 
Microbe Talk: cutting-edge research uncovered
Find out more about new research published in SGM's four journals from the scientists themselves. Every month we talk to the author of a research paper in Microbiology, Journal of General Virology, Journal of Medical Microbiology or International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
November 2008: Rainforest fungus makes diesel
October 2008: Exposing cancer-causing gut bacteria
September 2008: Tracking West Nile virus
August 2008: Researching the 'heart' of bluetongue virus
July 2008: Deformed wing virus and Varroa destructor
June 2008: Mining microbial genomes
December 2008: Common cold virus came from birds
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In this episode we talk to Professor Dr Ron Fouchier from ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands about a virus that causes cold-like symptoms in humans that originated in birds and may have crossed the species barrier around 200 years ago.
Human metapneumovirus is related to the respiratory syncytial virus, measles, mumps and parainfluenza viruses. It infects people of all ages but is most common in children under five. Symptoms include runny nose, cough, sore throat and fever. Infection can also lead to more severe illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, which can result in hospitalisation, especially in infants and immunocompromised patients. HMPV infection is most common during the winter and it is believed to cause up to 10% of respiratory illnesses in children.
Metapneumoviruses have high evolutionary rates, similar to those of other RNA viruses such as influenza, hepatitis C and SARS. By understanding the evolution and emergence of these viruses the scientists hope to develop ways of monitoring and predicting the emergence of new pathogenic viruses.
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Dr Ron Fouchier’s paper “Evolutionary dynamics of human and avian metapneumoviruses” was published in the December issue of the Society for General Microbiology’s Journal of General Virology volume 89 pages 2933-2942.
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Journal of General Virology (JGV), a dynamic journal at the forefront of virology today, attracts an international audience and publishes over 3500 pages of rigorously peer-reviewed, high-calibre research from around the world.
November 2008: Rainforest fungus makes diesel
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In this episode we talk to Professor Gary Strobel from Montana State University, USA about a new diesel-producing fungus that he discovered in the Patagonian rainforest.
A unique fungus that makes diesel compounds has been discovered living in trees in the rainforest, according to a paper published in the November issue of Microbiology. The fungus is potentially a totally new source of green energy and scientists are now working to develop its fuel producing potential.
This is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel substances. The fungus can even make these diesel compounds from cellulose, which would make it a better source of biofuel than anything we use at the moment.
The fungus, which has been named Gliocladium roseum, produces a number of different molecules made of hydrogen and carbon that are found in diesel. Because of this, the fuel it produces is called “myco-diesel”.
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Professor Gary Strobel’s paper, entitled “The production of myco-diesel hydrocarbons and their derivatives by the endophytic fungus Gliocladium roseum (NRRL 50072)” was published in the November issue of the Society for General Microbiology’s journal Microbiology, volume 154 pages 3319-3328.
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October 2008: Exposing cancer-causing gut bacteria
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In this episode we talk to Professor Mark Huycke from the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Olklahoma City, USA about Enterococcus faecalis.
Normal gut bacteria are thought to be involved in colon cancer but the exact mechanisms have remained unknown. Now, scientists from the USA have discovered that a molecule produced by a common gut bacterium activates signalling pathways that are associated with cancer cells. The research, published in the October issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology, sheds light on the way gut bacteria can cause colon cancer.
There are more bacteria in our bodies than there ever have been people on the Earth. In fact, there are more bacteria in the colon than there are human cells in our bodies. Most of the bacteria in our guts are harmless and many are beneficial to our health. However, for several decades scientists have thought that some microbes living in the gut may play a role in the formation of sporadic colorectal cancer.
Enterococcus faecalis is a normal gut bacterium. Unlike most gut bacteria, it can survive using two different types of metabolism: respiration and fermentation. When the bacteria use fermentation they release by-products. One of these is a kind of oxygen molecule called superoxide, which can damage DNA and may play a role in the formation of colon tumours.
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Professor Mark Huycke’s paper, entitled “Dichotomous metabolism of Enterococcus faecalis induced by hematin starvation modulates colonic gene expression” was published in the October issue of the Society for General Microbiology’s Journal of Medical Microbiology, volume 57 pages 1193-1204.
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The Journal of Medical Microbiology provides high-quality comprehensive coverage of medical, dental and veterinary microbiology and infectious diseases.
September 2008: Tracking West Nile virus
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In this episode Dr Louis Magnarelli, Director of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in the USA talks to us about diagnosing West Nile virus.
A new test for West Nile virus in horses that could be modified for use with humans and wildlife may help track the spread of the disease, according to an article in the September issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology.
US researchers have found that a new test designed to detect antibodies produced by horses is highly effective at diagnosing West Nile virus infections. Compared to the standard test for West Nile virus, the new test is much faster and gives accurate results. It was also useful in confirming past infections.
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Chapters: To hear shorter sections of the podcast, click on the links below.
Dr Louis Magnarelli’s paper, entitled "Serum antibodies to West Nile virus in naturally exposed and vaccinated horses" was published in the September issue of the Society for General Microbiology’s Journal of Medical Microbiology, volume 57, pages
1087-1093.
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The Journal of Medical Microbiology provides high-quality comprehensive coverage of medical, dental and veterinary microbiology and infectious diseases.
August 2008: Researching the 'heart' of bluetongue virus
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In this episode we talk to Professor Polly Roy from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine about her work on bluetongue virus.
The arrival of bluetongue virus (BTV) in the UK last year posed a major threat to the economy and the increasing temperatures of our changing climate mean it is here to stay. If we are to fight this disease, which has had a major impact on farming already, we must discover how it works.
A review published in the August issue of the Journal of General Virology outlines our current understanding of the “heart” of the virus, which may help us to develop antiviral therapies to treat many human pathogens.
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Professor Polly Roy’s paper, entitled "Bluetongue virus: dissection of the polymerase complex" was published in the August issue of the Society for General Microbiology’s Journal of General Virology, volume 89, pages 1789-1804.
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The Journal of General Virology, a dynamic journal at the forefront of virology today, attracts an international audience and publishes over 3500 pages of rigorously peer-reviewed, high-calibre research from around the world.
July 2008: Deformed wing virus and Varroa destructor
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In this episode we meet Professor Teresa Santillan-Galicia from Rothamsted Research, who tells us about her search for virus replication in a parasitic mite of the honey bee.
Scientists are one step closer to understanding the recent demise of billions of honey bees after making an important discovery about the transmission of a common bee virus. Deformed wing virus (DWV) is passed between adult bees and to their developing brood by a parasitic mite called Varroa destructor when it feeds. However, research published in the July issue of the Journal of General Virology suggests that the virus does not replicate in Varroa, highlighting the need for further investigation.
Deformed wing virus has been linked to the collapse of honey bee colonies in Britain. In recent years the prevalence of the virus has increased globally in colonies infested with Varroa. It is widely accepted that the virus replicates in the mite and is then transmitted to bees when it bites. However, researchers at Rothamsted Research and the University of Nottingham have found that the virus does not replicate in the mite, suggesting an alternative means of transmission.
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Chapters: To hear shorter sections of the podcast, click on the links below.
Professor Teresa Santillan-Galicia’s paper, entitled "Immunolocalization of deformed wing virus particles within the mite Varroa destructor" was published in the July issue of the Journal of General Virology, 89 (2008): 1685-1689.
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The Journal of General Virology, a dynamic journal at the forefront of virology today, attracts an international audience and publishes over 3500 pages of rigorously peer-reviewed, high-calibre research from around the world.
June 2008: Mining microbial genomes
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In this episode we meet last year’s winner of SGM’s Fleming Prize, Professor Greg Challis from the University of Warwick, who talks to us about mining microbial genomes.
Big pharmaceutical companies gave up on soil bacteria as a source of antibiotics too soon, according to research published in the June issue of Microbiology. Scientists have been mining microbial genomes for new natural products that may have applications in the treatment of MRSA and cancer and have made some exciting discoveries.
Professor Greg Challis and his colleagues have discovered the products of two cryptic gene clusters. One of the clusters was found to produce several compounds that inhibit the proliferation of certain bacteria. Three of these compounds were new ones, named isogermicidin A, B and C. The other product they discovered is called coelichelin.
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Chapters: To hear shorter sections of the podcast, click on the links below.
Professor Challis’s paper, entitled “Mining microbial genomes for new natural products and biosynthetic pathways” appears in the June 2008 issue of Microbiology, 154 (2008): 1555-1569. It is an immediate open access article.
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Microbiology is one of the world’s leading microbiological journals. For over 50 years it has been publishing high-quality research across the whole spectrum of the subject. Microbiology is published by the Society for General Microbiology. |
