Grup de Recerca en Microbiologia - UIB

Sobre Nosotros

Advances in genome and pangenome based studies of environmentally and clinically relevant microorganisms, including Mycobacterium, Legionella and Pseudomonas.

Historia

Along the genomic projects, we expect increase our knowledge on the following aspects:

1. Determination of the core genes of the different species comprising its genetic “backbone”, together with the remaining accessory genes, which defines their adaptation to different habitats, determining the ecotypes of the species;

2. Its use for proteomic studies, defining the transcriptome;

3. Study of the genomic plasticity, rearrangements of genes, plasmid integrations and deletions, especially under stress conditions. The design and use of microarrays or transcriptome Next Generation Sequencing methods will be very helpful.

4. The genome sequence will facilitate the analysis of the interaction between the corresponding bacterial strain and the environment, through in vivo expression technology;

5. Understanding the transformation ability of the species to capture genes from the environment, and to gain new physiological properties;

6. Assessment of the potential function as a shuttle for controlled introduction of genes into target environments;
Genome sequencing will provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of lateral gene transfer in natural environments.

Mycobacterium

The Rapid Growing Mycobacteria (RGM) or Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM), are widely distributed in the environment and some of them are considered as emerging opportunistic pathogens. Nosocomial infections caused by RGM are usually difficult to treat as a consequence of the resistance to antibiotics or other external factors. Genomic approaches, together with the derived pan genome analysis of these microorganisms, are expected to open new insights to better understand the adaptation to different ecological niches, including the human body.

Pseudomonas

Bacteria belonging to the Pseudomonas group are common inhabitants of soil and water and can also be found on the surfaces of plants and animals. Pseudomonas bacteria are found in nature in a biofilm or in planktonic form. In the latter form the single cell can display an extremely high motility due to its polar flagella. Pseudomonas bacteria are renowned for their metabolic versatility as they can grow under a variety of growth conditions and do not need any organic growth factors. Typically they are plant pathogens, although several strains are pathogenic to humans.

Pseudomonas stutzeri is a nonfluorescent denitrifying bacterium widely distributed in the environment, and it has also been isolated as an opportunistic pathogen from humans. Over the past 20 years, much progress has been made in elucidating the taxonomy of this diverse taxonomical group, demonstrating the clonality of its populations. The species has received much attention because of its particular metabolic properties: it has been proposed as a model organism for denitrification studies; many strains have natural transformation properties, making it relevant for study of the transfer of genes in the environment; several strains are able to fix dinitrogen; and others participate in the degradation of pollutants or interact with toxic metals.