Curriculum Vitae
JUSTIN MERRITT• 406 NW 21ST ST • OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73103
JUSTIN-MERRITT@OUHSC.EDU • (405) 795-0689
Research and Professional Experience
Assistant Professor, 2006 November – Present
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
Adjunct Assistant Professor, 2006 November – Present
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry
Research Projects:
Global transcriptional analyses of oral bacteria
Biochemistry of gene regulation in oral bacteria
Stress sensitive virulence gene networks in Streptococcus mutans
Regulation of genetic competence in Streptococcus mutans
Interspecies interactions among periodontal bacteria
Host – flora interactions in the oral cavity
Visiting Scientist, 2005 June – 2005 August
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Institute of Microbiology
Research Projects: Development of a fluorescent two-hybrid assay
Interspecies competition between Streptococcus oligofermentans and Streptococcus mutans
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2004 July – 2006 October
University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Department of Oral Biology and Medicine, PI: Dr. Wenyuan Shi
Research Projects: Regulation of genetic competence in Streptococcus mutans
Regulation of lantibiotic production in Streptococcus mutans
Education
PhD, Molecular Biology, 2004
University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Molecular Biology Institute, Mentor: Dr. Wenyuan Shi
Dissertation: Physiological and genetic characterization of a mutation in the luxS dependent signaling pathway
of Streptococcus mutans
B.S., Microbiology and Immunology, 1997
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL Justin Merritt, PhD
Fellowships
1997 July – 1999 July National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
NICHD, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Dr. Phillip Nelson
NIAID, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, Dr. Mark Challberg
Measured prothrombin gene expression in myoblasts
Quantified PKC isotype levels in newborn rat neurons
Constructed a Yeast-Two Hybrid HeLa cell cDNA library screen with Herpes Simplex Virus UL42
Teaching
• Principal Investigator for five postdoctoral research fellows
• Mentor for two J. Dean Robertson Society dental student research projects
• 2007 – Present, Lecturer, MI 6301 Basic Microbiology, DNA Uptake in Bacteria
• 2007 – Present, Lecturer, MI 6853 Advanced Pathogenic Mechanisms, Bacterial Quorum Sensing
• 2007 – Present, Lecturer, DSA 7291 Cariology and Fluorides, Dental Biofilms and Caries
• 2008 – Present, Lecturer, MI 6301 Basic Microbiology, Plasmid Biology
• 2008 – Present, Lecturer, MID 7155 Etiology and Pathogenesis of Disease, Bacterial Biofilms
• 2008 Moderator, Patient-Oriented Problem Solving (PoPS) session, Hypersensitivity
• 2011 Lecturer, MI 6501 Molecular Microbiology, Bacterial Quorum Sensing
Patents
1. Merritt J, Shi W, Anderson M, and The Regents of the University of California. 2008. Quorum Sensing
and Biofilm Formation. United States Patent Number 7,427,408.
Publications
1. Merritt J, Anderson MH, Park NH, and Shi W. Bacterial biofilm and dentistry. J Calif Dent Assoc. 2001
May; 29(5):355-60.
2. Merritt J, Qi F, Goodman SD, Anderson MH, and Shi W. Mutation of luxS affects biofilm formation in
Streptococcus mutans. Infect Immun. 2003 Apr; 71(4):1972-9.
3. Kreth J, Merritt J, Bordador C, Shi W, and Qi F. Transcriptional analysis of mutacin I (mutA) gene
expression in planktonic and biofilm cells of Streptococcus mutans using fluorescent protein and glucuronidase
reporters. Oral Microbiol Immunol. 2004 Aug; 19(4):252-6.
4. Qi F, Merritt J, Lux R, and Shi W. Inactivation of the ciaH gene diminishes mutacin production and
competence development, alters sucrose dependent biofilm formation, and reduces stress tolerance in
Streptococcus mutans. Infect Immun. 2004 Aug; 72(8):4895-9.
5. Kreth J, Hagerman E, Tam K, Merritt J, Wong DTW, Wu BM, Myung MV, Shi W, and Qi F.,
Quantitative analyses of Streptococcus mutans biofilms with quartz crystal microbalance, microjet impingement,
and confocal microscopy. Biofilms. 2004; 1: 277-284. Justin Merritt, PhD page 3 of 6
6. Merritt J, Qi F, and Shi W. A unique nine-gene comY operon in Streptococcus mutans. Microbiology 2005 Jan(Pt
1); 151: 157-166.
7. Merritt J, Kreth J, Qi F, Sullivan R, and Shi W. Non-disruptive, real-time analyses of the metabolic status
and viability of Streptococcus mutans cells in response to antimicrobial treatments. J Microbiol Methods. 2005 May;
61(2):161-70.
8. Kreth J, Merritt J, Shi W, and Qi F. Coordinated bacteriocin production and competence development: A
possible mechanism for taking up DNA from neighboring species. Mol. Microbiol. 2005 July; 57(2):392-404.
9. Merritt J, Kreth J, Shi W, and Qi F. LuxS controls bacteriocin production in Streptococcus mutans through a
novel regulatory component. Mol. Microbiol. 2005 Aug; 57 (4), 960-969.
10. Kreth J, Merritt J, Shi W, and Qi F. Competition and coexistence between Streptococcus mutans and
Streptococcus sanguinis in the dental biofilm. J Bacteriol. 2005 Nov;187 (21):7193-203.
11. Tsang P, Merritt J, Nguyen T, Shi W, and Qi F. Identification of genes associated with mutacin I
production in Streptococcus mutans using random insertional mutagenesis. Microbiology. 2005 Dec; 151(Pt
12):3947-55.
12. Merritt J, Qi F, and Shi W. Milk helps to build strong teeth and to promote oral health. J Calif Dent Assoc.
2006 May;34(5):361-6.
13. Tsang P, Merritt J, Shi W, and Qi F. IrvA-dependent and IrvA-independent pathways for mutacin gene
regulation in Streptococcus mutans. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2006 Aug;261(2):231-4.
14. Kreth J, Merritt J, Zhu L, Shi W, and Qi F. Cell density- and ComE-dependent expression of a group of
mutacin and mutacin-like genes in Streptococcus mutans. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2006 Dec;265(1):11-7.
15. Tong H, Chen W, Merritt J, Qi F, Shi W, and Dong X. Streptococcus oligofermentans inhibits Streptococcus
mutans through conversion of lactic acid into inhibitory H2O2: a possible counteroffensive strategy for
interspecies competition. Mol. Microbiol. 2007 February; 63(3):872-880.
16. Merritt J, Zheng L, Tsang P, Shi W, and Qi F. Construction of a counterselectable in-frame deletion
system for genetic studies of Streptococcus mutans. Oral Microbiol Immunol. 2007 Apr;22(2):95-102.
17. Kreth J, Hung D, Merritt J, Perry J, Zhu L, Goodman S, Cvitkovitch D, Shi W, and Qi F. The response
regulator ComE in Streptococcus mutans functions both as a transcription activator of mutacin production and a
repressor of CSP biosynthesis. Microbiology. 2007 Jun; 153(Pt 6): 1799-1807.
18. Merritt J, Zheng L, Shi W, and Qi F. Genetic characterization of the hdrRM operon: a novel high-celldensity-responsive regulator in Streptococcus mutans. Microbiology. 2007 Aug; 153(Pt 8): 2765-2773.
19. Kreth J, Zhu L, Merritt J, Shi W, and Qi F. Role of sucrose in the fitness of Streptococcus mutans. Oral
Microbiol Immunol. 2008 Jun;23(3):213-9.
20. He X, Wu C, Yarbrough D, Sim L, Niu G, Merritt J, Shi W, and Qi F. The cia operon of Streptococcus
mutans encodes a unique component required for calcium-mediated autoregulation. Mol. Microbiol. 2008
Oct;70(1):112-26.
21. Niu G, Okinaga T, Zhu L, Banas J, Qi F, and Merritt J. Characterization of irvR, a novel regulator of the
irvA-dependent pathway required for genetic competence and dextran-dependent aggregation in Streptococcus
mutans. J Bacteriol. 2008 Nov;190(21):7268-7274.
22. Ya T, Zhang Q, Chu F, Merritt J, Bilige M, Sun T, Du R, and Zhang H. Immunological evaluation of
Lactobacillus casei Zhang: a newly isolated strain from koumiss in Inner Mongolia, China. BMC Immunol. 2008
Nov 19;9(1):68.
23. Nguyen T, Zhang Z, Huang IH, Wu C, Merritt J, Shi W, and Qi F. Genes involved in the repression of
mutacin I production in Streptococcus mutans. Microbiology. 2009 Feb;155(Pt 2):551-6.
24. Kreth J, Merritt J, and Qi F. Bacterial and Host Interactions of Oral Streptococci. DNA Cell Biol. 2009
Aug;28(8):397-403.
25. Merritt J, Niu G, Okinaga T, and Qi F. Autoaggregation response of Fusobacterium nucleatum. Appl Environ
Microbiol. 2009 Dec;75(24):7725-33.
26. Zhu M, Ajdić D, Liu Y, Lynch D, Merritt J, and Banas JA. Role of the Streptococcus mutans irvA gene in
GbpC-independent, dextran-dependent aggregation and biofilm formation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009
Nov;75(22):7037-43. Justin Merritt, PhD page 4 of 6
27. Okinaga T, Niu G, Xie Z, Qi F, and Merritt J. The hdrRM operon of Streptococcus mutans encodes a novel
regulatory system for coordinated competence development and bacteriocin production. J Bacteriol. 2010
Apr;192(7):1844-52.
28. Okinaga T, Xie Z, Niu G, Qi F, and Merritt J. Examination of the hdrRM regulon yields insight into the
competence system of Streptococcus mutans. Mol Oral Microbiol. 2010 Jun;25(3):165-77.
29. Wu C, Ayala EA, Downey JS, Merritt J, Goodman SD, and Qi F. Regulation of the ciaXRH operon
expression and identification of the CiaR regulon in Streptococcus mutans. J Bacteriol. 2010 Sep;192(18):4669-79.
30. Wu C, Cichewicz R, Li Y, Liu J, Roe B, Ferretti J, Merritt J, and Qi F. The genomic island TnSmu2 of
Streptococcus mutans encodes a NRPS-PKS gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of pigments involved in
oxygen and H2O2 tolerance. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2010 Sep;76(17):5815-26.
31. Joyner RM, Liu J, Zhang Z, Merritt J, Qi F, and Cichewicz RH. Mutanobactin A from the human oral
pathogen Streptococcus mutans is a cross-kingdom regulator of the yeast-mycelium transition. Org Biomol Chem.
2010 Dec 15;8(24):5486-9.
32. Xie Z, Okinaga T, Niu G, Qi F, and Merritt J. Identification of a novel bacteriocin regulatory system in
Streptococcus mutans. Mol Microbiol. 2010 Dec;78(6):1431-47.
33. Liu J, Wu C, Huang I, Merritt J, and Qi F. Differential response of Streptococcus mutans towards friend and
foe in mixed species cultures. Microbiol. 2011 in press.
34. Merritt J and Kreth J. Environmental sensory perception by oral streptococci. In Oral Microbial Ecology.
Jakubovics N and Palmer R, eds. Norwich, UK: Horizon Scientific Press, in press.
35. Itzek A, Zheng L, Chen Z, Merritt J, and Kreth J. Hydrogen peroxide dependent transfer of antibiotic
resistance genes in Streptococcus gordonii. Submitted.
36. Xie Z, Okinaga T, Qi F, and Merritt J. A cloning-independent and markerless mutagenesis system in
Streptococcus mutans. Submitted.
Oral Presentations
Merritt J. “LytTR Regulatory Systems: A Novel Class of Signal Transduction System in Oral Biofilm“
Japanese Association for Dental Research, Plenary Lecture (2010), Kitakyushu, Japan.
Merritt J. “LytTR Regulatory Systems: A Novel Class of Signal Transduction System in Oral Biofilm“
Kyushu Dental College (2010), Kitakyushu, Japan.
Merritt J. “LytTR Regulatory Systems: A Novel Class of Signal Transduction System in Oral Biofilm“
National Institute of Infectious Diseases (2010), Tokyo, Japan.
Xie Z., Okinaga T., Niu G., Qi F., and Merritt J. “A novel bacteriocin regulatory system in Streptococcus
mutans” International Association of Dental Research (2010), Barcelona, Spain.
Niu G., Qi F., Merritt J. “IrvA: A link between stress and virulence in Streptococcus mutans” Wind River
Conference on Prokaryotic Biology (2007), Estes Park, CO.
Merritt J., Zheng L., Shi W., Qi F. “A novel density dependent two-gene operon in Streptococcus mutans”
International Association of Dental Research (2007), New Orleans, LA.
Merritt J., Kreth J., Qi F., Shi W. “The Streptococcus mutans luxS gene regulates bacteriocin production”
International Association of Dental Research (2005), Baltimore, USA.
Merritt J., Qi F., Shi W. “Identification and characterization of the comY operon in Streptococcus mutans”
International Association of Dental Research (2004), Hawaii, USA.
Merritt J., Anderson M., Shi W. “Interspecies quorum signaling in Streptococcus mutans” International
Association of Dental Research (2001), Chiba, Japan.
Service
Ad Hoc journal reviewer – Anti-infective Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, Applied and Environmental
Microbiology, BMC Microbiology, Current Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology, Journal of Justin
Merritt, PhD
Bacteriology, Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Microbiology, Molecular Microbiology,
Oral Diseases, PLoS One
Ad Hoc grant reviewer – ATIP-Avenir CNRS-Inserm Programme (France)
Committee memberships – American Association of Dental Research Science Information Committee
(2010 – 2013)
Funding
2009 March – 2014 January NIH 1R01DE018893 Principal Investigator
IrvA: A link between stress adaptation and virulence
2008 February – 2011 February NIH 1R03DE018725 Principal Investigator
Genetic and biochemical studies of the hdrRM operon in Streptococcus mutans
2006 November – 2008 November NIH P20-RR018741
NCRR COBRE Grant
2004 August – 2006 October NIH T-32-DE07296
NIDCR/NIH Comprehensive T32 Research Training Program
2000 August – 2003 July NIH T-32-A107323
NIAID/NIH Microbial Pathogenesis Research Training Program
Membership
International Association for Dental Research (IADR)
American Association for Dental Research (AADR)
American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
References
Dr. Jeffrey Banas
College of Dentistry, University of Iowa
N436 Dental Science Building
Iowa City, IA 52242
Tel: (319) 335-9911; jeffrey-banas@uiowa.edu
Dr. Dennis Cvitkovitch Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto; Room 449A
124 Edward St.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6
Tel: (416) 979-4917 x4592; Fax: (416) 979-4939; dennis.cvitkovitch@utoronto.ca
Dr. Steven Goodman
School of Dentistry, University of Southern California
925 West 34th St, Room 4108
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0641
Tel: (213) 740-3867; Fax: (213) 740-4981; sgoodman@usc.edu
Dr. Wenyuan Shi Justin Merritt, PhD
School of Dentistry, University of California Los Angeles
10833 Le Conte Avenue Room 20-114
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel: (310) 8258356; Fax: (310) 7947109; wenyuan@ucla.edu