BEEM SEMINAR: Prof George Salmond, University of Cambridge - Title: 'Phenotypes, faith, flotation and phages: Gang culture in the bacterial world'
4:00pm - 5:00pm /
Tuesday 29th November 2016
/ Venue: Lecture Theatre 1 Life Sciences Building
- Prof Jay Hinton
- Admission: Free
- Book now
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Although comprised of individual cells, bacterial populations can have the capacity to communicate intercellularly via diffusible, small molecules in a process known as quorum sensing (QS) – arguably a primitive form of multicellularity. Many diverse bacterial phenotypes are regulated by QS in a cell density-dependent fashion, including bioluminescence, antibiotic production, virulence and biofilm formation.
I will discuss a few examples of how QS modulates specific phenotypes in some enterobacteria, including pathogenesis, production of bioactive secondary metabolites, and adaptive flotation - where an intercellular morphogen controls the development of ecologically advantageous, intracellular buoyancy chambers.
Finally, if time permits, I will consider how bacteria have evolved remarkable strategies for controlling their viral predators – bacteriophages – to defend the population from the lethal impacts of phage infections. The talk will cover a spectrum of topics that may be of general interest.
I will discuss a few examples of how QS modulates specific phenotypes in some enterobacteria, including pathogenesis, production of bioactive secondary metabolites, and adaptive flotation - where an intercellular morphogen controls the development of ecologically advantageous, intracellular buoyancy chambers.
Finally, if time permits, I will consider how bacteria have evolved remarkable strategies for controlling their viral predators – bacteriophages – to defend the population from the lethal impacts of phage infections. The talk will cover a spectrum of topics that may be of general interest.