Neville Firth

Senior Lecturer in Biology (Bioinformatics)

Recent Grants

NHMRC Project Grant (2007-2009). "Molecular mechanisms of plasmid maintenance in multiply-resistant staphylococci". CIs: N. Firth, M.A. Schumacher, S.M. Kwong, S.O. Jensen & R.A. Skurray.

NHMRC Project Grant (2007-2009). "Nucleic acid synthesis and cell division in model pathogenic bacteria". CIs: P.J. Lewis, E.J. Harry & N.E. Dixon. AI: N. Firth.

University of Sydney R&D Grant (2005). "Coordinate regulation of a conjugative staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid by a global regulator of transcription". CI: N. Firth. AI: M.H. Brown.

NHMRC Project Grant (2004-2006). "Molecular genetics and evolution of antibiotic resistant staphylococci". CIs: R.A. Skurray, N. Firth & S.M. Kwong. AI: E.J. Harry.

University of Sydney Sesqui R&D Grant (2004). "Expansive aminoglycoside resistance mediated by the bifunctional enzyme AAC(6')-APH(2'') from Staphyloccocus aureus: Investigating the structural and functional consequences of gene fusion". CIs: R.A. Skurray & C.A. Collyer. AI: N. Firth.

ARC Discovery Grant (2003-2005). "Plasmid maintenance and interactions with the host cell and its genome". CIs: N. Firth & R.A. Skurray.

University of Sydney Sesqui NSSS Grant (2003). "Transcriptional analysis of the staphylococcal insertion element IS257". CI: N. Firth.

NHMRC Equipment Grant (2003). "High-sensitivity/high-resolution microscopy facility for fluorescence imaging of living cells". CIs: N. Firth & R.A. Skurray.

Publications

Books

Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (2006). The Staphylococcus - Genetics: Accessory elements and genetic exchange. p. 413-426. In: Fischetti, V.A., Novick, R.P., Ferretti, J.J., Portnoy, D.A., Rood, J.I. (Eds.). Gram-Positive Pathogens, 2^nd Edition. American Society for Microbiology, Washington D.C.

Firth, N. (2003). Evolution of antimicrobial multi-resistance in Gram-positive bacteria. p. 33-60. In: Amabile-Cuevas, C.F. (Ed.). Multiple Drug Resistant Bacteria. Horizon Scientific Press, Wymondham.

Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (2000). The Staphylococcus - Genetics: Accessory elements and genetic exchange. p. 326-338. In: Fischetti, V.A., Novick, R.P., Ferretti, J.J., Portnoy, D.A., Rood, J.I. (Eds.). Gram-Positive Pathogens. American Society for Microbiology, Washington D.C.

Osborn, A.M., Bron, S., Firth, N., Holsappel, S., Huddleston, A., Kiewiet, R., Meijer, W., Seegers, J., Skurray, R., Terpstra, P., Thorsted, P., Tietze, E., Turner, S.L., & Thomas, C.M. (2000). The evolution of bacterial plasmids. p. 301-362. In: Thomas, C.M. (Ed.). The Horizontal Gene Pool: Bacterial Plasmids and Gene Spread. Harwood Academic, London.

Paulsen, I.T., Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (1997). Resistance to antimicrobial agents other than beta-lactams. p. 175-212. In: Crossley, K.B. &. Archer, G.L. (Eds.). The Staphylococci in Human Disease. Churchill Livingstone, New York.

Firth, N., Ippen-Ihler, K. & Skurray, R.A. (1996). Structure and function of the F factor and mechanism of conjugation. p. 2377-2401. In: Neidhardt, F.C., Curtiss, R., III, Ingraham, J.L., Lin, E.C.C., Low, K.B., Jr., Magasanik, B., Reznikoff, W.S., Riley, M., Schaechter, M. & Umbarger, H.E. (Eds.). Escherichia coli and Salmonella: Cellular and Molecular Biology. American Society for Microbiology, Washington D.C.

Journals

Kwong, S.M., Lim, R., LeBard, R.J., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (2008). Analysis of the pSK1 replicon, a prototype from the staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid family. Microbiology 154: 3084-3094.

Jensen, S.O., Kwong, S.M., Lyon, B.R. & Firth, N. (2008). Evolution of multiple drug resistance in staphylococci. Microbiology Australia 29 (Sept.): 120-124.

LeBard, R.J., Jensen, S.O., Arnaiz, I.A., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (2008). A multimer resolution system contributes to segregational stability of the prototypical staphylococcal conjugative multiresistance plasmid pSK41. FEMS Microbiology Letters 284: 58-67.

Schumacher, M.A., Glover, T.C., Brzoska, A.J., Jensen, S.O., Dunham, T.D., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (2007). Segrosome structure revealed by a complex of ParR with centromere DNA. Nature 450: 1268-1271.

Kwong, S.M., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (2006). Replication control of staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid pSK41: an antisense RNA mediates dual-level regulation of Rep expression. Journal of Bacteriology 188: 4404-4412.

Kwong, S.M. & Firth, N. (2006). Regulatory RNA molecules. Microbiology Australia 27 (Sept.): 124-127.

Kwong, S.M., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (2004). Staphylococcus aureus multiresistance plasmid pSK41: Analysis of the replication region, initiator protein binding and antisense RNA regulation. Molecular Microbiology 51: 497-509.

Simpson, A.E., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (2003). A single gene on the staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid pSK1 encodes a novel partitioning system. Journal of Bacteriology 185: 2143-2152.

Grkovic, S., Brown, M.H., Hardie, K. M., Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (2003). Stable low copy-number Staphylococcus aureus shuttle vectors. Microbiology 149: 785-794.

Lu, J., Manchak, J., Klimke, W., Davidson, C., Firth, N., Skurray, R.A. & Frost, L.S. (2002). Analysis and characterization of the IncFV plasmid pED208 transfer region. Plasmid 48: 24-37.

Simpson, A.E., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (2000). An IS257-derived hybrid promoter directs transcription of a tetA(K) tetracycline resistance gene in the Staphylococcus aureus Chromosomal mec Region. Journal of Bacteriology 182: 3345-3352.

Firth, N., Apisiridej, S., Berg, T., O'Rourke, B.A., Curnock, S., Dyke, K.G.H. & Skurray, R.A. (2000). Replication of staphylococcal multiresistance plasmids. Journal of Bacteriology 182: 2170-2178.

Bayer, A.S., Prasad, R., Chandra, J., Koul, A., Smriti, M., Varma, A., Skurray, R.A., Firth, N., Brown, M.H., Koo, S.-P. & Yeaman, M.R. (2000). In vitro resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal protein is associated with alterations in cytoplasmic membrane fluidity. Infection and Immunity 68: 3548-3553.

Kupferwasser, L.I., Skurray, R.A., Brown, M.H., Firth, N., Yeaman, M.R. & Bayer, A.S. (1999). Plasmid-mediated resistance to thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal protein in staphylococci: Role of the qacA locus. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 43: 2395-2399.

Manwaring, N.P., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (1999). Nucleotide sequence of the F plasmid leading region. Plasmid 41: 219-225.

Firth, N., Berg, T. & Skurray, R.A. (1999). Evolution of conjugative plasmids from Gram-positive bacteria. Molecular Microbiology 31: 1598-1599.

Berg, T., Firth, N., Apisiridej, S., Hettiaratchi, A., Leelaporn, A. & Skurray, R.A. (1998). Complete nucleotide sequence of pSK41: Evolution of staphylococcal conjugative multiresistance plasmids. Journal of Bacteriology 180: 4350-4359.

Wright, C.L., Byrne, M.E., Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (1998). A retrospective molecular analysis of gentamicin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus strains from UK hospitals. Journal of Medical Microbiology 47: 173-178.

Firth, N. & R. A. Skurray. (1998). Mobile elements in the evolution and spread of multiple-drug resistance in staphylococci. Drug Resistance Updates 1: 49-58.

Berg, T, Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (1997). Enterococcal pheromone-like activity derived from a lipoprotein signal peptide encoded by a Staphylococcus aureus plasmid. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 418: 1041-1044.

Apisiridej, S., Leelaporn, A., Scaramuzzi, C.D., Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (1997). Molecular analysis of a mobilizable theta-mode trimethoprim resistance plasmid from coagulase-negative staphylococci. Plasmid 38: 13-24.

Skurray, R.A. & Firth, N. (1997). Molecular evolution of multiply-antibiotic-resistant staphylococci. CIBA Foundation Symposium 207: 167-191.

Leelaporn, A., Firth, N., Paulsen, I.T. & Skurray, R.A. (1996). IS257-mediated cointegration in the evolution of a family of staphylococcal trimethoprim resistance plasmids. Journal of Bacteriology. 178: 6070-6073.

Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (1995). A protein family associated with filament biogenesis in bacteria. Molecular Microbiology 17: 1218-1219.

Leelaporn, A., Firth, N., Paulsen, I.T., Hettiaratchi, A. & Skurray, R.A. (1995). Multidrug resistance plasmid pSK108 from coagulase-negative staphylococci; relationships to Staphylococcus aureus qacC plasmids. Plasmid 34: 62-67.

Firth, N., Fink, P.D., Johnson, L. & Skurray, R.A. (1994). A lipoprotein signal peptide encoded by the staphylococcal conjugative plasmid pSK41 exhibits an activity resembling that of Enterococcus faecalis pheromone cAD1. Journal of Bacteriology 176: 5871-5873.

Doran, T.J., Loh, S.M., Firth, N. & Skurray, R.A. (1994). Molecular analysis of the F plasmid   traVR region: traV encodes a lipoprotein. Journal of Bacteriology 176: 4182-4186.

Leelaporn, A., Firth, N., Byrne, M.E., Roper, E. and Skurray, R.A. (1994). Possible role of insertion sequence IS257 in dissemination and expression of high- and low-level trimethoprim resistance in staphylococci. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 38: 2238-2244.

Firth, N., Ridgway, K.P, Byrne, M.E., Fink, P.D., Johnson, L., Paulsen, I.T. & Skurray, R.A. (1993). Analysis of a transfer region from the staphylococcal conjugative plasmid pSK41. Gene 136: 13-25.

Firth, N. & Skurray, R. (1992). Characterization of the F plasmid bifunctional conjugation gene, traG. Molecular and General Genetics 232: 145-153.

Ham, L.M., Firth, N. & Skurray, R. (1989). Nucleotide sequence of the F plasmid transfer gene, traH: identification of a new gene and promoter within the transfer operon. Gene 75: 157-165.

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