CONTENTS Page MAIN SYMPOSIUM Microbial subversion of host cells 3 Offered posters 6 GROUP SYMPOSIUM CELLS & CELL SURFACES GROUP Type IV secretion systems 11 Offered posters 12 CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY GROUP Septicaemia 17 Offered posters 20 CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY / CLINICAL VIROLOGY / FOOD & BEVERAGES GROUPS Water and environment related infections 25 CLINICAL VIROLOGY GROUP The management of outbreaks 27 Offered posters 28 EDUCATION & TRAINING GROUP Successfully surviving your PhD 31 ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY / SYSTEMATICS & EVOLUTION GROUPS Biological control: mechanisms, function and application 33 Offered posters: Environmental Microbiology Group 36 Systematics & Evolution Group 38 FERMENTATION & BIOPROCESSING & FOOD & BEVERAGES GROUPS / SCOTTISH MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY Advances in the understanding of microbial contributions to alcoholic beverage fermentations 39 Offered posters: Fermentation & Bioprocessing Group 41 Food & BeveragesGroup 42 MICROBIAL INFECTION GROUP Endothelial cell-pathogen interactions 47 Offered posters 49 PHYSIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR GENETICS GROUP / SOCIETY FOR ANAEROBIC MICROBIOLOGY Molecular aspects of anaerobes 55 Offered posters 58 VIRUS GROUP Symposium One - Vaccines 65 Symposuim Two - Viruses & cancer 71 INDEX OF AUTHORS 77 LATE SUBMISSIONS (web version only) 80 VIRUS GROUP – WORKSHOPS - ABSTRACTS (web version only) 82 Society for General Microbiology – 152nd Meeting – University of Edinburgh – 7-11 April 2003 - 1 - Society for General Microbiology – 152nd Meeting – University of Edinburgh – 7-11 April 2003 - 2 - MAIN SYMPOSIUM Microbial subversion of host cells _____________________________________________________________________________________ Full chapters of the following presentations will be published in a Symposium Book - Microbial Subversion of Host Cells - published for the Society for General Microbiology by Cambridge University Press. Monday 7 April 2003 1145 The entry of Listeria monocytogenes into mammalian cells, a tightly controlled process 0900 Current perspectives of the integrin field and PASCALE COSSART their relationship to cellular microbiology Unité des interactions Bacteries-Cellules, Institut Pasteur, M.J. HUMPHRIES Paris, France University of Manchester Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen Abstract not received which uses at least two proteins to invade mammalian cells. Internalin interacts with the transmembrane protein E-cadherin. 0945 The structure and function of the InlB interacts with the transmembrane tyrosine kinase C-Met, the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli type III secretion hepatocyte growth factor, gC1qR, an ubiquitously expressed system surface molecule and proteoglycans. We are dissecting these two GADI FRANKEL pathways independently using latex beads coated with internalin Dept of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, London or InlB. Our recent results indicate that for the internalin Type III secretion systems (TTSS) are utilised by many Gram- pathway, in addition to a- and b-catenins, a critical factor is the negative pathogens to deliver virulence proteins directly into host unconventional myosin, myosinVIIa and the transmembrane cells. Although there is little homology between the virulence protein vezatin. For the InlB pathway, we have highlighted that proteins secreted by these bacteria, there is considerable in addition to PI3 kinase, key components include rac, Arp2/3, homology between components of the secretion apparatus. We with cofilin and VASP playing key regulatory roles in the control study the TTSS of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, a major of actin rearrangements. Whether the two entry pathways are cause of infantile diarrhoea and mortality in developing interconnected is under current investigation. countries, which is shared with enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), Citrobacter rodentium, and E. coli strains pathogenic 1330 Vaccinia virus movement in cells for animals. The EPEC secretion apparatus includes the GEOFFREY L. SMITH conserved components found in all systems but is unique in that Dept of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, it possesses a long filamentous structure attached to the distal end St Mary’s Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG of the secretion apparatus, which links the bacterium to the host Vaccinia virus is a large DNA virus that replicates in the cell. Although the components of most TTSSs are well known, cytoplasm of infected cells and exploits components of the the exact structure of the secretion apparatus remains elusive; cytoskeleton for its replication and dissemination. Each infected here we describe recent work undertaken in our laboratory aimed cell produces morphologically and functionally distinct virions at addressing the role, structure and location of the individual called intracellular mature virus (IMV), intracellular enveloped components of the EPEC TTSS. In some cases these are proteins virus (IEV), cell-associated enveloped virus (CEV) and unique to the EPEC system that highlight differences between extracellular enveloped virus (EEV). IMV and EEV have systems, in others they are conserved proteins that reveal details different functions during the virus life cycle, bind to different of TTSSs in general. cell surface receptors and enter cells in different ways. During virion egress, IMV are transported on microtubules from virus 1100 Setting up a nest and maintaining it: factories to sites near the microtubule organising centre (MTOC) intracellular replication of legionella pneumophila where they become wrapped by intracellular membranes forming RALPH R. ISBERG IEV. IEV are transported by microtubules from near the MTOC Dept of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts to the cell surface where the outer membrane fuses with the University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, plasma membrane to form CEV. CEV induce the polymerisation USA of actin from beneath the plasma membrane and these growing Shortly after ingestion of enteropathogenic Yersinia the bacteria actin tails drive the virions away from the cell, aiding cell-to-cell are internalized by M cells, specialized intestinal cells overlying transmission of virus. EEV are formed by release of CEV from the Peyer’s patches. Once localized within these lymph nodes, the cell surface and mediate longer-range spread of virus in cell the microorganism maintains an extracellular lifestyle. Entry culture and in vivo. into host cells is primarily promoted by the bacterial invasin protein, which recognizes multiple members of the integrin 1415 Induction of pro-inflammatory signals by family of mammalian cell adhesion molecules. The site on the Salmonella-epithelial cell interactions integrin receptor recognized by invasin is apparently identical to ABIGAIL N. BLAKEY & EDOUARD E. GALYOV the site recognized by natural host substrates of the receptor, and Institute for Animal Health, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire the region of invasin that binds the integrin receptor has many RG20 7NN features in common with natural substrates. Invasin promotes Salmonella infection of both humans and food-producing animals uptake by engaging the integrin receptors with a high affinity and causes major public health, economic and welfare problems promoting clustering of the receptors. After clustering, signals throughout the world. Understanding the pathogenesis of are sent from the cell surface to host cell cytoskeletal components Salmonella infections is of great importance in helping alleviate that direct the uptake process. Proteins involved in this cascade these problems. include tyrosine phosphorylated proteins and proteins that are Recent studies on the molecular mechanisms of Salmonella activated by the small GTPase Rac1, which is involved in virulence using relevant model systems have improved our directing organization of the host cell cytoskeleton. understanding of how Salmonella causes inflammatory gastrointestinal disease. The first set of host cells that Salmonella interacts with in the intestinal tract are epithelial cells. Signals elicited by this bacteria-host cell interaction result in invasion of the cells by the Salmonella, disturbances in electrolyte balance and accompanying fluid secretion, and a massive pro- inflammatory response involving secretion of chemoattractant Society for General Microbiology – 152nd Meeting – University of Edinburgh – 7-11 April 2003 - 3 - molecules including cytokines and an influx of polymorpho- Tuesday 8 April 2003 nuclear leukocytes into the infected area. Type III secretion systems (TTSS) play an important role in the induction of these 0900 Regulation of viral glycoprotein traffic and virus- pro-inflammatory responses by Salmonella. TTSS are used by induced membrane fusion bacteria to secrete and translocate a range of proteins, known as R.W. COMPANS, MIN LI, SHAGUNA SETH, ANDREI effectors, directly into the host cell cytosol where they elicit VZOROV, SUXIANG TONG, ARMIN WEIDMANN & many wide-ranging effects. CHINGLAI YANG The interaction of Salmonella with epithelial cells, and the Dept of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University signals elicited by this interaction that ultimately lead to the onset School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA of inflammatory gastrointestinal disease will be discussed in this Many viral glycoproteins are preferentially associated with cell presentation. membrane microdomains that are enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids, and evidence has been obtained that this 1530 A52R and A46R from vaccinia virus antagonise