A5047124995- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Biochemical and Structural Characterization
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Helminth infection and control
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
Cardiff Metropolitan University
2019-2024
Aberystwyth University
2017-2021
Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences
2017-2021
Cardiff University
2020
Wildlife Management International
2018
Education New Zealand
2017
Ministry of Health
1994
Members of the predatory Myxococcales (myxobacteria) possess large genomes, undergo multicellular development, and produce diverse secondary metabolites, which are being actively prospected for novel drug discovery. To direct such efforts, it is important to understand relationships between myxobacterial ecology, evolution, taxonomy, genomic variation. This study investigated genomes pan-genomes organisms within Myxococcaceae, including genera Myxococcus Corallococcus, most abundant...
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is an important livestock disease raising public health and economic concerns around the world. In New Zealand, a number of wildlife species are implicated in spread persistence bTB cattle populations, most notably brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Whole Genome Sequenced (WGS) M. bovis isolates sourced from infected across Zealand were analysed. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses conducted to estimate substitution rate sampled...
Myxobacteria are natural predators of microorganisms and the subjects concerted efforts to identify novel antimicrobial compounds. Myxobacterial predatory activity seems require more than just possession specific metabolites. Thus a holistic approach studying predation promises insights into action. Here, we report isolation 113 myxobacteria from samples soil taken range habitats in mid Wales. Predatory each isolate was quantified against panel clinically important prey organisms, including...
Corallococcus is an abundant genus of predatory soil myxobacteria, containing two species, coralloides (for which a genome sequence available) and exiguus. To investigate the genomic basis predation, we sequenced 23 strains. Genomic similarity metrics grouped strains into at least nine distinct genomospecies, divided between major sub-divisions genus, encompassing previously described diversity. The pan-genome was found to be open, with exhibiting highly individual gene sets. On average,...
Corallococcus is a genus of predators with broad prey ranges, whose genomes contain large numbers gene clusters for secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The physiology and evolutionary heritage eight species strains were characterized using range analyses assays. Multiple metrics confirmed that each strain belonged to novel within the genus. exhibited distinct patterns drug resistance predatory activity, which mirrored their possession diverse sets biosynthetic genes. breadth antimicrobial...
Predation is a fundamental ecological process, but within most microbial ecosystems the molecular mechanisms of predation remain poorly understood. We investigated transcriptome changes associated with Escherichia coli by myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus using mRNA sequencing. Exposure to pre-killed prey significantly altered expression 1319 predator genes. However, transcriptional response living was minimal, only 12 genes being up-regulated. The induced presence ( kdpA and kdpB , members...
The ability to DNA fingerprint Mycobacterium bovis isolates helped define the role of wildlife in persistence bovine tuberculosis New Zealand. fingerprinting results currently help guide control measures and also aid tracing source infections that result from movement livestock. During last 5 years we have developed distinguish Zealand (NZ) M. by comparing sequences whole genome sequenced (WGS) samples. WGS provides much higher resolution than our other established typing methods greatly...
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is resulting in millions of infected individuals with several hundred thousands dead throughout the world. Amidst all havoc, one interesting observation present COVID-19 pandemic negligible symptoms young; particularly children below 10 years age. We assume extensive pediatric vaccination MMR vaccines followed globally could have resulted innate immune responses, e.g., induction interferons (IFNs) and activated natural killer (NK) cells, thereby offering...
Extracellular membrane vesicles are produced by all domains of life (bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes). Bacterial extracellular (outer or OMVs) outer blebbing, contain proteins, nucleic acids, virulence factors, lipids metabolites. OMV functions depend on their internal composition, therefore understanding the proteome OMVs, how it varies between organisms, is imperative. Here, we report a comparative proteomic profiling OMVs from strains Myxococcus xanthus, predatory species Gram-negative...
Herpetosiphon spp. are ubiquitous, chemoheterotrophic, filamentous gliding bacteria with the ability to prey on other microbes through a "wolf pack" mechanism. The genus currently comprises four known species (H. aurantiacus, H. geysericola, giganteus, and gulosus), which produce antimicrobial secondary metabolites such as siphonazole. As part of study isolating myxobacterial wolf pack predators, we serendipitously isolated novel environmental strain (CA052B) from edge stream at Llansteffan,...
Despite widespread use in human biology, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of bacteria are few and have, to date, focused primarily on pathogens. Myxobacteria predatory microbes with large patchwork genomes, individual strains secreting unique cocktails proteins metabolites. We investigated whether a GWAS strategy could be applied myxobacteria identify genes associated predation. Deduced proteomes from 29 myxobacterial genomes (including eight Myxococcus sequenced for this study), were...
Rhodococcus sp. strain BUPNP1 can utilize the priority environmental pollutant 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) as its sole source of carbon and energy. In this study, genome transcriptome sequencing were used to gain mechanistic insights into 4-NP degradation. The draft is 5.56 Mbp encodes 4,963 proteins, which are significantly enriched in hypothetical proteins compared other A novel catabolic 43 gene cluster 'nph' was identified that all genes required for conversion acetyl-CoA succinate, via...
Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern, and as soon new antibiotics are introduced, to those agents emerges. Therefore, there an increased appetite for alternative antimicrobial traditional antibiotics. Here, we used in silico methods investigate potential peptides (AMPs) from predatory myxobacteria. Six hundred seventy-two AMP sequences were extracted eight complete myxobacterial genomes. Most putative AMPs predicted be active against Klebsiella pneumoniae with least...
Macrolides are empirically used to treat bacterial community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Streptococcus pneumoniae, being the major pathogen responsible for CAP with high mortality rates, express MefA-MsrD efflux pumps hinder macrolide susceptibility. Despite its importance, structural features of efflux-protein complex and impact on susceptibility have not yet been elucidated explicitly. Therefore, in present study, combining homology, threading, dynamics approaches, MefA MsrD proteins...
Abstract Myxobacteria are predatory bacteria with antimicrobial activity, utilizing complex mechanisms to kill their prey and assimilate macromolecules. Having large genomes encoding hundreds of secondary metabolites, hydrolytic enzymes peptides, these organisms widely studied for antibiotic potential. MyxoPortal is a comprehensive genomic database hosting 262 myxobacterial strains. Datasets included provide genome annotations gene locations, functions, amino acids nucleotide sequences,...
Abstract Aim Corallococcus species are diverse in the natural environment with 10 new having been characterized just last 5 years. As well as being an abundant myxobacterial genus, they produce several secondary metabolites, including Corallopyronin, Corramycin, Coralmycin, and Corallorazine. We isolated a novel strain spp RDP092CA from soil South Wales, UK, using Candida albicans prey bait its predatory activities against pathogenic bacteria yeast. Methods results The size of genome was 8.5...
Abstract Fibroblast activating protein (FAP) is a cell surface marker of cancer-associated fibroblasts with distinct pro-tumorigenic role. The present study analyzed the pan-cancer expression; and clinical mutational profiles FAP coding gene. Molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) deciphered backbone energetics FAP. Virtual screening subsequent pharmacokinetic-profiling (PK) filtered lead molecules, which were subjected to molecular docking. MDS projected stable trajectory for protein, as...