Anne O. Summers

Anne O. Summers is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Georgia's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on bacterial plasmid-encoded resistance to mercury compounds (the mer locus) as a model for gene regulation by toxic metals, microbial detoxification of environmental hazards, and the influence of metals on vertebrate microbiota.

Current projects include:

• Structure-function studies of MerR protein types
• Investigating Tn21 MerR regulator interactions with RNA polymerase
• Collaborative work with Jeremy Smith and Liyuan Liang at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Developing computational filters for mercury isotopes in proteomics with Sue Miller (UCSF) and Mary Lipton (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
• Research on mercury methylation in collaboration with Judy Wall at Missouri
• Work on lateral gene transfer mechanisms through plasmids and transposons

Her lab recently concluded sequencing projects on mobile plasmids from MRSA, marine bacteria, agricultural pathogens, and biofuel-fermenting bacteria.