Forschung

Pneumococcal Biology - Lucy Hathaway

Projects

Peptide-mediated bacterial communication

In nature, most bacteria live in multi-species communities known as microbiota but interactions between bacterial species are under studied. We have found that pneumococci recognize peptides matching sequences of ribosomal proteins of other bacterial species. The peptides bind to specific pneumococcal receptors triggering a range of altered phenotypes including changes in growth, capsule thickness, chain length and biofilm formation. We propose that this is a novel route of interspecies bacterial communication with potential for future therapeutic strategies.

Colonization resistance in the respiratory tract

Pneumonia is the biggest infectious cause of death in children and the rise of antibiotic resistance is an obstacle in effective treatment for bacterial pneumonia, making it imperative to discover new treatments. Colonization resistance, protection from establishment of pathogens by commensal bacteria of the microbiota already present, is an under-explored source of potential new treatments. By studying the interactions between bacteria of the human respiratory tract we aim to identify potentially useful commensals to prevent or alter the course of pneumonia. This work is performed in collaboration with Dr Felix Dube, University of Cape Town, South Africa.