Award details

Bacterial adaptation and evolution in response to environmental stress

Reference	BBS/E/F/04301055
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Michael Gasson
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	537,270
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1999
End date	31/03/2000
Duration	12 months

Abstract

This proposal is to develop research on the response of food-borne pathogens and their virulence to environmental conditions. Existing research objectives in lactic acid bacterial response to stress will be incorporated in the project and the programme will expand to accommodate key Gram-positive food borne pathogens with a focus on Listeria monocytogenes. A major strategy will be to build genomic and proteomic approaches to the analysis of gene expression and the completion of a whole genome sequence for Listeria monocytogenes (due 2000) will be an important development. In addition to the analysis of bacterial adaptation in response to stress the longer term evolution of robustness will be studied. This will include an investigation of the adaptive mutation concept and the importance of gene transfer phenomena. The whole genome sequence for Campylobacter jejuni is already in the public domain and this will used as the foundation for the immediate development of new work in Gram-negative species. This will include investigation of pathogenicity to include the eukaryotic host cell receptors. It is hoped to integrate this work with new initiatives elsewhere in the UK (Leicester, Birmingham, London). Established work on the effect of food structure on bacterial growth will also be integrated in this project. The immediate objective will be to add a molecular approach which will involve the use of reporter gene fusion's to study gene expression within colonies. For this Listeria monocytogenes will be the study organism. As recruitment of new staff takes place this project is likely to expand in scope especially with respect to Gram-negative species. It is anticipated that it will be split into at least two separate projects as some future point.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
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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