Award details

Development and exploitation of novel antimicrobial agents

Reference	BBS/E/F/00042222
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Claire Shearman
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Michael Gasson, Professor Arjan Narbad
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	784,782
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2005
End date	31/03/2010
Duration	60 months

Abstract

The control of pathogens can be achieved by the exploitation of naturally occurring antimicrobial agents. We will continue to develop established research on lantibiotics and bacteriophage endolysins. With respect to lantibiotics we will isolate novel molecules from nature using new molecular screening approaches and perfect existing structures by peptide engineering. There are new opportunities to apply this approach to nisin, which remains a potent antimicrobial lantibiotic and one in which we have extensive experience. We will develop the potential of bacteriophage endolysins. The immediate focus will be on the cloning and characterisation of new endolysins that are active against clostridia. We will investigate their potential in the context of the gastrointestinal tract, with the intention of controlling disease states caused by Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile. We will build on our strengths in the exploitation of lactic acid bacteria as GI tract delivery vehicles for antigens. This approach offers a range of biotechnological opportunities with enormous potential to address infectious disease and allergy. We will build on recent successes with a model system involving a pneumococcus antigen and complete work on the expression of a viral antigens. The established impact of Lactococcus on the immune response will be investigated at the level of both host cell gene expression and the role of the lactococcal genome. In addition, recombinant lactic acid bacteria offer a powerful investigative approach with which to analyse interactions between the host and the microflora at a molecular level. The cross talk between GI tract bacteria and the host immune system will be probed focussing initially on the interplay between lactic acid bacteria and dendritic cells. This involves interaction with other projects within the IFR portfolio.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	Immunology, Microbial Food Safety, Microbiology, Pharmaceuticals
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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