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Microbiology Society Since 2016 and Won the 2018 Sir Howard Clarity to the Larger Picture, and Open Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Prize Microbiology TODAY Microbiology Metabolism, 46:2 Today May 2019 Health and Disease 46:2 May 2019 Metabolism, Health and Disease Where bacterial metabolism and virulence intersect How sialic acid impacts on metabolism, health and disease Modelling virus infections of the skin in 3D Human noroviruses and gut bacteria: friends, frenemies or both? The intestinal microbiota in health and disease health and disease are yet to be Ghannoum M, The Scientist. The investigated, and who knows what Mycobiome;2016. https://www.the-scientist. Why does microbiology matter? implications these will hold for human com/features/the-mycobiome-34129 Farhana: Microbes include a hugely health. [accessed 26 February 2019]. versatile range of organisms. They Hall RA, Noverr MC. Fungal interactions with are integral to the functioning of most Further reading the human host: exploring the spectrum of ecosystems, yet we are still in our Dhamgaye S, Qu Y, Peleg AY. Polymicrobial symbiosis. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017;40:58–64. infancy in understanding their impact. infections involving clinically relevant Gram- Quinton, J. Fungal mediated innate immune Courtney: Micro-organisms coat every negative bacteria and fungi. Cell Microbiol memory, what have we learned? Semin Cell surface around us, on us, and in 2016;18:1716–1722. Dev Biol, in press. our bodies. By understanding how microbes function and how they can Courtney Kousser impact us, we can better learn how to Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, work with them or fight them. University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK Rebecca: Studying all aspects of e [email protected] microbiology is important to enhance @cakousser our understanding and to make new Courtney Kousser is a fourth year PhD student in Dr Rebecca discoveries. Microbiology has been A Hall’s lab. Courtney’s research focuses on the interaction at the heart of identifying the basic Courtney Kousser Courtney between the deadly fungus, Rhizopus microsporus, and the principles of life for decades. Even opportunistic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa within the host. She has been small pieces of the puzzle provide a member of the Microbiology Society since 2016 and won the 2018 Sir Howard clarity to the larger picture, and open Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Prize. new avenues of exploration. At heart, everyone is a microbiologist, they Farhana Alam might just not know it. Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, What advice would you give to University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK someone starting out in this field? e [email protected] Farhana: Read widely and don’t limit @_farhana_alam yourself to your specific research Farhana Alam is a second year PhD student working in area. There is much to be gained Dr Rebecca Hall’s lab. Her research, in collaboration with from inter-disciplinary learning; like Farhana Alam Farhana Dr Jessica Blair, focuses on fungal–bacterial polymicrobial any other form of life, microbiology biofilms and their effects on antimicrobial resistance. does not occur in isolation! Courtney: Attend conferences, Rebecca Hall speak to the intimidating Principal Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, Investigator, and step outside of your University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK comfort zone. You’ll gain confidence e [email protected] and become an active, well-rounded @BECKS_182 member of the community. hall-fungal-research.co.uk Rebecca: One of the best ways to get to Rebecca Hall is a current MRC-funded Career Development know people, and the field, is to go to Rebecca Hall Rebecca Award Fellow and Lecturer in Microbial Adaptation at the a conference, to hear lots of excellent University of Birmingham. Rebecca is interested in how microbes adapt to the science, ask questions and share environment of the host and the consequences this adaptation has on disease ideas. Also, the fungal community progression. She has been a member of the Microbiology Society since 2014, and may be small, but we are mighty, is a member of the Eukaryotic Division. collaborative and enjoy a good dance! Microbiology Today May 19 | microbiologysociety.org 97 Editorial Welcome to the May edition of Microbiology Today, and up for investigation in this edition are microbial metabolism, health and disease. The ability of microbes to metabolise different substrates enables them to thrive in a vast diversity of niches, including various parts of the human host. The way microbes interact with metabolites influences how they affect the health of their host and can be linked to disease. This month our authors explore the fascinating range of ways in which these microbes and their metabolism can impact health. Whole Picture o start us off on this theme, Moving from bacteria to disease. Starting with the microbiome Kim Hardie reflects on how viruses, Sally Roberts and Joanna in early life and highlighting the factors T metabolism and the ability Parish consider how the development of that impact on the health of our to utilise essential nutrients forms organotypic raft cultures has improved microbiome, they consider the impact the basis of a healthy microbial cell. our ability to study virus infection of bacterial products on host health. Revealing some of the many complex strategies. Explaining the basics of With research increasingly making interactions linking metabolism and this technology, they describe how links between dysbiosis and disease, virulence, Kim demonstrates how these rafts can be used to form fully Katherine and Simon address the these two factors are intertwined and differentiated epithelia. They explain complexities of this area of research, can influence bacterial fitness within how these organotypic rafts have been the available evidence and the a population. Kim explains how these used to gain insights into the replication therapeutic potential in this area. complex interactions can influence of herpesviruses, such as Epstein–Barr The Comment piece for this edition infection severity and concludes by virus, and how they could be used in the is written by Courtney Kousser, Farhana providing some perspectives on how future to support the testing of antivirals. Alam and Rebecca Hall, and looks at the new technology could help further Staying with viruses, Matthew importance of fungi, their interactions elucidate the intricate relationships Moore discusses the difficulties in within the human microbiome and the between metabolism and virulence. controlling norovirus, the outcome of roles they can play in health. Explaining Next, Andrew Bell, Emmanuele infection (spoiler, it’s not good) and the range of interactions fungi can have Severi, Nathalie Juge and Gavin Thomas the complexities of in vitro cultivation with other microbes, they highlight how explore the various functions of sialic of norovirus. Historically difficult to fungi can provide a route for bacterial acid. Sialic acid is a metabolite of cultivate; it was only in 2014 that dissemination, as well as impacting on significant importance in bacterial– successful cultivation and replication the virulence of polymicrobial biofilms. host interactions. Our authors outline of norovirus in human B cells was The rising antimicrobial resistance of the strategies microbes have devised achieved, using enteric bacteria as a fungal pathogens and their ability to for utilising sialic acid for different co-factor. Matthew reveals the advances modulate the host immune system purposes. They reveal the ways in which in this field since 2014 and addresses makes these microbes a fascinating both commensals and pathogens can the questions which will need to be part of the microbial world. use sialic acid, for example as food and answered to take this research forward. for camouflage. They then explain how We stay with the intestinal Rowena Jenkins sialic acid has inspired antiviral design theme as Katharine Seton and Simon Editor and could be utilised for future anti- Carding walk us through the role of [email protected] infection purposes. intestinal microbiota in health and Microbiology Today May 19 | microbiologysociety.org 49 Contents Microbiology TODAY Articles Where bacterial metabolism and 58 virulence intersect Kim R. Hardie Interactions between metabolism and virulence. A special sugar: how sialic acid impacts 62 on metabolism, health and disease Andrew Bell, Emmanuele Severi, Nathalie Juge and Gavin H. Thomas The range of microbial uses of sialic acid. Modelling virus infections of the 66 skin in 3D Sally Roberts and Joanna Parish Understanding infection through the use of organotypic raft cultures. Human noroviruses and gut bacteria: 70 friends, frenemies or both? Matthew D. Moore Advancements and future directions in norovirus research. The intestinal microbiota in health 74 and disease Katharine Seton and Simon R. Carding The role of the microbiome in human health. 46:2 May 2019 Features Regulars 57 Elinor P. Thompson, 49 Editorial Chair of the Eukaryotic Division 52 Council 2019 A Q&A with Elinor Thompson. 53 From the President 82 Grants 54 From the Chief Executive Spotlight on Harry Smith Vacation Studentships. 55 News 78 Annual Conference 2019 and 2020 83 Career Focus – Putting together your CV 80 Focused Meetings 2019 A summary of the topics covered in the CV workshop at Annual Conference 2019. 94 Reviews 84 Open research: it’s more than open access Editor Rowena Jenkins Open science and fair data. Managing Editor Ruth Paget Production
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