Project Grant R21DE036472

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research awarded the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston $429,000 on July 16, 2026, under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121) to investigate how dietary composition influences Fusobacterium nucleatum physiology and virulence.

The project will define the mechanism by which fruit peel extracts induce amyloid fibrils on F. nucleatum surfaces and re-examine the molecular model of amyloid genesis. The recipient will also elucidate the regulation and function of the GFRABCDEF operon in F. nucleatum subspecies nucleatum, including its role in Amadori product utilization and subspecies competition. Preliminary studies indicate that water extracts from apple, tomato, and grape peels—but not fruit flesh—activate this operon and trigger amyloidogenesis, while Amadori products selectively enrich certain F. nucleatum strains. The work aims to establish a mechanistic framework connecting diet, microbial amyloids, and subspecies-level ecology, with implications for understanding F. nucleatum's association with periodontitis, preterm birth, colorectal cancer, and Alzheimer's disease.

Performance occurs in Houston, Texas, with a period of performance from July 16, 2026, through July 15, 2028. This is a Project Grant, classified as assistance funding under the NIDCR's extramural research program supporting basic, translational, and clinical research in dental, oral, and craniofacial health.