Dr. Bruno Silvester Lopes, microbiology lecturer has recently named a new species of bacteria linked with food poisoning in the UK. Read on as he tells us about this fantastic milestone.
Tell us more about the new species you have named.
It is a great milestone for me to name a novel species of bacteria, considering only 1% of bacteria can be grown in the lab environment. The new organisms we named are called:
- Campylobacter devanensis nov. (after Aberdeen, Scotland)
- Campylobacter porcelli nov. (after pigs – a name that I personally recommended)
- Campylobacter vicugnae nov. (after camelids).
Each scientific name has a great meaning, and follows the Latin or Greek nomenclature for naming organisms. Campylobacter simply means curved rod (Campylos = curved, baktron = rod). These new species were recovered from swine, small ruminants, and camelids.
What was the process you went through?
The project involved genome sequencing of 7,000 bacterial isolates of Campylobacter, collected from different sources to identify different causes of food poisoning. This was funded by the Food Standards Agency/Food Standards Scotland. When I looked at the genomes of these organisms, I found that some bacteria looked very different compared to others. I contacted Bill Miller, a leading scientist from the United States Department of Agriculture, and after more investigation, we were convinced they were different so explored further. This involved biochemical characterisation, including testing organisms for nutrient utilisation, enzyme production, ability to move and ability to survive in different chemical concentrations. During the process, we also saw a great collaborative opportunity – scientists from Slovenia had discovered similar organisms and we all worked on developing a successful paper out of it.
What does this mean for food poisoning in the UK?
Campylobacter species are the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. These species have been recovered from different host reservoirs, and although they may not be the main cause of food poisoning, like their counterparts C. jejuni and C. coli, it is important to understand the biology of an organism from an ecological and food security point of view. This helps to understand their role in causing future diseases if they were to evolve, or how they benefit the host and help maintain the balance of host microbiota. This could have a great impact on our ecosystem.
How do you feel about this achievement?
It feels great. These organisms were first sequenced around 2016 but it took time before we could publish the results because it formed part of my post-doctoral work. My post-doc supervisor retired in 2019 and I wasn’t sure if it would get published as it needed additional information and to satisfy the ‘very strict’ rules stipulated by the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP). Thanks to Bill Miller and other collaborators for delivering a splendid result. A great example of how determination and dedication in science paves the way for future success.
Does this link in with any teaching?
Yes – modules such as microbiology, medical microbiology, advance biological aspects of diseases and pathobiology of infectious diseases. My students know that I love two types of bacteria (Campylobacter and Acinetobacter), which they learn about in detail.
I also named two species of Acinetobacter in 2019 – Acinetobacter terrae sp. nov., (earth/land) and Acinetobacter terrestris sp. nov. (of the earth/land). This is a real example of how my research is informing my teaching practice here at Teesside University and beyond.
Tell us about your scientific research.
My work is mainly on the molecular epidemiology of Gram-negative bacteria, focusing on three major pathogens – Acinetobacter baumannii, Campylobacter spp and Helicobacter pylori. I look at how they develop drug resistance, evolve and spread in different parts of the world. I widely collaborate with scientists at Teesside University and beyond on aspects of sustainability and drug discovery. In my research, I look at areas that can improve public health by breaking the link of transmission of disease and identifying different intervention strategies that can mitigate the risk of infectious diseases in humans.
References
https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.006405
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0723202021000400?via%3Dihub
By Dr. Bruno Silvester Lopes.
