News from the NRP Strategic Alliances and NRP research partners

New study links antibiotic resistance to common household disinfectant triclosan

July 11, 2017 2:58: pm | by Matthew Hills

Scientists from the John Innes Centre, Quadrum Institute and the University of Birmingham have discovered a link between a major mechanism of antibiotic resistance and resistance to the disinfectant triclosan which is commonly found in domestic products.
Researchers made the unexpected finding that bacteria that mutated to become resistant to quinolone antibiotics also became more [Continue reading»]

Newly-discovered plant enzymes open the door to novel compound production

July 4, 2017 3:00: pm | by Matthew Hills

A wealth of previously undescribed plant enzymes have been discovered by scientists at the John Innes Centre. The team who uncovered the compounds hope that harnessing the power of these enzymes will unlock a rich new vein of natural products, including potential drug leads.
The research, published in PNAS reveals new insights into the bio-production [Continue reading»]

Decoding and recoding biological systems

May 23, 2017 1:29: pm | by Matthew Hills

The past few years have seen unprecedented advances in DNA sequencing and synthesis technologies. These technologies, in combination with sophisticated new methods of analysis, have opened up unprecedented opportunities to recode organisms to produce new bio-products which may support advances in medicine, agriculture or industrial processes.
A research workshop titled ‘Decoding and Recoding Biological [Continue reading»]

Discovering new antibiotics from ants

May 22, 2017 12:05: pm | by Matthew Hills

Bacteria which live on the surface of leaf-cutter ants discovered in the tropics produce an exciting array of antibiotics. These antibiotics are new to science and have exciting properties not found previously – including the ability to kill bacteria which are otherwise now resistant to other anitbiotics. The breakthrough results from research of [Continue reading»]

Public join in hunt for new antibiotics in Thetford Forest soil

April 29, 2017 3:20: pm | by Matthew Hills

Visitors to High Lodge in Thetford Forest next week can join scientists from the University of East Anglia (UEA) who will be digging for clues in the race to solve the problem of antibiotic resistance, as part of the Microbiology Society’s ‘Antibiotics Unearthed’ project.
Antibiotics Unearthed is a crowd sourced science project, which members of [Continue reading»]

Save the Pink Pigeon!

March 18, 2017 2:46: pm | by Matthew Hills

The pink pigeon is an important conservation successes. Reduced to just 10 wild birds in 1990, this cousin of the Dodo now numbers in the 100s. However, the species maintains Endangered status, with over 60% of fledglings succumbing to a pathogen introduced by humans. This project will identify genes and gene variants that enable birds [Continue reading»]

ELSA researchers warn of serious risks from Australia’s carp biocontrol plans

February 23, 2017 2:46: pm | by Matthew Hills

Published in the new journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, Dr Jackie Lighten and Prof. Cock van Oosterhout (UEA) point out the risks of a biocontrol program suggested by the Australian Government plan to eradicate invasive common carp from their water ways though the release of the deadly Koi Herpes Virus (KHV). Common carp are among [Continue reading»]

Green peach aphid develops taste for diverse food sources

February 22, 2017 4:26: pm | by Matthew Hills

Host-parasite coevolution often results in specialisation of parasites via genetic adaptation to a small number of host species. However, the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) colonises plant species across 40 families. Most remarkably, genetically identical individuals from the same clonal lineage can colonise distantly related plants, which makes M. persicae a highly destructive pest. Research [Continue reading»]

JIC spin-off Leaf Systems opened by Science Minister Jo Johnson

January 23, 2017 1:23: pm | by Matthew Hills

Leaf Systems International Ltd, a spin out company built on the world-leading UK bioscience research that takes place at the John Innes Centre, was today officially opened by Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation.
The science behind Leaf Systems was developed, with BBSRC investment, at the John Innes Centre and its creators, Professor [Continue reading»]

Genome sequence of a polar alga explains evolutionary adaptation to extreme and variable climates

January 16, 2017 12:54: pm | by Matthew Hills

An international team of researchers has identified the genetic mutations which allowed microalgae (phytoplankton) from the Southern Ocean to adapt to extreme and highly variable climates – a step towards understanding how polar organisms are impacted by climate change.  The team led by Prof Thomas Mock from the University of East Anglia (UEA) School of [Continue reading»]