Bruno Lima, DDS, PhD

Lima BP, Davies JR, Wickström C, Johnstone KF, Hall JW, Svensater G, Herzberg MC. Streptococcus gordonii Poised for Glycan Feeding through a MUC5B-discriminating Lipoteichoic Acid-Mediated Outside-in Signaling Circuit. J Bacteriol. doi:10.1128/jb.00118-22 (2022)

Saavedra FM, Pelepenko LE, Boyle WS, Zhang A, Staley C, Zaia AA, Herzberg MC, Marciano MA*, Lima BP*. In vitro physicochemical characterization of five root canal sealers and their influence on an ex vivo oral multi-species biofilm community. Int Endod J (2022), doi:10.1111/iej.13742 *co-corresponding authors

Nairn BL, Lee G, Chumber A, Steck P, Mire M, Lima BP, Herzberg MC. Uncovering roles of Streptococcus gordonii SrtA-processed proteins in the biofilm lifestyle. J Bacteriol (2020), 203:e00544-20. doi:10 .1128/JB.00544-20.

Lima BP, Kho K, Nairn BL, Davies J, Svensater G, Chen R, Steffes A, Vreeman GW, Meredith TC, Herzberg MC. Streptococcus gordonii Type I Lipoteichoic Acid (LTA) Contributes to Surface Protein Biogenesis. mSphere (2019). 4:e00814-19. doi:10.1128/mSphere.00814-19.

Hall JW, Lima BP, Herbomel GG, Gopinath T, McDonald L, Shyne MT, Lee JK, Kreth J, Ross KF, Veglia G, Herzberg MC. An intramembrane sensory circuit monitors sortase A-mediated processing of streptococcal adhesins. Sci Signal. (2019) May 7;12(580). doi: 10.1126/scisignal.aas9941.

Lima BP*, Hu LI*, Vreeman GW, Weibel DB, Lux R. The Oral Bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum Binds Staphylococcus aureus and Alters Expression of the Staphylococcal Accessory Regulator sarA. Microb Ecol. (2018) 78: 336. doi: 10.1007/s00248-018-1291-0 *co-first authors

Lima BP, Shi W, Lux R. Identification and characterization of a novel Fusobacterium nucleatum adhesin involved in physical interaction and biofilm formation with Streptococcus gordonii. Microbiologyopen. (2017) Jun;6(3). doi: 10.1002/mbo3.444.

de Avila ED, de Molon RS, Lima BP, Lux R, Shi W, Junior MJ, Spolidorio DM, Vergani CE, de Assis Mollo Junior F. Impact of Physical Chemical Characteristics of Abutment Implant Surfaces on Bacteria Adhesion. J Oral Implantol. (2016) Apr;42(2):153-8. doi: 10.1563/aaid-joi-D-14-00318.

Lima BP, Lennon CW, Ross W, Gourse RL, Wolfe AJ. In vitro evidence that RNA Polymerase acetylation and acetyl phosphate-dependent CpxR phosphorylation affect cpxP transcription regulation. FEMS Microbiol Lett. (2016) Mar;363(5):fnw011. doi: 10.1093/femsle/fnw011.

de Avila ED*, Lima BP*, Sekiya T, Torii Y, Ogawa T, Shi W, Lux R. Effect of UV-photofunctionalization on oral bacterial attachment and biofilm formation to titanium implant material. Biomaterials. (2015) Oct;67:84-92. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.07.030. *co-first authors

van Rensburg JJ, Fortney KR, Chen L, Krieger AJ, Lima BP, Wolfe AJ, Katz BP, Zhang ZY, Spinola SM. Development and validation of a high-throughput cell-based screen to identify activators of a bacterial two-component signal transduction system. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. (2015) Jul;59(7):3789-99. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00236-15.

Kuhn ML, Zemaitaitis B, Hu LI, Sahu A, Sorensen D, Minasov G, Lima BP, Scholle M, Mrksich M, Anderson WF, Gibson BW, Schilling B, Wolfe AJ. Structural, kinetic and proteomic characterization of acetyl phosphate-dependent bacterial protein acetylation. PLoS One. (2014) 2014;9(4):e94816. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094816.

Lima BP, Thanh Huyen TT, Bäsell K, Becher D, Antelmann H, Wolfe AJ. Inhibition of acetyl phosphate-dependent transcription by an acetylatable lysine on RNA polymerase. J Biol Chem. (2012) Sep 14;287(38):32147-60. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.365502.

Lima BP, Antelmann H, Gronau K, Chi BK, Becher D, Brinsmade SR, Wolfe AJ. Involvement of protein acetylation in glucose-induced transcription of a stress-responsive promoter. Mol Microbiol. (2011) Sep;81(5):1190-204. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07742.x.

Hu LI, Lima BP, Wolfe AJ. Bacterial protein acetylation: the dawning of a new age. Mol Microbiol. (2010) Jul 1;77(1):15-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07204.x.

Wolfe AJ, Parikh N, Lima BP, Zemaitaitis B. Signal integration by the two-component signal transduction response regulator CpxR. J Bacteriol. (2008) Apr;190(7):2314-22. doi: 10.1128/JB.01906-07.

Selected Grants

Aug 2022 – Jul 2024 NIH:NIDCR R03 DE031337 Lima (PI)
The role of protein acetylation in Streptococcus gordonii biofilms

Feb 2020-Jan 2023    NIH:NIDCR R01 DE027043 Lima (Co-I), Fok (PI)
Probabilistic multifactorial lifetime assessment for resin-based composite restorations

Sep 2018-Aug 2023   NIH:NIDCR K08 DE027705 Lima (PI)
Investigating the role of lipoteichoic acid in surface protein presentation

Bruno Lima, DDS, PhD, is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry in the Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences. Dr. Lima received his dental degree from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil before moving to the US to pursue his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at Loyola University Chicago. His research focuses on understanding how bacteria interact with their environment and the consequence of these interactions on their physiology. As a dentist, Dr. Lima is particularly interested in studying how different environmental interactions affect dental plaque development and whether these interactions can be manipulated to promote oral health.