Casey Theriot

About

Casey Theriot is a professor whose research spans molecular microbiology, protein biochemistry, microbial ecology, and bacterial pathogenesis. His multidisciplinary training has fostered innovative approaches to understanding bacterial mechanisms of pathogenesis. His early research included studying Desulfovibrio in primate intestinal tracts exposed to elemental mercury, and working at the CDC on antimicrobial resistance monitoring and clinical enteric pathogen isolates. During his graduate studies at North Carolina State University, he focused on characterizing metalloproteases in Archaeal organisms and engineered proteins from Pyrococcus species for detoxification of nerve agents, applying biochemistry and protein structure expertise. His current research investigates the gastrointestinal microbiota's role in Clostridium difficile pathogenesis, particularly how antibiotics disrupt gut microbiota and influence resistance to C. difficile colonization. His work integrates high-throughput analysis of the microbiome, metabolome, and host immune responses in animal models and human samples, aiming to elucidate the complex interactions among the microbiota, pathogens, and the host to inform public health strategies.

Research topics

• Microbiology
• Biology
• Genetics
• Biochemistry
• Computer Science
• Ecology
• Virology
• Business
• Food science
• Chemistry

Selected publications

• <i>In Vivo</i> Targeting of Clostridioides difficile Using Phage-Delivered CRISPR-Cas3 Antimicrobials

  mBio · 2020 · 216 citations

  toward clinical application. These findings provide evidence into how phage can be combined with CRISPR-based targeting to develop novel therapies and modulate microbiomes associated with health and disease.

  PublisherDOI

• Clostridioides difficile exploits toxin-mediated inflammation to alter the host nutritional landscape and exclude competitors from the gut microbiota

  Nature Communications · 2021 · 188 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  Clostridioides difficile is a bacterial pathogen that causes a range of clinical disease from mild to moderate diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis, and toxic megacolon. Typically, C. difficile infections (CDIs) occur after antibiotic treatment, which alters the gut microbiota, decreasing colonization resistance against C. difficile. Disease is mediated by two large toxins and the expression of their genes is induced upon nutrient depletion via the alternative sigma factor TcdR. Here, we use tcdR…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• <i>Lactobacillus</i> bile salt hydrolase substrate specificity governs bacterial fitness and host colonization

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2021 · 179 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  transcriptome in a BA-dependent manner. Finally, BSHs were able to dictate differences in bacterial competition in vitro and in vivo, defining their impact on BSH-encoding bacteria within the greater gastrointestinal tract ecosystem. This work emphasizes the importance of considering the enzymatic preferences of BSHs alongside the conjugated/deconjugated BA-bacterial interaction. These results deepen our understanding of the BA-microbiome axis and provide a framework to engineer lactobacilli wit…

  DOI

• Dietary protein source alters gut microbiota composition and function

  The ISME Journal · 2025-01-01 · 35 citations

  articleOpen access

  The source of protein in a person's diet affects their total life expectancy. However, the mechanisms by which dietary protein sources differentially impact human health and life expectancy are poorly understood. Dietary choices impact the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota that ultimately modulate host health. This raises the possibility that health outcomes based on dietary protein sources might be driven by interactions between dietary protein and the gut microbiota. In thi…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Stickland Reaction Precursor <i>trans</i> -4-Hydroxy- <scp>l</scp> -Proline Differentially Impacts the Metabolism of Clostridioides difficile and Commensal <i>Clostridia</i>

  mSphere · 2022 · 28 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  may be affected by hydroxyproline metabolism, highlighting how a common nutrient may be a signal to each organism to adapt to a unique niche. Further elucidation of the differences between them in the presence of hydroxyproline and other key nutrients will be important to determining their role in nutrient competition against C. difficile.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Shifts in the Gastrointestinal Metabolome During Clostridium difficile Infection

  NIH · $371k · 2013–2017

• Targeted bacterial restoration of colonization resistance against C. difficile

  NIH · $1.6M · 2016–2022

Frequent coauthors

• Vincent B. Young

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  29 shared

• Jun Lu

  Shandong Provincial Hospital

  16 shared

• Rajani Thanissery

  North Carolina State University

  15 shared

• Yawei Zhang

  Fudan University

  13 shared

• Ingrid L. Bergin

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  13 shared

• Alissa J. Rivera

  North Carolina State University

  13 shared

• Matthew H. Foley

  North Carolina State University

  13 shared

• Stephanie A. Montgomery

  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  13 shared

Labs

• Theriot LaboratoryPI

Education

• Ph.D., Animal Science

  North Carolina State University

  2006

• M.S., Animal Science

  North Carolina State University

  2002

• B.S., Animal Science

  Louisiana State University

  2000

Similar researchers at North Carolina State University

• Luke Borsth-37
• Siddhartha Thakurh-36
• Isabel Gimenoh-33