John B Dame

John B Dame,

Emeritus Professor

Department: Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology
Business Phone: (352) 294-4118
Business Email: damej@ufl.edu

Teaching Profile

Courses Taught
2006,2008-2010,2010-2014,2012-2018,2014-2018,2016-2018,2018
VME6464 Molecular Pathogenesis
2008,2012-2016,2016
VME6934 Topics in Veterinary Medical Sciences

Research Profile

Research interests of the Dame lab include: Emerging and re-emerging pathogens of animals and man; Molecular biology of the malaria parasite; Aspartic proteases as antimalarial drug targets; Vaccine antigen delivery for an improved malaria vaccine; Improved diagnosis of malaria infections; and the Genetic basis for adaptation of Plasmodium falciparum for sustained transmission in the New World.

Two studies are the current focus of the lab:

Efforts to control malaria in various locations are approaching pre-elimination. To succeed in malaria elimination, it is essential to be able to diagnose all infections. Asymptomatic, submicroscopic infections, and P. falciparum lines that have lost the HRP2 antigen biomarker, are detection resistant. Our lab utilizes a diagnostic test designed to detect an essential biomarker, which also has an ultralow level of detection (18S rRNA-qRT-PCR). Preparations are underway to utilize this approach combined with other assays to identify the proportion of malaria infections missed by current methods and estimate their potential contribution to sustained transmission in a low transmission setting. These quality controlled diagnostic services are available to public health laboratories requesting assistance for epidemiologic studies.

Progress is being made in our lab to characterize the evolution of P. falciparum on Hispaniola via whole genome sequencing. Following its introduction five hundred years ago from Africa, the ecosystems of the New World have applied powerful selective pressures on the parasite. Prominent among the selective pressures has been the requirement to utilize novel Anopheline mosquito vectors, as well as the opportunity to infect New World primates in some regions. The genetic basis underlying this successful adaptation is being characterized.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)

Publications

2020
Genetic Markers of Adaptation of Plasmodium falciparum to Transmission by American Vectors Identified in the Genomes of Parasites from Haiti and South America
mSphere. 5(5) [DOI] 10.1128/msphere.00937-20.
2020
Genetic Markers of Adaptation of Plasmodium falciparum to Transmission by American Vectors Identified in the Genomes of Parasites from Haiti and South America.
mSphere. 5(5) [DOI] 10.1128/mSphere.00937-20. [PMID] 33087522.
2018
Elimination or more accurate estimation? Investigation of trends in malaria diagnoses in the Ouest Department of Haiti from 2008 to 2017.
PloS one. 13(6) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0198070. [PMID] 29879170.
2017
Submicroscopic malaria infections in pregnant women from six departments in Haiti.
Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH. 22(8):1030-1036 [DOI] 10.1111/tmi.12909. [PMID] 28609010.
2015
Enzymatic Characterization of Recombinant Food Vacuole Plasmepsin 4 from the Rodent Malaria Parasite Plasmodium berghei.
PloS one. 10(10) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0141758. [PMID] 26510189.
2015
High prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infections: a cross-sectional study in rural areas in six departments in Haiti.
Malaria journal. 14 [DOI] 10.1186/s12936-015-1051-2. [PMID] 26689195.
2015
Malaria elimination in Haiti by the year 2020: an achievable goal?
Malaria journal. 14 [DOI] 10.1186/s12936-015-0753-9. [PMID] 26043728.
2013
Survey of Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance-1 and chloroquine resistance transporter alleles in Haiti.
Malaria journal. 12 [DOI] 10.1186/1475-2875-12-426. [PMID] 24252305.
2011
Ehrlichia ruminantium in Amblyomma variegatum and domestic ruminants in the Caribbean.
Journal of medical entomology. 48(2):485-8 [PMID] 21485394.
2010
Apical surface expression of aspartic protease Plasmepsin 4, a potential transmission-blocking target of the plasmodium ookinete.
The Journal of biological chemistry. 285(11):8076-83 [DOI] 10.1074/jbc.M109.063388. [PMID] 20056606.
2010
Plasmepsin 4-deficient Plasmodium berghei are virulence attenuated and induce protective immunity against experimental malaria.
The American journal of pathology. 176(1):205-17 [DOI] 10.2353/ajpath.2010.090504. [PMID] 20019192.
2010
Rickettsia africae in Amblyomma variegatum and domestic ruminants on eight Caribbean islands.
The Journal of parasitology. 96(6):1086-8 [DOI] 10.1645/GE-2552.1. [PMID] 21158615.
2009
Recombinant plasmepsin 1 from the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum: enzymatic characterization, active site inhibitor design, and structural analysis.
Biochemistry. 48(19):4086-99 [DOI] 10.1021/bi802059r. [PMID] 19271776.
2009
Role of Plasmodium falciparum digestive vacuole plasmepsins in the specificity and antimalarial mode of action of cysteine and aspartic protease inhibitors.
Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy. 53(12):4968-78 [DOI] 10.1128/AAC.00882-09. [PMID] 19752273.
2008
Clinical inquiries. Does antepartum perineal massage reduce intrapartum lacerations?
The Journal of family practice. 57(7):480-1 [PMID] 18625174.
2007
Analysis of binding interactions of pepsin inhibitor-3 to mammalian and malarial aspartic proteases.
Biochemistry. 46(49):14198-205 [PMID] 18004881.
2007
Critical roles for the digestive vacuole plasmepsins of Plasmodium falciparum in vacuolar function.
Molecular microbiology. 65(1):64-75 [PMID] 17581121.
2007
Effects on growth, hemoglobin metabolism and paralogous gene expression resulting from disruption of genes encoding the digestive vacuole plasmepsins of Plasmodium falciparum.
International journal for parasitology. 37(3-4):317-27 [PMID] 17207486.
2006
Structure of the aspartic protease plasmepsin 4 from the malarial parasite Plasmodium malariae bound to an allophenylnorstatine-based inhibitor.
Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography. 62(Pt 3):246-52 [PMID] 16510971.
2005
Active-site specificity of digestive aspartic peptidases from the four species of Plasmodium that infect humans using chromogenic combinatorial peptide libraries.
Biochemistry. 44(6):1768-79 [PMID] 15697202.
2005
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the aspartic protease plasmepsin 4 from the malarial parasite Plasmodium malariae.
Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications. 61(Pt 2):228-31 [PMID] 16511002.
2005
Expression and characterization of the ATP-binding domain of a malarial Plasmodium vivax gene homologous to the B-subunit of the bacterial topoisomerase DNA gyrase.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 140(1):107-17 [PMID] 15694492.
2004
Comparative structural analysis and kinetic properties of lactate dehydrogenases from the four species of human malarial parasites.
Biochemistry. 43(20):6219-29 [PMID] 15147206.
2004
Depletion of natural killer cells does not result in neurologic disease due to Sarcocystis neurona in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency.
The Journal of parasitology. 90(4):782-8 [PMID] 15357069.
2004
Genetic disruption of the Plasmodium falciparum digestive vacuole plasmepsins demonstrates their functional redundancy.
The Journal of biological chemistry. 279(52):54088-96 [PMID] 15491999.
2004
Infection of immunodeficient horses with Sarcocystis neurona does not result in neurologic disease.
Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology. 11(6):1134-9 [PMID] 15539518.
2004
Recombinant expression and enzymatic subsite characterization of plasmepsin 4 from the four Plasmodium species infecting man.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 135(1):101-9 [PMID] 15287591.
2003
Naturally occurring Sarcocystis infection in domestic cats (Felis catus).
International journal for parasitology. 33(8):877-83 [PMID] 12865087.
2003
Plasmepsin 4, the food vacuole aspartic proteinase found in all Plasmodium spp. infecting man.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 130(1):1-12 [PMID] 14550891.
2003
Structural insights into the activation of P. vivax plasmepsin.
Journal of molecular biology. 329(3):505-24 [PMID] 12767832.
2002
Molecular characterisation of a major 29 kDa surface antigen of Sarcocystis neurona.
International journal for parasitology. 32(2):217-25 [PMID] 11812499.
2002
Sarcocystis meningoencephalitis in a northern gannet (Morus bassanus).
Journal of wildlife diseases. 38(2):432-7 [PMID] 12038144.
2002
Sarcocystis neurona: parasitemia in a severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) horse fed sporocysts.
Experimental parasitology. 100(3):150-4 [PMID] 12173399.
2002
The effect of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production by neuronal precursor cells.
European cytokine network. 13(1):128-33 [PMID] 11956032.
2002
The shikimate pathway and its branches in apicomplexan parasites.
The Journal of infectious diseases. 185 Suppl 1:S25-36 [PMID] 11865437.
2001
Biomagnetic separation of contaminating host leukocytes from plasmodium-infected erythrocytes.
Experimental parasitology. 97(2):111-4 [PMID] 11281708.
2001
Co-ordinated programme of gene expression during asexual intraerythrocytic development of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum revealed by microarray analysis.
Molecular microbiology. 39(1):26-36 [PMID] 11123685.
2001
Development of Sarcocystis falcatula in its intermediate host, the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater).
Veterinary parasitology. 95(2-4):327-34 [PMID] 11223213.
2001
Evaluation of the shedding of Sarcocystis falcatula sporocysts in experimentally infected Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana).
Veterinary parasitology. 95(2-4):313-9 [PMID] 11223211.
2001
Immunoconversion against Sarcocystis neurona in normal and dexamethasone-treated horses challenged with S. neurona sporocysts.
Veterinary parasitology. 95(2-4):197-210 [PMID] 11223200.
2001
In vitro culture and synchronous release of Sarcocystis neurona merozoites from host cells.
Veterinary parasitology. 95(2-4):251-61 [PMID] 11223205.
2001
Influence of size of sporocyst inoculum upon the size and number of sarcocysts of Sarcocystis falcatula which develop in the brown-headed cowbird.
Veterinary parasitology. 95(2-4):321-6 [PMID] 11223212.
2001
Profiling the malaria genome: a gene survey of three species of malaria parasite with comparison to other apicomplexan species.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 118(2):201-10 [PMID] 11738710.
2001
Sporocyst size of isolates of Sarcocystis shed by the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana).
Veterinary parasitology. 95(2-4):305-11 [PMID] 11223210.
2001
The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is an intermediate host for Sarcocystis neurona.
International journal for parasitology. 31(4):330-5 [PMID] 11306111.
2001
The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is naturally infected with Sarcocystis neurona.
International journal for parasitology. 31(4):325-9 [PMID] 11306110.
2001
The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is an intermediate host for Sarcocystis neurona.
International journal for parasitology. 31(8):843-9 [PMID] 11403777.
2001
Viability of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts and dose titration in gamma-interferon knockout mice.
Veterinary parasitology. 95(2-4):223-31 [PMID] 11223202.
2000
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis: mystery wrapped in enigma.
Parasitology research. 86(11):940-3 [PMID] 11097304.
2000
Origin and fate of erythropoietin in human milk.
Pediatric research. 48(5):660-7 [PMID] 11044488.
2000
The distribution of receptors for the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in the developing human fetus.
Early human development. 58(1):25-39 [PMID] 10785334.
1999
Active site specificity of plasmepsin II.
Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society. 8(10):2001-9 [PMID] 10548045.
1999
Are Sarcocystis neurona and Sarcocystis falcatula synonymous? A horse infection challenge.
The Journal of parasitology. 85(2):301-5 [PMID] 10219313.
1999
Development and evaluation of an extra chromosomal DNA-based PCR test for diagnosing bovine babesiosis.
Molecular and cellular probes. 13(2):107-13 [PMID] 10208801.
1999
Distribution of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and G-CSF-receptor mRNA and protein in the human fetus.
Pediatric research. 46(3):333-8 [PMID] 10473051.
1999
Karyotype and synteny among the chromosomes of all four species of human malaria parasite.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 101(1-2):23-32 [PMID] 10413040.
1999
Multiple DNA markers differentiate Sarcocystis neurona and Sarcocystis falcatula.
The Journal of parasitology. 85(2):221-8 [PMID] 10219299.
1999
The distribution of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and its receptor in the developing human fetus.
Pediatric research. 46(4):358-66 [PMID] 10509354.
1999
Thrombopoietin (Tpo) in the fetus and neonate: Tpo concentrations in preterm and term neonates, and organ distribution of Tpo and its receptor (c-mpl) during human fetal development.
Early human development. 53(3):239-50 [PMID] 10088990.
1998
Substitution bias, rapid saturation, and the use of mtDNA for nematode systematics.
Molecular biology and evolution. 15(12):1719-27 [PMID] 9866206.
1998
The Plasmodium falciparum translationally controlled tumor protein homolog and its reaction with the antimalarial drug artemisinin.
The Journal of biological chemistry. 273(26):16192-8 [PMID] 9632675.
1997
Haemonchus placei and Haemonchus contortus are distinct species based on mtDNA evidence.
International journal for parasitology. 27(11):1383-7 [PMID] 9421728.
1997
In vitro cultivation and experimental inoculation of Sarcocystis falcatula and Sarcocystis neurona merozoites into budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus).
The Journal of parasitology. 83(6):1189-92 [PMID] 9406803.
1997
Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, and P. malariae: a comparison of the active site properties of plasmepsins cloned and expressed from three different species of the malaria parasite.
Experimental parasitology. 87(3):185-93 [PMID] 9371083.
1997
The prevalence of Fasciola hepatica in its snail intermediate host determined by DNA probe assay.
International journal for parasitology. 27(12):1585-93 [PMID] 9467746.
1996
Current status of the Plasmodium falciparum genome project.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 79(1):1-12 [PMID] 8844667.
1996
Monitoring Babesia bovis infections in cattle by using PCR-based tests.
Journal of clinical microbiology. 34(11):2748-55 [PMID] 8897177.
1995
A repetitive DNA probe for the sensitive detection of Fasciola hepatica infected snails.
International journal for parasitology. 25(5):601-10 [PMID] 7635638.
1995
Aspartic proteinases from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology. 362:511-8 [PMID] 8540365.
1995
Host movement and the genetic structure of populations of parasitic nematodes.
Genetics. 141(3):1007-14 [PMID] 8582607.
1995
Sarcocystis falcatula from passerine and psittacine birds: synonymy with Sarcocystis neurona, agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.
The Journal of parasitology. 81(6):930-5 [PMID] 8544067.
1994
Analysis of expressed sequence tags from Plasmodium falciparum.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 66(1):97-104 [PMID] 7984191.
1994
Aspartic proteinases from the human malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
Biochemical Society transactions. 22(3) [PMID] 7821564.
1994
Sequence, expression and modeled structure of an aspartic proteinase from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 64(2):177-90 [PMID] 7935597.
1993
Gene sequence tags from Plasmodium falciparum genomic DNA fragments prepared by the “genease” activity of mung bean nuclease.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 90(21):9867-71 [PMID] 8234327.
1993
Genetic structure of populations of Ostertagia ostertagi.
Veterinary parasitology. 46(1-4):55-62 [PMID] 8097898.
1993
Migration, selection and population size in ostertagia ostertagi: reply.
Parasitology today (Personal ed.). 9(2):55; author reply 55-6 [PMID] 15463705.
1992
Characterization of the rDNA unit and sequence analysis of the small subunit rRNA and 5.8S rRNA genes from Tritrichomonas foetus.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 52(1):75-83 [PMID] 1625709.
1992
Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of trichinellosis in swine.
American journal of veterinary research. 53(6):877-82 [PMID] 1626777.
1992
Isolation, sequence and differential expression of the p58 gene family of Babesia bigemina.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 53(1-2):149-58 [PMID] 1501634.
1992
Minimizing ELISA background in the diagnosis of swine trichinellosis.
The Journal of parasitology. 78(5):822-9 [PMID] 1403424.
1992
Phylogenetic relationship of Cowdria ruminantium, agent of heartwater, to Anaplasma marginale and other members of the order Rickettsiales determined on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence.
International journal of systematic bacteriology. 42(2):270-4 [PMID] 1581187.
1992
rRNA-based method for sensitive detection of Babesia bigemina in bovine blood.
Journal of clinical microbiology. 30(7):1811-4 [PMID] 1629339.
1992
Suitability of mitochondrial DNA for assaying interindividual genetic variation in small helminths.
The Journal of parasitology. 78(2):374-8 [PMID] 1556654.
1992
The identification and characterization of a break within the large subunit ribosomal RNA of Trichinella spiralis: comparison of gap sequences within the genus.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 51(2):281-9 [PMID] 1574086.
1992
UNUSUAL POPULATION GENETICS OF A PARASITIC NEMATODE: mtDNA VARIATION WITHIN AND AMONG POPULATIONS.
Evolution; international journal of organic evolution. 46(2):470-476 [DOI] 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1992.tb02052.x. [PMID] 28564029.
1991
Cloning and characterization of the ribosomal RNA gene repeat from Ostertagia ostertagi.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 45(2):275-80 [PMID] 1674820.
1991
Immunogenicity and sequence analysis of recombinant p58: a neutralization-sensitive, antigenically conserved Babesia bigemina merozoite surface protein.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 47(2):207-12 [PMID] 1944417.
1991
Sequence microheterogeneity of the three small subunit ribosomal RNA genes of Babesia bigemina: expression in erythrocyte culture.
Nucleic acids research. 19(13):3641-5 [PMID] 1840661.
1988
Eimeria acervulina: DNA cloning and characterization of recombinant sporozoite and merozoite antigens.
Experimental parasitology. 66(1):96-107 [PMID] 2835259.
1988
The genome of Plasmodium cynomolgi is partitioned into separable domains which appear to differ in sequence stability.
Nucleic acids research. 16(10):4499-510 [PMID] 2837737.
1987
Identification of immunodominant surface antigens of Eimeria acervulina sporozoites and merozoites.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 25(2):155-64 [PMID] 3670346.
1987
Plasmodium falciparum: Hoechst dye 33258-CsCl ultracentrifugation for separating parasite and host DNAs.
Experimental parasitology. 64(2):264-6 [PMID] 2443383.
1987
Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi: DNA comparison using cloned rRNA gene probes.
Experimental parasitology. 63(3):272-8 [PMID] 3034655.
1987
Trichinella spiralis in an agricultural ecosystem. II. Evidence for natural transmission of Trichinella spiralis spiralis from domestic swine to wildlife.
The Journal of parasitology. 73(1):103-9 [PMID] 3572642.
1987
Trichinella spiralis: genetic evidence for synanthropic subspecies in sylvatic hosts.
Experimental parasitology. 64(2):195-203 [PMID] 2888683.
1985
Recent efforts in the development of a sporozoite vaccine against human malaria.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology. 185:233-45 [PMID] 3907309.
1985
Restriction-endonuclease analysis of DNA from 15 Giardia isolates obtained from humans and animals.
The Journal of infectious diseases. 152(1):64-73 [PMID] 2409186.
1984
Evolutionary relatedness of Plasmodium species as determined by the structure of DNA.
Science (New York, N.Y.). 225(4664):808-11 [PMID] 6382604.
1984
Identification of 5 S and 5.8 S ribosomal RNA molecules and their genes in Plasmodium berghei.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 11:301-7 [PMID] 6379449.
1984
Mechanism of pyrimethamine resistance in recent isolates of Plasmodium falciparum.
Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy. 26(5):656-9 [PMID] 6393866.
1984
Mung bean nuclease cleaves Plasmodium genomic DNA at sites before and after genes.
Science (New York, N.Y.). 225(4662):625-8 [PMID] 6330899.
1984
Structure of the gene encoding the immunodominant surface antigen on the sporozoite of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
Science (New York, N.Y.). 225(4662):593-9 [PMID] 6204383.
1984
The arrangement of ribosomal RNA genes in Schistosoma mansoni. Identification of polymorphic structural variants.
European journal of biochemistry. 139(1):41-5 [PMID] 6698008.
1984
Two major sequence classes of ribosomal RNA genes in Plasmodium berghei.
Nucleic acids research. 12(14):5943-52 [PMID] 6379606.
1983
Cloning and characterization of a ribosomal RNA gene from Plasmodium berghei.
Molecular and biochemical parasitology. 8(3):263-79 [PMID] 6353227.
1983
The four ribosomal DNA units of the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. Identification, restriction map, and copy number analysis.
The Journal of biological chemistry. 258(11):6984-90 [PMID] 6304071.
1980
Identification of the hydrolytic moiety of the Neurospora plasma membrane H+-ATPase and demonstration of a phosphoryl-enzyme intermediate in its catalytic mechanism.
Biochemistry. 19(13):2931-7 [PMID] 6446934.

Grants

Jul 2016 – Jun 2017
Eliminating Malaria from Haiti. Reinventing DNA to Eradicate Endemic Parasites
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: FIREBIRD BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES LLC via NATL INST OF HLTH NIAID

Education

Postdoctoral fellowship
1977-1980 · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
PhD in Biochemistry
1977 · University of Washington

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 294-4118
Emails:
Business:
damej@ufl.edu
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
2015 SW 16TH AVE., BLDG 1017, RM V3-111
PO BOX 110880
DEPT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND PATHOLOGY
GAINESVILLE FL 326110880
Business Street:
2015 SW 16TH AVE
GAINESVILLE FL 32608