r-nierobiologytodoy vol35I moy08 quorterly mogozineof the society for generol microbiology bugsget everywhere spoce bugs lifeon mors ontorctico:the lostfrontier lichensin the freezer how microbesfrovel the world vcl35(2) 54 News 84 Schoolzone 94 Coingpublic 60 Microshorts88 Cradline 98 Reviews 82 Meetings 92 Hotoff the Press102 Addresses 100 Obituary- ProfessorSir Howard Dalton FRS 62 Spacebugs I Antarcticlichens: LewisDartnell lifein the freezer Are there microbes outside our planet? lf so, how PaulDyer & PeterCrittenden do they get around? Lichenscan surviveand grow in the most harsh and inhosoitableconditions. ls microbiallife on Sh ip ballasttan ks: Marspossible? how micro bes trave I CharlesCockell the world Micro-organismson the red planet- Fred do theyexist? - couldthey exist? C. Dobbs Asthe world'sshipping fleets travel across the * oceans,who knowswhat unseenmicrobial cargothey transport. Antarctica.a last frontierfor microbial 104 Comment:Fungi as exploration biologicalcontrols of insect BrentC. Christner& disease vectors JohnC. Priscu NancyBeckage Deep below the Antarctic ice lie microbial As our climate warms up, can fungi be used to prevent the ecosystemswaiting to be explored. spread of insect-bornedisease? Looking through the clear, frozen surface of Lake Vanda, Antarctica. The liquid water 65 m below teems with bacterial life. 1eorge Steinmetz/ SciencePhoto Library The views expressed Dr MattHutchings Dr Sue Assinder,Dr PaulHoskisson, Professor Bert Rima JanetHurst Lucy Coodchild & FayeStokes by contributors are not iri,, YvonneTaylor lan Atherton are alwayswelcome and should be addressedto the Editor c/o SCM HQ, Marlborough House, '18 necessarily those of the BasingstokeRoad, SpencersWood, Reading RC7 lAC Tel.011B9BB 1809 Fax01 9885656 emailmtoday6sgm.ac.uk webwww.sgm.ac.uk Society; nor can the ii.:r',' claims of advertisers TheSociety for CeneralMicrobiology 1464-0570 LatimerTrend & CompanyLtd, Plymouth, Ul( hp ot tarenfeerl .c MicrobiologyToday Ed itorial Board With the resignationof professorlain Haganfrom Councildue to pressuresof worl<,the his editorialboard has lost one of itsvalued members. We areall very grateful to lainfor on inputover the pastfew yearsand especiallyfor beingthe leadin the well-receivedissue 'microbesand cancer'. ln hisplace we welcomepaul Hoskisson, a lecturerat the Universityof Strathclydewhose specialityis actinomycetesand who hasalready contributed an articleto the magazineon hisfavou rite micro-organ isms. A new initiativein VirologY! www.g I a.ac. ul</ facult ie s/vet / r esear ch /p ostg rad u ate stu dy / TheUniversity of Clasgowis offering a new cross-facultyMasters programme for individuals who wishto pursueacareer in virologicalsciences. The one-year Masters of Researchin Virologyis largelyhands-on, with two researchprojects each lasting up to 20 weeks,in additionto advancedtaught modules. Thisnew initiativeaugments the highlysuccessful Honours degree in Virology.These courses arethe onlystand-alone degrees in virologyon offerin the Ul(. Dr StephenDunham ([email protected])isthe courseco-ordinator of the MResdegree. will be considered.Eminent international Microscopy and speakersinclude: Mark Jepson(Bristol), microbes UrsCreber (Zurich), Michelle Swanson (Michigan)and Timo Hyypia(Finland). SCM/RMS joint meeting 24 June2OOB, Excel London Theevent takes place at Microscience2008, Don't forgetto registerfor this exciting the RMS'sflagship microscopy conference one-dayevent which will focuson the and exhibition.The registration fee for the cellularaspects of infectionand the sessionis f45 for SCM and RMSmembers, importaqtrole microscopy has in furthering which will alsoentitle delegates to visitthe our knowledgeof thisfield. Both cell exhibition.For further details contact Paul A Colouredelectron micrograph of human invasionDrocesses and the tusslethat Monaghan(paul. monaghan @ bbsrc.ac.uk) papillomavlruses(ultrathin section) being rakesplace once a pathogenhas started to and to registersee www.microscience200S. shed from a human wart. 14ausBoller, Paul-Ehrlich-lnstitute,Langen, Cermany replicatewithin the host cell and fight back org.uk An obituaryof Dr Norbert Pfennig,an he receivedmany honours, including People HonoraryMember who joined SCM foreignmembership of the Royal MichaelBushell, Professor of in 1958and who died in FebruarY, Society.Interestingly, in view of the Microbiology,U n iversity of Surrey, will be publishedin a futureissue of theme of this issueof the magazine, hasbeen appointedto the AdvisorY Microbiology Today. Lederbergwas a memberof the on NovelFoods and US NationalAcademy of Sciences Committee Well-knownAmerican scientist, of the Food Standards SpaceScience Board 1958-1974 Processes ProfessorJoshua Lederberg, has died Agency. and recommendedthat spaceships aged82. He won the 1958 NobelPrize should be sterilizedbefore takeoff in physiologyor medicinefor hiswork and astronautsquarantined on Deaths on the geneticsof bacteriathat laid returnfrom their missions. TheSociety notes with regretthe the foundationsfor modernmolecular deathof Dr Ken Sargeant(member genetics.His work waswide-ranging, ProfessorDennis L. Knudson(oined 2008. since1 964). he advisedseveral US Presidents and SCM in 1972)died on 2 March, 54 microbiologytoday SCMCou ncil FebruaryMeeting H ighlights SCM Journals Sir Howard Dalton, FRS Funder-mandatedopen accesspolicies continue to be monitoredand it appearsthat the earlierburst of author Councilheld a minute'ssilence to honourthe memoryof payments,mainly b JAV,has declined recently. Most of formerPresident Howard Dalton,who died on 12 )anuary. this moneyrelated to researchfunded by the Wellcome An obituaryappears on p"100. Trust.Overall, it appearsthat authorsare being placed in BovineTB confusingpositions by funders. ProfessorsBarer and Pennreported on the progressof SCM Finances the independentinquiry into bovineTB researchthat the Councilmembers heard that the auditof the SCM 2007 Societyis carryingout for Defra.The worl<ing group hasmet accountshad successfully tal<en place. The financial situation twicesince November Council and are approaching the of the Societyat the end of the yearwas healthy. The policy reviewunder several subject headings. The various chapters decisionto diversifythe investmentportfolio in the year will be collatedinto a reoortdue to be deliveredto the hadproved to be a wiseone. ChiefVeterinary Officer and ChiefScientific Adviser at the endof April. FISConference 2007 ESCV SCM both hostedand providedthe organizingsecretariat for the 2OO7Conference of the Federationof lnfection Councilmembers were pleasedto learnthat the transfer Societies(FlS). This was a verysuccessful meeting, being of administrativeand financialsuooort services for the well attendedand financiallyviable. EuropeanSociety for ClinicalVirology to SCM headquarters wasprogressing well. The renewal invoices for 2O0B Meetings membershipsubscriptions will be sentout soon,once the The new meetingsorganization system is now in operation eurobanl< account is up and running. and the ScientificMeetings Committee had met the weel< ResearchCou nci beforeCouncil to planthe scientificsessions for the event at Harrogatein Spring2009. The theme of the meeting ThePresident, Robin Weiss, and the ExecutiveSecretary, will markBO years since Fleming's discovery of penicillin, RonFraser, spent an hour recentlywith the new Chief consideringthe progressin microbiologysince then. The Executiveof the MRC,Sir Leszel<Borysiewicz" lssues ExecutiveSecretary tabled the draftrevision of the bye-laws relatingto learnedsociety publishing and open accesswere that mustbe approvedby Councilto accommodatethe new discussedand Council's concerns about the perceived arrangements.The two remainingscientific meetings under problemsof researchin academicmedical bacteriology were the old Croupsystem are in Edinburghand Dublinthis year raised.lt wasalso noted that the BBSRCDirector of Science and the ScientificMeetinss Officer reoorted that both are andTechnology, Professor Nigel Brown, is attending the nrnsrpccino r,4rell SCM'sforthcoming meeting in Edinburghin orderto talkto delegates,particularly those worl<ing in virology. lanet Hurst, Deputy ExecutiveSecretary Hedid a DPhilin virologyunder the B lbs 1 1 oz. Mum and baby are supervisionof TomTinsley in Oxford doingwell. Natalie's role on JCV AnnualCeneral between1970 and 1975 and wasa is beingcovered by Ashreena Meeting 2008 professorat ColaradoState University, Osman. specialisingin InfectiousDiseases, Welcometo new StaffEditor, TheAnnual Ceneral Meeting of Cenomicsand Bioinformaticsat the RachelWalker, who isjust the Societywill be heldon Tuesday, timeof hisdeath. completingher PhDfrom Liverpool 9 September2008 at the Society Universityon the characterizationof Meetingat TrinityCollege Dublin. SCMstaff the roleand regulationof secreted Aocnda nancrq inrlrrdino rcnnrfc Congratulationsto Senior Staff Editor, proteinsof Enterococcusfaecal is. from Officersand Croup Conveners NatalieWilder, who gavebirth to Rachel'sfirst desrce was also at and the Accountsof the Societyfor babyAlexander John McCuire on 17 Liverpoolin Microbial 2007 will be circulatedwith the March.He weighed in at a bouncing Biotech nology. August issueof MicrobiologyToday. microbiologytoday 55 SCM PnzeLectures and Awards A rangeof prestigiousawards is madeby the Societyin recognitionof distinguishedcontributions to microbiology. Nominationsare now soughtfor the 2OO9prize lectures. The award panel will considerthe submissionsin the autumnand tal<etheir recommendations