Rock-breathing bacteria could generate electricity and clean up oil spills
December 2009
A discovery by scientists at the University of East Anglia could contribute to the development of systems that use domestic or agricultural waste to generate clean electricity.

The findings could be applied to help in the development of new microbe-based technologies such as fuel cells, or 'bio-batteries', powered by animal or human waste, and agents to clean up areas polluted by oil or uranium.

"This is an exciting advance in our understanding of bacterial processes in the Earth’s sub-surfaces," said Prof David Richardson, of UEA's School of Biological Sciences, who is leading the project.

Two heads better than one in new antibiotic method
December 2009
An antibiotic that binds to a well-established target in a novel and unexpected way could be the inspiration for designing new, more potent antibacterial drugs.

"A completely new way to beat bacteria is an exciting find at a time when resistance to existing antibiotics is growing," said Professor Tony Maxwell from the John Innes Centre, lead author on the research published in Science.

'A crystal structure of the bifunctional antibiotic, simocyclinone D8, bound to DNA gyrase' by M Edwards (JIC), R Flatman (JIC), L Mitchenall (JIC), C Stevenson (JIC), T Le (JIC), T Clarke (University of East Anglia), A McKay (University College London), H-P Fiedler (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen), M Buttner (JIC), D Lawson (JIC) and A Maxwell (JIC) Science 4 December 2009: Vol. 326. no. 5958, pp. 1415 - 1418 DOI: 10.1126/science.1179123

A sticky solution for identifying effective probiotics
November 2009
Scientists at the IFR and UEA have crystallised a protein that may help gut bacteria bind to the gastrointestinal tract. The protein could be used by probiotic producers to identify strains that are likely to be of real benefit to people.

"Probiotics need to interact with cells lining the gut to have a beneficial effect, and if they attach to surfaces in the gut they are more likely to stick around long enough to exert their activity," says Dr Nathalie Juge from the Institute of Food Research.

Mucus adhesion has been well studied for pathogenic bacteria, but precisely what enables commensal (our gut bacteria) bacteria to stick is not known. In a paper published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, IFR and UEA scientists have obtained the first crystal structure of a mucus-binding protein.

JIF Prize for Excellence in Science Communication
October 2009
At the Annual Science Meeting, Frank Oldfield (Chairman of the John Innes Foundation Trustees) presented the awards for the newly introduced JIF student prizes for Excellence in Science Communication to Jan Claesen, a graduate student in Prof. Mervyn Bibb's group, and Tilly Crumpton-Taylor a student in Alison Smith’s group in Metabolic Biology.

Microbes in Norwich Meeting - 27th November 2009
October 2009
The Microbes in Norwich Meeting is to take place on Friday 27th November, 9.45am - 5pm, at the John Innes Conference Centre. This full day event, presents a range of microbial research from across NRP with speakers from IFR, JIC, UEA and TSL. There will also be a poster session run during the coffee and lunch breaks.
Registration for this event is required.
Speakers confirmed are:
Saccha Luccini (IFR) Transcriptional control of environmentally-responsive genes in Salmonella
Ane Sesma (JIC) Unravelling post-transcriptional networks essential for fungal plant infection
Andy Johnston (UEA) The remarkable diversity of the genes, the pathways and the microbes that make the smell of the seas
Tony Maxwell (JIC) Simocyclinone: a "double-headed" antibiotic with a novel mode of action
Nick LeBrun (UEA) Making and breaking disulfide bonds in the cell envelope of Gram-positive bacteria
Mike Peck (IFR) Clostridium botulinum: biology of a dangerous pathogen
Martin Howard (JIC) How are low copy number plasmids segregated inbacteria?
Matt Hutchings (UEA) Ant pharming: a search for novel antifungals in an unusual niche
Jonathan Jones (SL) Using obligate pathogen effectors to investigate host resistance mechanisms

Register for this event.

JIC Runners-up in Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition
September 2009
Lucy Foulston and Jan Claesen, graduate students in Prof. Mervyn Bibb's group in Molecular Microbiology, were both recent contestants in the SGM's Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition in Edinburgh. They were chosen to present their research along with just four other finalists chosen from graduate students across the UK. Their talks on antibiotic biosynthesis were both very well received, with Lucy claiming third place in the competition.

Honorary Position for Molecular Microbiology Department Head
September 2009
Mervyn Bibb, Head of the Department of Molecular Microbiology at JIC, was recently appointed Honorary Professor at the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He was presented with his award by Professor Li Huang, Director General of the Institute of Microbiology, in a recent visit to Beijing.

Recognition for JIC Staff Member
August 2009
Prof. Mark Buttner, a Project Leader in the Department of Molecular Microbiology, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology in recognition of his record of scientific achievement.
Article from Advances: Summer 2009 (PDF file)

Plant-derived natural products: synthesis, function and application
August 2009
A new textbook has been released, co-edited by Professor Anne Osbourn of the John Innes Centre, which serves as a guide to the latest advances in the field of plant-derived natural products. Published by Springer, Plant-derived natural products: synthesis, function and application includes contributions from scientists working at the JIC and the Institute of Food Research.

"This book brings together the many different facets of plant-derived natural products, providing comprehensive coverage of all key aspects of the field, from distribution and analysis through synthesis, function and application to traditional medicines, nutraceuticals and novel non-food crops," said Prof Osbourn.

Institutes provide valuable experience for students
July 2009
Schoolchildren from across Norfolk have been gaining valuable work experience at the Norwich BioScience Institutes, giving them an idea of what it is like to work in at a leading science campus. The 14 and 15 year-olds have been working in a variety of different laboratory environments, looking at things such as analysing genome sequences, extracting DNA from bacteria, and crystallising proteins.

Emma Sherwood, a post-graduate student working in Prof. Mervyn Bibb's group in the Molecular Microbiology Department at the John Innes Centre, said "I wanted to host a student because I know that I would have liked the opportunity to do work experience in a science lab when I was at school".

Sarah Tolland, assistant to Prof. Tony Maxwell, together with Dave Hart at the IFR, coordinated the work experience scheme. "We have been delighted with the positive response to the scheme. We are keen to encourage students to study science, but we understand that it can be difficult to see how what you learn in science lessons can be translated into a career." Sarah said.

New national genome centre opens in Norwich
July 2009
The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC - http://www.tgac.bbsrc.ac.uk/), a new national genome centre, was officially opened on the Norwich Research Park on 3 July. Dr Jane Rogers, Director of TGAC, said: "The Genome Analysis Centre will give the UK a lead in the sequencing of the genomes of plants, animals and microbes. The genomic analysis of microbes will be a major focus, not only because they infect both animals and plants, but because some are already a source of drugs for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections and therefore they have the potential to provide new, superbug beating antibiotics."

Jungle yeast
May 2009
A new species of yeast has been discovered deep in the Amazon jungle. IFR scientists Dr Steve James and Dr Ian Roberts, Curator of NCYC, and colleagues from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador describe the novel characteristics of Candida carvajalis sp. nov.

Salmonella's sweet tooth predicts its downfall
May 2009
For the first time UK scientists, Dr Arthur Thompson from the Institute of Food Research and Dr. Gary Rowley from the University of East Anglia, have shown what the food poisoning bug Salmonella feeds on to survive as it causes infection: glucose.

Their discovery of Salmonella’s weakness for sugar could provide a new way to vaccinate against it. The discovery could also lead to vaccine strains to protect against other disease-causing bacteria, including superbugs.

Climate-indicator potential of algae species revealed
April 2009
Tiny algae organisms living in the world's oceans could be used as an important indicator of climate change, according to new findings by an international team of scientists.

The team, which included Dr Thomas Mock from the University of East Anglia, carried out the first DNA sequencing of genomes from the previously overlooked phytoplankton group Micromonas. They found that it thrives in oceans ranging from tropical to polar and in conditions that are predicted outcomes of climate change.

Original publication

Rhythmic genomics – the yeast metronome and the walk of life
April 2009
New genome sequence information from the humble baker’s yeast has revealed surprising variation in a set of genes that can be thought of as nature’s oldest clock. In a paper published in Genome Research scientists show how ribosomal RNA genes that are essential to all Earth's organisms provide insight into how genomes maintain their integrity on their evolutionary journey. Because even the slightest changes in sequence of these genes could be fatal.

Rob Davey, computational biologist at the National Collection of Yeast Cultures (NCYC), said "we can use new computer techniques to model the changes mathematically and really get to grips with what orchestrates the variation in these important cell housekeepers."

Ian Roberts, Curator of NCYC, said "Yeasts are everywhere around us in nature and industry. This extra level of detail allows us to resolve important differences between yeasts and gain maximum benefits from their use in food, drink and healthcare."

Prof. Jay Hinton moves to Trinity College Dublin
March 2009
Prof. Jay Hinton, Head of Microbiology at IFR has moved to take up a personal research chair at the Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College Dublin. Professor Hinton joined IFR ten years ago from the Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford. At IFR his group used genomic approaches to discover how food poisoning bacteria cause disease. His focus was on bacterial food-borne pathogens such as Salmonella Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, Shigella flexneri and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). In Dublin he will continue this work, with a particular focus on Salmonella.

National Science and Engineering Week at the Norwich BioScience Institutes
March 2009
March 6th sees the start of The British Science Association’s National Science and Engineering Week, and as part of this the John Innes Centre and the Institute of Food Research are hosting an interactive exhibition at The Forum in Norwich celebrating the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his most famous work, On the Origin of Species. They will also be showcasing the work of their young scientists, giving the chance to hear about the latest work on topics such as antibiotics and how our gut protects us from invasion.

At the Showcase of Young Science on March 11th, students and their supervisors will describe their work to groups from Norwich schools as well as to a public audience. From the Molecular Microbiology department at the John Innes Centre, Jan Claesen, with Prof. Mervyn Bibb, is investigating cypemycin, a new, unusually modified antibiotic. By understanding how cypemycin is made they may be able to produce better derivatives, which will be crucial to countering the threat of antibiotic resistance.

Science, Art and Writing
February 2009
Science, Art and Writing (SAW) is a UK-based science education initiative that breaks down traditional barriers between science and the arts. SAW uses themes and images from science as a starting point for scientific experimentation, art and creative writing and in doing so stimulates creativity and scientific curiosity. The stunning science images and the artworks inspired by them have been collected together in ‘SAW Showcase’, published by the SAW Trust on February 28th.

In 2008 Professor Anne Osbourn led a series of projects aimed at taking research science from the Norwich Research Park-based John Innes Centre and the Institute of Food Research into Norfolk schools using SAW as a vehicle. The John Innes Centre and the Institute of Food Research are Institutes of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, who, along with the science outreach organisation Society in Science, provided funding for this set of SAW projects.

On the Origin of Subspecies
February 2009
Scientists have sequenced over seventy strains of yeast, the greatest number of genomes for any species. The analysis, to be published in Nature, enables the scientists to study genetics in much finer detail than was ever possible for Darwin. They are able to see the differences within a species and use this knowledge in understanding yeast biodiversity and exploiting it for human benefit. "We can sift through billions of DNA bases to clearly spot a wild yeast or the mosaic genome of a recent hybrid," says Dr Ian Roberts, leader of the NCYC research team and the collection’s curator.

The basic machinery of yeast is surprisingly similar to that of humans, and the project is already helping experts to develop the tools necessary for studying human genetic variation. Yeast can also be used to develop and test new drugs, such as for cancer. "This is a valuable test bed for the 1000 genomes project, in which the genomes of 1000 people are being sequenced," said Professor Ed Louis from the University of Nottingham.

ONE SYSTEM - two different relationships
January 2009
A JIC combination of biological and mathematical approaches has provided a novel explanation for the mechanisms of multi- functionality in signalling pathways.

Plants have symbiotic relationships with micro-organisms, which benefit both partners. Leguminous plants, such as peas and beans, form nodules on their roots which house rhizobia, bacteria which are able to "fix" nitrogen. However, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are very different to rhizobia, and produce very different reactions in the plants. Although both symbiotic relationships activate and use several of the same plant genes, it is only now that a JIC team, led by Giles Oldroyd and Allan Downie, have discovered how the one system can manage two different relationships.
Article from Advances: Winter 2008/9 | Original publication

Function and redundancy of chaplin cell surface proteins
January 2009
Working in collaboration with the Department of Biology and Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Canada, JIC scientists in Mark Buttner's Group have been examining the chaplins, a group of proteins which help streptomycetes attach to the surface of host plants. These 'hydrophobins' are highly surface-active and are capable of dramatically reducing surface tension at the colony air-water interface.
Article from Advances: Winter 2008/9 | Original publication

Scholarship award for IFR student
December 2008
PhD student Richard Bailey from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich has received an award from the British Poultry Council for his work on understanding dysbacteriosis, a disease of growing importance in the poultry industry.

Dysbacteriosis is a poorly understood condition that causes enteritis in broiler chickens. It is thought to be due to an overgrowth of the gut microflora. Richard’s work within a group led by Dr Arjan Narbad has focussed on identifying which micro-organinsms may be responsible for the condition.

Dr Matt Hutchings and Co-Applicants gain MRC Milstein Award
December 2008
Dr Matt Hutchings, together with co-applicants Doug Yu (BIO) and Rebecca Goss (CAP), has been successful in gaining an MRC Milstein award to study novel anti-fungal compounds. The Milstein fund was set up in 2006 to support pioneering research from UK based scientists who can demonstrate highly innovative ideas and approaches to contemporary challenges in medical research. The initiative is named after César Milstein who was honoured with a Nobel Prize in 1984 for his pioneering work on the production of monoclonal antibodies.

Dr. Hutchings’ project focuses on novel anti-fungal compounds produced by actinomycete bacteria living as symbionts on Amazonian leaf-cutter ants. The ants farm fungi which they grow on harvested leaves as the sole food source for the ant colony. They mix the fungi and the bacteria and inoculate them onto the leaves where the bacteria produce antibiotics to inhibit the growth of other fungi. This allows the ants to grow pure cultures of the fungus they like to eat. These ants are therefore potential novel sources of anti-fungals which could be used in human medicine but to date none of these compounds has been isolated or identified.

Mucosal Immunology and Intestinal Microflora Symposium 2009
December 2008
On 9th June 2009, the Norwich Research Park will host a one day symposium that aims to give postgraduate students working in aspects of gut immunuity, host-pathogen interactions within the gut and the use of probiotics the chance to present their work and exchange ideas to an audience of students, postdocs and prinicipal investigators.
Keynote speakers will be Professor Dr Michiel Kleerebezem, Professor Justin Sonnenburg and Professor Thomas MacDonald.

New research identifies threat to human immune system's key defence mechanism
November 2008
A breakthrough by scientists at the University of East Anglia, led by Dr. Matt Hutchings, could pave the way for new drugs that protect the human immune system from bacterial disease. Working with colleagues at the John Innes Centre, in the lab of Prof. Ray Dixon, the researchers have made a key discovery about how infectious bacteria succeed in invading the human body - despite being under attack by Nitric Oxide.

Second summer school in applied Molecular Microbiology builds on success of the first
October 2008
The second of the series of summer schools was held at Inter-University Centre (IUC) in Dubrovnik (http://www.iuc.hr/), August 24 - September 1 2008, with the title "Microbial Secondary Metabolites: Genomes, Signals and Communities".

The schools are sponsored by the John Innes Centre and jointly co-directed by Professor Sir David Hopwood FRS and Dr. Julian E. Davies. The next summer school will be held on 21-29 August 2010 - click here for more details.

Viruses Offer Hope for New Weapon Against C. difficile Infection
September 2008
Clostridium difficile-associated disease, or CDAD forms a major part of the spectrum of serious hospital-acquired infections, and is much in the news at present. Last year there were approximately 500,000 cases in the US alone, and globally an increasing proportion of infections are by a new virulent type of C.diff that can cause death in up to 30% of patients. Although most strains of C.diff are currently sensitive to antibiotics, there are high relapse rates (up to 25%). Antibiotics have the disadvantage of damaging the normal gut bacteria, which predisposes the patient to the condition in the first place. There is therefore a pressing need for improved therapies to combat this problem.

Now a group from the Institute of Food Research, led by Prof Mike Gasson, has isolated a lysogenic (inactive) bacteriophage from C.diff and shown that its endolysin gene can be used to make an active protein that is capable of killing C.diff. The work has been submitted as a patent application by PBL, and Prof Gasson is working with PBL to develop the opportunity further.

Article from PBL News - Issue 14 - Sep 2008 (pdf file)

Reducing Food Poisoning by Clostridium
August 2008
Clostridium perfringens type A is a significant cause of food poisoning. Spores are commonly found in meat and poultry, albeit at a low concentration, and this pathogen is a particular problem when cooked foods are subject to inadequate cooling. The main concern is bulk meats cooked in large batches. A dynamic predictive model has been developed by IFR scientists József Baranyi and Mike Peck to describe the effects of temperature, pH and NaCl concentration on the growth of Clostridium perfringens type A. This new dynamic predictive model has been implemented in the IFR-developed Perfringens Predictor, a web-based application that can be accessed free of charge via www.combase.cc. These studies will contribute to a reduction in the food poisoning incidence associated with C. perfringens.
Article from Science + Innovation, issue 2:08 (pdf file)

Genetic and metabolomic analysis of important yeast strains
August 2008
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used for thousands of years in the fermentation of food and drink. In the last 10-20 years, there has been an upturn in the incidence of infections linked to this yeast. Dr. Ian Roberts and his staff at the National Collection of Yeast Cultures, housed at IFR, have led the first combined genetic and metabolomic analysis of a group of medically-important and non-medical Saccharomyces strains.

Immunity gene enhances production of antilisterial bacteriocin
August 2008
A paper that IFR's Prof. Mike Gasson contributed to looks at Listeria monocytogenes which is a foodborne pathogen of major concern to the food industry. Developing an antilisterial dairy starter, adjunct or biopro tective culture is an attractive route to increase safety in dairy products. Pediocin PA-1, an antilisterial bacteriocin, has been produced in naturally resistant Lactococcus lactis strains, and recent work has shown that a pediocin PA-1 immunity gene significantly increases pediocin production.

DNA Topoisomerases in Biology and Medicine
July 2008
A meeting in Norwich, co-organised by Prof. Tony Maxwell, was held so that international scientists working on new drug discovery targets for cancer and bacterial diseases could all share their latest findings.

Tapping into Thai resources
June 2008
Many of the drugs used in medicine today are derived from microbial natural products, and include antiinfectives, anti-tumour agents, immunosuppressants and cholesterol lowering agents. Thailand boasts a wealth of microbial diversity, yet many of these organisms have proven refractory to culture under laboratory conditions.
Funded by the British Council, JIC’s Mervyn Bibb and Kasetsart University’s Arinthip Thamchaipenet will now use metagenomic approaches to identify novel natural products with potential pharmaceutical application.
Article from Advances: Spring 2008 (PDF file)

Funding for superbug spin-out
June 2008
Procarta Biosystems, the company spun-out of the John Innes Centre by scientists Dr Michael McArthur and Prof. Mervyn Bibb in the Department of Molecular Microbiology in 2007 to develop a technology designed to defeat antibiotic-resistant superbugs, has received significant seed funding. The Rainbow Seed Fund and the Iceni Seedcorn Fund have provided £320,000 to allow Procarta to further develop its DNA decoy technique, which aims to restore antibiotic efficacy against resistant superbugs, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

Secrets of bracing sea air
May 2008
The latest in the University of East Anglia's public science lectures explores the science behind the familiar smell of the seaside.
Presented by Prof Andy Johnston of UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, ‘Cloning the smell of the seaside – and other amazing things that bacteria do to the atmosphere’ examines the role of the gas dimethyl sulphide (DMS).

Bioscience:Biomillions - delivering impact from research
May 2008
JIC scientists, Professors Mervyn Bibb, Anthony Maxwell and Dr Jan Chojecki have contributed to Bioscience:Biomillions, an event organised by the BBSRC to demonstrate how the UK’s excellent bioscience research base is delivering substantial economic and social impact.

Nitrous oxide - no laughing matter
February 2008
Farmers, food suppliers, policy-makers, business leaders and environmentalists are joining forces to confront the threat of the 'forgotten greenhouse gas' by taking part in an influential new forum at the University of East Anglia.
Prof David Richardson, co-ordinator of the Nitrous Oxide Focus Group which was launched on February 22, is hoping the group will engage with many influential organisations including the National Farmers Union, Marks & Spencer, British Sugar, Defra, the Country Land and Business Association and Unilever.

DNA with a twist: new company Inspiralis to search for cancer drugs and antibiotics
February 2008
A new company has joined the fight against MRSA and cancer. Researchers Prof. Tony Maxwell, Alison Howells and Dr Nicolas Burton at the John Innes Centre have launched a new company, Inspiralis Ltd, based around their expertise in DNA topoisomerases – a group of enzymes that help DNA molecules to unravel and wind up properly and not to become tangled during replication.

New IFR Campylobacter website launched
January 2008
Dr. Arnoud van Vliet and members of his research group at the IFR have launched a Campylobacter group website to provide more information on the IFR's research on Campylobacter, one of the major causes of food-borne bacterial gastroenteritis in the UK. The research aims to supply knowledge and resources to aid the development of Campylobacter control measures.

Decoy makes sitting duck of superbugs
December 2007
A DNA-based therapy could slash the development time of new drugs to combat antibiotic resistant superbugs. Scientists Dr Michael McArthur and Prof. Mervyn Bibb in the Department of Molecular Microbiology at the John Innes Centre, have proven that by taking a short stretch of DNA from a bacterium and delivering it with an existing antibiotic they can switch off antibiotic resistance.

Bacteria shed light on an important group of human proteins
November 2007
A collaboration between researchers in Switzerland, the UK and France has led to the solution of the first crystal structure of a member of the Rhesus protein family and thereby shed new light on a group of proteins of great importance in human transfusion medicine. The UK group was led by Professor Mike Merrick in the Department of Molecular Microbiology at the John Innes Centre.

Excellent start to summer schools in Applied Molecular Microbiology
August 2007
The first of an annual series of summer schools was held at the Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences in Split, Croatia, 23-30 June 2007, covering "Microbial Genomics and Secondary Metabolites".

The schools are sponsored by the John Innes Centre and jointly co-directed by Professor Sir David Hopwood FRS and Dr. Julian E. Davies. The next summer school will be held on August 24 - September 1 2008 - click here for more details.

Publication of Clostridium botulinum genome explains its toxicity
May 2007
Scientists including Professor Mike Peck from the Institute of Food Research have published the Clostridium botulinum genome in Genome Research. Their findings show that C. botulinum does not have genes to help it evade its hosts' immune systems, rather it simply kills the host and feeds off the remains before biding its time as a spore before another host presents itself. This is in contrast to other Clostridium species that do employ stealth tactics when invading their hosts. Other findings are that the C. botulinum varieties should perhaps be defined as separate species, that they can also feed of soil insects and crustaceans and that the C. botulinum’s genome holds almost no genes acquired from other species whereas C. difficile has over 10% acquired genes. These findings show how diverse the Clostridia are.