A5055591979- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Infectious Disease Case Reports and Treatments
- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Infections and bacterial resistance
- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Antimicrobial agents and applications
- Biliary and Gastrointestinal Fistulas
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- X-ray Diffraction in Crystallography
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Nematode management and characterization studies
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Microbial Inactivation Methods
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
University of Warwick
2015-2024
Coventry (United Kingdom)
2019-2024
University of Edinburgh
2010-2015
Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution
2010-2015
Roslin Institute
2014
We report the genome of facultative intracellular parasite Rhodococcus equi, only animal pathogen within biotechnologically important actinobacterial genus Rhodococcus. The 5.0-Mb R. equi 103S is significantly smaller than those environmental rhodococci. This due to expansion in nonpathogenic species, via a linear gain paralogous genes and an accelerated genetic flux, rather reductive evolution equi. lacks extensive catabolic secondary metabolic complement rhodococci, it displays unique...
We report a novel host-associated virulence plasmid in Rhodococcus equi, pVAPN, carried by bovine isolates of this facultative intracellular pathogenic actinomycete. Surprisingly, pVAPN is 120-kb invertron-like linear replicon unrelated to the circular plasmids associated with equine (pVAPA) and porcine (pVAPB variant) R. equi isolates. similar pNSL1 from sp. NS1 harbors six new vap multigene family members (vapN vapS) pathogenicity locus presumably acquired via en bloc mobilization direct...
Several phage-tail-like nanomachines were shown to play an important role in the interactions between bacteria and their eukaryotic hosts. These apparatuses appear represent a new injection paradigm. Here, with three verified extracellular contractile systems (eCISs), protein profile genomic context-based iterative approach was applied identify 631 eCIS-like loci from 11,699 publicly available complete bacterial genomes. The eCIS superfamily, which is phylogenetically diverse sub-divided...
Antimicrobial resistance has become a worldwide issue, with multiresistant bacterial strains emerging at an alarming rate. Multivalent antimicrobial polymer architectures such as bottle brush or star polymers have shown great potential, they could lead to enhanced binding and interaction the cell membrane. In this study, library of amphiphilic copolymers their linear copolymer equivalents, based on acrylamide monomers, were synthesized via RAFT polymerization. Their monomer distribution...
Photorhabdus is a highly effective insect pathogen and symbiont of insecticidal nematodes. To exert its potent effects, it elaborates myriad toxins small molecule effectors. Among these, the Virulence Cassettes (PVCs) represent an elegant self-contained delivery mechanism for diverse protein toxins. Importantly, these nanosyringes overcome host cell membrane barriers, act independently, at distance from bacteria itself. In this study, we demonstrate that Pnf, PVC needle complex associated...
Activity tests for synthetic antimicrobial compounds are often limited to the minimal inhibitory concentration assay using standard media and bacterial strains. In this study, a family of acrylamide copolymers that act as mimics peptides were synthesized shown have disruptive effect on membranes structural integrity through microscopy techniques membrane polarization experiments. The polymers tested their properties mimic clinically relevant conditions. Additionally, activity was compared in...
Photorhabdus are highly effective insect pathogenic bacteria that exist in a mutualistic relationship with Heterorhabditid nematodes. Unlike other members of the genus, asymbiotica can also infect humans. Most cannot replicate above 34°C, limiting their host-range to poikilothermic invertebrates. In contrast, P. must necessarily be able at 37°C or above. Many well-studied mammalian pathogens use elevated temperature host as signal regulate necessary changes gene expression required for...
Iron-based self-assembled optically pure compounds mimic the mechanisms of small peptides, according to biophysical, genomic, transcriptomic and other analyses.
Abstract Biofilm infections are associated with a high mortality risk for patients. Antibiotics perform poorly against biofilm communities, so doses and prolonged treatments often used in clinical settings. We investigated the pairwise interactions of two synthetic nano-engineered antimicrobial polymers (SNAPs). The g-D50 copolymer was synergistic penicillin silver sulfadiazine planktonic Staphylococcus aureus USA300 wound fluid. Furthermore, combination showed potent antibiofilm activity S....
Marine bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) are abundant biological entities that vital for shaping microbial diversity, impacting marine ecosystem function, and driving host evolution.1-3 The roseobacter clade (MRC) is a ubiquitous group of heterotrophic bacteria4,5 important in the elemental cycling various nitrogen, sulfur, carbon, phosphorus compounds.6-10 Bacteriophages infecting MRC (roseophages) have thus attracted much attention more than 30 roseophages been isolated,11-13 majority...
Members of the Gram-negative bacterial genus Photorhabdus are all highly insect pathogenic and exist in an obligate symbiosis with entomopathogenic nematode worm Heterorhabditis. All members produce small-molecule 3,5-dihydroxy-4-isopropyl-trans-stilbene (IPS) as part their secondary metabolism. IPS is a multi-potent compound that has antimicrobial, antifungal, immunomodulatory anti-cancer activities also plays important role nematode. In this study we have examined response itself to...
The influence of polymer architecture cationic polymers on gene transfection is investigated. Bottle brush copolymers are shown to outperform linear counterparts.
Bacillus cereus G9241 was isolated from a Louisiana welder suffering an anthrax-like infection. The organism carries two transcriptional regulators that have previously been proposed to be incompatible with each other in anthracis : the pleiotropic regulator PlcR found most members of group but truncated all B. isolates, and anthrax toxin AtxA strains few sensu stricto strains. Here we report cytotoxic hemolytic activity cell free culture supernatants cultured at 25°C various eukaryotic...
There is currently a renaissance in research on bacteriophages as alternatives to antibiotics. Phage specificity their bacterial host, addition plethora of other advantages, makes them ideal candidates for broad range applications, including detection, drug delivery, and phage therapy particular. One issue obstructing efficiency settings poor localization the site infection human body. Here, we engineered T7 with lung tissue targeting homing peptides. We then used vitro studies demonstrate...
Cationic polymers can be used as vectors to transport and efficiently protect nucleic acids.
Temperature plays an important role in bacteria-host interactions and can be a determining factor for host switching. In this study we sought to investigate the reasons behind growth temperature restriction entomopathogenic enterobacterium Photorhabdus. Photorhabdus has complex dual symbiotic pathogenic life cycle. The genus consists of 19 species but only one subgroup, previously all classed together as asymbiotica, have been shown cause human disease. These clinical isolates necessarily...
Bacillus cereus G9241 was isolated from a welder who survived pulmonary anthrax-like disease. Strain carries two virulence plasmids, pBCX01 and pBC210, as well an extrachromosomal prophage, pBFH_1. has 99.6% sequence identity to pXO1 carried by anthracis encodes the tripartite anthrax toxin genes atxA, mammalian transcriptional regulator. This work looks at how presence of temperature may affect lifestyle B. using transcriptomic analysis studying spore formation, important part lifecycle....
Background Photorhabdus asymbiotica is a species of the insect pathogenic genus that has been isolated as an etiological agent in human infections. Since then, multiple isolates have identified worldwide; however, actual clinical infections so far only North America, Australia, and Nepal. Previous research on had shown strains differed their behaviour when infecting cultured cells. Methods In this study, we investigate differences between activities P. from different geographic locations....
<h3>Background</h3> Suicide gene therapy utilizing the cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine (CD/5-FC) system can induce efficient anti-tumour effects. To overcome some of limitations associated with this approach, namely low transduction efficiency vectors, in proof-of-concept study we leverage nanosyringe drug delivery technology to deliver bacterial deaminase (CD) murine macrophages. Once delivered, active CD converts intracellular 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) prodrug into 5-fluorouracil,...
Abstract Photorhabdus is a highly effective insect pathogen and symbiont of insecticidal nematodes. To exert its potent effects, it elaborates myriad toxins small molecule effectors. Among these, the Virulence Cassettes (PVCs) represent an elegant self-contained delivery mechanism for diverse protein toxins. Importantly, these nanosyringes overcome host cell membrane barriers, act independently, at distance from bacteria itself. In this study, we demonstrate that Pnf, PVC needle complex...
ABSTRACT Members of the Gram-negative bacterial genus Photorhabdus are all highly insect pathogenic and exist in an obligate symbiosis with entomopathogenic nematode worm Heterorhabditis . All members produce small molecule 3,5-dihydroxy-4-isopropyl- trans -stilbene (IPS) as part their secondary metabolism. IPS is a multi-potent compound that has antimicrobial, antifungal anticancer activities also plays important role nematode. In this study we have examined response itself to exogenous...