Dr Claire Turner
School of Biosciences
Senior Research Fellow
- Profile
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- 2017-present: Royal Society/ Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Research Fellow, University of Sheffield
- 2017-present: Florey Institute Research Fellow, University of Sheffield
- 2013-2016: Imperial College Junior Research Fellow
- 2009-2013: Research Associate, National Centre for Infection Prevention & Management, Imperial College London
- 2005-2009: PhD, Imperial College London.
- Research interests
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My research focus is on trying to understand the mechanisms behind upsurges in disease caused by the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (also known as group A Streptococcus). Upsurges occur frequently and can be associated with specific genotypes.
I use a combination of whole genome sequencing, epidemiology, clinical analysis and phenotypic work to try and identify what makes strains successful at causing disease and become suddenly more abundant.
One of my particular interests is recombination-related genome remodelling, which we identified to be the driving force behind a very recent shift in the population of the S. pyogenes genotype emm89. A new variant of emm89 emerged from the population having undergone six regions of recombination within the core genome.
This recombination-related genome remodelling led to substantial phenotype changes, including loss of the hyaluronic acid capsule and increase of toxin expression, altering the way this genotype interacted with the host.
The emergent variant has now become the dominant form of emm89 in the UK and globally, causing a high level of disease. Understanding how recombination occurs and what the impact of recombination is on the bacterium are part of my research aims.
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- The emergence of successful streptococcus pyogenes lineages through convergent pathways of capsule loss and recombination directing high toxin expression. mBio, 10(6). View this article in WRRO
- High burden and seasonal variation of paediatric scabies and pyoderma prevalence in the Gambia : a cross-sectional study. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(10). View this article in WRRO
- Emergence of dominant toxigenic M1T1 Streptococcus pyogenes clone during increased scarlet fever activity in England : a population-based molecular epidemiological study. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. View this article in WRRO
- Identification of two new core chromosome-encoded superantigens in Streptococcus pyogenes; speQ and speR. Journal of Infection. View this article in WRRO
- Community outbreaks of group A Streptococcus revealed by genome sequencing. Scientific Reports, 7(1). View this article in WRRO
- Enhanced nasopharyngeal infection and shedding associated with an epidemic lineage of emm3 group A Streptococcus. Virulence, 8(7), 1390-1400. View this article in WRRO
- Scarlet Fever Upsurge in England and Molecular-Genetic Analysis in North-West London, 2014. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 22(6), 1075-1078.
- Emergence of a New Highly Successful Acapsular Group A Streptococcus Clade of Genotype emm89 in the United Kingdom. mBio, 6(4). View this article in WRRO
All publications
Journal articles
- Identification of pathways to high-level vancomycin resistance in Clostridioides difficile that incur high fitness costs in key pathogenicity traits. PLOS Biology, 22(8). View this article in WRRO
- Molecular characterization of Streptococcus pyogenes (StrepA) non-invasive isolates during the 2022–2023 UK upsurge. Microbial Genomics, 10(8).
- Streptococcus pyogenes carriage and infection within households in The Gambia: a longitudinal cohort study. The Lancet Microbe.
- 44 Quantitative PCR demonstrates the underestimated burden of Streptococcus pyogenes as a cause of paediatric pyoderma in The Gambia. Clinical Infection in Practice, 20(Supplement 1). View this article in WRRO
- Characterization of emergent toxigenic M1UK Streptococcus pyogenes and associated sublineages. Microbial Genomics, 9(4).
- Human CEACAM1 is targeted by a Streptococcus pyogenes adhesin implicated in puerperal sepsis pathogenesis. Nature Communications, 14.
- Can group A streptococcus infections be influenced by viruses in the respiratory tract?. The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
- Impact of intra-partum azithromycin on carriage of group A streptococcus in the Gambia: a posthoc analysis of a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. BMC Infectious Diseases, 22(1).
- Vaccine-induced, but not natural immunity, against the Streptococcal inhibitor of complement protects against invasive disease. npj Vaccines, 6(1).
- Cryptic prophages within a Streptococcus pyogenes genotype emm4 lineage. Microbial Genomics, 7(1).
- Extracellular bacterial lymphatic metastasis drives Streptococcus pyogenes systemic infection. Nature Communications, 11(1).
- The emergence of successful streptococcus pyogenes lineages through convergent pathways of capsule loss and recombination directing high toxin expression. mBio, 10(6). View this article in WRRO
- High burden and seasonal variation of paediatric scabies and pyoderma prevalence in the Gambia : a cross-sectional study. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(10). View this article in WRRO
- Toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 evaluation and antibiotic impact in a transgenic model of staphylococcal soft tissue infection. mSphere, 4(5). View this article in WRRO
- Emergence of dominant toxigenic M1T1 Streptococcus pyogenes clone during increased scarlet fever activity in England : a population-based molecular epidemiological study. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. View this article in WRRO
- Pathogenicity factors in group C and G streptococci. Microbiology Spectrum, 7(3). View this article in WRRO
- Streptococcal superantigen‐induced expansion of human tonsil T cells leads to altered T follicular helper cell phenotype, B cell death and reduced immunoglobulin release. Clinical & Experimental Immunology. View this article in WRRO
- Identification of two new core chromosome-encoded superantigens in Streptococcus pyogenes; speQ and speR. Journal of Infection. View this article in WRRO
- Streptococcal superantigen-induced expansion of human tonsil T cells leads to altered T follicular helper cell phenotype, B cell death, and reduced immunoglobulin release.
- Impact of contusion injury on intramuscular emm1 group a streptococcus infection and lymphatic spread. Virulence, 9(1), 1074-1084. View this article in WRRO
- Proteomic analysis at the sites of clinical infection with invasive Streptococcus pyogenes. Scientific Reports, 8(1). View this article in WRRO
- The DNases of pathogenic Lancefield streptococci.. Microbiology, 164(3), 242-250. View this article in WRRO
- Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Staphylococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome in the United Kingdom. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 24(2). View this article in WRRO
- Community outbreaks of group A Streptococcus revealed by genome sequencing. Scientific Reports, 7(1). View this article in WRRO
- Enhanced nasopharyngeal infection and shedding associated with an epidemic lineage of emm3 group A Streptococcus. Virulence, 8(7), 1390-1400. View this article in WRRO
- Corrigendum: Emergence of a novel lineage containing a prophage in emm/M3 group A Streptococcus associated with upsurge in invasive disease in the UK. Microbial Genomics, 2(11).
- Emergence of a novel lineage containing a prophage in emm/M3 group A Streptococcus associated with upsurge in invasive disease in the UK. Microbial Genomics, 2(6). View this article in WRRO
- Scarlet Fever Upsurge in England and Molecular-Genetic Analysis in North-West London, 2014. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 22(6), 1075-1078.
- Identification of commonly expressed exoproteins and proteolytic cleavage events by proteomic mining of clinically relevant UK isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Microbial Genomics, 2(2). View this article in WRRO
- The effect of trauma on invasive group A streptococcal (IGAS) disease. Journal of Infection, 71(6), 686-686.
- Panton–Valentine leucocidin expression by Staphylococcus aureus exposed to common antibiotics. Journal of Infection, 71(3), 338-346.
- A Truncation in the Regulator RocA Underlies Heightened Capsule Expression in Serotype M3 Group A Streptococci. Infection and Immunity, 83(4), 1732-1733. View this article in WRRO
- Molecular Analysis of an Outbreak of Lethal Postpartum Sepsis Caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 51(7), 2089-2095. View this article in WRRO
- P194 Molecular anatomy of invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) isolates in England. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 42, S103-S104.
- Streptococcus pyogenes superantigen SPEA expression suppresses all immunoglobulin classes in human tonsil explants. Journal of Infection, 61(6), 518-518.
- ERRATUM. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 200(8), 1353-1353.
- Emerging Role of the Interleukin‐8 Cleaving Enzyme SpyCEP in ClinicalStreptococcus pyogenesInfection. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 200(4), 555-563.
- Impact of immunization against SpyCEP during invasive disease with two streptococcal species: Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus equi. Vaccine, 27(36), 4923-4929.
- The IL-8 Protease SpyCEP/ScpC of Group A Streptococcus Promotes Resistance to Neutrophil Killing. Cell Host & Microbe, 4(2), 170-178.
- Streptococcus pyogenes under pressure. Nature Medicine, 13(8), 909-910.
- Specific C‐Terminal Cleavage and Inactivation of Interleukin‐8 by Invasive Disease Isolates ofStreptococcus pyogenes. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 192(5), 783-790.
- Molecular methods enhance the detection of pyoderma-related Streptococcus pyogenes and emm-type distribution in children. The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
- CD9 co-operation with syndecan-1 is required for a major staphylococcal adhesion pathway. mBio.
- Streptococcus pyogenes colonization in children aged 24-59 months in The Gambia: Impact of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine and associated serological responses. The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
- Author Correction: Human CEACAM1 is targeted by a Streptococcus pyogenes adhesin implicated in puerperal sepsis pathogenesis. Nature Communications, 14(1).
- Stringent Response-Mediated Control of GTP Homeostasis Is Required for Long-Term Viability of Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiology Spectrum.
- Genomic characterisation of skin and soft tissue Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from a low-income and a high-income setting. mSphere.
- Molecular Epidemiology of Group A Streptococcus Infections in The Gambia. Vaccines, 9(2), 124-124.
- Turner et al. Reply to “Emergence of the Same Successful Clade among Distinct Populations of emm89 Streptococcus pyogenes in Multiple Geographic Regions”. mBio, 6(6). View this article in WRRO
- RocA Truncation Underpins Hyper-Encapsulation, Carriage Longevity and Transmissibility of Serotype M18 Group A Streptococci. PLoS Pathogens, 9(12), e1003842-e1003842.
- Non-Invasive Monitoring of Streptococcus pyogenes Vaccine Efficacy Using Biophotonic Imaging. PLoS ONE, 8(11), e82123-e82123. View this article in WRRO
- Correction: Inactivation of the CovR/S Virulence Regulator Impairs Infection in an Improved Murine Model of Streptococcus pyogenes Naso-Pharyngeal Infection. PLoS ONE, 8(9).
- Inactivation of the CovR/S Virulence Regulator Impairs Infection in an Improved Murine Model of Streptococcus pyogenes Naso-Pharyngeal Infection. PLoS ONE, 8(4), e61655-e61655.
- Superantigenic Activity of emm3 Streptococcus pyogenes Is Abrogated by a Conserved, Naturally Occurring smeZ Mutation. PLoS ONE, 7(10), e46376-e46376. View this article in WRRO
- Chemokine-cleaving Streptococcus pyogenes protease SpyCEP is necessary and sufficient for bacterial dissemination within soft tissues and the respiratory tract. Molecular Microbiology, 76(6), 1387-1397.
- Lymphatic Metastasis of Virulent Extracellular Bacteria Drives Systemic Infection. SSRN Electronic Journal. View this article in WRRO
- Emergence of a New Highly Successful Acapsular Group A Streptococcus Clade of Genotype emm89 in the United Kingdom. mBio, 6(4). View this article in WRRO
Chapters
- Streptococci and Enterococci, Infectious Diseases (pp. 1523-1536.e2). Elsevier
- Definition for Streptococcal Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome, Infectious Diseases, 2-Volume Set (pp. 1523-1536.e2).
- Streptococci and Enterococci In Cohen J, Powderly W & Opal S (Ed.), Infectious Diseases 4th edition Elsevier
- Pathogenicity Factors in Group C and G Streptococci, Gram-Positive Pathogens (pp. 264-274). ASM Press
Conference proceedings papers
- Bioluminescence imaging of a clinical isolate of Streptococcus pyogenes. LUMINESCENCE, Vol. 25(2) (pp 179-181)
Preprints
- Molecular characterisation ofStreptococcus pyogenes(StrepA) non-invasive isolates during the 2022-23 UK upsurge, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Molecular methods enhance the detection of pyoderma-related Streptococcus pyogenes and emm-type distribution in children, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Multiple evolutionary pathways lead to vancomycin resistance in Clostridioides difficile.
- CD9 co-operation with syndecan-1 is required for a major staphylococcal adhesion pathway, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Characterisation of emergent toxigenic M1UKStreptococcus pyogenesand associated sublineages, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Streptococcus pyogenescolonization in children aged 24-59 months in The Gambia: Impact of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine and associated serological responses, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- High burden and seasonal variation of paediatric scabies and pyoderma prevalence in The Gambia: a cross-sectional study, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Emergence of Dominant Toxigenic M1T1 Streptococcus Pyogenes Clone During Increased Scarlet Fever Activity in England: A Population-Based Molecular Epidemiological Study, SSRN Electronic Journal.
- Comparative genomic analysis of skin and soft tissue Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from low- and high-income settings, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Impact of intra-partum Azithromycin on carriage of group A streptococcus in The Gambia: a posthoc analysis of a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Vaccine-induced, but not natural immunity, against the Streptococcal Inhibitor of Complement protects against invasive disease, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Cryptic prophages within a Streptococcus pyogenes genotype emm4 lineage.
- The emergence of successfulStreptococcus pyogeneslineages through convergent pathways of capsule loss and recombination directing high toxin expression. View this article in WRRO