Research

This is the hub for Dustin Edwards's research. Dustin Edwards, Ph.D., is a virologist and Department Head of Biological Sciences at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. His virology research at Tarleton covers retroviruses, from HTLV-1 in people to REV and LPDV in wild birds, and bacteriophage research in Texas with undergraduates in the SEA-PHAGES program, along with research on how course-based research is taught. This page lists every research area, the phage table, every lab protocol and every publication, with a sentence on each.

Research areas#

• Retroviruses: human retroviruses, HTLV-1 research on the Tax oncoprotein and the accessory proteins p12, p8, p13 and p30; and avian retroviruses, detection and genome sequencing of REV and LPDV in Texas wild turkeys and Attwater's prairie chickens.
• Bacteriophages: discovery, genomics and structure of Microbacterium and Mycobacterium phages isolated from Texas soil by undergraduates, including the cluster O mycobacteriophage Ryadel and its elongated capsid.
• Science education: the SEA-PHAGES course-based research experience at Tarleton, the genome announcements students co-author, and research with the SEA-PHAGES faculty community on how research courses are taught and assessed.

Work on AI lives under software until there is published AI research.

Phages#

The phage table lists all 80 bacteriophages isolated in the Tarleton SEA-PHAGES lab from 2017 to 2025, with each phage's host, year, Texas county, PhagesDB record and genome announcement where one exists.

Protocols#

The protocols index groups the lab's methods. Each protocol has its own page:

• Phage discovery guide: the Phage Discovery Program at Tarleton, the path from soil sample to annotated genome, and where the lab's practice differs from the official SEA-PHAGES Phage Discovery Guide.
• Phage isolation protocol: direct and enriched isolation, plaque purification, spot and full plate titers, webbed plates and high-titer lysates.
• Phage DNA extraction protocol: the lab's column-free ZnCl2/TES method, with checks of DNA quantity and quality before sequencing.
• COI primers: the LCO1490 and HCO2198 (Folmer) primers and PCR conditions for COI barcoding of invertebrate mitochondrial DNA.
• REV PCR primers: three primer sets for reticuloendotheliosis virus, one in the 3′ LTR and two in the pol gene, with cycling tables and product sizes.
• Pan-avian GAPDH PCR: a control PCR showing that a bird DNA extraction holds DNA that will amplify.

Publications#

Every paper is listed below by area, with one sentence on what it reports. Each title links to the paper's own page. The publications page has the full list with citations.

Human and simian retroviruses#

• Discovery and Characterization of Auxiliary Proteins Encoded by Type 3 Simian T-Cell Lymphotropic Viruses (2015). Three previously unknown accessory proteins were found in simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3, and the location of each in the cell was characterized.
• Both orf-I isoforms, p12 and p8, are required for efficient HTLV-1 infection and persistence (2014). A conference talk reporting that HTLV-1 needs both p12 and p8 to infect and persist.
• Co-dependence of HTLV-1 p12 and p8 Functions in Virus Persistence (2014). HTLV-1 established infection efficiently in macaques only when it made both p12 and p8.
• Human T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Virus Type 1 p30, but Not p12/p8, Counteracts Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) and TLR4 Signaling in Human Monocytes and Dendritic Cells (2014). The HTLV-1 p30 protein suppresses TLR3 and TLR4 signaling and the interferon response in monocytes and dendritic cells, and p12 and p8 do not.
• Palmitoylation and p8-Mediated Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Transmission (2014). Mutating cysteine 39 blocks dimerization and palmitoylation of p8 and p12, but p8 still reaches the cell surface and supports virus transmission.
• Role of regulatory proteins in HIV-1/HTLV-1 coinfection (2014). A conference poster, listed under its published title, on regulatory proteins in coinfection.
• A Public HTLV-1 Molecular Epidemiology Database for Sequence Management and Data Mining (2012). A public online database that collects and annotates published HTLV-1 sequences.
• Inhibition of Geranylgeranyl Transferase-I Decreases Cell Viability of HTLV-1-Transformed Cells (2011). The inhibitor GGTI-298 lowered the viability of HTLV-1-transformed cells and reduced Tax protein levels.
• Orf-I and Orf-II-Encoded Proteins in HTLV-1 Infection and Persistence (2011). A review of the HTLV-1 orf-I and orf-II proteins p12, p8, p13 and p30.
• Role of dimerization and palmitoylation on the function of HTLV-1 p12 and p8 (2011). A conference abstract on how dimerization and palmitoylation affect HTLV-1 p12 and p8.
• Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Tax Relieves Repression of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen Gene Expression (2008). HTLV-1 Tax blocks a repressor complex on the PCNA promoter and raises PCNA expression.
• RNA Tumour Viruses (2007). A textbook chapter on RNA tumor viruses, focused on HTLV-1 and its Tax oncoprotein.

Avian retroviruses#

• Genome Sequence of Fowlpox Virus-Integrated Reticuloendotheliosis Virus from a Rio Grande Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) (2022). A nearly intact REV provirus was found inserted in a field strain of fowlpox virus from a wild turkey in Gillespie County, Texas.
• Molecular Surveillance for Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus and Reticuloendotheliosis Virus in Rio Grande Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) in Texas, USA (2022). The first molecular evidence of LPDV in Texas, from dried blood spots of 373 wild turkeys, with continued detection of REV.
• Near-Complete Proviral Genome Sequence of Reticuloendotheliosis Virus Isolated from an Attwater's Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri) (2022). The REV genome from the 2016 to 2017 outbreak at a captive breeding facility for endangered Attwater's prairie chickens.
• Detection of Reticuloendotheliosis Virus in Muscovy Ducks, Wild Turkeys, and Chickens in Brazil (2020). The first report of REV in the Amazon biome, in Muscovy ducks, wild turkeys and chickens in northern Brazil.
• Survey of Reticuloendotheliosis Virus in Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Texas, USA (2019). A survey of 393 wild turkeys in Texas found REV in native Rio Grande wild turkeys and in an imported Eastern wild turkey.

Bacteriophages#

• Complete genome sequence of bacteriophage Godfather isolated from Microbacterium foliorum (2025). The genome of phage Godfather, from Erath County soil: 17,452 bp, 24 genes, cluster EE.
• Exploration of Providers' Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Phage Therapy and Intentions for Future Adoption as an Alternative to Traditional Antibiotics in the US: A Cross-Sectional Study (2025). In a survey of 196 US healthcare providers, 49 percent knew about phage therapy and 56 percent would consider using it.
• Complete genome sequence of bacteriophage MrAaronian isolated from an Arthrobacter globiformis culture (2023). The genome of arthrobacteriophage MrAaronian, from Dutchess County, New York: 54,509 bp, 87 genes, cluster AW.
• Complete Genome Sequence of Bacteriophage Fizzles, Isolated from Microbacterium foliorum (2022). The genome of phage Fizzles, from anthill soil in Erath County: 62,078 bp and 104 genes.
• Complete Genome Sequence of Bacteriophage Loca, Isolated on a Microbacterium foliorum Culture (2022). The genome of phage Loca, from a shopping-cart handle swab in Erath County: 17,475 bp and 25 genes.
• Complete Genome Sequence of Bacteriophage IndyLu, Isolated from a Microbacterium foliorum Culture (2021). The genome of phage IndyLu, from Erath County soil: 41,958 bp, 71 genes and one tRNA, related to cluster EB.
• Complete Genome Sequence of Mycobacteriophage Joy99 (2021). The genome of mycobacteriophage Joy99, annotated by high school students at a partner school: 59,837 bp and 97 genes.
• Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacterium Phages Tripl3t and Zeuska (2021). The genomes of phages Tripl3t and Zeuska, annotated by high school students at partner schools: about 53,600 bp each.
• Complete Genome Sequence of Bacteriophage Finny, Isolated from a Microbacterium foliorum Culture (2019). The genome of phage Finny, from Comal County soil: 40,313 bp and 63 genes.
• Complete Genome Sequence of Cluster O Mycobacterium smegmatis Bacteriophage Ryadel (2019). The genome of Ryadel, a cluster O phage with an elongated head: 72,658 bp and 132 genes.
• Complete Genome Sequence of Cluster A1 Mycobacterium smegmatis Bacteriophage Arlo (2018). The genome of phage Arlo, from Erath County soil: 52,960 bp, 96 genes, cluster A1.

Science education#

• Science communication tools: rubrics for generating posters and manuscripts that are authentic to the practice of science (2026). Two rubrics for grading student posters and short papers in research courses, written by about 100 SEA-PHAGES faculty.
• Acceptance, perceptions, and compliance for COVID-19 vaccines among students attending a rural university: An interventional study using brief video messages (2025). Short videos did not change COVID-19 vaccine perceptions or acceptance among 298 students at a rural Texas university.
• An inclusive Research and Education Community (iREC) model to facilitate undergraduate science education reform (2024). A pathway model of how the SEA-PHAGES faculty community adopts and improves research courses over time.
• The professional identity of STEM faculty as instructors of course-based research experiences (2024). What 97 instructors of research courses say about being a researcher and an educator at the same time.
• Writing Microbiology Resource Announcements (MRA) (2024). A classroom framework for students to write a genome announcement together.
• Models of classroom assessment for course-based research experiences (2023). Four aims of assessment, and the practices for each, drawn from experienced instructors of research courses.
• Instructional Models for Course-Based Research Experience (CRE) Teaching (2022). Three models of how instructors teach inquiry in a research course.
• Understanding Restriction Enzyme Digests (2021). Four classroom exercises on restriction enzyme digests and why they are used to screen phage DNA.

The full list, with citations, is on the publications page.