AFC Summer 2001

Held at Newcastle University

July 2001

Newcastle Mini symposium

New antimycobacterial agents, related to thiolactomycin
David E. Minnikin

Galactan biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Identification of a bifunctional UDP-galactofuranosyltransferase
Lynn Dover

Biochemical characterisation of acyl carrier protein (AcpM) and  malonyl-CoA:AcpM transacylase (mtFabD), two major components of  Mycobacterium tuberculosis fatty acid synthase II
K. Madhavan Nampoothiri:

Ppm1, a prenol monophospho-mannose synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Gurdyal S. Besra

Session 1

Construction  and application of a gene-specific whole genome DNA microarray for M. tuberculosis
J Hinds¹, JA Mangan¹, KG Laing¹, H Al-Ghusein¹, NG Stoker², JK Vass³, RS Buxton⁴, MJ Colston⁴, PD Butcher¹. ¹St George’s Hospital Medical School, London. ²London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London. ³Beatson Institute, Glasgow. ⁴NIMR, Mill Hill, London

Molecular investigation of the role the 34 kDa protein plays in the virulence of M. a. partatuberculosis
Darragh Heaslip, Karen Stevenson, Johnjoe McFadden* and J Michael Sharp.  Moredun Research Institute and *University of Surrey

The molecular analysis of Mycobacterium bovis (MTB) DNA from a family of 18th Century Hungarians
Fletcher HA, Donoghue HD, Taylor  GM, van der Zander AGM and Spigelman M. Department of Medical Microbiology, UCL

Session 2

Inositol metabolism in mycobacteria: Genetic and structural studies
Neil Stoker and Farah Movahedzadeh, LSHTM

CD4+ and CD8+ T cells kill intracellular M. tuberculosis by a perforin and FAS/FASL independent mechanism
DH Canaday*, RJ Wilkinson¹*, Q Li*, CV Harding¹, RF Silver*, WH Boom*. ¹Wellcome Centre for Clinical Tropical Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, London.  *Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio.

What is the function of OmpATb, a pore-forming protein of M. tuberculosis?
Philip Draper, Catherine Raynaud, Jo Colston and Richard Speight (NIMR, Mill Hill)

Session 3

What is Mycobacterium microti? Analysis of genomic variation using microarrays
C Cunha Frota, M J Colston, L Rickman, D Hunt R Buxton, NIMR, Mill Hill.  P Butcher, J Hinds St George’s Medical School, London.  D Van Soolingen, RIVM, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

A family of autocrine growth factors in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
GV Mukamolova, OA Turapov, DI Young, SL Hardy, AS Kaprelyants, DB Kell, M Young.  Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth

How does M. tuberculosis ensure efficient transcription of ribosomal RNA?
Kristine Arnvig, B. Gopal, R A Cox, K G Papavinasasundaram, M J Colston. NIMR, Mill Hill, London

A large outbreak of tuberculosis in a Leicester school
D. Modha, P Monk, L Coole, G Bryant.  Dept of Public Health, Leicestershire Health Authority

AFC Winter 1998

Held at the National Institute for Medical Research, London

January 8th 1998

Scientific Programme

Session 1

Interactions between mycobacteria and macrophages: changes in expression of genes in oxidative metabolism and apoptosis
Ragno S, Jenner P and Colston MJ. The National Institute of Medical Research, London

Mycobacterial mutants defective in oxygen-limited stationary phase survival
Keer JT and Williams HD. Imperial College, London

Dormancy and Social resuscitation- the identification of a molecular wake-up call
Kell DB, Mukamolova G, Kaprelyants A , Danielle Young and Mike Young. University of Aberystwyth

The strengths and weaknesses of 16S rRNA sequencing in mycobacterial systematics
Goodfellow M, Magee JG, Ward AC and Mhen H-S. University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and PHLS Newcastle

Molecular fingerprinting: the Mycobacterium malmoense story, so far
Magee JG, Shojaei H, Freeman R and Goodfellow M. PHLS Newcastle and University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Regulation of mycobacterial promoters
McBride AJA, Eales L-J, Dale JW and McFadden JJ. University of Surrey

Vaccinia expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigen 85 and ESAT-6 secreted proteins: tissue plasminogen activator signal sequence enhances expression and immunogenicity
Malin AS, Huygen K, Content J, Mackett M, Brandt L, Andersen P and Dockrell HM. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Session 2

Chemokine networks in pulmonary tuberculosis
Friedland J. Imperial College School of Medicine at Hammersmith, London

Investigation of human immunity to tuberculosis: development of a whole blood killing assay
Kampmann B, Ó Goara P, Snewin V, Levin M and Douglas Young, Imperial College School of Medicine at St Mary’s, London

The first clinical study of rifapentine/isoniazid in continuation phase treatment, carried out in Hong Kong
Mitchison DA, Tam CM, Chan SL, Lam CW, Leung CC, Kam KM and Norris JS. St Georges Hospital Medical School, London

Two unusual patients with asthma requiring treatment with steroids, and chronic pulmonary infection with M. xenopi. The clinical and immunological outcomes following immunotherapy
Thapa N, Stanford J. University College London Medical School

Characteristics of protective T cells after DNA vaccination or tuberculosis infection in mice
Lowrie DB. The National Institute of Medical Research, London

AFC Summer 1997

Held at the Sanger Centre, Cambridge

July 17th-18th 1997

Scientific Programme

Session 1
The involvement of the Wellcome Trust in bacterial genome sequencing
John Stephenson. Wellcome Trust

Sequencing of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome
Bart Barrell. Sanger Centre

Analysis of mycobacterial genomes
Stewart Cole. Institut Pasteur, Paris

Use of whole genome sequence of Haemophilus influenzae to investigate the biology of LPS
Richard Moxon. IMM, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford

Session 2

From genomics to targets and vaccines
Ken Duncan. Glaxo Wellcome, Stevenage

Comparative genome sequencing the pstS operon of Mycobacterium intracellulare, M.leprae and M.tuberculosis
Harry Thangaraj. RPMS, Hammersmith, London

A genome-wide search for genes involved in host susceptibility to human tuberculosis
R Bellamy et al. WellcomeTrust for Human Genomics, Oxford ; MRC, Gambia

Glycosyltransferases in mycobacteria: polyprenol-phosphomannose biosynthesis as an entry point
Paul R Wheeler. LSHTM, London

Use of yeast genome information
Johannes Hegemann. Justus-Liebig-Univ., Giessen, Germany

Session 3

Mycobacterial systematics: strengths and weaknesses of 16S rRNA sequencing
John Magee & Mike Goodfellow. PHLS, Newcastle upon Tyne

A porin-like gene of M. tuberculosis
R Senaratne et al. NIMR, London

Proteome analysis of microbial pathogens: applications and challenges
David O’Connor. Southampton University

Workshop 1: Bioinformatics

Lead Speaker: To be arranged

Antibiotic resistance: efflux genes in M. tuberculosis
Marian Blokpoel. Imperial College, London

Identification of MPT53, a novel secreted antigen of M. tuberculosis
Steve Michell. CVL, Weybridge

Finding families for orphan genes
Mark Pallen. Imperial College, London

Identification of potentially glycosylated mycobacterial lipoproteins
R Delahay. Imperial College, London

The WHO synthetic peptide initiative for new leprosy skin test reagents- the use of bioinformatics
To be arranged

Open discussion and short informal presentations

Workshop 2: Gene Function

Lead Speaker: Douglas Young. Imperial College, London

A novel approach to the trapping of activated promoters; promoter self-amplification
G Bachrach. NIMR, London

Upregulation of the M. tuberculosis haemoglobin-like hmp gene mRNA during entry into dormancy
A Coates. St Georges, London

Proteome maps from M. tuberculosis during infection
PD Butcher. St Georges, London

Open discussion and short informal presentations

Plenary session

Report back and discussion Panel
Jo Colston (chair), John Stephenson, Neil Stoker, Jeremy Dale, Douglas Young

Summary
Jo Colston

AFC Winter 1997

Held at The Royal London Hospital

January 31st 1997

Scientific Programme

Session 1

Clinical problems of tuberculosis control in East London
Bothamley, G. and Cotton, M. Homerton Hospital

The molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis in HIV positive and negative populations in Northern Tanzania
Gillespie, S.M., Ramsay,A.R.C., Uiso, L., Ironogo, C.H, Ipuge, M.H, Dickens, A., Newport, L.E. and McHugh, T.D. Royal Free Hospital, Kibongoto TB Hospital, and TB and Leprosy Control Programme, Tanzania

Stationary phase survival in mycobacteria
Williams, H.D. Imperial College, London

Unusual morphology of mycobacteria cultured under microaerobic and anaerobic conditions
Cunningham, A.F. and Spreadbury, C.L. University of Birmingham

T cell responses to a mixture of M. tuberculosis peptides with complementary HLA-DR binding profiles
Jurzevic, S., Wilkinson, R.J., Hills, A., Pasvol, G, Davidson, R.N. and Ivanyi, J. Hammersmith Hospital, and Northwick Park Hospital

A longitudinal study of in vitro cytotoxic T cell and IFNg responses of tuberculosis patients in The Gambia
Turner, J. and Dockrell, H.M. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Session 2

IS6110 evolution in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Forbes, K. and Fang, Z. Aberdeen University

Transposition of IS6110 in Mycobacterium smegmatis
Ghanekar, K., Wall, S., Dale, J. and McFadden, J.J. University of Surrey

Glucocorticoids and acute pulmonary tuberculosis: a clue to pathogenesis
Baker, R.W., Shaw, R.J., Rook, G.A.W., Zumla, A., Lightman, S., Walker, B. and Honour, J.
St. Mary’s Hospital and Middlesex Hospital, University College London, Bristol University and Edinburgh University

Aspects of recA expression in mycobacteria
Davis, E.O., Movahedzadeh, F., Papavinasundaram, K., Thomas, N., Jenner, P.J., Brooks, P.C. and Colston, M.J. National Institute of Medical Research. London

Studies on phage infection in mycobacteria utilising iron compounds to inactivate the macrophage
McNerney, R., Harley, V., Sidu, A., Stupple, A., Tovey, G., Parish, T. and Stoker, N. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Epidemiological surveillance of tuberculosis in East London and The City
O’Sullivan, J. Homerton Hospital