Award details

The relationship between iron metabolism and the growth survival and pathogenicity of Salmonella

Reference	D11863
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Simon C Andrews
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Paul Barrow
Institution	University of Reading
Department	Animal and Microbial Sciences
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	179,588
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	06/06/2000
End date	21/08/2003
Duration	38 months

Abstract

The Salmonella are of major importance as food-borne pathogens. Iron acquisition is a vital aspect of the physiology and pathogenicity of these bacteria. Research shows that growth of the closely-related E. coli is strictly dependent on iron supply. In the absence of external iron, E. coli utilises intracellular iron stores. Preliminary studies with Salmonella typhimurium and S. gallinarum show that mutants lacking the iron-storage machinery exhibit reduced gut colonisation capacity and weakened virulence. It is proposed to confirm and extend this research by thoroughly assessing the importance of bacterial iron stores in virulence, gut colonisation and in growth under iron restriction. We will also attempt to identify the transporters used by Salmonella to take up iron during intracellular colonisation. These studies will thus address important, yet unanswered, questions in the use of iron by pathogens in various host niches. We will also assess the sustainability of the ftnA mutant as a vaccine strain.

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

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

export PDF file

back to list new search