Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Tufts University School of Medicine received a $247,500 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective May 18, 2026 through April 30, 2028. The grant supports fundamental research into the transcriptional regulation mechanisms of AgrA, a key virulence factor in Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacterium affecting immunocompromised populations and pregnant women. The research will employ genome-wide molecular techniques, including in vitro DNA affinity purification coupled with sequencing and ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing) experiments, to identify and characterize all genes directly regulated by AgrA with near-single-nucleotide resolution, thereby establishing the scientific foundation for understanding how this regulator controls virulence and biofilm development.

The project delivers comprehensive genomic analysis products that will map AgrA-binding sites across the Listeria monocytogenes genome, rank their relative binding strengths, and define the conditions under which regulation occurs. These research outputs will enable future mechanistic studies into how AgrA individually regulates specific genes and coordinates bacterial pathogenesis. The research also examines the broader regulatory hierarchy by investigating how CodY, a global metabolic and virulence regulator, controls the AGR locus itself, thereby advancing understanding of multilayered transcriptional control systems in low G+C gram-positive bacterial pathogens.