Award details

Biological Context

Reference	BBS/E/J/000PR9791
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Mark Buttner
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Kelsey Byers, Professor Matthew Hutchings, Dr Tung Le, Professor Anthony Maxwell, Dr Susan Schlimpert, Dr Andrew Truman, Professor Barrie Wilkinson
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	6,824,489
Status	Current
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2017
End date	31/03/2023
Duration	59 months

Abstract

The vast wealth of natural products discovered so far, and the far greater numbers predicted from genome sequences, potentially provide entirely new opportunities for biological discoveries. Many of these molecules are likely to have roles in the environment – for example in deterring or killing competitors, facilitating symbioses, acquiring nutrients, and attracting dispersal agents. By shedding light on the roles and targets of natural products and the contexts in which they are produced, we will provide new understanding of the biology of the producing organisms and the ecological niches they occupy and also accelerate the discovery of new bioactive molecules as antibiotics, therapeutics, agrichemicals, food ingredients and industrial raw materials. This research both draws on and feeds into product and pathway discovery research in the Project “Products and pathways”. Research in the Biological context Project stems in part from new discoveries in established areas of strength: bacterial growth and differentiation and the biology of proteins that are targets for antibiotics. The Project also takes a major new direction: the exploration of small-molecule interactions between microbes and other organisms in the soil. This is an area of strong synergy with other JIC research in Plant Health, and with the University of East Anglia. The outcomes of this Project are relevant for both the development and discovery of antibiotics and the search for new agrichemicals and interventions. Better understanding of the role of natural products in microbial interactions will underpin the identification of new antimicrobial molecules and biocontrol strains for the control of crop pests and diseases: a subject of particular concern given increasing legislative restrictions on the use of previously-allowed agrichemicals.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Industrial Biotechnology, Microbiology
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

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search