Johnson studies the molecular and
cell biology of Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasite that causes
trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent
sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Johnson
cloned the first Trichomonas vaginalis gene in 1990.[10] She first sequenced the genome of Trichomonas vaginalis in 2007,[11] working with
Jane M. Carlton at
New York University.[10] To sequence the gene required the efforts of 66 scientists working in 10 countries.[10] Sequencing the genome revealed detailed information about the mechanism by which Trichomonas adheres to and kills human cells.[10] It is estimated that 275 million people worldwide live with the parasite. She investigates the
pathogenic mechanisms that permit Trichomonas vaginalis to establish infection.[1] Her work considers new means of diagnosing and treating Trichomonas vaginalis.[3]
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abJohnson, Patricia Jean (1984). A molecular comparison of actin genes in sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, S. purpuratus, and Lytechinus pictus) (PhD thesis). University of Michigan.
OCLC68294642.
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abCarlton, J. M.; Hirt, R. P.; Silva, J. C.; Delcher, A. L.; Schatz, M.; Zhao, Q.; Wortman, J. R.; Bidwell, S. L.; Alsmark, U. C. M.; Besteiro, S.; Sicheritz-Ponten, T.; Noel, C. J.; Dacks, J. B.; Foster, P. G.; Simillion, C.; Van de Peer, Y.; Miranda-Saavedra, D.; Barton, G. J.; Westrop, G. D.; Muller, S.; Dessi, D.; Fiori, P. L.; Ren, Q.; Paulsen, I.; Zhang, H.; Bastida-Corcuera, F. D.; Simoes-Barbosa, A.; Brown, M. T.; Hayes, R. D.; Mukherjee, M.; Okumura, C. Y.; Schneider, R.; Smith, A. J.; Vanacova, S.; Villalvazo, M.; Haas, B. J.; Pertea, M.; Feldblyum, T. V.; Utterback, T. R.; Shu, C.-L.; Osoegawa, K.; de Jong, P. J.; Hrdy, I.; Horvathova, L.; Zubacova, Z.; Dolezal, P.; Malik, S.-B.; Logsdon, J. M.; Henze, K.; Gupta, A.; Wang, C. C.; Dunne, R. L.; Upcroft, J. A.; Upcroft, P.; White, O.; Salzberg, S. L.; Tang, P.; Chiu, C.-H.; Lee, Y.-S.; Embley, T. M.; Coombs, G. H.; Mottram, J. C.; Tachezy, J.; Fraser-Liggett, C. M.; Johnson, P. J. (2007).
"Draft Genome Sequence of the Sexually Transmitted Pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis". Science. 315 (5809): 207–212.
Bibcode:
2007Sci...315..207C.
doi:
10.1126/science.1132894.
ISSN0036-8075.
PMC2080659.
PMID17218520.