microbe magazine

Features

Molecular Diagnostics and

Hidden �-Lactamases

N�-Lysine Acetylation

Control Conserved in All

Three Life Domains

ASM News

MicrobeAugust 2010 Y The News Magazine of the American Society for Microbiology Y Vol. 5 Y No. 8

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THIRD EDITION

Clinical Microbiology Procedures HandbookEDITOR IN CHIEF: LYNNE S. GARCIA

The collaborative efforts of over 150 experienced clinical microbiologists, medical laboratory technologists, and

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Cultural Heritage Microbiology: Fundamental Studies in Conservation ScienceEditors: Ralph Mitchell and Christopher J. McNamara

Historic and culturally impor-tant objects, like all materials,

are vulnerable to microbial attack. Over time, microorganisms can affect paint, wood, paper, glass, tex-tiles, metal, wax, stone, polymers, and coatings. Microbial deteriora-tion of heritage materials can be caused by the formation and growth of biofi lms or by direct attack by a variety of microorganisms, all of which may be diffi cult to correct without also dam-aging the materials themselves. On the other hand, microbial processes can also be adapted to conserve and even restore heritage materials, pointing to the complex nature of microbial interactions with these irreplaceable materials.Cultural Heritage Microbiology is ideal for anyone concerned with recognizing and dealing with microbial deterioration of heritage materials.

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Author: Ronald M. Atlas

H andbook of Microbiological Media, 4th Edition is an invalu-able reference for every clinical, veterinary, diagnostic, and

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The entries are arranged alphabetically by medium name and include composition, instructions for preparation, commercial sources, safety cautions, uses, and more. This reference contains the most comprehensive compilation of microbiological media available in a single volume.Co-Published with CRC Press.2010. Hardcover.ISBN: 978-1-4398-0406-3, 2,056 pages, illustrations, indexList price: $199.95ASM member price: $189.95

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The third edition of the acclaimed Manual of Indus-trial Microbiology and Biotechnology reviews the newest

techniques, approaches, and options in the use of microorganisms and other cell culture systems for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, industrial enzymes and proteins, foods and beverages, fuels and fine chemi-cals, and other products. Readers will find a rich array of methods and discussions of productive microbial processes, with means for improving the organism, the process, and the product. Cell cultures based on both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms are examined, including thorough coverage of mammalian cell cul-ture. Genetics, strain improvement, genetic engineering, and bioprospecting are discussed with regard to a wide variety of organisms and processes.2010. Hardcover.ISBN: 978-1-55581-512-7, 784 pages, illustrations, index.

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Manual of Industrial Microbiology and BiotechnologyTHIRD EDITIONVolume Editors: Richard H. Baltz, Julian E. Davies, Arnold L. Demain

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FEATURES

333 Molecular Diagnostics Could Help in Coping with Hidden �-Lactamases

Nancy D. Hanson

By adopting molecular tests, clinical laboratories will do better at detectingantimicrobial resistance, guiding treatment choices

340 N�-Lysine Acetylation Control Conserved in All Three Life Domains

Jorge C. Escalante-Semerena

The relative simplicity of studying microbes could prove critical forunderstanding this posttranslational modification system

CURRENT TOPICS

324 APL Prize for Device Yielding Fast Antibiotic Resistance Readouts324 Chaotropic Agents Enable Microbes To Withstand Extreme Cold325 Siderophores Shed Light on the “Great Plate Count Anomaly”326 Synthetic, Transplanted Genome Directs New Host Cell327 Microbiology Meets, Might Succumb to, Analytic Nanotechnology328 Role for Microbes in Coping with Gulf Oil Spill328 Shift in Fungal Pathogen Could Be Key to Bee Colony Collapse329 Odds and Ends from the 2010 ASM General Meeting329 Peroxisomes Mount First-Line Antiviral Defense

DEPARTMENTS

331 Public Affairs Report346 Journal Highlights360 Reviews and Resources361 Application Deadlines362 Calendar363 Employment366 Small Things Considered

Cover: Scanning electron micro-graph of Candida albicans. C.albicans can be a benign inhab-itant of the human digestivetract or an invasive pathogen;researchers exploring the sur-face proteins of this yeast findthat both types express many ofthe same surface proteins (seep. 346). (Image � David M. Phil-lips/Photo Researchers, Inc.)

MicrobeVOLUME 5, NUMBER 8 CODEN ASMBO 5 (8) 324–366 (2010) ISSN: 1558-7452

Microbe / Volume 5, Number 8, 2010

ASM News

348 Scripps Milestone in Microbiology Site • sanofi-aventis ICAAC Award • 2010 ICAAC YoungInvestigator Awards

353 Divisions353 Education Board354 International Affairs357 Branches: ASM Activities at the Local Level359 Membership

NEXT MONTH

One Health—Attaining Optimal Health for People, Animals,

and the Environment

Ronald Atlas, Carol Rubin, Stanley Maloy, Peter Daszak,Rita Colwell, and Barbara Hyde

Antibacterial Drug Discovery in the Age of Resistance

Andrew B. Benowitz, Jennifer L. Hoover, and David J. Payne

The History of ICAAC

M. Lindsay Grayson, Karen Bush, and George Jacoby

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Volume 5, Number 8, 2010 /Microbe

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Current Topics

APL Prize for DeviceYielding Fast AntibioticResistance Readouts

Five researchers at the Johns HopkinsApplied Physics Laboratory (APL) re-ceived the APL invention of the yearaward for their device that can rapidlyidentify whether microbial pathogensare resistant to antibiotics. The pro-totype isoMS-drug-array depends onproprietary algorithms to interpretresults of stable isotope mass spec-trometry (MS) analyses. Once refined,this analytic package could be usedfor forensic purposes in homeland de-fense settings, in clinical microbiologylaboratories, and for research anddevelopment of antimicrobial drugs,according to Plamen Demirev ofAPL and his fellow awardees MiquelAntoine, Andrew Feldman, NathanHagan, and Jeffrey Lin.

The isoMS-drug-array prototypebuilds on several earlier APL devel-opments, particularly the chemical-biological, time-of-flight (CB-TOF)system that analyzes suspicious “whitepowders” to determine whether theycontain Bacillus anthracis spores. Thisearlier analytic system was developedfor the U.S. Department of HomelandSecurity, Demirev notes.

The newer isoMS-drug-array anal-ysis begins with investigators growingan unidentified microorganism in amedium that is enriched with nutrientscontaining the nonradioactive iso-tope carbon-13, according to Demirev.As the bacteria grow, they incorporatethe heavier isotope into any carbon-containing molecules being synthe-sized, leading to a shift in molecularmass.

“If we observe such a shift whenexamining a microorganism in a la-beled medium when a drug is pres-ent, this means that the drug is notaffecting the growth of that micro-organism,” Demirev says. Meanwhile,the matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization (MALDI)-MS signaturecan be used to identify a broad varietyof biological agents, including viruses,bacteria, spores, and fungi, Demirevpoints out. The TOF for each ion cor-relates with its mass, resulting in acharacteristic mass spectrum for eachorganism.

“Let’s say you have Bacillusspores,” Demirev says. “The identifi-cation can be done directly within 30minutes using our technology that in-cludes hardware, protocols, and algo-rithms, based on predicted and ob-served signatures for Bacillus spores.At the same time, with part of thesample one can start the growth pro-tocol and within five hours we canconfirm (or refute) the identification,depending on whether we observe thepredicted signature for the vegetativecells.”

“The novelty and innovation ofthis technology lies not so much in itsability to rapidly identify unknownmicroorganisms, but rather in its abil-ity to rapidly determine whether anunknown or uncharacterized microbeis antibiotic resistant,” says Todd San-drin of Arizona State University inPhoenix, who also uses MALDI-TOFto fingerprint bacterial species, includ-ing Escherichia coli and Enterococcus.Describing the use of stable isotopesto determine antibiotic resistance“intriguing,” he says that the APLapproach could face “more limitedutility” when it comes to analyzing

“slowly growing and difficult-to-culture microorganisms.”

The unit cost for each isoMS-drug-array test could be as low as $10,according to Demirev. However, thatunit estimate comes after an initialinvestment of as much as $175,000for a suite of instruments, including acommercial MS, APL-designed hard-ware, an automated prep station, pro-tocols, and software.

This analytic system could also bemounted inside a vehicle for a first-response team to use on site. How-ever, the next phase of developmentwill depend on the APL TechnologyTransfer Office finding an appropriatepartner in the private sector. More-over, Demirev notes, “Clinical appli-cations will require Food and DrugAdministration approval, which meansmuch more work to test and optimizeprotocols.”

Barry E. DiGregorio

Barry E. DiGregorio is a freelance writer inMiddleport, N.Y.

Chaotropic Agents EnableMicrobes To WithstandExtreme Cold

Chaotropes, which ordinarily disruptmacromolecules, apparently enhancethe survival of microorganisms thatare subjected to extreme cold, accord-ing to John Hallsworth of Queen’sUniversity of Belfast in Belfast, North-ern Ireland, and his collaborators.“The Earth’s biosphere may be moreextensive than we previously thoughtbecause organisms may be able tofunction in places previously thoughtto be too cold,” he says. The findingsalso support the continuing search

324 Y Microbe / Volume 5, Number 8, 2010

for extraterrestrial life, including onMars and Europa, he and his col-leagues note. Their report appears inthe April 27, 2010, Proceedings of theNational Academy of Sciences (107:7835–7840).

Chaotropes comprise a diverse setof structurally disruptive compoundsthat includes ethanol, urea, fructose,salts such as magnesium chloride,and aromatic agents such as phenol.They work by interfering with non-covalent bonds and find use in labsduring purifications and analyses ofmacromolecules.

At lower temperatures, because chao-tropes disrupt noncovalent interactionsamong macromolecules, their presencetends to enliven metabolic activities thatwould otherwise remain sluggish. Forexample, sea-ice algae withstand�20°C and very high levels of sodiumchloride, according to microbial ecolo-gist Graham Underwood of the Univer-sity of Essex in Essex, England.

Cold can be a double whammyfor prokaryotes, Hallsworth says. Al-

though high solute concentrationskeep water from freezing once itreaches 0°C, high solute itself is excep-tionally stressful to microbes. Chao-tropes, however, can loosen cellularstructures that ordinarily stiffen withfalling temperatures. “I wonderedwhether and how such cells would beable to use the solute activities of en-vironmental substances or their ownmetabolites to enhance their meta-bolic activities at otherwise prohibi-tively low temperatures, he says.

Hallsworth, Underwood, and theircollaborators screened cold-tolerantalgae, fungi, and bacteria for solutetolerance, screened a set of 161 solute-tolerant fungi for low-temperaturetolerance, and then cultured the mi-crobes with the highest combinedsolute-and-low-temperature toleranceon growth media supplemented ei-ther with chaotropes or with theirfunctional opposites, macromolecule-stabilizing compounds, called kosmo-tropes.

At temperatures near 0°C, microbial

colonies on media containing kosmo-tropes stopped growing, whereas mediawith chaotropes enhanced microbialgrowth and survival. “Microbial cellsmay preferentially synthesize and accu-mulate chaotropic metabolites . . . toretain activity in the cold,” Hallsworthadds. Further, spores treated with chao-tropes outsurvived untreated sporeswhen held at �80°C.

The study breaks new ground, saysRocco Mancinelli of the NationalAeronautics and Space Administra-tion. “The environments in which or-ganisms live are extremely importantin defining the limits in which they cansurvive, compared with standard lab-oratory studies.” Moreover, he adds,changes in environments can drasti-cally change organisms within them,a generalization that carries majorimplications for carbon and nitrogencycling on Earth.

David C. Holzman

David C. Holzman is the Microbe JournalHighlights Editor.

Siderophores Shed Lighton the “Great PlateCount Anomaly”

Missing siderophores may account forwhy microbiologists can culture onlyabout 1% of the microorganisms thatthey collect from diverse environ-ments, according to Kim Lewis ofNortheastern University and his col-laborators there and at nearby Har-vard Medical School, both in Boston,Mass. Without siderophores to bindiron for them, these microorganismsfail to grow in the lab despite beingbathed in nutrients. If this explanationholds up, it should enable microbiolo-gists to overcome what some of themcall the “great plate count anomaly”and to learn a great deal more aboutcountless recalcitrant species thatwere set aside as “nongrowers.” Thework appeared in the March 26, 2010Chemistry & Biology.

Glacier colored by green and red algae in Antarctica. The growth of algae and othermicroorganisms in very cold conditions is aided by chaotropes, which ordinarily disruptmacromolecules but which enhance survival of microbes even at temperatures well below thefreezing point of water. (Photo © Getty Images/John Eastcott and Yva Momatiuk.)

Volume 5, Number 8, 2010 / Microbe Y 325

Uncultured microorganisms frommarine biofilms can be coaxed to growwhen they are exposed to natural ma-rine sediment or other bacterial speciesfrom the same environment. The re-search team suspected that some typeof natural diffusible molecule stimu-lates this syntrophy among marinemicrobes.

The researchers inoculated the un-cultured isolate Marinbacter polysi-phoniae KLE1104 with strains ofEscherichia coli containing deletionsfor various growth factors to iden-tify metabolites that promote growth.From among three likely candidates—the siderophore enterobactin, theuniversal quorum sensing factor AI-2,and an autoinducer indole—only thestrain missing enterobactin fails toinduce growth. “We had no idea whatthe growth factor would be, andwe got lucky using our knockout col-lection of E. coli mutants,” saysstudy leader Kim Lewis, director ofNortheastern’s Antimicrobial Discov-ery Center.

Lewis’ team also discovered thatanother strain, Micrococcus luteusKLE1011, is a potent natural helperthat promotes the growth of M. poly-siphoniae KLE1104 and other uncul-tured strains in the laboratory. Theypurified five novel siderophores in me-dia collected from cultures of M. lu-teus KLE1011. These newly identi-fied siderophores belong to the des-ferrioxamine class of iron-bindingagents, and they all have flanking acylside chains that make them very hy-drophobic. Their unusual chemicalstructure “probably helps them staywithin the biofilm, and they do noteasily leak out into the open ocean,”Lewis says. Moreover, the five newsiderophores individually induce thegrowth of uncultured M. polpolysi-phoniae KLE1104, confirming theirrole as factors that aid the growth ofuncultured bacteria.

The importance of siderophoreswas further explored by screening un-

cultured bacterial strains induced byM. luteus KLE1011 in marine envi-ronmental biofilms. Six isolates wereselected that prove particularly de-pendent on M. luteus KLE1101 forgrowth. The six isolates and M. poly-siphoniae KLE1104 were treatedwith 20 commercial siderophores,representing different chemical classes,such as phenols/catechols and oxa-zolines/thiazolines. The different un-cultured bacterial strains, includingCyclobacterium, Sulfitobacter, andBacteroidetes, show distinctly differ-ent patterns of siderophore depen-dence. Some siderophores universallyinduce growth, whereas others actmore specifically. The results suggestthat siderophores show wide varia-tions in their preference for aidinggrowth of uncultured isolates.

The multitude of uncultured mi-crobes likely will require other yet-undiscovered factors to stimulategrowth. Nonetheless, siderophoresare a first important step towardssolving the 100-year-old mystery ofthe great plate count anomaly. “Itgives us a tool to access biodiversitythat has been hidden from us,” saysLewis, thus allowing exploration ofunknown bacterial metabolites, suchas much-needed novel antibiotics.

“Improving our ability to culture dif-ficult micoorganisms promises to in-crease our understanding of them andverify that bacteria detected indirectlyusing gene sequencing techniques aretruly present in particular environ-ments,” says Garth James, medicalprojects manager at the Center for Bio-film Engineering at Montana State Uni-versity, Bozeman. For example, 16SrRNA data indicate that chronicwounds contain diverse bacteria thatcannot be cultured. “It would not sur-prise me,” says Garth, “to find sid-erophore-based syntrophy in woundsand across the human microbiome.”

Carol Potera

Carol Potera is a freelance writer in GreatFalls, Mont.

Highlights from 2010 ASMGeneral Meeting

Synthetic, TransplantedGenome Directs NewHost Cell

A synthetic and slightly streamlinedversion of the Mycoplasma mycoidesgenome, consisting of about 1.08 mil-lion base pairs, worked fine and tookover the genetic controls after beingtransplanted into a similar but distincthost cell, Mycoplasma capricolum, ac-cording to Clyde Hutchison from theJ. Craig Venter Institute, San Diego,Calif. He spoke during the colloquium“Engineering a Better Bacterium,”held during the 110th ASM GeneralMeeting last May in San Diego, Calif.

The synthetic genome, which omits14 “dispensable” genes that are foundin the natural version of the M. my-coides genome, also carries slightchanges, or “watermarks,” to make itreadily distinguishable from that na-tive version, Hutchison says. Assem-bled in step-wise fashion, the gargan-tuan piece of DNA is eased into therecipient cell with assistance frompolyethylene glycol (PEG) in a stepthat is nearly as inefficient as it ismechanistically inscrutable. PEG“may cause cell membranes to fuse,”he says, “but we don’t know how tostudy this step.” Thus, the genome“transplantation” from one cell intoanother remains a “rare event.”

Nonetheless, the recipient cells con-taining the synthetic genome are“happy,” and even grow slightly“faster than the reference strain,”Hutchison continues. Having cells un-questionably under control of syn-thetic DNA speaks to the “main inter-est” of the Venter group, namely to tryto understand what genes are essentialfor life and, down the road, develop amodel to predict how “subsets ofgenes affect cell behavior.” Eventu-ally, the research group would like todo away with recipient host cells and


perhaps assemble living cells from theircomponent parts, but that undertakingis not yet tractable.

In terms of safety and ethics, someresearchers see these results as “fallingalong a continuum,” says JeffreyMiller of the University of California,Los Angeles, who cochaired the collo-quium. “We crossed this Rubicon inthe 1970s,” he adds, referring to otherdevelopments in microbiology andmolecular biology that enabled, forexample, the full synthesis of viral ge-nomes and the ever-widening use ofrecombinant-DNA techniques tomodify the genetics and physiologicproperties of many different types ofmicroorganisms (as well as plants andanimals).

In terms of safety, there are “twoclasses of issues,” one involving in-advertent risks that develop despite“good intent” and the other is de-liberate misuse, Hutchison says. Interms of the former, “there is no dif-ference from traditional genetic engi-neering.” As for the latter, “asidefrom toxins, we don’t know how todesign something really novel, butthere are people thinking about thisproblem,” he adds, alluding to theNational Science Advisory Board forBiosecurity, whose mandate is to safe-guard potential dual-use research ofthis sort.

Scientists working in this field aswell as ethicists who follow it closelyare weighing in with an array of opin-ions about reaching this milestone.For instance, some critics complainabout the Venter Institute seeking pat-ents to cover commercial rights forthis research, saying they could impairprogress in the field. Meanwhile, someethicists express enthusiasm for theprogress being made, while others, in-cluding Vatican representatives, urgecaution. Amid these responses, Presi-dent Obama asked the members of hisrecently revamped Presidential Com-mission for the Study of BioethicalIssues to put synthetic biology at thetop of its agenda item. The commis-

sion report on this subject is due some-time before the end of this year.

Jeffrey L. Fox

Jeffrey L. Fox is the Microbe CurrentTopics and Features Editor.

Microbiology Meets,Might Succumb to,Analytic Nanotechnology

Microfluidics, lithographic fabrica-tions processes, and nanotechnologyare major new analytical componentsthat are helping to change how scien-tists study microorganisms, some-times enabling the study of individualcells instead of massive numbers ofcells, according to Steven Quake ofStanford University in Palo Alto,Calif. These analytic tools, in turn, areenabling researchers to address ques-tions that were beyond the scope ofconventional microbiology and al-ready are illuminating the “dark mat-ter” of microbiology, namely thosespecies that so far cannot be grown in

culture, he says. Quake spoke duringthe opening session, “Technology andRevolutions in Microbiology,” of the110th ASM General Meeting last Mayin San Diego.

One striking trait is Quake’spride in boasting about how small hiswork scale, and that of others in thefield, is becoming. For instance, hesays, “nanoliter performs better thanmicroliter” for those analyzing singlecopies of microbial genomes, explain-ing that the smaller scale of the ana-lytic vessels “lowers contaminationand restricts side reactions.” Even so,in some cases that shrunken frame-work is considered too voluminous,leading some researchers to resort to“using a laser trap to isolate singlecells,” he continues. Once trapped, in-dividual cells can be “moved into aclean part of a microfluidic device,where there is no ‘background’DNA.” The cells remain undamagedduring this procedure through use of atrapping laser that works in the infra-red range.

FDA Urged To Consolidate Food SafetyEfforts and Make them Risk-based

In dealing with its food safety responsibilities, the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration “should implement a risk-based approach,” and alsoshould move away from a long-established “piecemeal approach togathering and using information on risks,” according to a report issuedlast June by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National ResearchCouncil (NRC) in Washington, D.C. The report also calls on thefederal government to “establish a centralized food safety data centerto . . . conduct rapid, sophisticated assessments of food safety risks andappropriate policy interventions.” Further, FDA should consider dele-gating food inspection responsibilities to the states while setting na-tional standards for such activities, according to the report. “Ourreport’s recommendations aim to help FDA achieve a comprehensivevision for proactively protecting against threats to the nation’s foodsupply,” says IOM-NRC committee chair Robert Wallace of the Col-lege of Public Health at the University of Iowa, Iowa City. “Foodbornediseases cause significant suffering, so it’s imperative that our foodsafety system functions effectively at all levels.” The report, “Enhanc-ing Food Safety: The Role of the Food and Drug Administration,” isavailable at http://www.nap.edu.


Another noteworthy example of mi-crobiology analysis on this shrunkenscale points to some of the unusual chal-lenges that may arise. Thus, adapt-ing a chemostat to work on the mi-crofluidic scale forced investigators toconfront the impact of biofilms thatformed along the walls of these tinyvessels, Quake says. In a traditional che-mostat, the bulk cell population gener-ally overshadows biofilm effects. On ananoscale, however, the biofilm effectscan dominate. Overcoming this chal-lenge took a “plumbing solution,” hesays. The overall device is designed topermit periodic scrubbing of biofilm-laden chambers with lysing buffers,while moving the planktonic growerselsewhere. Such relatively mundane ma-neuvers “extend the active lifetime ofthe device.”

Jeffrey L. Fox

Role for Microbes inCoping with Gulf Oil Spill

Amid anguish and anger over the mas-sive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico—particularly its destructive impact onthat ecosystem—indigenous microor-ganisms will slowly but relentlessly playa major role in degrading much of thatoil and helping to restore the equilib-rium of that region, according to JayGrimes of the University of SouthernMississippi in Hattiesburg and RonaldAtlas of the University of Louisville inLouisville, Kentucky, who spoke duringa special session about the oil spill dur-ing the 110th ASM General Meetinglast May in San Diego.

“Microorganisms consume manybut not all the components in crude oil,but it’s not an instantaneous process,”Atlas says. “However, we’re better offto clean it up physically than waiting forthe microbes.” In general, the hydrocar-bon fractions in oil are degraded to car-bon dioxide and water, while producingproteins and other macromolecules forthe organisms. Less in the way of micro-bial decomposition happens to the more

polar fractions in crude oil. And the tarsin oils tend to deposit, much like as-phalt, along the ocean floor or onbeaches.

One proven way to accelerate micro-bial action is to add fertilizer to provideoil-decomposing species and consortiawith a better balance of nutrients, Atlassays. For the Gulf spill, he recommendsadding fertilizers when oil comes on-shore and “sooner, rather than later.”Typically, there is a “burst” in activityand a sharp rise in populations of hy-drocarbon-degrading microorganisms,temporarily reducing the local diversityof microbial populations.

Dispersants can help speed thesedegradative processes by making thecrude oil more accessible to the micro-organisms, according to Atlas. How-ever, those dispersants, whose use isgenerally limited to oil floating onopen waters, can damage other spe-cies, including fish and birds. Thus,he calls dispersants a “two-edgedsword.” Not a great deal is knownabout the toxicology of oil-dispersantmixtures, Grimes says, noting that acolleagues of his recently began tolook systematically at the chronic ef-fects of this combination on severalrepresentative species of fish and shell-fish. “There soon may be serious fed-eral money available for more stud-ies,” he notes.

Despite interest in inoculating mi-croorganisms, including those spe-cially selected or genetically engi-neered to degrade crude oil, there islittle to suggest that they could outper-form indigenous microbes, Grimessays. Adds Atlas, “I gave up lookingfor such miracle ‘bugs’ years ago.”

Jeffrey L. Fox

Shift in Fungal PathogenCould Be Key to BeeColony Collapse

Bee colony collapse disorder could bedue to the impact of two very different

pathogens—one a fungus, the otherseveral similar types of RNA viruses—coinfecting and thus weakening beesduring a vulnerable stage as they movefrom winter to spring, according toJay Evans of the U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) research labs inBeltsville, Md. He spoke during thecolloquium “Microbes in ExtinctionEvents.”

Separately, Arturo Casadevall ofAlbert Einstein College of Medicine inBronx, N.Y., speculates that globalwarming could lead to the emergenceof novel fungal diseases as fungi adaptto higher ambient temperatures, mak-ing them better suited to survive inmammalian hosts. He outlined thathypothesis, which is detailed in theinaugural (April 2010) issue of mBio.The new journal, the first open-accesspublication from ASM, was rolled outduring the 110th ASM General Meet-ing in San Diego last May.

“Global warming means narrow-ing of the thermal gradient betweenambient and mammalian tempera-tures,” Casadevall says. “As thermo-tolerance is more commonly foundwithin the basidiomycetes, this groupmay be the major contributor of newfungal pathogens.” Moreover, hepoints out, “The risk from newlyemerged fungal pathogens could bemagnified by the fact that there arefew antifungal drugs available and nolicensed vaccines.”

Meanwhile, Evans of USDA doesnot argue that the emergent fungusNosema ceranae—now often associ-ated with honeybee colonies in NorthAmerica and elsewhere in the North-ern Hemisphere—is a sign of globalwarming, but he does say that it couldbe “interacting” with other factorssuch as pesticides or that affect thefood supply of bees. More impor-tantly, this newer fungus may be “dis-placing fungal species in the UnitedStates,” while also interacting withRNA viruses from the family Dicistro-viridae. Indeed the presence of boththat fungus and those viruses is “a


pretty strong predictor of [colony] col-lapse,” he says. Indeed, several yearsago, W. Ian Lipkin of Columbia Uni-versity in New York and his collabo-rators reported evidence associatingone of these viruses with colony col-lapse disorder (Microbe, November2007, p. 523).

By itself, the fungus infects cells lin-ing the gut wall of bees, damaging thecells and causing a mild diarrheaamong the bees while robbing them ofnutrients. The fungal infection alsorenders those cells more susceptible toviral infections, according to Evans.These combined effects thus may ren-der colonies vulnerable to collapse,which happens during the key survival“pinch point” in spring when the in-sects begin foraging after the latentwinter period during which they con-sume honey to survive.

Honeybee colonies began collaps-ing about six years ago, affecting per-haps one-quarter of beekeepers andaffecting not only those who collectand sell honey but also those whopurvey bees to pollinate nuts andfruits and other crops, according toEvans. These shortages are stimulat-ing considerable research into ways ofunderstanding and combating thephenomenon, and researchers arestudying whether genetic factorsmight yield resistant lines of bees andalso whether various managementpractices can help to curtail colonylosses, he says.

Jeffrey L. Fox

Odds and Ends from the2010 General Meeting

• Cronobacter sakazakii (formerlyEnterobacter sakazakii) and otherspecies in this genus are foodbornepathogens that can cause rare butserious and often fatal infectionsamong premature and newborn in-fants, according to Angelika Lehnerof the University of Zurich in Swit-

zerland and her collaborators; shespoke during the symposium, “Per-sistence of Foodborne Pathogensfrom Farm to Fork.” Curiously,this desiccation-resistant and bio-film-forming opportunistic patho-gen produces cellulose, which sheconsiders a “virulence factor,”mainly because it renders these bac-teria resistant to chloride-contain-ing cleaning agents. These bacteriacontaminate powdered milk, likelythrough additions of plant-derivedsupplements and fortifiers. The bac-teria may persist in such dried milkproducts for several years beforethey are reconstituted with waterand given to premature infants viafeeding tubes, she says. Infectionstypically cause severe inflammationof the intestinal tract and, less often,meningitis or sepsis.

• Mice fed with live Mycobacteriumvaccae, a soil bacterium, navigatedmazes more efficiently, according toDorothy Matthews of the Sage Col-leges in Troy, N.Y., and her collab-orators, who reported their findingsduring the session “Microbial Inter-actions with Plants or Animals.”That exposure, which apparentlyalso reduces anxiety levels amongmice, seems to be “temporary,” andcould be due to the bacteria stimu-lating serotonin production in thecentral nervous system of the ani-mals, she says.

• Bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI)tracts of obese children living inSwitzerland produce higher levelsof short-chain fatty acids than dothe otherwise indistinguishable GI-dwelling microorganisms of theirleaner classmates, according toAmanda Payne of the Institute ofFood, Health, and Nutrition, ETHin Zurich, Switzerland and her col-laborators; she spoke during a “Mi-crobial Sciences” session. Among agenetically “closed” population ofOld-World Amish in Pennsylvania,there is little or no correlation interms of GI microbiome differences

with obesity, adds Margaret Zu-pancic of the University of Mary-land Medical School in Baltimore,who spoke during the same session.However, when host obesity-pre-disposing genetic factors are takeninto account, “intriguing patterns”in GI bacterial population composi-tion begin to emerge, she says. Al-though the analysis is at an earlystage, those patterns “hold up” andthose correlations may make it pos-sible to determine who is more “atrisk” for becoming obese. Bothstudies point to the “multifactorial”character underlying epidemic obe-sity, both researchers point out.

Jeffrey L. Fox

Peroxisomes MountFirst-Line Antiviral Defense

In addition to metabolizing fatty acidsand ridding cells of toxic substances,peroxisomes help cells fend off vi-ruses, acting alone and in concert withmitochondria. Both cases involve theantiviral signaling (MAVS) protein,which induces both peroxisomes andmitochondria to release other antivi-ral agents, according to Jonathan Ka-gan of Harvard Medical School inBoston, Mass., and his collaborators.“This is the first demonstration thatperoxisomes are involved in innateimmunity,” he says. Thus, peroxi-somes are more than metabolic or-ganelles within cells. Details appear inthe May 14, 2010 Cell.

Discovered about five years ago, theMAVS protein, also called interfer-on-� promoter stimulator (IPS)-1, wasthought to act solely on mitochondria.However, after reovirus infects vari-ous types of mouse cells, includingembryonic fibroblasts and macro-phages, or human hepatocytes, MAVSattaches to membranes of peroxi-somes and then induces antiviral sig-naling, Kagan and his collaboratorsreport.


Meanwhile, cells infected with in-fluenza virus respond similarly,whereas cells infected with vesicularstomatitis virus (VSV), which inter-feres with type I interferon signals,apparently respond only through theperoxisomal antiviral pathway.

Within a few hours, MAVS inducesa signaling pathway that leads to ex-pression of the gene encoding viperinalong with other antiviral genes, in-cluding those encoding type I interfer-ons, Kagan says. These agents act to-gether to block replication of reovirus.The immediate immune responselaunched with viperin deters viral in-vaders until mitochondrial MAVSkicks in with interferons to halt viralreplication.

Viperin specifically targets viruses,whereas interferons are toxic to vi-ruses and other cells. “It may be pos-sible to create treatments to selectively

activate some antiviral substance likeviperin and avoid the side effects ofinterferons,” Kagan says.

Hepatitis C, other viruses, and somebacteria also stimulate protective re-sponses via the peroxisomes. Theseresponses likely occur throughout thebody because peroxisomes are presentin most cell types, according to Kagan.“This is unique, considering all otherinnate immunity networks operate ina cell-specific manner,” he says. “Ev-ery bacterial and viral pathogen maybe subject to peroxisomal detection.”

MAVS usually operates via theRIG-1-like receptor protein family,which detects viruses and induces typeI interferons, Kagan continues. How-ever, the peroxisomal MAVS acts atan independent site.

“This study clearly demonstratesthat IPS-1 [MAVS] is both localized toand signals from peroxisomes, and

suggests that spatial and temporalcompartmentalization of antiviral sig-naling events is necessary for a timelyand appropriate antiviral response,”says immunologist Michael Gale fromthe University of Washington, Seattle.Which viruses trigger peroxisomalMAVS signaling and at what stages ofviral replication these events occurawait further studies, he adds.

These finding might help to explainZellweger syndrome, a rare but oftenfatal condition in which peroxisomesfail to develop properly. Althoughviewed as a metabolic disorder, in-fants with Zellweger syndrome arehighly vulnerable to lung infections.Perhaps such patients succumb to in-fections because they are lacking anessential peroxisome-dependent im-mune response, Kagan suggests.

Carol Potera


Public Affairs Report

ASM Statement on JVCI Paperon Synthesizing DNA Genome

On 21 May, ASM released a state-ment recognizing the scientific signifi-cance of the newly released report bythe J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI)describing the laboratory’s construc-tion of a synthetic genome that, whenintroduced into a preexisting micro-bial cell, was successfully propagated.The ASM statement is available onthe Public Affairs web page at http://www.asm.org/index.php?option�com_content&view�article&id�91483.President Obama has asked the Com-mission for the Study of BioethicalIssues to undertake a 6-month studyof the implications of the recent ad-vance by the JVCI to synthesize aDNA genome, including the “poten-tial medical, environmental, security,and other benefits of this field of re-search, as well as any potential health,security or other risks.” The Presidentasked the panel to recommend any ac-tions the Federal government shouldtake “to ensure that America reaps thebenefits of this developing field of sci-ence while identifying appropriateethical boundaries and minimizingidentified risks.” In its statement theASM said “Although this research is amilestone technical advance in syn-thetic biology, the ASM believes thatthe laboratory designed genome doesnot warrant any new concerns by poli-cymakers or the general public.”

ASM Comments for theTrans-Atlantic Task Forceon Antimicrobial Resistance

On 7 June, ASM presented commentsto the Department of Health and Hu-man Services (HHS) at the Stake-

holder Listening Session convened todiscuss the work of the Trans-AtlanticTask Force on Antimicrobial Resis-tance (TATFAR). ASM commendedthe establishment of the TATFAR,provided some preliminary commentson addressing antimicrobial resistanceand requested more information abouthow it could assist the Task Force asit pursues its focus on urgent antimi-crobial issues world wide. The ASMcomments are available on the PublicAffairs web page at http://www.asm.org/index.php?option�com_content&view�article&id�91489. TheTATFAR, which is a government togovernment task force, was formedfollowing the November 3, 2009 U.S.-European Union Summit Declarationwhich focused on the specific areas ofappropriate therapeutic use of anti-microbial drugs in the medical andveterinary communities, prevention ofboth healthcare and community asso-ciated drug resistant infections andstrategies for improving the pipelineof new antimicrobial drugs. Represen-tatives from the National Institutesof Health, the National Institute ofAllergy and Infectious Diseases, theCenters for Disease Control and Pre-vention, the Food and Drug Adminis-tration, and the Department of Healthand Human Services Global HealthOffice are expected to hold their firstmeeting with European Union repre-sentatives the week of 14 June.

ASM Applauds Passage ofthe America COMPETES Act

In May, Congress passed the AmericaCOMPETES Reauthorization Act of2010, authorizing $85.6 billion dol-lars for federal science research pro-

grams, over a period of five years. Thelegislation would authorize $30.2 bil-lion for the Department of EnergyOffice of Science, $44 billion forthe National Science Foundation, and$5.4 billion for the National Insti-tute of Standards and Technology. InApril, ASM cosigned a letter support-ing the legislation, that stated: “Webelieve that a strong, five-year autho-rization for the Office of Science—consistent with the doubling pathestablished by the bipartisan 2007America COMPETES Act—should bea priority for Congress.”

ASM General MeetingMinority Travel GrantAwardees–2010

During the ASM General Meeting inSan Diego, Calif., the awardees ofthe ASM General Meeting MinorityTravel Grant were honored at a recep-tion. The ASM General Meeting Mi-nority Travel Grant program offerstravel grants to increase the partici-pation of underrepresented minority(URM) groups in the ASM GeneralMeeting. The following outstanding2010 awardees were introduced at theASM General Meeting:

Postdoctoral AwardeesMagdia De Jesus, Ph.D., New York

State Department of HealthRobert Martinez, Ph.D., University

of AlabamaKathy Milligan-Myhre, Ph.D.,

University of OregonEverett C. Salas, Ph.D., Rice

University

Faculty AwardeesDoreen F. Cunningham, Ph.D., Saint

Augustine’s College


Kimberly D. Lebby, Ph.D., FloridaA&M University

Mariel E. Perez Velez, Ph.D.,Universidad del Este

Miguel A. Urdaneta, Ph.D.,University of Puerto Rico

The reception was organized by theCommittee on Microbiological IssuesImpacting Minorities (CMIIM), chairedby Marian Johnson-Thompson. TheCMIIM developed the grant programfor ASM. A number of ASM volunteersattended the reception, including ASMPast Presidents Alison O’Brien and Clif-ford Houston, ASM Treasurer JamesTiedje, ASM Secretary Joseph Campos,ASM President-Elect David Hooper,Underrepresented Members CommitteeChair Maureen Wright, and MeetingsBoard Chair and CMIIM member Lu-cia Rothman-Denes. CMIIM memberAgnes Day also attended the reception.

The ASM General Meeting Minor-ity Travel Grant program is in its fifthyear. ASM selects postdoctoral schol-ars from underrepresented minoritygroups in the microbiological sciencesor faculty from Minority Serving Insti-tutions. Each grantee is offered upto $1,500 to defray expenses associ-ated with travel to the ASM GeneralMeeting. The grants are supported by

the National Institutes of Allergy andInfectious Diseases of the NationalInstitutes of Health. For more infor-mation about the grant programcontact [email protected]. The deadline for submission toapply for a grant to attend the 2011General Meeting in New Orleans, LAis 28 January 2011.

If you have colleagues or postdoc-toral members of your departmentwho you think are eligible for theaward, please let them know aboutthe program. The CMIIM would liketo encourage as many applications aspossible. More information is avail-able online at http://www.asm.org/asmgmminoritytravelgrant.

ASM General Meeting Minority Travel Grant awardees and ASM volunteers. Back row (l-r):Marian Johnson-Thompson, Lucia Rothman-Denes, Agnes Day, Robert Martinez, Miguel A.Urdaneta, Heather Garvey, Doreen F. Cunningham, and Clifford Houston. Front row (l-r): MagdiaDe Jesus, Kathy Milligan-Myhre, Kimberly D. Lebby, Everett C. Salas, and Mariel E. Perez-Velez.


Molecular Diagnostics Could Help inCoping with Hidden �-LactamasesBy adopting molecular tests, clinical laboratories will do better atdetecting antimicrobial resistance, guiding treatment choices

Nancy D. Hanson

Antibiotic-resistant, gram-negativebacteria are a global challenge, witha major concern being widespreadresistance to �-lactam antibiotics.The variety of such drugs is impres-

sive, yet their availability for clinical use is dwin-dling because of expanding resistance. Twomain strategies help to curb the development ofantibiotic resistance, and they are not mutuallyexclusive. One strategy is to develop new anti-bacterial agents and drug combinations fasterthan resistance develops. However, we have al-ready failed to make this strategy work forgram-negative infections. The second, but oftenoverlooked, strategy is to develop technology toenable rapid surveillance of resistant pathogensin hospital and community settings. Rapidlydetecting and identifying resistance in turncould enable us to use antibiotics more judi-ciously and thus minimize development of fur-ther resistance.

�-lactamases produced by gram-negative or-ganisms are difficult to detect in clinical settingsusing current methodologies, particularly ex-tended-spectrum �-lactamases (ESBLs), AmpC�-lactamases, and KPC �-lactamases. Many ofthe genes encoding these �-lactamases are car-ried on plasmids or transposons, allowing trans-fer of resistance genes between isolates and thusfurther spreading resistance. The emergence ofpathogens that produce multiple �-lactamasesand carry other means for resisting �-lactamantibiotics generates a need for better technolo-gies for detecting �-lactamases.

“Rapid screening techniques are needed inorder to effectively track and prevent [antibioticresistance] spread in clinical settings,” states theSeptember 2009 report from the AmericanAcademy of Microbiology, “Antibiotic Resis-tance: An Ecological Perspective on an OldProblem.” Bringing those tests into wider use inclinical laboratories will usher in a range of

benefits not only for clinical microbiolo-gists, physicians, and their patients but alsofor epidemiologists.

History, Current Status of Antibiotic

Susceptibility Testing

Antibiotic susceptibility testing methodstrace back to more than 100 years ago. Forexample, the Dutch microbiologist Marti-nus Beijerinck developed agar diffusiontechniques by 1889, while Edward Abra-ham and his collaborators in England devel-oped broth dilution techniques using tur-bidity as an endpoint in 1941 as part of theirefforts to develop and test penicillin.

Summary

• Gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to�-lactam antibiotics are a global challenge.

• Molecular-based technologies are needed foridentifying gram-negative pathogens carryingmultiple �-lactamases.

• Specific types of �-lactamases complicate effortsto adapt, use, and interpret phenotype-basedantibiotic-susceptibility tests.

• PCR-based testing can be customized, andwider use of such testing could improve overalltreatment effectiveness while cutting overallhealth care costs.

Nancy D. Hanson isa Professor in theDepartment ofMedical Microbiol-ogy and Immunol-ogy and Director ofMolecular Biologyat the Center forResearch in Anti-Infectives and Bio-technology, Creigh-ton University,Omaha, Neb.


As microbiologists developed susceptibilitymethods, they also wrote guidelines for per-forming these tests as a way of addressing vari-ables that affected precision and accuracy. Forinstance, in 1966, the Kirby-Bauer disk tech-niques helped to standardize plate-diffusiontests of antibiotic susceptibility tests.

A decade later, the National Committee forClinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) issuedrefined guidelines for disk diffusion assays. Sincethen, the NCCLS successor organization, theClinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI),and the European Committee on AntimicrobialSusceptibility Testing (EUCAST) have contin-ued to issue reports describing minimal inhibi-tory concentrations for antibiotics for manypathogens. Those reports adhere to refinedguidelines for susceptibility testing and criteriafor interpreting drug breakpoints.

While susceptibility testing was being stan-dardized, resistance to �-lactam drugs amonggram-negative pathogens was minimal. More-over, resistant strains were easily detected usingphenotypic testing methods. The first ESBL wasrecognized in 1983 using phenotypic methods.Its MICs to several expanded-spectrum cepha-losporins, including cefotaxime and ceftazi-dime, were significantly elevated compared tonarrow-spectrum �-lactamases. In 1985, theESBL was evaluated using molecular methodsand designated SHV-2.

When organisms produced one ESBL andother non-ESBL enzymes, susceptibility testingtypically proved adequate in terms of givingphysicians an accurate guide for prescribingeffective antibiotics. However, gram-negative

bacterial pathogens have been accumulatingmultiple types of �-lactamases, making it moredifficult to treat infected patients. In addition,other antibiotic drug-resistance mechanisms, in-cluding those that involve membrane porins thatkeep drugs out or efflux pumps that drive anti-biotics from cells, add to the challenge of deter-mining the specific antibiotic resistance mecha-nism of a particular pathogen via currentsusceptibility testing methods.

Need To Modernize ESBL Testing with

Molecular Techniques

In light of such complexities, we see a need toincorporate molecular means for detecting�-lactamase genes into standard diagnostic clin-ical microbiology laboratory testing procedures.Importantly, they would add greater sensitivityand specificity to current phenotypic testingmethods. Indeed, many clinical microbiologistsconsider “hidden �-lactamases” one of the mostchallenging issues facing them when they con-duct susceptibility tests.

However, with more than 800 known �-lac-tamases, where does one begin to design andimplement molecular protocols to detect clini-cally relevant �-lactamase genes? Although itwould be wonderful to detect all the known�-lactamases, doing so remains impractical. In-stead, it makes sense to start with simple PCRassays for clinically challenging �-lactam resis-tance mechanisms. Although some laboratoriesuse “home brew” PCR assays, others lack thepersonnel or means to develop and validate suchassays. Hence, a commercially available PCR kit

would be extremely helpful.Soon it should be possible to detect large

arrays of �-lactamase genes in gram-negativepathogens, likely through microarray assaysor mass spectrometry. However, before thattechnology develops, commercial PCR-basedprotocols will be needed to detect clinicallyimportant mechanisms that phenotypic test-ing misses. These mechanisms include genesencoding CTX-M ESBLs, the plasmid-en-coded AmpC �-lactamases, and the class A,B, and D carbapenemases (Table 1). OtherESBLs include TEM and SHV that, untilCTX-M ESBLs emerged, were considered themost prevalent ESBLs.

Although important for therapeutic con-sideration, TEM and SHV ESBLs are more

�-Lactamases Requiring Molecular Detection

�-Lactamasetype Subtypes

CTX-Ms ESBLs that are both hospital and community acquiredFamily Groups: 1, 2, and 14

Imported AmpCs All 6 family groups: ACC, MOX, FOX, CIT (CMY-2-like),DHA, and FOX

Carbapenemases KPCs: one universal primer set for all 10 variants; KPC2and KPC-3 most prevalent

MBLs:VIM, IMP, GIM, SPM, NDMOXA carbapenemases: 3 family groups for nowOXA-48, OXA-23, OXA-24


Hanson: From Snails, Worms, and Viruses to �-lactamases and French Cooking

Nancy Dohse Hanson began doing ex-periments early. “I was about 15, Iguess, and wanted to learn more aboutsnails,’’ she recalls. “I collected a nicegroup fromourpondand took themtothe cellar to experiment.” Left on theirown, the snails crawled from their jar,onto a table, and died. Days later, hermother went to the cellar for somecanned goods and “yelled my namevery loudly,” Hanson says. “I realizedI’d forgotten my experiment.”

Undaunted, Hanson soon movedfrom snails to planaria. “I learned Icould collect them from fresh waterusing liver,’’ she says. She appropriatedliver from the refrigerator, converted adoll case into a science kit, and em-barked on another expedition. Theliver proved excellent planaria bait.“Out they came,” she says. “I wantedto evaluate their ability to regener-ate—to see if I could get a head toattachandgrowfromthemidgutof theworm—but before I could do my ex-periment, my dad saw the worms. Hemade me flush them down the toilet.My experiment was ruined, but fortu-nately I have had many more.”

Hanson, 54, is now a professor inthe department of medical microbiol-ogy and immunology at CreightonUniversity School of Medicine, whereshe joined the faculty in 1995, initiallyas an assistant professor in the depart-ment of pediatrics. Since 1999, she alsohas been director of molecular biologyfor the Center for Research in Anti-Infectives and Biotechnology atCreighton.

During the past 15 years, Hansonfocusedher researchonantibiotic resis-tance, evaluating how bacterial patho-gens become resistant to �-lactam anti-biotics and developing molecular toolsto identify bacteria that carry genes en-coding �-lactamases. “I was trained asa molecular virologist, and obtained a

faculty position at Creighton with theunderstanding that I would develop aprogram evaluating molecular mecha-nisms of antibiotic resistance, mainly�-lactam resistance,” she says. “I knewnothing when I started, but gained mo-mentum with every experiment.”

Hanson, one of three sisters, grewup on a farm in Nebraska. “My dadalso had a full-time job in Omaha, asour farm was small and farming wasnot always as lucrative as was neededfor the family,” she says. Meanwhile,her mother worked as a nurse. “So myfolks were very hard working, and thatmust have influenced me, as science is ademanding but rewarding career.Growing up, I was always surroundedby animals and, like most kids, enjoyedthat—and perhaps that got me startedthinking about how life works.”

Hanson wanted to be a scientistfrom an early age, but remembers cry-ing after taking “one of those terriblestate exams, when most of my friendsdid better than I.” Her 7th-gradeteacher, Thelma Frederick, consoledher, saying: “Nancy, you can be what-ever you want to be—these scoresmean nothing.” Her parents also sup-ported her goals. “Mom worked whenmost moms at that time did not,” shesays. “Dad told me to be cautious ofPh.D.s—they think they know somuch—and that kept me grounded.”

Hanson earned her B.S. in biologyand chemistry in 1979 from the Uni-versity of Texas, Permian Basin inOdessa, followed by a Master’s degreein biology in 1984 from the Universityof Nebraska, Omaha, and in 1991, shereceived her doctorate in medical mi-crobiology from the University of Ne-braska Medical Center. Between1992–1994 she served as a postdoc-toral research associate in the depart-ment of veterinary science at the Uni-versity of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Before attend-ing graduateschool, Hansontaught highschool sciencefor several years.“I love teachingpeople how to doscience, what ittakes, how tothink,whatques-tions to ask—it doesn’t matter to methe age of the student,” she says.“Graduate students are the easiest, asthey already have the passion to doscience. High school and, for that mat-ter, college kids are still figuring outwhat they want . . . and unless the pas-sion is there, science is hard.”

She married at 19. Her husband,Richard Hanson, is a mechanical con-tractor, and they have been marriednearly 35 years. “When I went to col-lege I was sure I was never going to getmarried, but, alas, I fell in love myfreshman year,” she says. “My firstdaughter was born before I started myMaster’s, and my second daughterwhile I was a postdoc. I refer to them asmy pre- and postdoc kids.” The olderdaughter, Laura Hanson Molzer, ismarried, lives in Colorado, and is afamily therapist. The younger daugh-ter, Lindsay, will be a high school se-nior next year, and is interested in thefield of fashion.

“Between my genetic family and myscience family, I don’thavea lotof timefor hobbies,” Hanson says. However,she enjoys French cooking and winetasting. She now lives in the same townwhere she grew up “so I can be close tomy parents, so if they need me—theyare still very independent—I will bethere for them, as they were there forme.”

Marlene Cimons

Marlene Cimons lives and writes inBethesda, Md.

Hanson


challenging to detect at the molecular level thanare CTX-M ESBLs. Investigators know of 127SHV and 175 TEM genes (http://www.lahey-.org), and the similarities between different fam-ily members (or alleles) increase the challenge ofdesigning molecular-based assays to differenti-ate among them.

When these enzymes are produced in the ab-sence of �-lactamases that interfere with suscep-tibility testing, the likelihood of detecting theseother enzymes while following the 2009 CLSIconfirmatory testing guidelines for ESBLs is verygood. However, if the pathogen produces anAmpC or a class A carbapenemase such as KPC,for example, then the ESBL may be missed.However, because molecular tests can readilydetect both AmpC and KPC genes, these testswould make it easier to evaluate therapeuticoptions even if the ESBL goes undetected usingmolecular screens.

Need To Set Appropriate Screening Goals

CTX-M ESBLs make up a family of enzymesthat laboratories need to be able to identify.Both hospital- and community-acquired patho-gens produce these enzymes. When individualsfrom the community are hospitalized when in-fected with CTX-M-producing pathogens, theycould put hospital patients at risk.

CTX-M ESBLs are the most prevalent ESBLsin the world, with CTX-M-15 being the mostprevalent and with both CTX-M-14 and CTX-M-2 also being frequently detected. There arefive genetic families of CTX-M, groups 1, 4, 2,3, and 5, and there are 90 CTX-M family mem-bers (http://www.lahey.org). For clinical pur-poses, it is necessary to identify only the geneticgroup. For example, CTX-15 belongs to thegroup-1 family of CTX-M genes, whereas CTX-M-9 and CTX-M-14 belong to the CTX-Mgroup 4 family. Screening for these groups ofenzymes would aid in infection control efforts.

Gram-negative pathogens sometimes produceimported but clinically important AmpC �-lacta-mases that may be difficult to detect using conven-tional testing methods. There are six families ofplasmid-encoded AmpC �-lactamases, whichoriginated from chromosomal genes of Enter-obacteriaceae. These families consist of enzymesfrom Hafnia alvei (AAC), Aeromonas hydrophila(MOX-1-like), A. caviae (FOX-1-like), Mor-ganella morganii (DHA-like), Citrobacter freundii

(CMY-2-like), and two species of Enterobacter(ACT-1-like and MIR-1-like).

For AmpC �-lactamases to cause resistance toextended-spectrum �-lactams, �-lactam/�-lac-tam-inhibitor combinations, or aztreonam, theorganism must produce the enzyme at high lev-els. When high levels of AmpC combine with amutation that affects penetration of the drug,cells become resistant to cefepime and the car-bapenems. Because levels of this enzyme varywidely, susceptibility patterns for these isolatesalso vary.

To overcome some of these problems, we devel-oped a multiplex ampC PCR to detect all sixfamilies of plasmid-encoded AmpC �-lactamasegenes that is being used in “home brew” PCRassays around the world. This PCR-based ap-proach appears to surpass a recently developeddisk test because it can differentiate between iso-lates that overproduce the chromosomally en-coded AmpC enzyme from those that produce aplasmid-encoded AmpC enzyme. In addition, theAmpC disk test cannot determine the inducibilityof the enzyme whereas the molecular identifica-tion of the gene family can be used to help deter-mine whether that gene is capable of induction,which proves important clinically. An added bo-nus for the molecular test for plasmid-encodedampC genes is that it specifies that the gene ismobile, a fact that is important for setting infec-tion control measures in hospitals.

Carbapenemases Are a Key

Class of �-lactamases

Several types of carbapenemases hydrolyze car-bapenems, the most potent �-lactam antibioticsavailable to physicians. These enzymes also hy-drolyze, and thus inactivate, other major �-lac-tam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalo-sporins, and, in some cases, aztreonam.

The genes encoding carbapenemases are foundon both the chromosome and plasmids. Carbap-enemases are classified into three of the four mo-lecular classes of �-lactamases, A, B, and D. Themost prevalent class A carbapenemases includeKPC and GES variants. The genes encoding theKPCs were found within a 10-kb transposon,which is associated with both chromosomes andplasmids. KPC-producing pathogens have spreadrapidly throughout the world.

Although the purified KPC enzymes can hy-drolyze carbapenems, in many cases the gram-


negative pathogens that produce KPCs are notoutright resistant to carbapenems but show re-duced susceptibility to these drugs. In additionto carbapenems, these enzymes hydrolyze peni-cillins and extended-spectrum cephalosporinssuch as ceftazidime and cefotaxime. KPC en-zymes also hydrolyze aztreonam, whereas GESenzymes do not.

This pattern presents a challenge when tryingto detect KPC- and GES-producing pathogensbecause it can be confused with that of an ESBL.Another challenge in detecting KPC-producingisolates is that many of these isolates producemultiple �-lactamases, further increasing thedifficulty of evaluating results from current sus-ceptibility tests.

The 2009 CLSI guidelines which many labo-ratories will still be using in 2010 and beyondrecommends that laboratories screen for KPCusing the Hodge test if the isolates have carbap-enem MICs of 2–4 �g/ml and are resistant toextended-spectrum cephalosporins. However,data presented at the 49th ICAAC, held in SanFrancisco, Calif., in September 2009, suggestthat some extended-spectrum cephalosporins,including ceftazidime, do not have MICs abovethe susceptible breakpoint. Therefore, these iso-lates likely would not be screened for KPC if thelaboratory used ceftazidime as a screening tool.Further, the presence of an AmpC �-lactamasemight test falsely positive for KPC, and mightmislead a clinician to forego using a carbap-enem, according to my colleague KennethThomson at Creighton University.

If a KPC-producing isolate is suspected, itmakes sense to use molecular methods to test forblaKPC. Many clinical laboratories now use KPCPCR for this purpose, while others send theirspecimens to reference laboratories. If clinicallaboratories had access to commercial kits fordetecting KPC genes, they could test suspectorganisms immediately instead of relying onadditional phenotypic screening or waiting forresults from reference laboratories.

Meanwhile, the OXA carbapenemasesemerged within the class D �-lactamase en-zymes, and are found mainly within species ofAcinetobacter. Additionally, investigators arerecovering isolates of K. pneumoniae and E. coliin Europe that produce OXA-48. Although theOXA carbapenemases lead to minimal resis-tance on their own, their potency rises whencombined with other �-lactamases and porin or

efflux mutations. The clinical impact of OXAcarbapenemases is unknown, but their presencein K. pneumoniae or E. coli increases the diffi-culty in the interpretation of susceptibility datawhen clinical laboratories are screening for thepresence of KPC producing pathogens.

Another Key Group: the

Metallo-�-lactamases

The metallo-�-lactamase class B enzymes in-clude the IMP, VIM, GIM, SPM, and NDM-1�-lactamases. Of these five types, IMP and VIMare the most prevalent worldwide. Althoughmany VIM and IMP enzymes are found inPseudomonas aeruginosa, they also are found inK. pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and severalother genera of Enterobacteriaceae.

The susceptibility pattern associated with or-ganisms that produce metallo-�-lactamasesincludes resistance to penicillins and cephalo-sporins in addition to carbapenems but suscep-tibility to aztreonam. Because their hydrolyticprofiles vary extensively, detecting metallo-�-lactamase-associated resistance by susceptibilityassays proves difficult. Further, when isolatesalso produce AmpC enzymes or ESBLs, suchtests may yield false-negative results for aztreo-nam.

Although Etests and other susceptibility teststhat use EDTA to inhibit the activity of metallo-�-lactamase and thus test for their productionare widely used in clinical laboratories, thesetests may yield false-negative and false-positiveresults. These inaccurate results, especially formetallo-�-lactamases produced by P. aerugi-nosa, are a problem because they may lead cli-nicians to select inappropriate antibiotic ther-apy for their patients. In addition, implementionof proper control measures requires that person-nel know when pathogens carrying these en-zymes are identified in certain patient popula-tions within the hospital.

Improvements in Diagnostic

Testing on Several Fronts

Investigators continue to modify susceptibilitytest methods to increase their sensitivity and toadapt them to detect specific resistance mecha-nisms. Some of these upgraded tests are basedon simple disk diffusion tests in which multiple�-lactam disks are used. Spatial requirements


prove critical when interpreting these tests and,many times, these modified disk tests fail. Some-times, for example, the zones of inhibition are soslightly changed that only very experienced mi-crobiologists can interpret the data.

To overcome such drawbacks and to providefaster turnarounds, molecular tests are neededin clinical laboratories. Their use will requiretraining but the advantage of adopting suchmethods far outweigh the time required for thattraining. Moreover, adopting molecular detec-tion assays for �-lactamase genes will providephysicians and hospital epidemiologists the ben-efit of knowing what mechanisms are responsi-ble for local antibiotic treatment failures (Fig.1). This type of information will aid physiciansin choosing the most appropriate therapies fortheir patient and will also guide infection con-trol practices.

PCR-based testing can be customized to indi-vidual health care settings. For instance, multi-plex real-time PCR can reflect the most clinicallyrelevant �-lactamase genes for a given region,which may be too challenging for phenotypicsusceptibility testing. Thus, if KPCs and CTX-MESBLs are being produced by isolates from hos-

pitalized patients, then a real-time PCRassay could be adapted to the genesencoding those enzymes. Or, if a hospi-tal were concerned specifically aboutcarbapenem resistance in Enterobacte-riaceae, its lab could adjust its assays todetect carbapenemase genes. The cus-tomized combinations are endless.

Appropriate antibiotic therapy ad-ministered early has a significant impacton the effectiveness of treatment. Real-time surveillance to identify the preva-lence of specific types of �-lactamasesproduced by pathogens collected withina given hospital can help guide the mostappropriate empiric therapy possible.This information will not only increasethe successful treatment outcomes forpatients but has the potential to de-crease the length of hospital stay andthus hospital care costs.

Clinical laboratories must take anactive role urging diagnostics compa-nies to develop molecular tests for�-lactamases. Clinical laboratory su-pervisors must also take an active rolein convincing hospital administrators

to invest in equipment and training of person-nel because those investments will benefit bothpatients and hospitals. Some laboratories mayalready have some of this equipment on hand,using it to detect pathogens such as the influ-enza and herpes simplex viruses as well asBordetella pertussis, which causes whoopingcough. For those labs, it would take littleeffort to adapt that equipment for detecting�-lactamase genes.

Those of us following the rise in resistantgram-negative organisms must be voices forchange. Clinical microbiology laboratories needto do better at detecting antimicrobial resis-tance. Although they should continue to usephenotypic testing methods, they also need toimplement molecular detection protocols. Vigi-lant surveillance and appropriate infection con-trol strategies, based on a deep understanding ofdrug-resistance mechanisms, are critical for ourpatients. We can serve them more effectively ifwe learn to use �-lactam antibiotics more judi-ciously. And until we begin using novel classesof antibiotics to treat gram-negative infections,better surveillance strategies are our best re-course.

F I G U R E 1

Initiation of PCR into the workflow of the clinical laboratory. After initial isolation of theorganism, PCR could be initiated at the time of susceptibility testing if previoussurveillance data indicate the presence of a particular resistance mechanism or mecha-nisms (such as a high incidence of KPC-, CTX-M-, or AmpC-producing pathogens). Thelaboratory could also wait until initial susceptibility testing was completed, but thenumber of days postisolation to report the outcome could increase by 1 day dependingon the method used for susceptibility testing.


SUGGESTED READING

Bonnet, R. 2004. Growing group of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases: the CTX-M enzymes. Antimicrob. Agents Che-mother. 48:1–14.Naas, T., G. Cuzon, M. V. Villegas, M. F. Lartigue, J. P. Quinn, and P. Nordmann. 2008. Genetic structures at the origin ofacquisition of the beta-lactamase bla KPC gene. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 52:1257–1263.Pai, H., C. I. Kang, J. H. Byeon, K. D. Lee, W. B. Park, H. B. Kim, E. C. Kim, M. D. Oh, and K. W. Choe. 2004. Epidemiologyand clinical features of bloodstream infections caused by AmpC-type-beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae.Antimicrob Agents Chemother 48:3720–3728.Paterson, D. L., and R. A. Bonomo. 2005. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases: a clinical update. Clin. Microbiol. Rev.18:657–686.Perez-Perez, F. J., and N. D. Hanson. 2002. Detection of plasmid-mediated AmpC beta-lactamase genes in clinical isolates byusing multiplex PCR. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40:2153–2162.Pitout, J. D., N. D. Hanson, D. L. Church, and K. B. Laupland. 2004. Population-based laboratory surveillance for Escherichiacoli-producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases: importance of community isolates with blaCTX-M genes. Clin. Infect.Dis. 38:1736–1741.Pitout, J. D., A. Hossain, and N. D. Hanson. 2004. Phenotypic and molecular detection of CTX-M-beta-lactamases producedby Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42:5715–5721.Queenan, A. M., and K. Bush. 2007. Carbapenemases: the versatile beta-lactamases. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 20:440–458.Rice, L. B. 2007. Emerging issues in the management of infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria.Cleveland Clinic J. Med. 74(Suppl. 4):S12–20.Wheat, P. F., and R. C. Spencer. 1988. The evolution of in-vitro antimicrobial susceptibility techniques. J. Antimicrob.Chemother. 22:579–582.

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A defi nitive, internationally authored reference providing everything infectious disease special-ists will need to know about antimicrobials

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Nε-Lysine Acetylation Control Conservedin All Three Life DomainsThe relative simplicity of studying microbes could prove critical forunderstanding this posttranslational modification system

Jorge C. Escalante-Semerena

Working with microbes providesopportunities to better under-stand fundamental cellular pro-cesses, including some that, al-though discovered in eukaryotes,

have their origins in Bacteria or Archaea. Onesuch example, reversible Nε-lysine (Nε-Lys)acetylation of proteins, appears crucial for allorganisms. With that universality in mind, therelative simplicity of bacteria and archaea couldprove critical for advancing our understandingof how this posttranslational modification sys-tem influences cell survival.

Nε-Lys acetylation could well prove to be afundamental process for cells from all three do-mains of life. If true, this control of proteinfunction likely arose early during evolution.

Chemical changes can control the activi-ties of both small and macromolecules incells, rapidly halting or enhancing a widerange of physiological processes. These con-trol mechanisms are particularly importantto microorganisms, especially those in hab-itats subject to sudden changes in composi-tion, temperature, and pH. These modifica-tion mechanisms can prove pivotal formicrobial stress response systems that en-able microbes to adapt to and survive insuch environments.

How Chemical Change-Based Cellular

Control Systems Work

Many biochemical change systems typi-cally depend on transferase enzymes tomodify target molecules. Such modifica-tions include alkylation, acylation, phos-phorylation, thiolation, or nitrosylation

of specific chemical groups, including hydroxyls,sulfhydryls, amines, or carbon skeletons. Thosechanges can exert positive or negative effects onthe biological functions of the target molecules. Insome cases, the changes lead to turnover of themodified target molecule.

Such enzymes modify all kinds of molecules incells. Some of them, for example, account forparticular kinds of antibiotic resistance. Thus, insome cases, transferases of bacterial pathogensmodify the core structure of an antibiotic—e.g.,acetylating chloramphenicol or phosphorylat-ing kanamycin—rendering them inactive.

Other enzymes modify DNA, RNA, tRNA, orproteins. One type of those protein modifica-tions—the reversible acetylation of the ε-amino

Summary

• Reversible Nε-lysine (Nε-Lys) acetylation ofproteins appears crucial throughout three do-mains of biology.

• Enzymes that acetylate or deacetylate histonetails help to control gene expression in eu-karyotes and archaea; similar processes mayalso affect gene expression in some bacteria.

• Altogether about 90 proteins in E. coli areacetylated, and more than 50% of them appearto be involved in protein synthesis, catabolism,or energy metabolism.

• The number of Gcn-5 acetyltransferase en-zymes—GNATs—in a particular bacterial spe-cies appears to reflect its metabolic complexity.

• Bacterial proteins called sirtuins are class III,NAD�-consuming histone deacetylases that ap-pear to partake in metabolic stress responses.

Jorge C. Escalante-Semerena is Profes-sor of Bacteriologyin the Departmentof Bacteriology, Uni-versity of Wisconsin,Madison.


group of lysine (Nε-Lys acetylation)—proves crucial for regulating gene ex-pression among eukaryotes.

For instance, the enzymes that acety-late or deacetylate histone tails help tofine tune gene expression in eukaryotesand archaea. Thus, positively charged,hypoacetylated histone tails interactwith other chromatin components, si-lencing genes. Nε-Lys acetylation neu-tralizes those charges, yielding a less-condensed nucleosome that facilitatestranscriptional read-through.

Whether Nε-Lys acetylation affectsthe DNA-binding activity of bacterialnucleoid-associated proteins is uncer-tain. However, the catabolism repressorprotein (Crp) and the tryptophan biosyn-thesis repressor (TrpR) from Escherichiacoli are acetylated in vivo, according torecent reports by Y. Zhao (now at theUniversity of Chicago) and coworkersand collaborators, and by J.-G. Pan andcoworkers at the Korea Research Institute of Bio-science and Biotechnology at Daejon. Other tran-scription factors might also fall under Nε-Lys acet-ylation control in this or other bacteria andarchaea. Similar studies have been performed inSalmonella enterica. A group of investigators fromseveral research centers in China and the UnitedStates recently reported the potentially broad im-pact of Nε-Lys acetylation in Salmonella entericaphysiology.

N�-Lys Acetylation Could Control

Many Cellular Processes

Altogether about 90 proteins in E. coli are acety-lated, and more than 50% of them appear to beinvolved either in protein synthesis, including ribo-somal proteins; catabolism, including proteinsthat are part of the pentose phosphate pathway,glycolysis, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle;or energy metabolism, including proteins involvedin synthesizing menaquinone and ubiquinone. Theacetylation state of these proteins varies withgrowth stage, suggesting that these systems re-spond to physiological signals.

The reactivity of acetyl-CoA, which can acet-ylate proteins on its own, complicates efforts tomeasure enzyme-dependent, reversible Nε-Lysacetylations in cells. For example, we find thatmany proteins from E. coli and Salmonella en-

terica can undergo autoacetylation, even underconditions that minimize the lability of the thio-ester bond in acetyl-CoA. Because we measurethese enzyme-independent events under chemi-cally defined conditions with homogeneous pro-teins, we need to be cautious when ascertainingwhether any specific protein is a substrate for aparticular acetyltransferase. The role of proteinautoacetylation is not known.

What We Know about Acetyltransferase

Systems in Microbes

Eukaryotes produce different classes of histoneacetyltransferases (HATs) and deacetylases(HDACs). Bacterial homologues of the yeastGcn-5 acetyltransferase (yGNAT)—calledGNATs–are common. Although the catalytic coreof GNATs is conserved, their numbers vary inbacteria. For example, the E. coli K-12 genomeencodes 23 putative GNATS, while the Rhodo-pseudomonas palustris genome encodes about 40,the Bacillus subtilis genome about 50, and theStreptomyces coelicolor genome about 100. Ap-parently, bacteria acylate many target moleculesto control their availability or reactivity. Thus thenumber of GNATs in a bacterial species appearsto reflect its metabolic complexity.

Our understanding of the contributions ofGNATs to bacterial and archaeal cell physiol-

F I G U R E 1

Metabolic fates of acetyl-CoA.


ogy is limited. For example, in E. coli, there areexperiments to describe the functions of only 10GNAT-encoding genes, namely speG, rimI,rimJ, rimL, yfiQ, wecD, phnO, argA, aat, andtmcA, leaving the other 13 GNATs wholly enig-matic. In contrast, the numbers of homologuesof deacetylases in E. coli and Salmonella en-terica are much smaller, and we know moreabout them. These bacteria use Zn(II)-depen-dent deacetylases in breaking down amino sug-

ars and for producing ornithine, lipidA, and macromolecules.

However, except in the case of the sir-tuins, deacetylases are not implicated aspart of protein modification systems in E.coli or S. enterica. Bacillus subtilis is dif-ferent. For instance, a class II, acetate-forming deacetylase is part of a system inB. subtilis that modulates the activity ofacetyl-CoA synthetase.

Bacterial, Sirtuin-Dependent

Protein Acetylation System

Bacterial proteins called sirtuins areclass III histone deacetylases that arehomologues of the yeast Sir2 protein(ySir2p). For instance, the cobB gene inboth E. coli and S. enterica encodes asirtuin, CobB sirtuin, that is involved inshort-chain fatty acid catabolism. Thecognate GNAT that works in concertwith CobB in S. enterica is proteinacetyltransferase (Pat), encoded by pat(formerly, yfiQ).

CobB and Pat are components of thesirtuin-dependent protein acylation-deacylation system (SDPADS), whichcontrols acetyl-CoA synthetase (Acs) byreversible acetylation and propionyl-CoA synthetase (PrpE) by reversiblepropionylation (Fig. 1). SDPADS ap-pears to respond to metabolic stresswhen CoA becomes imbalanced and re-dox homeostasis is disrupted.

Pat deactivates both Acs and PrpE byacylating conserved lysine residues in theactive sites of these enzymes, presumablyin response to a decrease in the CoA:acyl-CoA ratio. Acyl-CoA could build up as itsuse for biosynthesis or generating energy

decreases (Fig. 1). Under such conditions, the Patenzyme of SDPADS would slow down, preventingfurther imbalances in CoA. Acyl-CoA would re-vert to physiological levels when it is consumed orif thioesterases hydrolyze its thioester bond. OnceCoA homeostasis is reestablished, the cell mustreactivate acylated acyl-CoA synthetases to buildacyl-CoA levels for growth.

Like other deacetylases, sirtuins require Zn(II)ions. However, unlike other deacetylases, sirtuins

F I G U R E 2

N�-Lysine acetylation controls the activity of acetyl-CoA synthetase. The two steps of thereaction catalyzed by the acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase (Acs) enzyme is shown at thebottom of the figure. Each color represents a different conformation state of Acs. Green,Acs in the conformation that catalyzes the formation of the acyl-AMP intermediate; red,Acs in the conformation that converts acyl-AMP to acyl-CoA; gray-shaded hexagon, apoAcs in the conformation with the side chain of a critical Lys residue exposed; coloredhexagon, inactive acetylated Acs; blue, acetylated Acs with ATP and acetate bound to theactive site.


use NAD� as a substrate, not as a cofac-tor, meaning that sirtuins consumeNAD�. The biochemical function of sir-tuins was identified in 2000 when inves-tigators learned that these enzymes useNAD� to deacetylate acetylated proteins.Free acetate is not a product of the sirtuinreaction. Instead, sirtuins synthesize 2�-O-acetyl-ADPribose (O-AADPr), whoserole in bacterial and archaeal cell physiol-ogy remains an open question.

The link of sirtuin function to eu-karyotic cell longevity, cancer, andother human diseases makes it impor-tant not only for the scientific commu-nity but also the general public. Study-ing sirtuins in microbes will likelyreveal basic principles that may wellapply to cells in other domains of life.

Roles of N�-Lys Acetylation in

Bacteria and Archaea

We still know relatively little about re-versible Nε-Lys acetylation in bacteriasuch as S. enterica serovar Typhi-murium LT2, E. coli K-12, B. subtilisSMY, Rhodopseudomonas palustris,and archaea such as Haloferax volcanii,Sulfolobus solfataricus P2, and Ar-chaeoglobus fulgidus.

Reversible Nε-Lys acetylation waslinked to bacterial metabolism by ob-serving how sirtuin-deficient S. en-terica strains grow when fed short-chain fatty acids. For instance, suchstrains fail to use acetate or propi-onate as carbon and energy source,even though such cells carry enzymesneeded for catabolizing these short-chain fatty acids.

Apparently, when a Lys residue in theactive site of acyl-CoA synthetases isacetylated, the enzyme is no longer cat-alytic, thus blocking use of those fattyacids. This modification interferes with the firststep of the reaction, which ordinarily consumesATP to form an acyl-adenylate intermediate,releasing pyrophosphate.

Critical to this step is a conserved Lys resi-due that orients the acid substrate in the activesite. Binding of CoA to the active site in acetyl-

CoA synthetase (Acs) rotates its C-terminaldomain, removing that Lys and exposing it tothe medium, thus making it available to theacetyltransferase, according to structuralstudies (Fig. 2). Although the acylation site ispart of a motif found in this class of enzymes,we do not understand how GNATs recognizeresidues within or flanking that motif. More-

F I G U R E 3

Putative acylation motif found in members of the AMP-forming family of enzymes. Thefollowing are enzymes present in E. coli K-12, and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2:Acs, acetyl-CoA synthetase; PrpE, propionyl-CoA synthetase; Aas, acyl-[acyl carrierprotein] synthetase/2-acylglycerophosphoethanolamine acyltramnsferase; FadD, long-chain, fatty acid:CoA ligase; EntE, enterobactin synthase subunit E; EntF, enterobactinsynthase, subunit F; CaiC, crotonobetaine/carnitine:CoA ligase; YdiD (FadK, short-chainacid:CoA ligase. GrsA, gramicidin synthetase from Bacillus brevis; hmAcs2A, humanmitochondrial acetyl-CoA synthetase 2A; BadA, bezoate:CoA ligase from Rhodopseudo-monas palustris. The lower part of the figure shows the frequency at which a specificresidue is found within the motif.


over, different GNATs may be responsible foracetylating proteins with similar motifs (Fig. 3).

Expanding Our Understanding of GNAT

Functions in Cells

GNATs continue to attract interest because oftheir involvement in several key processes, in-cluding microbial antibiotic resistance, com-pacting eukaryotic DNA, and controlling geneexpression. However, GNATs play other roles,including in biochemical metabolism, but thedetails of these other functions are mostly un-known.

In elucidating gene functions, valuable cluescome from databases such as http://genexpdb.ou.edu/index.php and http://smd.stanford.edu/resources/databases.shtml. Genome context isalso useful, especially if a GNAT-encoding genemight be co-expressed with others of knownfunction, or if global or local regulators regulateits expression. Another way to approach GNATfunctions involves exploring diverse stress con-ditions that microbes may face in particularenvironments where posttranslational modifica-tion systems confer on microorganisms the ca-

pacity to turn genes on or off to respond tochanging environmental stimuli.

Phenotypic analyses can be extremely useful,providing an in vivo context for gene functions.The search for a phenotype typically involvestesting strains that either carry a null allele of thegene of interest or a plasmid encoding that geneto look at what happens when gene dosageincreases. These approaches disrupt optimal lev-els of a protein, with the goal of revealing asubstantial negative or positive effect in the be-havior of the strain under specific conditions.

In the absence of any in vivo information,high-throughput in vitro approaches also offeropportunities to study GNAT functions. Thisapproach involves constructing proteome chipssimilar to those used to study Saccharomycescerevisiae. One approach would be to probe forputative protein substrates of GNATs in thepresence of radiolabeled acetyl-CoA. One ad-vantage of this approach is that it probes asmany of the expressed and modified proteins aspossible. An important consideration for the useof this approach is that proteins may be attachedto surfaces in ways that block interactions withGNATs, leading to false negatives.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported by NIH grant R01 GM62203 to J. C. E.-S.

SUGGESTED READING

Brandl, A., T. Heinzel, and O. H. Kramer. 2009. Histone deacetylases: salesmen and customers in the post-translationalmodification market. Biol. Cell 101:193–205.Garrity, J., J. G. Gardner, W. Hawse, C. Wolberger, and J. C. Escalante-Semerena. 2007. N-lysine propionylation controls theactivity of propionyl-CoA synthetase. J. Biol. Chem. 282:30239–30245.Gulick, A. M., V. J. Starai, A. R. Horswill, K. M. Homick, and J. C. Escalante-Semerena. 2003. The 1.75Å crystal structureof acetyl-CoA synthetase bound to adenosine-5’-propylphosphate and coenzyme A. Biochemistry 42:2866–2873.Imai, S., F. B. Johnson, R. A. Marciniak, M. McVey, P. U. Park, and L. Guarente. 2000. Sir2: an NAD-dependent histonedeacetylase that connects chromatin silencing, metabolism, and aging. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. Quant. Biol. 65:297–302.Starai, V. J., I. Celic, R. N. Cole, J. D. Boeke, and J. C. Escalante-Semerena. 2002. Sir2-dependent activation of acetyl-CoAsynthetase by deacetylation of active lysine. Science 298:2390–2392.Starai, V. J., H. Takahashi, J. D. Boeke, and J. C. Escalante-Semerena. 2004. A link between transcription and intermediarymetabolism: a role for Sir2 in the control of acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 7:115–119.Tsang, A. W., and J. C. Escalante-Semerena. 1998. CobB, a new member of the SIR2 family of eucaryotic regulatory proteins,is required to compensate for the lack of nicotinate mononucleotide:5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole phosphoribosyltransferaseactivity in cobT mutants during cobalamin biosynthesis in Salmonella typhimurium LT2. J. Biol. Chem. 273:31788–31794.Wang, Q., Y. Zhang, C. Yang, H. Xiong, Y. Lin, J. Yao, H. Li, L. Xie, W. Zhao, Z. Ning, R. Zeng, Y. Xiomng, K. L. Guan,S. Zhao, and G. P. Zhao. 2010. Acetylation of metabolic enzymes coordinates carbon source utilization and metabolic flux.Science 327:1004–1007.Yu, B. J., J. A. Kim, J. H. Moon, S. E. Ryu, and J. G. Pan. 2008. The diversity of lysine-acetylated proteins in Escherichia coli.J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 18:1529–1536.Zhang, J., R. Sprung, J. Pei, X. Tan, S. Kim, H. Zhu, C. F. Liu, N. V. Grishin, and Y. Zhao. 2009. Lysine acetylation is a highlyabundant and evolutionarily conserved modification in Escherichia coli. Mol. Cell. Proteomics 8:215–225.


Journal HighlightsGenetic Locus Controls Nodulation Specificity in Soybean Cultivars

Sinorhizobium fredii USDA257 is a fast-growing rhizobium that forms nitrogen-fixing nodules onGlycine max, Glycine sojo, Neonotonia wightii, and several other legumes. The symbiotic relation-ship between S. fredii USDA257 (aka USDA257) and soybean is of scientific and economic interestbecause this bacterium nodulates soybean in a cultivar-specific manner. Earlier, Hari Krishnan andcolleagues of the University of Missouri, Columbia, showed that it forms nodules on soybeancultivars that predate modern agronomic manipulation, but not on those that have undergone suchmanipulation, and further, that a mutation in any gene of the plasmid-encoded locus nolXWBTUenables USDA257 to nodulate modern soybean cultivars. Now this team shows evidence forinvolvement of a new genetic locus that controls soybean cultivar specificity. This locus is composedof three proteins that bear significant amino acid homology to the glycine cleavage system ofEscherichia coli and other organisms. “Information obtained from this basic study will help us tobetter understand the factors that limit the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules on North Americansoybean cultivars,” says Krishnan. “Such an understanding will enable scientists to manipulatebiological nitrogen fixation so that farmers can increase the soybean yields with minimal use ofnitrogen fertilizers.”

(J. C. Lorio, W.-S. Kim, A. H. Krishnan, and H. B. Krishnan. 2010. Disruption of the glycine cleavage systemenables Sinorhizobium fredii USDA257 to form nitrogen-fixing nodules on agronomically improved NorthAmerican Soybean cultivars. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76:4185–4193.)

Candida albicans: Comparing the Benign and the Invasive

Despite its reputation as a scourge, Candida albicans normally benignly inhabits the human intestinaltract. Carol Kumamoto of Tufts University, Boston, et al. show that benign colonizers and invasiveC. albicans express many of the same cell surface proteins. “This suggests that these proteins help theorganism adapt to being in a host regardless of whether the organism is causing disease,” saysKumamoto. But they also found many genes that are expressed by invasive organisms, and not bybenign colonizers. They found further that “colonizing cells express some of the genes characteristicof rapid growth and some characteristic of slowly growing cells,” says Kumamoto. “Some of thelatter include stress-responsive genes. So it seems that organisms growing in the host are both able togrow fast and to resist stresses. These may be important characteristics for organisms growing insidea host.” She also says that the knowledge gained from this work “will help us identify activities thatcould be useful as targets for therapies or as the basis for diagnostics.”

(A. Rosenbach, D. Dignard, J. V. Pierce, M. Whiteway, and C. A. Kumamoto. 2010. Adaptations of Candidaalbicans for growth in the mammalian intestinal tract. Eukaryot. Cell 9:1075–1086.)

Krishnan (l) and Kim

Kumamoto

ASM Articles in the Spotlight. The ASM journals Eukaryotic Cell, Infection and Immunity,and the Journal of Virology highlight current articles of interest in their Spotlight sections:

http://ec.asm.org/current.dtl#SPOTLIGHThttp://iai.asm.org/current.dtl#SPOTLIGHThttp://jvi.asm.org/current.dtl#SPOTLIGHT


Sequence Inconsistencies Identified among Lab Strains of M. tuberculosis

H37Rv is a virulent reference strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis used by laboratories throughoutthe world for biochemical and genetic studies on tuberculosis, which was published in 1998. Sincethen, several groups have identified �73 inconsistencies (which could have been sequencing errors)as compared to current strains, including several that cause frame shift mutations, which result inphenotypic differences. Thomas R. Ioerger of Texas A&M University, College Station, et al.sequenced six strains from different labs, identifying up to five polymorphisms unique to each strain,and additional polymorphisms shared between subsets of strains reflecting their provenance orrelationships. “Some of these differences are nonsynonymous mutations in proteins that couldpotentially affect metabolism or growth of the bacterium,” says Ioerger. “Understanding how eachindividual strain differs from the standard reference genome sequence is important for interpretingdifferences in results from different labs, and also for drug discovery efforts that depend on accurateknowledge of the genome sequence.”

(T.R. Ioerger, Y. Feng, K. Ganesula, X. Chen, K.M. Dobos, S. Fortune, W.R. Jacobs, Jr., V. Mizrahi, T. Parish, E.Rubin, C. Sassetti, and J. C. Sacchettini. 2010. Variation among genome sequences of H37Rv strains ofMycobacterium tuberculosis from multiple laboratories. J. Bacteriol. 192:3645–3653.)

Streamlining Investigation of Invasive Aspergillosis

Mice are the gold standard for infection models of invasive aspergillosis. However, screening inmice is slow and has become a bottleneck in efforts to screen the virulence of large numbers ofAspergillus fumigatus strains. Ilse Jacobsen of the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Researchand Infection Biology, Jena, Germany, et al. show that embryonated chicken eggs are a suitablealternative model for determining the virulence of A. fumigatus strains. Prescreening mutants ofinterest in this model provides a true alternative which reduces the number of mammals neededfor experimental infections, says Jacobsen. Moreover, “the egg model is inexpensive, easy tohandle, and can be performed without specialized facilities, thus allowing researchers withoutdirect access to mouse facilities to perform reliable virulence screens.” She adds that aspergillosis is animportant disease in poultry, and the model might be useful for studying pathogenesis and protectivedefense mechanisms of aspergillosis in birds. The team is also planning to investigate pathogenicitymechanisms of C. albicans in embryonated eggs.

(I. D. Jacobsen, K. Gro�e, S. Slesiona, B. Hube, A. Berndt, and M. Brock. 2010. Embryonated eggs as analternative infection model to investigate Aspergillus fumigatus virulence. Infect. Immun. 78:2995–3006.)

Resurrecting an Old Antibiotic against Extended-Spectrum�-Lactamase Producers

The spread of extended-spectrum �-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli is becoming aglobal threat. These bacteria are often multidrug-resistant. Now Jun-ichi Wachino and colleagues ofthe National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, show that the old antibiotic, fosfomycin, wasable to maintain a high level of antimicrobial activity against ESBL-producing E. coli. Yet, newresistant strains have already developed among ESBL-producers, says Wachino. Two fosfomycin-inactivating enzymes, FosA3 and FosC2, are colocated with CTX-M �-lactamase on transferableplasmids. “We plan to determine the crystal structure of FosA3 and FosC2 enzymes, and developpotent inhibitors of these enzymes based on their structures,” says Wachino. In addition to restoringfosfomycin’s efficacy against resistant bacteria, these could be applied to developing rapid screeningfor fosfomycin-resistant bacteria in clinical microbiology laboratories, he says.

(J. Wachino, K. Yamane, S. Suzuki, K. Kimura, and Y. Arakawa. 2010. Prevalence of fosfomycin resistanceamong CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli clinical isolates in Japan and identification of novel plasmid-mediatedfosfomycin-modifying enzymes. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 54:3061–3064.)

Jacobsen (l) and Brock


ASM News

Scripps Institution ofOceanography Designated asMilestone in Microbiology Site

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO)was designated a “Milestones in Microbiology”site by ASM in a formal recognition ceremonySaturday, 22 May at Sumner Auditorium on theScripps campus.

ASM President Roberto Kolter presented aplaque to Scripps Director Tony Haymet. Theplaque recognizes the tremendous contributionsof Scripps to the discipline of marine microbiol-ogy and commemorating the long and successfulcareer of microbiologist Claude ZoBell, whojoined Scripps in 1932. During his research ca-reer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography atthe University of California San Diego, ClaudeZoBell laid a scientific foundation that wouldshape the field of marine microbiology. Theplaque will be affixed to Hubbs Hall, site ofZoBell’s laboratory.

ZoBell is considered the father of marine mi-crobiology because of his pioneering work onthe effects of microorganisms on chemical, geo-logical, and biological processes in the ocean.ZoBell collected the first bacteria brought backalive from the extreme ocean depths present inocean trenches and published nearly 300 scien-tific papers. He developed the areas of petro-leum microbiology and microbial corrosion andfounded the Geomicrobiology Journal. His mostnoted work was Marine Microbiology, the firsttext to bring together information on this field.

“ZoBell’s work is veryimportant because hiswork always involved thedesign and constructionof novel equipment forresearch, and the devel-opment of media for cul-tivation,” wrote TimGough in “The Life,Work and Scientific Con-tributions of Claude E.

ZoBell.” One of ZoBell’s Ph.D. students, Rich-ard Morita, said that ZoBell’s greatest achieve-ment was “laying the foundation for all marinemicrobiology.”

“There are only three other Milestones in Mi-crobiology locations around the country, and sothis is a highly notable recognition of the contribu-tions of Claude ZoBell and others at Scripps to thefield of marine microbiology,” said Scripps Profes-sor Doug Bartlett. “I myself have spent countlessenjoyable hours reading over Claude’s contribu-tions to microbial community development onsolid surfaces and his work collecting microbesfrom great seawater depths.”

While at Scripps, ZoBell served as assistant tothe director (1936–1952) and chairman of theMarine Biology Research Division (1956–1960).ZoBellA

SMN

ews


He died in 1989 at the age of 84. Many membersof the ZoBell family attended the presentationceremony.

The presentation occurred in conjunctionwith a meeting of the San Diego MicrobiologyGroup and included remarks on the history andfuture of marine microbiology by AristidesYayanos, Professor Emeritus, SIO, and FarooqAzam, Distinguished Professor, SIO.

The ASM Milestones in Microbiology Pro-gram has been designed to recognize institutionsand the scientists who worked there that havemade significant contributions toward advanc-ing the science of microbiology. By placingexplanatory plaques at these sites, the ASMhopes to increase professional and public recog-nition of the significance of the science of micro-biology.

sanofi-aventis ICAAC Award

Thomas J. Walsh, M.D.,Director of the Transplan-tation-Oncology Infec-tious Diseases Program ofWeill Cornell MedicalCollege of Cornell Univer-sity, New York, N.Y., hasbeen selected as the 2010laureate of the sanofi-aventis ICAAC Award forhis translational researchon antifungal pharmacology and therapeutics.Walsh received his M.D. degree from the JohnsHopkins University School of Medicine and sub-sequently pursued 10 postdoctoral years of train-ing, which he completed at the National CancerInstitute in Bethesda, Md. There he established aworld-renowned program of translational re-search in antifungal pharmacology, innate hostdefenses, and molecular diagnostics of life-threat-ening and debilitating mycoses of immunocom-promised children and adults.

As observed by Walsh’s nominator, Elias J.Anaissie, M.D., of the Myeloma Research Insti-tute, Little Rock Ark., “His exhaustive body oflaboratory and clinical investigations has been aparadigm for translational research in advanc-ing important chemotherapeutic interventionssystematically from in vitro to in vivo systems tophase-I and to ultimately phase-III clinical tri-als.” He further stated, “Tom’s laboratory in-

vestigations and clinical research have greatlyadvanced the field of antifungal therapy andhave improved the lives of thousands of patientsworldwide, particularly those with hematologi-cal malignancies and stem cell transplantation intheir battles against invasive candidiasis, as-pergillosis, and less common but emerging my-coses such as trichosporonosis, fusariosis, andzygomycosis.”

In response to a major unmet medical need,Walsh and his colleagues established a consor-tium that systematically studied the safety, tol-erability, and pharmacokinetics of the entireclass of systemic antifungal agents used in pedi-atric oncology and other immunodeficient chil-dren during the past 20 years. These transla-tional research studies assure that children nowreceive pharmacokinetically based antifungaltherapy that is comparable to those of adults.

John Rex, M.D., of Astra-Zeneca, who sec-onded the nomination, further commented,“Dr. Walsh is a dedicated mentor and inspiringteacher in the field of antifungal therapy. UnderTom’s mentorship, numerous fellows haveflourished and made important contributions inthe field of antifungal chemotherapy and phar-macology.”

Further supporting Walsh’s nomination,Robert H. Rubin of Harvard Medical Schoolremarked, “His teaching and mentoring hascreated an entire generation of laboratory andclinical investigators with expertise in anti-fungal chemotherapy, who continue this impor-tant mission throughout the world. Finally, hisstrength as a world-renowned clinician in anti-fungal therapy is credited with directly savingthe lives of numerous children and adults withsevere life-threatening invasive fungal infec-tions. He harnesses his knowledge from his lab-oratory and clinical research in a seamless tran-sition to the bedside to make a major impact oncare of patients with life-threatening invasivefungal infections.”

2010 ICAAC YoungInvestigator Awards

The 2010 ICAAC Young Investigator Awards rec-ognize and reward five early-career scientists fortheir research excellence and potential in microbi-ology and infectious diseases. Since 1983, twoawards have been supported by an unrestricted

Walsh


educational grant from Merck, U.S. HumanHealth Division, while two are sponsored byASM. In 2007, an additional award fromMerck, U.S. Human Health Division was addedto recognize excellence in HIV research. Binh AnDiep and Benjamin tenOever are the 2010 lau-reates for the Merck-sponsored awards, andCarol Iversen and Manuela Raffatellu are the2010 laureates for the ASM-sponsored awards.Catherine Blish is the 2010 laureate for theMerck-sponsored award for HIV research.

Binh An Diep is honored for his significantcontributions to our understanding of methicil-lin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ep-idemiology and pathogenesis. Diep earned hisB.A. in 2000 and his Ph.D. in 2005 from theUniversity of California, Berkeley, and com-pleted his postdoctoral training in 2008 at theUniversity of California, San Francisco. He iscurrently an Assistant Adjunct Professor in theDepartment of Medicine, University of Califor-nia, San Francisco.

Diep’s research is focused on understanding thegenetic basis of increased frequency and severity ofMRSA infections. His published papers in the An-nals of Internal Medicine, Journal of InfectiousDiseases, and the Lancet report on the emergenceand epidemic spread of a community-associatedMRSA clone called USA300. Diep and his col-leagues determined mechanisms by which exotox-ins produced by USA300 cause severe lung necro-sis, pulmonary edema, alveolar hemorrhage,profound respiratory failure, and death. Diep iscurrently funded by a five-year NIH R01 awardand a Pfizer Young Investigator award to developspecific treatment strategies to treat staphylococ-cal pneumonia in the rabbit model.

Diep was nominated by Henry F. Chambers,University of California, San Francisco.

Benjamin tenOever is acknowledged for hisstudies on virus-host interactions and the role ofmiRNAs in the cellular response to virus infec-tion. tenOever completed his postdoctoral train-ing in Molecular Biology at Harvard Universityin 2007 after receiving his Ph.D. in Experimen-tal Medicine from McGill University in 2004. InAugust of 2007, tenOever joined Mount SinaiSchool of Medicine as an Assistant Professor ofMicrobiology. His work continues to focus onthe intricacies governing the cell’s response toinfection and the subsequent exploitation of

that knowledge to gener-ate novel strategies forvaccine and antiviraldrug design. His researchhas been published inmore than a dozen high-impact journals includ-ing Science, Immunity,Proceedings of the Na-tional Academy of Sci-ence, Nature Biotechnol-ogy, and Cell.

In addition to his research, tenOever hastaught both molecular biology and virologythroughout his scientific training and has be-come a noted lecturer in that time. While atHarvard, tenOever also served as assistant di-rector of the DNA Sequencing and GenotypingFacility. tenOever presently is a guest lecturerfor Advanced Virology both at Mount Sinai andat New York University and teaches a medicalmicrobiology course.

tenOever’s exceptional promise as a microbi-ologist has been acknowledged with significantpublications in medical journals, internationalrecognition, and prestigious honors, includingthe Presidential Early Career in Science and En-gineering award, the highest honor bestowed bythe U.S. government on outstanding scientistsand engineers beginning their independent ca-reers. He was nominated by Peter Palese, MountSinai School of Medicine and Fellow of theAmerican Academy of Microbiology.

Carol Iversen is bestknown for her work re-classifying the taxonomyof Enterobacter sakazakii,which led to the creationof a new genus calledCronobacter that includessix recognized species.

Iversen received herB.Sc. degree in AppliedBiology from Notting-ham Trent University in 1998, after having ini-tially left school at age 16 to work and raise afamily. She returned to Nottingham Trent Uni-versity to study the emerging pathogen Enter-obacter sakazakii, receiving her Ph.D. in 2007.Iversen’s research provided data on the pres-ence, persistence, and growth of E. sakazakii ininfant formula. She also conducted a detailed

Diep

tenOever

Iversen


investigation of the biochemical characteristicsof an extensive collection of strains and an in-vestigation of virulence factors.

In collaboration with Patrick Druggan (Ox-oid, U.K.), Iversen worked on the developmentof microbiological media to improve the de-tection and isolation of E. sakazakii. Whileworking at the Nestle Research Centre, Iversenbrought together a team of scientists from indus-try, academia and government research insti-tutes across Europe and the USA to clarify thetaxonomic description of E. sakazakii. In 2008 anew genus, Cronobacter, was named within theEnterobacteriaceae family to house the six spe-cies groups so far identified.

Iversen moved to Ireland under an IRCSETpostdoctoral fellowship in 2008 to work at theCentre for Food Safety, University College Dub-lin. There she led the organization of the 1stInternational Conference on Cronobacter from21–23 January 2009, attracting the leadingCronobacter researchers in academia, expertsfrom the food industry, and regulatory profes-sionals from around the world. She returned toSwitzerland in February 2010 and is currentlybased in the Microbiological and MolecularAnalytics group at the Nestle Research Centre inLausanne. With the hope of inspiring children tofollow a career in science, Iversen is currentlyfunding a “Science Challenge” project withinthe nine Primary schools (ages 4–11) and twoSecondary schools (ages 12–18) in Calderdale,West Yorkshire, U.K., where she grew up.

Iversen was nominated by Patrick Druggan,Oxoid Ltd.

Manuela Raffatellu is honored for her funda-mental contributions to our understanding ofSalmonella pathogenesis and her identificationof novel mechanisms of immune evasion in hu-man typhoid fever. Raffatellu earned her M.D.at the University of Sassari, Italy, and completed

her postdoctoral work atTexas A&M Universityand the University ofCalifornia, Davis.

Early in her postdoc-toral studies, Raffatelluwas intrigued by the clin-ical observation that thehuman pathogen Salmo-nella typhi does not trig-ger an inflammatory re-

sponse in the gut. Her subsequent workcontributed to the identification of the Vi capsu-lar antigen as a novel virulence factor promotingimmune evasion by S. typhi.

More recently, Raffatellu’s research has beenfocused on the gut pathogen Salmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium, with the goal of elucidat-ing its interaction with both immunocompetentand immunocompromised hosts. Raffatellu be-came interested in understanding which compo-nents of the gut inflammatory response preventS. enterica serovar Typhimurium from contain-ing the infection to the mucosa. Her work hasidentified a novel role for early T cell responsesand the cytokine IL-17 in preventing S. entericaserovar Typhimurium dissemination from thegut, thus benefiting the host. These findings werepublished in Nature Medicine in 2008.

Raffatellu subsequently began studying themechanisms by which S. enterica serovar Typhi-murium thrives in the inflamed gut and has sinceshown that resistance to lipocalin 2, a host an-timicrobial peptide that mediates iron withhold-ing, facilitates S. enterica serovar Typhimuriumcolonization of the inflamed gut. S. entericaserovar Typhimurium resistance to lipocalin 2 isconferred by the iroBCDEN locus, which en-codes the siderophore salmochelin. The abilityto acquire iron when lipocalin 2 is expressed isone of the mechanisms that promote S. entericaserovar Typhimurium growth in the inflamedgut. This work was published in Cell Host andMicrobe in 2009 as a featured article and wasselected as a research highlight in Nature Re-views Microbiology.

Raffatellu established her lab at the Universityof California, Irvine in 2008, where she contin-ues working on the mucosal response to Salmo-nella. She was nominated by Andreas Baumler,University of California, Davis, and Fellow ofthe American Academy of Microbiology.

Catherine A. Blish is recognized for her out-standing work in the area of HIV transmissionto elucidate the role of neutralizing antibodies.Blish earned her M.D. and Ph.D. from the Uni-versity of Washington. After completing her res-idency in internal medicine, she entered the In-fectious Diseases fellowship at the University ofWashington and began studies of HIV at theFred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Shefirst characterized a panel of early HIV envelopevariants that were transmitted heterosexually inRaffatellu Blish


Africa. These variants, which had variable neu-tralization sensitivity, now form the basis of apanel of standard reagents for evaluating theneutralizing potential of plasma samples. Dur-ing these studies, she identified two amino acidmutations in an early variant that expose con-served neutralization. When these mutationswere incorporated into immunogens, they didnot generate enhanced neutralizing antibodybreadth in immunized animals, indicating thatexposure of conserved neutralization epitopeson HIV envelope does not necessarily predictimmunogenicity of that variant. These studies,published in AIDS, the Journal of Virology, andPLoS Medicine, demonstrated that transmittedHIV variants have very diverse neutralizationprofiles and highlighted the difficulties in design-ing protective HIV vaccines.

Blish has continued this work by evaluatingimmune correlates of HIV reinfection and co-

infection. She demonstrated that even individu-als with relatively broad neutralizing antibodyresponses could succumb to superinfection, orreinfection, with a second strain of HIV. Thus,preventing HIV infection by vaccination willlikely require broader and more potent neutral-izing antibody responses than those found inchronically HIV infected individuals. She is nowextending this work to evaluate whether otheraspects of the immune response correlate withprotection from HIV reinfection. She has alsobegun projects examining how coinfectionswith pathogens such as helminths and tubercu-losis alter immunity to HIV. She is currently anActing Instructor in Medicine at the Universityof Washington and an Associate in the HumanBiology Division at the Fred Hutchinson CancerResearch Center.

Blish was nominated by Wesley C. Van Voor-his, University of Washington.

Important DeadlinesAbstract Submission:

September 10, 2010

Student Travel Award Application:September 10, 2010

Judges’ Travel Subsidy Application:September 17, 2010

Discount Registration:October 15, 2010

URL: www.abrcms.org E-mail: [email protected]

November 10-13, 2010Charlotte, North Carolina

10th

An

niv

ersa

ry Annual Biomedical Research

Conference for Minority Students

ABRCMSThe Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) is the largest, multidisciplinary biomedical and behavioral sciences conference for undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scientists, faculty and administrators.

y


Divisions

Clinical Microbiology Task

Force Update

The Clinical Microbiology Task Forcewas created to assess, prioritize, and over-see implementation of recommendationsstemming from a meeting between ASMleadership and senior members of the clin-ical microbiology community in February2010. The Task Force membership in-cludes David Hooper (Chair, ASM Presi-dent-Elect), Peter Gilligan, Janet Hindler,Nathan Ledeboer, J. Michael Miller, Rob-ert Sautter, Joseph Campos, Lucia Roth-man-Denes, and James Tiedje.

The Task Force had its initial meeting atthe ASM General Meeting and discussedthe priority rankings of issues and theassessment of these issues by an ad hoccommittee composed of Peter Gilligan,Carol Rauch, and Susan Sharp. The TaskForce agreed to form six working groupsto assess key action steps and where pos-sible begin implementation of them bythe time of its next meeting in Septemberat ICAAC. The working groups and theirchairs are as follows.

• Development of evidence-based prac-tice guidelines, Susan Sharp and AliceWeissfeld

• Development of a clinical microbiol-ogy portal on the ASM website, J.Michael Miller

• Examine the ASM organizationalstructure to determine the optimalmeans to meet the needs of clinicalmicrobiologists, Peter Gilligan

• Examine the ways that ASM canwork with other scientific societies toensure there is a unified voice for theclinical laboratory profession, VickieBaselski

• Examine the ways that ASM canenhance professional developmentthrough mentoring to promote theprofession of clinical microbiology,Janet Hindler

• Coordinate planning for Clinical Mi-crobiology sessions for the newlystructured ASM General Meeting in2011, Robert Sautter

The Task Force and ASM would like tohear your thoughts about these activities.

Please send your comments to [email protected]

Education Board

2010 Functional Genomics

Institute: Connecting

Bioinformatics-Driven

Hypotheses to Wet-Lab Projects

The common soil bacterium and plantpathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens wasthe star of the ASM Functional GenomicsInstitute, held 6–11 June 2010 at HiramCollege, Hiram, Ohio. Eleven U.S. biologyfaculty members convened for the insti-tute, where studies of the A. tumefaciensgenome provided the cornerstone forhands-on lab experiences in functionalgenomics. Participants set up matings,screened and selected for mutants ofinterest, and isolated genomic DNA.“The beauty of incorporating functionalgenomics in undergraduate education isthe multiple entry and exit points for stu-dents to engage in genuine research,” saysBrad Goodner, a professor at Hiram Col-lege and leader of the institute. Other in-stitute faculty members included SethAxen (U.S. Department of Energy JointGenome Institute), Kathryn Reynolds(Hiram College), Christopher Kvaal (St.Cloud State University), Kathleen (K.T.)Scott (University of South Florida), andSteve Slater (University of Wisconsin).

The process of studying A. tumefa-ciens—where the genes are, what proteinsthey code for, and their putative rolesin the biology—helped the idea of build-ing an entire undergraduate curriculumaround functional genomics take form.“The combination of instruction and lab

experiences allowed me to see ‘the bigpicture,’ said one participant in a post-institute survey. “I can now more easilydesign multiple projects across severalcourses in a way that promotes develop-mental learning and maintains student in-terest.”

For many participants, the institute wastransformational. Engaging in authenticresearch is challenging for faculty at pre-dominantly undergraduate institutions,especially community colleges. With lim-ited laboratory infrastructure and time aswell as extensive teaching responsibilities,faculty members from these institutionsfrequently see their research interest lapse.The institute offers these educators ameans of becoming engaged in researchalongside their students. One participantsaid, “Here’s my new career in a box, anew genome (organism) to study, mutants,related references and papers, vectors,protocols, reagents. Here’s my chance toreinvent myself as a scientist.”

Because the institute included five daysof classroom sessions followed by longerlaboratory work, small-group discussions,and numerous opportunities for socializ-ing and networking, such as a barbeque,a campfire, a nature walk, a special lun-cheon, etc., participants likened the expe-rience to a summer science camp foradults.

The Functional Genomics Institute ismanaged by ASM and sponsored by theU.S. Department of Energy Joint GenomeInstitute and Hiram College. The next in-stitute will be held in June 2011. To learnmore, visit www.facultyprograms.org.

Educators Share Best Practices

and Student-Learning Research

at ASMCUE 2010

The Town & Country Resortin San Diego, Calif., providedan excellent venue for over 300microbiology and biology fac-ulty members to share the latestupdates in the biological sci-ences and education research atthe 17th Annual ASM Confer-ence for Undergraduate Educa-tors (ASMCUE) on 20–23 May2010. The theme of the meeting,“One Health, One Earth: A Sus-tainable Future,” encompassed

Participants at the 2010 ASM Functional Genomics Insti-tute, held 6–11 June 2010 at Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio.


the education community’s efforts to sus-tain both the future of our planet and thesuccess of students in the sciences.

Stanley Maloy, a professor at Universityof California, San Diego, and the confer-ence’s local organizing chair, provided anopening lecture that set the tone for fourdays of talks from leading scientists, ped-agogical sessions, exhibits, and poster ses-sions demonstrating the scholarship ofteaching and learning. This year a recordnumber of abstracts were submitted forthe poster and “Microbrew” sessions.Registration numbers also matched an all-time high set in 2008. In addition, 45% ofthe registrants were first-time attendeesand 22 international educators repre-sented 14 countries.

New this year were collaborations withseveral national, National Science Foun-dation-funded biology education projects,including the Introductory BiologyProject, Concept Assessments in BiologyProject, and Cyberlearning for Commu-nity Colleges Project. Leaders in thesegroups held preconference focus groupsand presented sessions and posters solicit-ing and creating opportunities for commu-nities of practice to evolve around thesesubjects.

Also debuting at ASMCUE was thenewly expanded Journal of Microbiology& Biology Education (JMBE) “2.0”(http://jmbe.asm.org). Educators were en-couraged to submit articles and serve asreviewers for the newly open-access jour-nal. Perhaps most exciting was the deci-sion to include the ASMCUE abstracts inthe journal, so authors can showcase theircontribution to the conference.

The next ASMCUE will be held 2–5June 2011. For details, visit www.asmcue.org.

International Affairs

ASM Ambassador Participation

in 110th General Meeting

The ASM Ambassador Network includes18 Ambassadors and 46 Country Liaisons,which provide the Society with an effectivechannel of communication between ASMheadquarters and our worldwide member-ship. While each Ambassador managesone of the 20 ASM regions, Country Liai-

ASMCUE 2010 Travel Awardees

ASMCUE offers several travel awards that support the conferenceattendance of exceptional educators who are learning about under-graduate research and new instructional pedagogy. The travel awardrecipients for this year are as follows:

Textbook Travel AwardeeEnid Gonzalez, California State

University, Sacramento, CA

Early-Career Travel AwardeesRussell Cossaboom, University

of Michigan-Flint, Flint, MILinsey Donner, University of

Nebraska Medical Center,Omaha, NE

Jean Huang, Franklin W. OlinCollege of Engineering,Needham, MA

Jeffrey Olimpo, University ofMaryland, College Park, MD

Jennifer Powell, GettysburgCollege, Gettysburg, PA

Melissa Schreiber, ValenciaCommunity College,Orlando, FL

Heidi Smith, Front RangeCommunity College, FortCollins, CO

Julie Torruellas Garcia, NovaSoutheastern University, Ft.Lauderdale, FL

Faculty Enhancement ProgramAwardees

Gina Cano-Monreal, TexasState Technical College,Harlingen, TX

Stella Doyungan, Texas A&MUniversity-Corpus Christi,Corpus Christi, TX

Gary Patterson, College of theMarshall Islands, Majuro, MH

Ann Stewart-Akers, SouthUniversity, Columbia, SC

Jacqueline Washington, NyackCollege, Nyack, NY

Maureen Whitehurst, TridentTechnical College,Charleston, SC

ASM Undergraduate TeachingFellowship AwardeeAndrew Mo, The Johns

Hopkins University,Baltimore, MD

ASM-UNESCO Train-the-Trainers Scholarship forInternational EducatorsAwardeesJane-Francis Akoachere,

University of Buea, SWRegion, Buea, Cameroon

Maria Julia Amoroso,Universidad Nacional deTucuman, Tucuman,Argentina

Maria Tersita Bertolı Avella,Universidad Dr. Jose MatıasDelgado, La Libertad, ElSalvador

Esperanza C. Cabrera, De LaSalle University, Manila,Philippines

Ousman Diagne, InstitutSenegalais de RecherchesAgricoles, Dakar, Senegal

Uchechi Ekwenye, MichaelOkpara University ofAgriculture, Umudike,Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

Uzoamaka Ogechi George-Okafor, Enugu StateUniversity of Science andTechnology, Enugu, EnuguState, Nigeria

Hygia Maria Nunes Guerreiro,Escola Bahiana de Medicinae Saude Publica, Salvador,Bahia, Brazil

Debananda S. Ningthoujam,Manipur University,Canchipur, Imphal,Manipur, India


sons focus on their particular country ofresidence. Ambassadors and Country Liai-sons are selected based on a range of crite-ria including history of ASM membership,level of recognition within their regionor country, and recommendations fromother members. As ASM representativesaround the world, Ambassadors andCountry Liaisons are committed to theSociety. This commitment was highly vis-ible at the ASM General Meeting in SanDiego, Calif., where 17 ASM Ambassa-dors and Country Liaisons were in atten-dance and participated in the InternationalMembership Committee Meeting, an Am-bassador Meeting, and an AmbassadorForum. Said International MembershipCommittee (IMC) Chair Edmundo Calva,“The significant turnout of Ambassadorsand Country Liaisons at the General Meet-ing was both impressive and exemplary,as they all traveled great distances, mostlyfrom developing countries, to participatewith enthusiasm and commitment in thebusiness meetings pertaining to their re-sponsibilities, aside from eagerly takingthe opportunity to benefit from the scien-tific sessions.”

During the International Board (IB)meeting, Ambassador Caucus ChairKwai-Lin Thong led a discussion on theAmbassador Program and updated the IBmembers on the significant accomplish-ments realized by the Network during thepast year. Thong expressed her apprecia-tion to all Ambassadors and Country Liai-sons for their tireless efforts to connectASM with microbiologists from aroundthe world despite their already demandingschedules.

Ambassadors and Country Liaisonswere also active participants in the IMCmeeting held during the GM. During themeeting Ambassadors provided keen andvaluable insight on a range of topics, frommembership benefits and rates to network-ing opportunities from the perspective oftheir particular region. Ambassadors andCountry Liaisons also participated in anAmbassador meeting where they discussedsuccesses, challenges, and ways to improvethe program.

Finally, several Ambassadors andCountry Liaisons delivered scientific pre-sentations during the annual AmbassadorForum. Said Thong, “The quality of thepresentations during the Ambassador

Forum was outstanding, and the diversetopics reflect the range of the interests ofASM’s membership that often generateimportant ‘cross-discipline’ collabora-tions.”

The opportunity for Ambassadors andCountry Liaisons to interact with eachother as well as staff and other volunteersis a highly productive exercise that fostersa more informed network, a stronger bondbetween colleagues, and additional moti-vation to ensure that ASM continues topursue activities that increase its relevanceto microbiologists worldwide.

International Laboratory

Capacity Building: Next Steps

and Beyond

The ASM International Board, throughits International Laboratory CapacityBuilding (LabCap) Program, has for thepast several years become significantlyinvolved in international laboratory ca-pacity-building efforts. The LabCap Pro-gram is providing a service component toASM by harnessing the expertise of ASMvolunteers and allowing them to transfertheir skills in countries lacking access tokey microbiological resources. At the2010 ASM General Meeting in San Di-ego, International Board Chair KeithKlugman and LabCap Committee ChairSteven Specter convened a special-inter-est session entitled “International Labo-ratory Capacity Building: Next Stepsand Beyond.” The session discussedglobal achievements made in the arena ofbuilding laboratory capacity for diag-nosing major infectious diseases in re-source-limited countries, as well as ex-

plained next steps and future prospectsfor scaling up and further strengtheningof these efforts. It was of special interestparticularly in light of the threats posedglobally by new emerging infections andanti-microbial drug resistance.

Speakers included John Nkengasong ofthe Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention Center for Global Health; Mau-rine Murtagh of the Clinton Health AccessInitiative; May Chu of the World HealthOrganization; Robert Martin of theUniversity of Washington, Seattle; andMacArthur Charles of the Weill MedicalCollege of Cornell University.

The speakers focused on the impor-tance of achieving public health labora-tory accreditation in developing nationsvia a stepwise approach, as well as high-lighting existing efforts to strengthenlaboratory systems and emerging infec-tion diagnosis and surveillance in re-source-limited environments. The needto reinforce antimicrobial susceptibilitytesting and workforce development ac-tivities received special emphasis. Ses-sion attendees also received an update onpriorities for strengthening public healthlaboratories systems in post-earthquakeHaiti.

2010 ASM International

Affairs Fellowship and

Professorship Recipients

The ASM International Education Com-mittee (IEC) is pleased to announce thewinners of Round Two of the 2010 ASMInternational Fellowships and Professor-ships. These programs strive to put the

IEC’s Strategic Plan into actionby providing high-quality edu-cation and training programs tomicrobiologists and institutionsat all levels, fostering the pro-fessional development of inter-national microbiologists, andpromoting excellence in the mi-crobiological sciences throughscholarly exchange. To learnmore about how to apply forthese programs, please visit:www.asm.org/international/grants.

ASM International FellowshipsThe International FellowshipASM Ambassadors at the 2010 ASM General Meeting.


Program encourages research and trainingcollaborations in microbiological sciencesworldwide by enabling early career scien-tists or students from developing countriesto visit the host laboratories of experi-enced ASM members. The InternationalFellows for Round Two, 2010 are listedbelow.

Marelize Van Wyk,a Medical Scientistat the National In-stitute for Commu-nicable Diseases(NICD) in Johan-nesburg, South Af-rica, was awardedan ASM Interna-tional Fellowshipfor Africa to pursue

the research project “Molecular compari-son of cryptococcal isolates from incidentand recurrent disease episodes” with hostThomas Mitchell at Duke University Med-ical Center in Durham, N.C.

Anna Perevalova, aResearch Scientistat the WinogradskyInstitute of Microbi-ology in the RussianAcademy of Science,Moscow, Russia, wasawarded an ASMInternational Fellow-ship for Asia topursue the research

project “Molecular basis for cellulose degra-dation and hydrogen production capabili-ties of Desulfurococcus fermentans, a hy-perthermophilic crenarchaeon” with Biswa-rup Mukhopadhyay at the Virginia Poly-technic Institute and State University inBlacksburg, Va.

Mariangeles Brigg-iler Marco, a doc-toral student at theUniversidad Nacio-nal del Litoral inSanta Fe, Argentina,was awarded anASM InternationalFellowship for LatinAmerica and the Ca-ribbean to work

with Sylvain Moineau at the UniversiteLaval, Quebec, Canada, on the research

project “Chemical and genetic identifica-tion of phage receptors in Lactobacillusplantarum.”

Fernando Sorroche,a Ph.D. Student atRıo Cuarto Na-tional University inRıo Cuarto, Argen-tina, was awardedan ASM Interna-tional Fellowshipfor Latin Americaand the Caribbeanto pursue the re-

search project “Burkholderia tuberumcell-cell interactions: influence of EPS IIfrom Sinorhizobium meliloti” with AnnHirsch at the University of California atLos Angeles.

Nicolas Vozza, aDoctoral Fellow atFundacion InstitutoLeloir in BuenosAires, Argentina,was awarded anASM InternationalFellowship for LatinAmerica and theCaribbean to pursuethe research project

“Rhizobium leguminosarum on continu-ous flow conditions and the role of adhe-sion factors on biofilm development” withSoeren Molin at the Center for SystemsMicrobiology in the Technical Universityof Denmark in Lyngby, Denmark.

Sandra Diaz, aPh.D. student atPontificia Univer-sidad Javeriana inBogota, Colombia,was awarded anASM-PAHO Infec-tious Diseases Epi-demiology & Sur-veillance Fellowshipto pursue the re-

search project “Evaluation of MRSApathogenesis and antibiotic resistance inDrosophila melanogaster: focus on a newvariant of USA300 community-associatedMRSA and the role of cfr in resistance to

linezolid” with Cesar Arias at the Univer-sity of Texas Medical School, Houston.

Mariella Guere, aD.V.M. Student atSan Marcos MajorNational Universityin Lima, Peru, wasawarded an ASM-PAHO InfectiousDiseases Epidemiol-ogy & SurveillanceFellowship to pur-sue the research

project “Comparison of resistance levelsto oxacillin in methicillin-resistant Staph-ylococcus aureus (SARM) in pig farmingin Lima, Peru” with Robert Skov at theStatens Serum Institute in Copenhagen,Denmark.

Gabriel Lozano, amaster’s student atUniversidad de losAndes in Bogota,Colombia, wasawarded an ASM-PAHO InfectiousDiseases Epidemiol-ogy & SurveillanceFellowship to pur-sue the research

project “Screening for genes for antibioticresistance in various metagenomic librar-ies constructed with DNA samples iso-lated from USA and/or Colombia” with JoHandelsman at the Yale University in NewHaven, Conn.

ASM International ProfessorshipsThe International Professorship Pro-

gram provides microbiological expertiseto faculty and students throughout theworld. The program enables an ASMmember who is scientifically recognizedin his/her area to travel to an institutionof higher learning in a developing coun-try to teach an interactive short courseon a topic in any of the microbiologicaldisciplines. The International Professorsfor Round Two of 2010 are listed below.

Van Wyk

Perevalova

Marco

Sorroche

Vozza

Diaz

Guere

Lozano


Michael Benedik, aProfessor at TexasA&M University inCollege Station, wasawarded an ASMInternational Pro-fessorship for Africato teach a course onMicrobial Geneticsand Biotechnologywith host Dr.

Mathew Olusoji Ilori at the University ofLagos, Nigeria.

Yousef Abu Kwaik,a Professor andBumgardner En-dowed Chair inMolecular Patho-genesis at the Uni-versity of Louisville,Louisville, Ky., wasawarded an ASMInternational Pro-fessorship for Asia

to teach a course on cellular microbiologywith host Dina Bitar at Al-Quds Universityin Jerusalem.

Wondwossen Ge-breyes, an AssociateProfessor at OhioState University inColumbus, wasawarded an ASMInternational Pro-fessorship for LatinAmerica and theCaribbean to teacha course entitled

“Molecular epidemiologic techniques andapplications in foodborne and nosocomialpathogens” with host Celso Oliveira at theFederal University of Paraiba, Brazil.

Jorge Rodrigues, anAssistant Professorat University ofTexas, Arlington,was awarded anASM InternationalProfessorship forLatin America andthe Caribbean toteach a course enti-tled “Microbial di-

versity and metagenomics: science, tech-nology, and applications” with host Maria

Soledad Benitez at the Escuela Politecnicadel Ejercito in Sangolqui, Ecuador.

Robert Bonomo, a Professor at Case West-ern Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio,was awarded an ASM-PAHO InfectiousDiseases Epidemiology & SurveillanceProfessorship to teach a course entitled“Mechanisms of resistance and clinicalimpact of Acinetobacter baumannii infec-tions in Colombia” with host Maria Ville-gas at the Centro Internacional de Entre-namiento e Investigaciones Medicas(CIDEIM) in Cali, Colombia.

Annette Fothergill,an Assistant Profes-sor and TechnicalDirector at Univer-sity of Texas HealthScience Center inSan Antonio, wasawarded an ASM-PAHO InfectiousDiseases Epidemiol-ogy & Surveillance

Professorship to teach a course entitled“Antifungal susceptibility testing and re-sistance issues” with host Angela Restrepoat the Corporacion para InvestigacionesBiologicas in Medellin, Colombia.

Indo-U.S. Professorships in MicrobiologyThis Professorship Program encour-

ages scientific partnerships between theUnited States and India and is sponsoredby the Indo-U.S. Science & TechnologyForum.

Bijender Bajaj, As-sistant Professor atthe University ofJammu in Jammu,India, was awardedan Indo-U.S. Re-search Professorshipto perform a researchproject entitled “De-velopment of cost-effective technology

for production of cellulase and xylanaseenzymes with industrial process suitabil-ity” with Thaddeus Ezeji at The Ohio StateUniversity in Wooster.

Atul Kumar Johri,an Assistant Profes-sor at the Jawahar-lal Nehru Universityin New Delhi, India,was awarded anIndo-U.S. ResearchProfessorship to visitRobert Stroud at theUniversity of Cali-fornia San Francisco

to perform a research project entitled“Structural studies of a phosphate trans-porter gene (PiPT) from endophytic fun-gus Piriformospora indica.”

Branches: ASM Activitiesat the Local Level

ASM Postdoctoral Chapter

On 26 May 2010, the first American Soci-ety for Microbiology postdoctoral chapterwas approved at the ASM council meeting.The chapter was proposed by postdoctoralscientists at the Wadsworth Center, NewYork State Department of Health and Al-bany Medical College with the support ofthe ASM Eastern New York Branch.

The need to create a postdoctoral chap-ter came from the fact that many post-doctoral scientists took advantage of allof the opportunities offered by ASM at thestudent level including the establishmentof chapters. Unfortunately, upon transi-tioning to the postdoctoral level, individu-als were no longer eligible for full mem-bership in student chapters. Additionally,postdoctoral members are too junior toenjoy all of the benefits available for moresenior microbiologists at the faculty level.Postdoctoral scientists, unlike students andfaculty members, are in a period of transi-tion in their careers and thus there is animportant need for a common place forresources such as networking, travelawards, fellowships, and professional de-velopment opportunities.

ASM offers all of these great resourcesfor postdoctoral scientists, but this in-formation can be further communicatedthrough the implementation of ASM post-doctoral chapters at the grass-roots level.Having ASM postdoctoral chapters is in-credibly powerful since it provides a cen-tral source of information for membersand it also provides the Society with a

Benedik

Kwaik

Gebreyes

Rodrigues

Fothergill

Bajaj

Johri


group of talented young scientists that areabout to make the transition to indepen-dence and even fuller participation in thenational ASM.

At the Wadsworth Center and AlbanyMedical College we strongly and enthusi-astically agree that the purpose of theASM postdoctoral chapters is (i) To pro-mote communication amongst postdoc-toral members interested in microbiology;(ii) to provide scientific and career guid-ance for new postdoctoral members inter-ested in microbiology; (iii) to facilitate in-tellectual exchange between membersand promote faculty/ postdoctoral mem-ber interactions; (iv) to promote aware-ness of career and networking opportuni-ties available in the field of microbiology;(v) to sponsor meetings where outsidespeakers will be invited; and (vi) to en-courage activities between the local post-doctoral chapters and the national Society.

We invite other postdoctoral membersto establish their own postdoctoral chap-ters and continue to use the AmericanSociety for Microbiology as a valuablecareer tool.

Magdia De Jesus

Wadsworth Center, New York StateDepartment of Health

Albany, N.Y.

Branch Officers’ Forum:

Come Join Us!

The 2010 General Meeting of the Ameri-can Society for Microbiology is in the his-

tory books. As in past years, themeeting started for many of uswith the Branch Officers’ Fo-rum, where Branch officers metwith the Branch OrganizationCommittee (BOC) and otherrepresentatives of NationalASM to network, share Branchsuccess stories, and make plansfor the upcoming year.

The Forum agenda includedseveral presentations that sup-ported this year’s Branch theme,Come Join Us! Iris Chen of theHawaii Branch Student Chapterstarted the Forum off with abang by showing a video shemade of an event in which herChapter participated, the 53rdHawaii State Science and Engi-

neering Fair. The video captured the en-ergy and enthusiasm of the event and dem-onstrated how valuable digital media canbe. By recording the event on video andposting it on an easy-to-find website, theChapter hopes to interest others in its ac-tivities. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one inthe audience who was thinking, “Howcan I join them for their next event?”Go to http://www.hawaii.edu/scasm/stuff/53rdscifair.mov to view the video.

Next, Northern California BranchCouncilor Dr. Daniel Mills discussed hisBranch’s highly successful workshop onAnaerobes, “Anaerobes You ‘Otter’Know,” which was conducted in con-junction with the California VeterinaryMedical Association. The workshop fea-tured multimedia from Anaerobe Sys-tems, Inc., an outstanding faculty, and akeynote lecture focused on Clostridiumperfringens in the California sea otterpopulation. Mills reported that themeeting’s success can be attributed inpart to Branch website improvementswhich include an easy-to-use meetingregistration component, and to theBranch’s commitment to providing in-clusive and interesting programming.

Diane M. Citron, Southern CaliforniaBranch President, gave a presentation inwhich she highlighted several successfulBranch events and explained her Branch’sapproach to meeting planning. The take-home message: start early, sweat the de-tails, and make sure everyone has funwhile learning—a perfect combination.

The final Branch presentation was fromSilvia Rossbach, Michigan Branch Coun-cilor, who gave an overview of her veryactive and vibrant Branch. Of particularnote is the Branch’s commitment to stu-dents, as evidenced by their nine activeStudent Chapters. Among their many ac-tivities, the Branch and Chapters focus onoutreach to the K-12 audience.

Ron Butler, Director of ASM’s Informa-tion Technology, reviewed the tools avail-able on the new ASM Community website(best described as Facebook on steroids),http://community.asm.org, including blog,calendaring, wiki, and group features. Thebuzz around the tables was how manyBranch members are already using ASMCommunity and how easy it is to use. TheBOC welcomes the Branches’ rapid adop-tion of the tools and hopes they will proveuseful as Branches work to fulfill the coremissions of facilitating networking amongmembers and providing interesting and in-clusive programming.

The Forum ended on an upbeat note—Regional Planning Coordinators (RPCs)Nellie Dumas, Kenneth Goodrum,Daniel Lim, Michael Sadowsky, andTerry Else expressed their delight withthe enthusiasm displayed by Branch of-ficers. RPCs are confident Branches willexcel this year and are looking forwardto hearing more success stories in NewOrleans in 2011 when the Branch Offic-ers’ Forum will again kick off anothersuccessful ASM General Meeting. Fi-nally, Forum participants publicly ac-knowledged and thanked Allen Laskinfor his many dedicated years of service toASM and its Branches. Allen completedhis term as the RPC for Region II thisyear. The BOC has benefited greatlyfrom Allen’s wise counsel over his manyyears of service. He will be missed, butthe lessons he has taught us will not besoon forgotten. Allen was the inspirationfor this year’s theme, Come Join Us! Sofrom all of us associated with Branches,please do.

To learn of your next opportunity toparticipate in ASM Branch programmingand networking opportunities, go to http://www.asm.org/index.php?option�com_content&view�article&id�398&Itemid�156.

Michael G. Schmidt

Chair, Branch Organization Committee

Wadsworth Center and Albany Medical College membersof the ASM Postdoctoral Chapter. (l-r) Kris Spaeth, Gwen-dowlyn S. Knapp, Magdia De Jesus, Timothy J. Sellati(Faculty Advisor), Jennifer Wilson-Welder, and Sarah N.Buss.


Membership

Award

The University of Maryland College ofChemical & Life Sciences recently in-ducted Philip J. Provost into its Circle ofDiscovery. The Circle of Discovery wasinaugurated in 2007 to honor members ofthe University of Maryland community fortheir visionary leadership and outstandingresearch in the biosciences and chemistry.

Provost, who received his Ph.D. in mi-crobiology from the University of Mary-land in 1961, was honored for pioneeringlaboratory research on the hepatitis A vi-rus while working in Maurice Hilleman’slaboratory at Merck, which led to the de-velopment of a vaccine against the virus.Other members of the Circle of Discoveryare Constance Cepko, Gary D. Christian,Theodor O. Diener, Elisabeth Gantt,George H. Lorimer, Geerat J. Vermeij,John D. Weeks, and ASM past presidentsWalter R. Dowdle and Rita R. Colwell. Apermanent display honoring these pio-neering scientists is located in the colon-

nade of the university’s Bioscience Re-search Building.

Deceased Member

Nino F. Insalata, a native of New Yorkstate, died on 7 May 2010 at the age of 83.Insalata received his undergraduate andgraduate degrees from St. John’s Univer-sity in New York. He spent 35 years work-ing in the field of industrial microbiologyresearch. He worked for National Distill-ers Corporation from 1949–1953 and forGeneral Foods-Kraft from 1953 until1983, when he retired as Principal Scien-tist. While at General Foods he was recog-nized as “an expert in his field, both na-tionally and internationally . . . [acting] asa consultant and corporate microbiologist. . . and displayed exceptional competencein his field.”

As chief microbiologist at National Dis-tillers, he identified microbiological prob-lems in plants and products, oversaw 30national and international facilities, estab-lished quality control tests and specifici-ties, and identified the role of carbonic acidas a microbial suppressant in beverages.

As senior laboratory manager of micro-biological research at General Foods, heestablished in-process and final productmicrobiological specifications for foodsand produced reports on other businessprospects to assess their technical profi-ciency and regulatory or health risks.These reports aided in decisions to acquirecompanies or technologies by GeneralFoods. While at General Foods, he devel-oped microbiological standards for rawmaterials and final products and identifiedrisks in new products, standardized micro-biological methods and specifications, andaudited all quality control and consultinglabs. Insalata patented everninomycin forcontrolling botulinum spores, developedthe first AOAC-approved fluorescent anti-body method for detecting salmonellae infoods, developed a method for detection ofbotulinum toxin in commercially preparedfoods, and developed a rapid method fordetection of coagulase-positive staphylo-cocci in foods. In the course of his careerInsalata published 30 peer-reviewed pub-lications and was issued 8 patents. He wasa member of 12 professional associations,including ASM.


Reviews and ResourcesBOOK

The New Plagues—Pandemics and PovertyIn a Globalized WorldStefan H. E. Kaufmann. Haus Publishing,London, 2009, 270 p., $14.95 (paperback).

This short paperback appears to be an in-troduction to infectious diseases for thelayman. It is part of the initiative “Encour-aging Sustainability” and hopes to “enableas many people as possible to form theirown opinions about the globalization ofinfectious diseases in the modern, net-worked world.”

Many universities are now requiring in-coming freshmen to read challenging andthought-provoking texts. This book wellfits that description and certainly deservesto be considered for such programs.

The chapters are brief but concise. Theybegin with “The Invaders” and “The De-fenders,” briefly introducing the readerto disease-producing organisms and thendiscussing immune responses. A some-what longer chapter considers the “Co-existence of Mankind and Microbe.” Theauthor notes that human development, in-cluding changes in nutrition and adapta-tion away from nomadic life, as well asanimal husbandry, led to the onset of epi-demics. The chapter also discusses micro-bial strategies, coexistence and symbiosis,and the role of viral carcinogens suchas Helicobacter, human papillomavirus,and the hepatitis B and C viruses. Manydiseases must be considered as multidi-mensional systems, i.e., interaction withenvironmental and genetic factors, ratherthan assuming that a pathogen causes dis-ease simply by direct action.

The major chapter in the book, “MoreThan a Body Count: the Major InfectiousDiseases,” takes up almost 100 of the lessthan 300 pages of text. It begins with anoverview of respiratory, diarrheal, andfood-induced diseases, continues with theso-called “children’s diseases” and prob-

lems with immunization, and then dis-cusses AIDS. The present worldwide situ-ation regarding this disease is elucidated,and the societal factors involved (“A virusby itself does not make an illness”) areconsidered. Suggestions for interruptionof spread, including potential vaccines, aswell as the drawbacks associated with costfor so doing, are discussed.

The chapter continues with an overviewof the tuberculosis problem, focusing onSouth Africa and Russia, and noting thatcomplacency has been our worst enemy.Almost 345 times as much money wasspent to fight HIV infection by the WorldBank in 2005 and almost 50 times as muchwas focused on malaria programs in Af-rica. Compounding the problem is the factthat 15 million people are concurrentlyinfected with AIDS. Of course, HIV infec-tion compounds another problem, i.e. im-munization of immunocompromised chil-dren—another example of “interaction.”

A brief section on malaria (and the DDTcontroversy) leads the reader to a discus-sion of influenza from a historical as wellas a microbial viewpoint. Avian influenza(specifically H5N1) is discussed at length.Unfortunately, at the time of publication,the author did not foresee the recent out-break of swine flu. A brief description ofSARS is followed by a short section ontropical diseases. I would refer the readerto Peter Hotez’s Forgotten People, Forgot-ten Diseases for a true evaluation of howunaware the Western world is of thesescourges of the developing world.

Two short chapters deal with anti-microbials and immunization. The latteremphasizes modes of action, resistance,nosocomial infections, and the problemsassociated with the addition of antibioticsto animal feed. Insofar as vaccines areconcerned, the author admits that noneof them are perfect but that they save fivemillion lives each year. When the diseasesagainst which they protect have been erad-icated, he says, then we will be able to con-sider suspending immunization programs.

A chapter entitled “Poverty and Infec-tious Diseases from a Global Point ofView” emphasizes organizations andgoals. In the present worldwide economicclimate it seems that nongovernmentalfoundations and organizations may provemore effective than vague promises fromhighly publicized summit meetings.

In “Swimming against the Tide” welearn, not surprisingly, that pharmaceuti-cal research emphasizes development ofdrugs that will sell well in developed coun-tries, with only 10% targeted towards dis-eases in developing countries, where 90%of the global disease burden is concen-trated. Blockbuster drugs are what ensureeconomic viability for the pharmaceuticalcompanies.

What are the hot spots for old and newepidemics? The poor and the sick, catas-trophes and conflicts, transmission fromresearch laboratories, climate change withits associated localized increase in vectorsas a result of higher temperatures, excur-sions into the wilderness (logging and ex-portation of exotic animals, e.g. Ebola,Marburg disease and other illnesses), ani-mal farms as breeding grounds for diseasethrough crowding, improper use of antibi-otics, the leap of animal diseases to otherspecies (e.g. BSE, SARS and bird flu).Kaufman sees human-animal interactionas the gravest threat of a new pandemic.

In the book’s conclusion, entitled “FiveTo or Five Past Twelve,” the author sug-gests a 10-point program for the control ofinfectious diseases. Some of them, such asmaking intensive use of available interven-tion measures, seem a little more doablethan combating poverty. Many of thembring to my mind my father’s words,“Whatever you do, you have to remain anoptimist.” We have made great strides.The author tells us that we have to finishthe job, or at least attempt to do that.

Fred Rosenberg

California Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks, Calif.


Application DeadlinesFEATURED ASM PROGRAMS

ASM-UNESCO Visiting Resource Person(VRP) Program. Planning an international tripwithin the next 6 months? UNESCO and ASMoffer you the chance to extend your stay andshare your knowledge with scientists aroundthe world! If you will be traveling to a develop-ing nation this program can provide funds toallow you to spend an extra day at a localuniversity or research institute to present a sem-inar and discuss ideas for scientific research,curriculum development and internationalcooperation with local faculty and students.Additional information on the program andapplications are available online.WWW: http://www.asm.org/International/vrp

Deadline: Rolling.

Call for 2011–2013 Research Mentors for theASM Microbiology Undergraduate ResearchFellowship. Want to be a host mentor? Don’twait—apply today. Applications are available.Your influence can have a wonderful impact ona minority science student. ASM seeks partner-ship with an ASM member research mentor at aresearch intensive institution to leverage sup-port of the fellowship program.WWW: www.asm.org/students

Deadline: 15 August 2010.

Annual Biomedical Research Conference forMinority Students (ABRCMS). The ABRCMSis designed to encourage underrepresented mi-nority students to pursue advanced training inthe biomedical and behavioral sciences, includ-ing mathematics and provide faculty mentorsand advisors with resources for facilitating stu-dents’ success. ABRCMS is an opportunity forundergraduate, postbaccalaureate, and gradu-ate students to present their research through aposter or oral presentation and expand theirscientific and professional developmentalknowledge through innovative sessions, as wellas networking opportunities. Participants alsolearn about graduate schools, summer researchopportunities and postdoctoral fellowships.Conference will be held in Charlotte, N.C., on10–13 November 2010.WWW: www.abrcms.org

Deadline for abstract submission: 10 September2010.

ASM 2011 General Meeting Awards. ASM isdedicated to acknowledging the best in micro-biology. ASM Awards, administered by theAmerican Academy of Microbiology, are givenannually to reward outstanding accomplish-ment in research, education, and service.WWW: www.asm.org/ASMAwards

Deadline: 1 October 2010.

ASM International Professorships for Africa,Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.Take advantage of this opportunity to shareyour knowledge with young scientists aroundthe world! This program provides funding tosupport an ASM member to teach a hands-on,highly interactive short course on a single topicin the microbiological sciences at an institutionof higher learning in Africa, Asia or Latin Amer-ica and the Caribbean.WWW: http://www.asm.org/International/pro-fessorship.


ASM-PAHO Infectious Diseases Epidemiologyand Surveillance Professorship. This program,funded by ASM and PAHO, provides supportto an ASM member from the US who is scien-tifically recognized in his/her area to teach ahands-on, highly interactive short course in the

area of antimicrobial resistance at an institutionof higher learning in Bolivia, Colombia, CostaRica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, ElSalvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicara-gua, Panama, Paraguay, or Peru.WWW: http://www.asm.org/International/pro-fessorship.


ASM/IUSSTF Indo-U.S. Professorships. Takeadvantage of this opportunity, sponsored by theIndo-US Science & Technology Forum, to shareyour knowledge with young scientists throughthe Visiting Teaching Professorship or to col-laborate with an established scientist throughthe Visiting Research Professorship.WWW: http://www.asm.org/International/pro-fessorship.


ASM Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute.Do you want to learn how to write and submitmanuscripts, write a great abstract, and select ajournal for submission? The Scientific Writingand Publishing Institute is four days ofhands-on intensive training in scientific writingand publishing under mentorship of ASM Jour-nal editors and reviewers. Institute will be held18–21 March 2010.WWW: www.asmgap.org

Deadline: 15 November 2010.

About Application Deadlines

The Application Deadlines section provides ASM members with information aboutcertification programs, awards, and fellowships sponsored by ASM. More resources areavailable to members on the website at http://www.asm.org/membersonly/?bid�16693. The website provides direct links to program Web pages for completedetails, including eligibility requirements and application information. To submit infor-mation on awards and programs, send the program’s name, a 1- to 2-sentence descrip-tion, and Web address to Patrick Lacey, ASM, 1752 N Street, N.W., Washington, DC20036-2904 (e-mail, [email protected]; fax, [202] 942-9328). Announcements willbe posted on the ASM website for up to three months. ASM reserves the right todetermine the suitability of all submissions.


ASM Meetings Calendar

30 July–2 August 2010.3rd ASM Conference on Enterococci.Portland, Oreg.Contact: ASM Conferences, 1752 N Street,NW, Washington, DC 20036-2940;tel., (202) 942-9261; fax, (202) 942-9340;e-mail, [email protected];WWW, http://www.asm.org/Meetings/index.asp?bid�703

12–15 September 2010.50th ICAACBoston, Mass.Contact: ASM, 1752 N Street NW, Washing-ton, DC 20036; tel., (202) 737-3600; fax,(202) 943-9340; e-mail, [email protected];WWW, http://www.icaac.org.

26–30 September 2010.2nd ASMET-The ASM Emerging Technolo-gies Conference.Cancun, Mexico.Contact: ASM Conferences, 1752 N Street,NW, Washington, DC 20036-2940;tel., (202) 942-9261; fax, (202) 942-9340;e-mail, [email protected];

25–29 October 2010.3rd ASM Conference on Beneficial Microbes.Miami, Fla.Contact: ASM Conferences, 1752 N Street,NW, Washington, DC 20036-2940;tel., (202) 942-9261; fax, (202) 942-9340;e-mail, [email protected];

10–13 November 2010.Annual Biomedical Research Conference forMinority Students.Charlotte, N.C.Contact: ASM Education Department, 1752 NStreet, NW, Washington, DC 20036;tel., (202) 942-9348; fax, (202) 942-9329;e-mail, [email protected]; WWW, http://www.abrcms.org/index.html.

6–9 February 2011.9th Annual ASM Biodefense and EmergingDiseases Research Meeting.Washington, D.C.Contact: ASM Conferences, 1752 N Street,NW, Washington, DC 20036-2940;tel., (202) 942-9261; fax, (202) 942-9340;e-mail, [email protected]

6–9 February 2011.ASM Conference on Viral Genome Replication.Banff, Canada.Contact: ASM Conferences, 1752 N Street,NW, Washington, DC 20036-2940;tel., (202) 942-9261; fax, (202) 942-9340;e-mail, [email protected]

7–11 March 2011.ASM Conference on Regulating with RNA inBacteria.Cancun, Mexico.Contact: ASM Conferences, 1752 N Street,NW, Washington, DC 20036-2940;tel., (202) 942-9261; fax, (202) 942-9340;e-mail, [email protected]

21–24 May 2011.11th ASM General Meeting.New Orleans, LA.Contact: ASM, 1752 N Street NW, Washing-ton, DC 20036; tel., (202) 737-3600; fax,(202) 942-9340; e-mail,[email protected].

About the CalendarThe ASM Meetings Calendar is provided as a service to readers of Microbe. It includesannual meetings and conferences organized by the Society. Detailed information forthese events is published in the ASM Meetings and Conferences insert, which appearsbimonthly in the center of Microbe.

As an added benefit of membership in ASM, an online calendar of microbiology-related meetings hosted by ASM and by other organizations is available on theASM website. This expanded online calendar is accessible only to ASM members.Any organization may submit items for the online calendar provided that submis-sions are of obvious interest to microbiologists. ASM will not permit announce-ments to appear in the calendar when the subject matter and dates conflict withASM meetings or workshops. The calendar is located at http://community.asm.org/index.php?page-events.

All entries in the online calendar are limited to conference name, dates, location,website, and contact information (person, address, telephone, fax, and/or e-mail).When websites and e-mail addresses are provided, links to them will be established.Because of the volume of submissions received, ASM staff is unable to provide proofsor other confirmation of receipt of each listing. Events are posted within 2 to 4 weeksof submission and extend beyond one year. Please include the name and telephonenumber or e-mail address of a contact person in case there are questions about youritem.

Submit items for the online calendar at http://www.asm.org/memz_e-cal/cal.asp.For mailed items, our address is ASM, 1752 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036–2904.

For more meetings and conferences,see the website at http://www.asm.org/Meetings/index.asm?bid�470.


EmploymentPositions Available

Assistant Professor, Biological

Sciences

The Department of Biological Sciences at Mis-sissippi State University invites applications fora 9-month, tenure-track faculty position at therank of Assistant Professor, beginning fall 2010or spring 2011. We seek a microbiologist withexpertise in microbial genetics or microbialecology, but other areas of microbiology willdefinitely be considered. The successful candi-date will be expected to contribute to the micro-biology degree program by (1) developing anactive, externally funded research program thatincludes directing M.S. and Ph.D. students; and(2) teaching courses at the undergraduate andgraduate levels in the microbiology curriculum.Minimum qualifications: Ph.D. or equivalentdegree in microbiology or a related disciplineand relevant postdoctoral experience. Appli-cants should submit a CV, statements of re-search and teaching interests, and reprints of upto three representative publications. Applicantsshould arrange for three letters of reference tobe submitted electronically. All application ma-terials should be emailed to Dr. Nancy Reichert,Head, Department of Biological Sciences,[email protected], email address. Please visitour website at http://msstate.edu/dept/biosciences/ for information about the department.All applicants must apply online at www.jobs.msstate.edu. MSU is an AA/EOE.

Research Associate, Metabolic

Engineering

Research Associate, Metabolic Engineering De-partment sought by Metabolix, Inc., a leadingBiotechnology company, for design and con-struction of recombinant DNA molecules andfor genetic transformation of polymer-produc-ing microbial strains and plant cells, located inCambridge, MA. Requires a Master’s degree orequivalent in Molecular Genetics, Biology,Plant Science, or related field and experience inbiotechnology in the field of polyhydroxyal-kanoates. If qualified, send resume to: HumanResources, Metabolix, Inc., 21 Erie Street,Cambridge, MA 02139 or [email protected]. Please reference job code RA1002.

Faculty Position—Virology

The Department of Microbiology at U.T.Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas seeks anew faculty member in molecular virology atthe Assistant Professor (tenure track) level. Theappointee will be expected to develop a front-

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rank, competitive, independent research pro-gram that focuses on one or more aspects of theviral life cycle (host-pathogen interactions, viralpathogenesis, disruption of viral replication,command or subversion of host cell processes,etc.), and that will complement existing pro-grams in poliovirus, HCV, yellow fever virus,HIV, KSHV, and viral oncogenesis. Researchon any virus of medical relevance is of interest.The appointee will contribute to the teaching ofmedical and graduate students. Attractivestart-up packages, including a competitive sal-ary and new laboratory space, are available toconduct research in an expanding, dynamic en-vironment. For exceptional candidates, an En-dowed Scholars Program offers start-up fundsof $700,000 (plus $300,000 towards salarysupport) over a four-year period. Candidatesshould have a Ph.D. and/or M.D. degree with atleast three years of postdoctoral experience andan exceptional publication record. Candidatesplease forward a c.v., three letters of recommen-dation, two or three representative publica-tions, and a brief summary of future research toDr. Michael V. Norgard, Chair, Department ofMicrobiology, U.T. Southwestern Medical Cen-ter, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX75390 –9048 ([email protected]). U.T. Southwestern is an EqualOpportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Postdoctoral Position

An NIH-funded postdoctoral position is avail-able to study horizontal DNA transfer in theperiodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingiva-lis. The successful applicant will use moleculartechniques to identify genes important for inter-strain DNA transfer, and will use cell cultureand biofilm model systems to characterize phe-notypic effects. Applicants should have a Ph.D.or equivalent in Microbiology or related field.Please send a cover letter, CV, and contact in-formation for three references to Dr. GenaTribble, Department of Periodontics, Universityof Texas Dental Branch at Houston, 6516 MDAnderson Blvd., Houston, TX 77030; e-mail,[email protected]. See www.uth.tmc.edu/postdocs/ for further information.

Research Associate—Pathogenesis of

Haemophilus influenzae

The Research Institute at Nationwide Chil-dren’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, seeks a Re-search Associate interested in joining a labora-tory devoted to studying the pathogenesis ofHaemophilus influenzae. Specifically, the asso-ciate will work under the supervision of Dr.Subinoy Das, a sinus surgeon, to study the roleof Haemophilus in the development of chronicsinusitis. Work will include in vitro imaging andstudy of biofilms, in vivo development of achinchilla model of chronic sinusitis based on asuccessful model of otitis media, biomarkeranalysis of clinical samples, and understandingof the clinical manifestations of chronic sinus-itis. The successful applicant will be indepen-dent, highly motivated, with a strong workethic, and have a track record of successfulpublications. Please go to www.nationwidechildrens.org /research/Find a Career/ResearchAssociate in Microbial Pathogenesis for moredetails. Nationwide Children’s Hospital is anequal opportunity employer that values diver-sity. Candidates of diverse backgrounds are en-couraged to apply.

Postdoctoral Researcher—

Yeast/Proline/ Oxidative Stress

A postdoctoral research associate position inthe Institute of Plant Genomics and Biotechnol-ogy, Texas A&M University, is available imme-diately. This project has two components: (1)Characterize the mechanisms by which prolineameliorates oxidative stress and inhibits pro-grammed cell death. (2) Development of anefficient transformation system for an oleagenicyeast. Experience in yeast manipulation, trans-formation, genetics and molecular biology areessential. Experience with mammalian cell cul-ture and Illumina sequencing desirable. SendC.V. and names of three references to Dr. MartyDickman, Director, IPGB; [email protected]. Texas A&M University is an AA/EOE.

Faculty Position

The Center For Comparative Medicine, Schoolsof Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Univer-

sity of California, Davis. Candidates are soughtfor a tenure-track position at the level of Assis-tant or Associate Professor/Assistant or Associ-ate Professor in Residence in the Center forComparative Medicine, a research center at theUniversity of California, Davis, co-sponsoredby the Schools of Medicine and VeterinaryMedicine and a relevant Instructional and Re-search (I&R) academic department. The centeris engaged in investigative research involvinganimal models of human disease. We seek indi-viduals with D.V.M and/or Ph.D. degrees orequivalent, postdoctoral experience, and arecord of publication in high-quality journals.We are soliciting applications from candidateswho have enthusiasm for the investigation ofhuman infectious diseases in animal models andthe concepts of “One Health.” Candidates areexpected to have or to establish and maintain astrong extramurally funded research programand to participate in professional and graduateeducation in their fields. Ample office and labo-ratory space is available in the Center (includingaccess to BSL2 and BSL3 laboratory space),with state-of-the art facilities, instrumentation,and administrative support. Center researchand teaching programs interdigitate with othercampus-wide programs and resources in theSchools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine,the Mouse Biology Program, the California Na-tional Primate Research Center, and the CancerCenter. Faculty members will hold an academicappointment in the commensurate departmentof the School of Veterinary Medicine. The posi-tion will provide 0.5 salary support. Review ofapplications will commence immediately untilthe position is filled. Priority will be given toapplications received by October 1, 2010. Sub-mit applications with letter of interest, curricu-lum vita, concise statement of present and fu-ture research plans, summary of teachingexperience, up to three representative reprints,and names of four references (including ad-dresses, telephone numbers and e-mail ad-dresses) to Recruitment Committee Chair, c/oCenter for Comparative Medicine, University ofCalifornia, Davis, CA 95616. The University ofCalifornia is an Equal Opportunity/AffirmativeAction Employer.


Building on the success of ISME12 the 13th International Society for Microbial Ecology Conference will be in Seattle, USA from August 22 - 27, 2010.

PRESENTERSAs is ISME tradition there is a vibrant scienti c program planned with plenary presenters; Penny Chisholm, Jeffrey Gordon, Ian Sanders, Christa Schleper, and Warwick Vincent.

THE VENUEWashington State Convention & Trade Center, is at the centre of downtown Seattle, a city that inspires innovation. Seattle combines the best of the outdoors, surrounded by dramatically beautiful mountains and forests, with the best of city life. Known to many as the “Emerald City”, Seattle is renowned for being “green” and you notice the eco-friendly policies of the city at every corner.

We invite you as an integral part of this stimulating symposium and we are looking forward to welcoming you to Seattle.

13th International Symposium on Microbial EcologySeattle, Washington, USA

August 22-27, 2010

http://www.isme-microbes.org

Tenure-track Faculty Position (Assistant/Associate/Full Professor)

Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy Departments of Medicine and

Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center

Applications are invited for a tenure-track position at Duke University Medical Center. The position is a partnership of the Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy and the Departments of Medicine and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. We are currently seeking individuals studying infectious diseases via the application of genome sciences to the host, microbial pathogens or commensals, or both. Existing areas of strength in the institute and departments include:

1) infectious diseases and global health 2) microbial pathogenesis (bacteriology, virology, mycology) 3) mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions and innate immunity 4) genomics and genetics of the host-pathogen interaction 5) genomic signatures of infection.

Areas of particular interest include analysis of the microbiome in health and disease and the application of genetics and genomics to define mutations that confer resistance or susceptibility to infection or modulate therapeutic responses in humans.

Applications should include a curriculum vita, a description of research accomplishment and plans for future research, and reprints of three representative publications. Applicants should also arrange to have three letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf. Application materials should be emailed as pdf files to: [email protected]

The deadline for receipt of applications is October 15, 2010.

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Duke University is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

366 • Microbe / Volume 5, Number 8, 2010

B L O G E X C E r P T S

Small Things ConsideredThe Microbe Blog (at http://www.smallthingsconsidered.us)

Of Archaeal Periplasm and Iconoclasm

http://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/ 2010/02/of-archaeal-periplasm-iconoclasm. html

Biology is the iconoclast’s paradise. Over and over, cherished beliefs, some dating back for centuries, fall to the ground as exceptions to the rule are discovered. To the long list of such exceptions, we now add the finding by groups in Regensburg and Frankfurt that the outer membrane of an archaeon, Ignicoccus hospitalis, is energized and capable of generating ATP. Granted, this is a hyperthermophile who helped shatter the ancient belief that life at high temperatures is not possible, thus hardly a conformist. But this discovery is, to say the least, unexpected.

The old tenet is that the energetic business-end of prokaryotes is the cell membrane, whether surrounded by an outer membrane, as in gram-negatives, or not, as in gram-positives. I should know, I taught this for umpteen years. True, in gram-negatives, energy can be transmitted to the outer membrane via the Ton system (a system that provides energy for the transport of iron sidero-phores, vitamin B12, and some colicins), but the reverse, making energy on the

outer membrane and sending it to the cytoplasm, is not part of the old belief. Yet it’s been known for some time that a goodly number of bacteria can energize their outer membrane, having cyto-chromes inserted in the outer membrane where they carry out extracellular elec-tron transfer. This ability allows these organisms to utilize metals in rocks as electron acceptors.

Dual membrane systems have not be found in archaea other than Ignicoccus. What are the new conclusions about power generation in its outer membrane based on? Mainly on immunoelectron microscopy of sections using gold-la-beled antibodies and immunofluores-cence showing ATP synthase and H2:sulfur oxidoreductase located in the outer membrane. These two enzymes are required for energizing membranes and for ATP production. Thus, ATP can be expected be made in the outer mem-brane and released into the periplasm (which in this organism is huge—larger than the cytoplasm). You may ask, are these two enzymes also found in the inner membrane? The answer is no. Since the periplasm is so large and the two membranes so far apart, enzyme localization to one membrane or the other can be readily discerned. So, which is the cytoplasmic membrane in

this organism? Note that this two mem-brane system is different from that of ordinary Gram-negatives, as here the outer membrane is not known to con-tain LPS or porins.

Is the Ignicoccus story relevant to other prokaryotes? Who’s to say at this point. Ignicoccus is mightily idiosyn-cratic. Not only does it grow at very high temperature and use reduction of ele-mental sulfur as its main energy source, but it also lives in intimate association with another archaeon, the smaller Nanoarchaeum equitans, which has a reduced genome and apparently gets its energy from its larger partner. The un-usual ignicoccal ability to make ATP within its periplasm may help it to sup-ply ATP to its associates across the outer membrane.

The authors propose a tantalizing notion: if the eukaryotic cell arose by an archaeon having swallowed a bac-terium (hold on, we’re not getting into that discussion right now), then Ig-nicoccus or something like it would have been the ideal ancestor, able as it appears to be to donate ATP to anyone residing within its boundaries. True or not, one should further respect the outliers in the biological scheme of things as potential sources of novel and deeper relationships.

Kuper, U., C. Meyer, V. Muller, R. Rachel, H. Huber. 2010. Energized outer membrane and spatial separation of metabolic processes in the hyperthermophilic Archaeon Ignicoc-cus hospitalis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 107(7):3152-3156.

Elio Schaechter Merry Youle

Talmudic Question of the Month*by Ian Booth

Do bacteria ever take up intact RNA molecules?

Answers? Add a comment online to Talmudic Question #49, May 28, 2009. http://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2009/05/talmudic-question-49.html

*We use this term to denote questions whose answers cannot be found by a Google search.

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