Characterisation and exploitation of novel antimicrobials within the rumen microbiota
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Biological Sciences
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
- Queen's University Belfast (Lead Research Organisation)
- Federal University of Viçosa (Collaboration)
- NovaBiotics Ltd, UK (Collaboration)
- British Poultry Council (Collaboration)
- St George's Hospital (Collaboration)
- NeemBiotech (Collaboration)
- QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST (Collaboration)
- Aix-Marseille University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Collaboration)
Publications
Oyama LB
(2017)
The rumen microbiome: an underexplored resource for novel antimicrobial discovery.
in NPJ biofilms and microbiomes
Oyama LB
(2017)
Buwchitin: A Ruminal Peptide with Antimicrobial Potential against Enterococcus faecalis.
in Frontiers in chemistry
Huws SA
(2018)
Addressing Global Ruminant Agricultural Challenges Through Understanding the Rumen Microbiome: Past, Present, and Future.
in Frontiers in microbiology
Von Gundlach A
(2019)
BioSAXS Measurements Reveal That Two Antimicrobial Peptides Induce Similar Molecular Changes in Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria.
in Frontiers in pharmacology
Sabino YNV
(2019)
Characterization of antibiotic resistance genes in the species of the rumen microbiota.
in Nature communications
Oyama LB
(2022)
In silico identification of two peptides with antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
in NPJ biofilms and microbiomes
Mulkern AJ
(2022)
Microbiome-derived antimicrobial peptides offer therapeutic solutions for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.
in NPJ biofilms and microbiomes
| Description | This grant was a partnership award allowing travel between the partners to aid collaboration through further funding. We subsequently obtained a Newton Royal Society grant to mine microbial communities for antimicrobial resistance genes and mine and develop novel antimicrobial compounds within these communities, which ended 3 years ago. We found the existence of numerous drug resistance genes in the microbial communities within the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants as well as discovering that they posses hundreds of novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). We have subsequently developed these aMPs for application in the treatment of livestock diseases, particularly bovine mastitis. We are currently completing small scale preliminary work to check their efficacy against sub-clinical bovine mastitis and subject to the results hope to follow on with more substantial funding aiding larger scale experiments. This grant and the follow-on Newton Royal Society grant resulted in all the publications noted with more to be completed. We have also exchanged staff and students since obtaining this grant which have aided development of the publications, one of which is in the prestigious journal Nature Communications. Therefore this partnering award had=s and continues to spark much impact between the partners. |
| Exploitation Route | Sequences obtained are deposited in publicly available databases so available to all. The publications also aid scientific understanding. Last not least we are developing some of the novel antimicrobials for commercial use in the livestock sector. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Data has been communicated to public on many occasions through popular articles and talks. Data has been communicated under confidentiality agreements to appropriate companies to seek licensing agreements. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Education |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | DFE studentship: Understanding the rumen microbiome |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Department for Education |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2017 |
| End | 09/2020 |
| Description | ERA net Gas Co-fund |
| Amount | £1,500,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 10/2017 |
| End | 09/2020 |
| Description | EU Horizon2020 |
| Amount | € 11,000,000 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | Horizon 2020 |
| Organisation | European Union |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2023 |
| Description | FACCE ERA GAS |
| Amount | € 2,000,000 (EUR) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 02/2020 |
| End | 01/2023 |
| Description | Invest Northern Ireland Development of microbiome-derived antimicrobial peptides |
| Amount | £126,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Invest Northern Ireland |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2018 |
| End | 10/2020 |
| Description | One health approach to the understanding of the agricultural contribution to antimicrobial resistance |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2018 |
| End | 09/2022 |
| Description | PhD studentship |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of York |
| Department | Department of Education |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2018 |
| End | 08/2022 |
| Description | Plant-based solutions to integrate livestock disease control, nutrition and environmental sustainability in Africa |
| Amount | £1,128,779 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S014748/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2019 |
| End | 03/2021 |
| Description | Science Foundation Ireland |
| Amount | £2,500,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | Ireland |
| Start | 02/2020 |
| End | 01/2023 |
| Description | AMP lung mouse model work |
| Organisation | University of British Columbia |
| Country | Canada |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We own the antimicrobial peptides (patent pending) and have many grants including this Newton grant to further the development of these. |
| Collaborator Contribution | we met the partner who is very renound in antimicrobial peptide research in a Gordons conference in Italy. He offered to complete some mouse Pseudomonas infection model work for our peptides for free for co-authorship and future collaboration. |
| Impact | This collaboration ended as the collaborator insisted on owning IP. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | AMP mechanism of action |
| Organisation | Aix-Marseille University |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We own the antimicrobial peptides and have many funding streams including this Newton fund to understand and develop this compounds. We met the partner in a conference in France and he had expertise in terms of mechanism of action technologies which we have not set up in Aberystwyth. Therefore the partner under MTA and CDA agreements has conducted this aspect of the work for us, giving in-kind contribution in return for co-authorship and future collaboration. |
| Collaborator Contribution | As noted above we met the partner in a conference in France and he had expertise in terms of mechanism of action technologies which we have not set up in Aberystwyth. Therefore the partner under MTA and CDA agreements has conducted this aspect of the work for us, giving in-kind contribution in return for co-authorship and future collaboration. |
| Impact | Two co-authored publications so far and more in the pipeline. Exchange of PhD students has also occurred last year (2018). |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Antimicrobial peptide synthesis and modification |
| Organisation | St George's Hospital |
| Department | Orthopaedics |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| PI Contribution | We asked Kai Hilpert to become one of our collaborators on the project and the post-doc assigned to this project spent a month in his lab learning peptide synthesis techniques |
| Collaborator Contribution | Kai has provided us with many peptides at very low cost (1/3 of the cost it would be to get them made commercially) and provided some training and valuable suggestions. |
| Impact | We have 2 joint papers |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | British poultry council |
| Organisation | British Poultry Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | In collaboration with the British Poultry Council we have been testing our novel antimicrobial peptides against a life threatening poultry protozoal parasite, Histomonas meleagridis. We obtained internal funding alongside British Poultry Council funding (£22,000) to this studentship which started in 2016. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They have provided samples for initial testing and the studentship was funded to the value of £22,000. |
| Impact | Initial testing of our antimicrobial peptides against Histomonas PhD studentship |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Huws Mantovani collaboration |
| Organisation | Federal University of Viçosa |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The original partnering award is between Drs Huws and Mantovani. Post the first visit by Dr Huws and colleagues to Visosa in july 2014 Drs Huws and Mantovani (alongside other colleagues as Co-Is) have submitted 2 further grants to RCUK-Confap (one was successful-the newton grant). The grants have been written by myself and Dr Mantovani. Dr Mantovani has send 2 MSc students and 1 post-doctoral scientist to work with Dr Huws. Likewise a post-doctoral scientist from the Huws lab also spent 2 weeks with Dr Mantovani. Huws and Mantovani have published numerous publications from this collaboration, including one in Nature Communications. Huws and Mantovani are now awaiting a response on a Newton impact fund to develop their novel antimicrobial peptides for treatment of bovine mastitis in partnership with RAFT solutions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The grants have been written by myself and Dr Mantovani. Exchange of staff from both groups has occurred, thus increasing cross-fertilization of ideas and enhanced training. Both the Newton grant and the BBSRC partnering grant have now finished and both partners are seeking opportunities for further fruitful collaboration. |
| Impact | Many publications are now publisged, including one last year in Nature Communications. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Neem Biotech |
| Organisation | NeemBiotech |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Neem Biotech are sponsoring a PhD studentship centred on work that has arisen from the Newton-RCUK funding which resulted from this BBSRC Brazil partnering award. We are working closely with Neem to try and further understand the novel antimicrobials isolated rom the rumen microbiome and to increase the likelihood of commercialisation. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Neem biotech provide financial and in kind support. They also meet with us on a monthly basis for project updates and to input advice from a commercial perspective. |
| Impact | The partnership started October, 2015 therefore it is early days but outcomes and impact will likely be apparent in the next year or two. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Newbold Shingfield grant |
| Organisation | Federal University of Viçosa |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Professor Jamie Newbold and Kevin Shingfield attended the workshop held in Visosa in July as part of this grant. Subsequently they have worked closely with Edenio Dentman and submitted 2 grants to RCUK-Confap to strengthen the collaboration (awaiting outcome). This collaboration has occurred due to this grant and my involevemnet was to bring the partners together for discussion. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Brazilian partners held the workshop and help write the subsequent grant proposals that arose from this workshop. |
| Impact | None as yet. Sadly Prof Kevin Shingfield passed away during the project also. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Novabiotics |
| Organisation | NovaBiotics Ltd, UK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Main company in the UK involved in licensing antimicrobial peptides. Under a confidentiality agreement and material transfer agreement, we have sent them our novel peptides for testing against fungal pathogens |
| Collaborator Contribution | TSome of our AMPs have shown potent anti-fungal acitivities after testing in novabiotics. Novabiotics do not license but have collaborated with us since our initial discussions to enhance our data and support grant applications. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | stability antimicrobial peptides |
| Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Under confidentiality and material transfer agreements we sent Dr Fionnula Lundy our antimicrobial peptides to test stability. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They have tested the stability of our antimicrobial peptides and provided useful data to guide future modifications |
| Impact | Data exchange and ideas for future collaboration |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Balmoral show general public outreach event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Balmoral show general public outreach event. Organised an outreach event for the general public and children to enhance understanding of the research area. Activities for children included clay modelling of rumen microbes, DNA extraction etc. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | ITN productions Royal Society for Biology media production |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | ITN productions Royal Society for Biology media production to promote the reasrch area and activities within Queens University, Belfast. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Invited panel member |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | WAs involved in a panel discussion in the Kiasco Animal Microbiome conference in London on the future of livestock MIcrobiome Research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited speaker Sea-climate conference Teagasc, Republic of Ireland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker Sea-climate conference Teagasc, Republic of Ireland. Tlk entitled 'Exploitation of the faecal microbiome of North Ronaldsay algae-eating sheep. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Keynote speaker for Molecular microbial ecology group conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote speaker for Molecular microbial ecology group conference. Talk entitled 'The rumen microbiome: A pandora's box for novel antimicrobials'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Keynote talk British Society of Animal science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote talk at British Society for Animal Science conference. Talk entitled 'Understanding the role of the rumen microbiome in animal phenotype'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Keynote talk for Microbiology Society 'Microbiomes underpinning agriculture' conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote talk for Microbiology Society 'Microbiomes underpinning agriculture' conference entitled 'The rumen microbiome and it's role in animal phenotype |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Keynote talk for Microbiology Society conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote talk for Microbiology Society conference entitled 'Ecological interactionswithin the rumen microbiome play an importnat role in animal phenotype'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Rumen Microbial Genomics network talk as part of the GGAA conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gave a talk on the future of ruminant research in the Rumen Microbial Genomics network meeting aligned to the GGAA conference in Brazil. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | School engagement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Microbiology school event sponsored by microbiology society held in Strathhearn preparotory school, Northern Ireland. The event was to raise awareness of microbes will live on us and in the environment to prim Ary school children |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | School outreach |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Visit to Strathearn School, Northern Ireland to conduct microbiology activities. This school is a girls only school therefore the main aim was to promote STEM subjects to girls. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Seminar given on our research in teh ruminant microbiome area in AgResearch, New Zealand. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Talk given in an industry led conference on animal microbiomes |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Talk on the turkey gut micro biome in an industry led conference on turkey production. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Talk China symposium on Ruminant Physiology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited as a guest speaker for the Chinese meeting on Ruminant physiology in Nanjing agricultural university, China. Spoke about our previously funded BBSRC research on plant-microbe interactions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Talk in the Chinese Academy of Sciences conference in Nanjing University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Talk in the Chinese Academy of Sciences conference in Nanjing University entitled 'Towards a greater understanding of the rumen microbiome |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |