt waav::kanR (bottom right) have numerous visible bacterial colonies, as seen in recent publications.

Curli-independent defense against Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus in E. coli

Sayegh R, Ledvina HE, Whiteley AT (2025) mSpectrum https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00342-25

Functional amyloid proteins confer defense against predatory bacteria

Ledvina HE, Sayegh R, Carale RO, Azadeh AL, Macklin AR, Whiteley AT (2025) Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09204-7

Featured in: Nature Reviews Microbiology “Body armour keeps predators away” (2025)

A eukaryotic-like ubiquitination system in bacterial antiviral defence

Chambers LR, Ye Q, Cai J, Gong M, Ledvina HE, Zhou H, Whiteley AT, Suhandynata RT, Corbett KD (2024) Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07730-4

Conservation and similarity of bacterial and eukaryotic innate immunity

Ledvina HE, Whiteley AT (2024) Nature Reviews Microbiology https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-024-01017-1

Discovery of a unique pathway for glutathione utilization in Francisella

Wang Y, Ledvina HE, Tower CA, Kambarev S, Liu E, Charity JC, Lieselotte S.M.S., Chen E, Gallagher LA, Radey MC, Rerolle GE, Li Y, Penewit KM, Turkarslan S, Skerrett SJ, Salipante SJ, Beliga NS, Woodward JJ, Dove SL, Peterson SB, Celli J, Mougous JD (2023) Cell Host Microbe https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2023.06.010

A E1-E2 fusion protein primes antiviral immune signaling in bacteria

Ledvina HE*, Ye Q*, GuY, QuanY, Sullivan AE, LauRK, ZhouH, CorbettKD, WhiteleyAT(2023) Nature *Authors contributed equally to this work https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05647-4

Coordinately regulated interbacterial antagonism defense pathways constitute a bacterial innate immune system

Ting SY, LaCourse KD, Ledvina HE, Zhang R, Radey MC, Kulasekara HD, Somavanshi R, Bertolly SK, Gallagher LA, Kim J, Penewit KM, Salipante SJ, Xu L, Peterson SB, Mougous JD (2022) eLife https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.74658

An internal DNA deaminase toxin directly mutagenizes surviving target populations

de Moraes M, Hsu FS, Huang D, Bosch DE, Zheng J, Radey MC, Simon N, Ledvina HE, Frick JP, Wiggins PA, Peterson SB, Mougous JD (2021) eLife https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.62967

Tn-Seq reveals hidden complexity in the utilization of host-derived glutathione in Francisella tularensis

Ramsey KM*, Ledvina HE*, Tresko TM, Wandzilak JM, Tower CA, Tallo T, Schramm CE, Peterson SB, Skerrett SJ, Mougous JD, Dove SL (2020) PLoS Pathogens *Authors contributed equally to this work https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1008566

A phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase effector alters phagosomal maturation to promote intracellular growth of Francisella

Ledvina HE, Kelly KA, Eshraghi A, Plemel RL, Peterson SB, Lee B, Steele S, Adler M, Kawula TH, Merz AJ, Skerrett SJ, Celli J, Mougous JD (2018) Cell Host Microbe https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2018.07.003

Featured in: Cell Host and Microbe “Bacterial Prison Break: A Host Protein Mimic Paves the Way” (2018)

Secreted Effectors Encoded within and outside of the Francisella Pathogenicity Island Promote Intramacrophage Growth

Eshraghi A, Kim J, Walls AC, Ledvina HE, Miller CN, Ramsey KM, Whitney JC, Radey MC, Peterson SB, Ruhland BR, Tran BQ, Goo YA, Goodlett DR, Dove SL, Celli J, Veesler D, Mougous JD (2016) Cell Host Microbe https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2016.10.008

Cyclic di-AMP targets the cystathionine beta-synthase domain of the osmolyte transporter OpuC

Huynh TN, Choi PH, Sureka K, Ledvina HE, Campillo J, Tong L, Woodward JJ (2016) Molecular Microbiology https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.13456

Distinct Innate Responses are Induced by Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium Mutants

Powell DA, Lydia RM, Ledvina HE, Sempowski GD, Curtiss R, Frelinger JA (2015) Cellular Immunology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellimm.2015.10.002

Diagram from recent publications depicts a donor cell transferring toxin proteins via a Type VI secretion apparatus into a recipient cell, impacting NAD(P)+ metabolism; labeled membranes and molecular components ensure clarity.

An interbacterial NAD(P)+ glycohydrolase toxin requires elongation factor TU for delivery to target cells

Whitney JC, Quentin D, Sawai S, LeRoux M, Harding BN, Ledvina HE, Tran BQ, Robinson H, Goo YA, Goodlett DR, Rausner S, Mougous JD (2015) Cell https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.09.027

Confocal images and intensity graphs of biofilms featured in academic journals: PA14 and PA14ΔwspF strains show green biomass and red Pel polysaccharide staining, with side/top views and quantification of intensity profiles across the biofilm.

Pel is a cationic exopolysaccharide that cross-links extracellular DNA in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm matrix

Jennings LK, Storek KM, Ledvina HE, Coulon C, Marmont LS, Sadovskaya I, Secor PR, Tseng BS, Scian M, Filloux A, Wozniak DJ, Howell PL, Parsek MR (2015) PNAS https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1503058112

Scatter plot showing percent of alveolar macrophages (AMs) of live lung cells. B6 PBS group has higher values (about 6–12%) than DOG WT DT group (~0.2%). A double asterisk, commonly used in publications, indicates statistical significance.

Depletion of alveolar macrophages in CD11c diphtheria toxin receptor mice produces an inflammatory response

Roberts LM, Ledvina HE, Tyladhar S, Jamwal D, Steele SP, Sempowski GD, Frelinger JA (2015) Immunity Inflammation and Disease https://doi.org/10.1002/iid3.51

Fluorescent microscopy image showing red and green staining of tissue structures, with several yellow arrows and one blue arrow indicating specific areas. The label ΔespZ – Day 1 is below the image, as featured in recent Publications.

The Secreted Effector Protein EspZ Is Essential for Virulence of Rabbit Enteropathogenic Escherishia coli

Wilbur JS, Byrd W, Ramamurthy S, Ledvina HE, Khirfan K, Riggs MW, Boedeker EC, Vedantam G, Viswanathan VK (2015) Infection and Immunity https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.02876-14

Bar graph from Publications shows three groups: Uninf. (low cell count), B6 (highest), and TLR2-/- (moderate). Significant differences are marked, with B6 higher than both Uninf. and TLR2-/-. Error bars are included.

TLR2 Signaling is Required for the Innate, but Not Adaptive Response to LVS clpB

Roberts LM, Ledvina HE, Sempowski GD, Frelinger JA (2014) Frontiers in Immunology https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2014.00426

For the most recent full list of publications see here.

The Ledvina Lab

University of Michigan MCDB Department Biological Sciences Building Ann Arbor, Michigan