Staff Profile:Professor Simon Andrews

Name:

Professor Simon Andrews

Job Title:

Academic/Head of Biomedical Sciences, AMS Building

Responsibilities:

Head of Biomedical Studies

Areas of Interest:

Iron-regulation and virulence in E. coli and Salmonella. Iron is an essential trace element and an important factor in pathogenicity. E. coli and Salmonella possess multiple iron storage and acquisition systems. Our studies are focused on the roles and mechanisms of the iron-storage proteins of these organisms, and their contribution to pathogenicity. áWe have used DNA arrays to identify iron-controlled genes, and are currently investigating the roles of a number of novel potential iron transport systems.

DcuS-DcuR - a two-component sensor-regulator. DcuS-DcuR of E. coli is an interesting two-component sensor-regulator under study in our laboratory. It appears to possess two sensory input domains, one in the periplasm that senses external C4-dicarboxylates (e.g. fumarate and succinate), and another 'PAS' domain in the cytosol that is of unknown function. We are studying the function of the PAS domain, the extent of the DcuSR regulon, and the role of DcuSR in regulating transport. á

Hydrogenase-4. Hydrogenases interconvert H₂ and H⁺ and are used to produce energy in many microorganisms. Our work led to the discovery of a 4th hydrogenase (Hydrogenase-4 or Hyd-4) in E. coli. This enzyme appears to be composed of 10 subunits and multiple metal-containing redox centres. It is encoded by a 12-gene operon (hyfABCDEFGHIJR-focB) that also encodes a sigma54-dependent transcriptional activator (HyfR) and a potential foramate transporter (FocB). Our studies are aimed at determining the function of Hyd-4, and the associated regulator and transporter. á

Functional genomics in E. coli. The E. coli genome contains 4,288 protein-encoding genes of which ~33% (1,400) are of unknown function. We are studying the functions of ~60 highly conserved Unidentified Open-Reading Frames (cURFs) in E. coli through a programme of gene-knockout and phenotypic analysis. Many of these genes are likely to have important and possibly novel functions. á

The di-Mn catalase of Thermus thermophilus. T. thermophilus is a thermophilic bacterium that grows optimally at 60-70^oC. It possesses an unusual di-Mn containing catalase that is highly abundant and appears to be required for normal growth. The structure of the enzyme has been solved at high resolution and we are involved in investigating the structural-functional properties of the enzyme through protein engineering, and we are also interested in further examining redox-stress resistance in T. thermophilus.

Bacterial Iron Homeostasis

Research groups / Centres:

Microbiology research group

Publications:

Y

Jump to: 2011 | 2010 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003

Number of items: 26.

2011

• Charoenwong, D., Andrews, S. and Mackey, B. (2011) Role of rpoS in the Development of Cell Envelope Resilience and Pressure Resistance in Stationary-Phase Escherichia coli. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77 (15). pp. 5220-5229. ISSN 0099-2240 doi: 10.1128/AEM.00648-11
• Andrews, S. C. (2011) Making DNA without iron: induction of a manganese-dependent ribonucleotide reductase in response to iron starvation. Molecular Microbiolog, 80 (2). pp. 286-289. ISSN 1365-2958 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07594.x
• Yasmin, S., Andrews, S. C., Moore, G. R. and Le Brun, N. E. (2011) A new role for heme, facilitating release of iron from the bacterioferritin iron biomineral. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 286 (5). pp. 3473-3483. ISSN 1083-351X doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.175034
• Altonsy, M. O. and Andrews, S. C. (2011) Diallyl disulphide, a beneficial component of garlic oil, causes a redistribution of cell-cycle growth phases, induces apoptosis and enhances butyrate-induced apoptosis in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29). Nutrition and Cancer, 63 (7). pp. 1104-1113. ISSN 1532-7914 doi: 10.1080/01635581.2011.601846
• Cornelis, P., Wei, Q., Andrews, S. C. and Vinckx, T. (2011) Iron homeostasis and management of oxidative stress response in bacteria. Metallomics: integrated biometal science, 3 (6). pp. 540-549. ISSN 1756-591X doi: 10.1039/C1MT00022E

2010

• Andrews, S. C. (2010) The Ferritin-like superfamily: evolution of the biological iron storeman from a rubrerythrin-like ancestor. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-General Subjects, 1800 (8). pp. 691-705. ISSN 0304-4165 doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2010.05.010
• Rajasekaran, M. B., Mitchell, S. A., Gibson, T. M., Hussain, R., Siligardi, G., Andrews, S. C. and Watson, K. A. (2010) Isolation and characterisation of EfeM, a periplasmic component of the putative EfeUOBM iron transporter of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 398 (3). pp. 366-371. ISSN 0006-291X doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.06.072
• Cornelis, P. and Andrews, S. C., eds. (2010) Iron Uptake and Homeostasis in Microorganisms. Caister Academic Press, Norfolk, UK, pp302. ISBN 9781904455653
• Altonsy, M. O., Andrews, S. C. and Tuohy, K. M. (2010) Differential induction of apoptosis in human colonic carcinoma cells (Caco-2) by Atopobium, and commensal, probiotic and enteropathogenic bacteria: mediation by the mitochondrial pathway. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 137 (2-3). pp. 190-203. ISSN 0168-1605 doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2009.11.015
• Nandal, A., Huggins, C. C. O., Woodhall, M. R., McHugh, J., Rodríguez-Quiñones, F., Quail, M. A., Guest, J. R. and Andrews, S. C. (2010) Induction of the ferritin gene (ftnA) of Escherichia coli by Fe2+–Fur is mediated by reversal of H-NS silencing and is RyhB independent. Molecular Microbiology, 75 (3). pp. 637-657. ISSN 0950-382X doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2009.06977.x
• Rajasekaran, M. B., Nilapwar, S., Andrews, S. C. and Watson, K. A. (2010) EfeO-cupredoxins: major new members of the cupredoxin superfamily with roles in bacterial iron transport. BioMetals, 23 (1). pp. 1-17. ISSN 0966-0844 doi: 10.1007/s10534-009-9262-z

2008

• Bamford, V. A., Armour, M., Mitchell, S. A., Cartron, M., Andrews, S. C. and Watson, K. A. (2008) Preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of YqjH from Escherichia coli: a putative cytoplasmic ferri-siderophore reductase. Acta Crystallographica Section F-Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications, 64 (9). pp. 792-796. ISSN 1744-3091 doi: 10.1107/S174430910802352X
• Baba-Dikwa, A., Thompson, D., Spencer, N. J., Andrews, S. C. and Watson, K. A. (2008) Overproduction, purification and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of YncE, an iron-regulated Sec-dependent periplasmic protein from Escherichia coli. Acta Crystallographica Section F-Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications, 64. pp. 966-969. ISSN 1744-3091 doi: 10.1107/s1744309108029515

2007

• Cao, J., Woodhall, M. R., Alvarez, J., Cartron, M. L. and Andrews, S. C. (2007) EfeUOB (YcdNOB) is a tripartite, acid-induced and CpxAR-regulated, low-pH Fe2+ transporter that is cryptic in Escherichia coli K-12 but functional in E-coli O157 : H7. Molecular Microbiology, 65 (4). pp. 857-875. ISSN 0950-382X doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.05802.x
• Cartron, M. L., Mitchell, S., Woodhall, M. R., Andrews, S. C. and Watson, K. A. (2007) Preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of YcdB from Escherichia coli: a novel haem-containing and Tat-secreted periplasmic protein with a potential role in iron transport. Acta Crystallographica Section F-Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications, 63. pp. 37-41. ISSN 1744-3091 doi: 10.1107/s174430910604509x
• Batley, C., Abed, N., Kersaudy, C. and Andrews, S. C. (2007) Protein-protein interactions between iron-storage proteins in Escherichia coli. American Journal of Hematology, 82 (6). p. 603. ISSN 0361-8609
• Armour, M., Cartron, M. L., Mitchell, S. A., Bamford, V. A., Watson, K. A. and Andrews, S. C. (2007) YqjH: a novel cytopolasmic siderophore reductase found in eschericia coli. American Journal of Hematology, 82 (6). p. 582. ISSN 0361-8609

2006

• Cartron, M. L., Maddocks, S., Gillingham, P., Craven, C. J. and Andrews, S. C. (2006) Feo - Transport of ferrous iron into bacteria. Biometals, 19 (2). pp. 143-157. ISSN 0966-0844 doi: 10.1007/s10534-006-0003-2
• Cartron, M. L., Maddocks, S., Gillingham, P., Craven, C. J. and Andrews, S. C. (2006) Feo-transport of ferrous iron into bacteria. BioMetals, 19 (2). pp. 143-57. ISSN 0966-0844 doi: 10.1007/s10534-006-0003-2

2005

• Schilling, O., Ruggeberg, S., Vogel, A., Rittner, N., Weichert, S., Schmidt, S., Doig, S., Franz, T., Benes, V., Andrews, S. C., Baum, M. and Meyer-Klaucke, W. (2005) Characterization of an Escherichia coli elaC deletion mutant (vol 320, pg 1365, 2004). Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 327 (1). p. 371. ISSN 0006-291X doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.12.007
• Bou-Abdallah, F., Woodhall, M. R., Velazquez-Campoy, A., Andrews, S. C. and Chasteen, N. D. (2005) Thermodynamic analysis of ferrous ion binding to Escherichia coli ferritin EcFtnA. Biochemistry, 44 (42). pp. 13837-13846. ISSN 0006-2960 doi: 10.1021/bi0514212

2004

• Schilling, O., Ruggeberg, S., Vogel, A., Rittner, N., Weichert, S., Schmidt, S., Doig, S., Franz, T., Benes, V., Andrews, S. C., Baum, M. and Meyer-Klaucke, W. (2004) Characterization of an escherichia coli elaC deletion mutant. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 320 (4). pp. 1365-1373. ISSN 0006-291X doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.05.227
• Abo-Amer, A. E., Munn, J., Jackson, K., Aktas, M., Golby, P., Kelly, D. J. and Andrews, S. C. (2004) DNA interaction and phosphotransfer of the C-4-dicarboxylate-responsive DcuS-DcuR two-component regulatory system from Escherichia coli. Journal of Bacteriology, 186 (6). pp. 1879-1889. ISSN 0021-9193 doi: 10.1128/jb.186.6.1879-1889.2004

2003

• Andrews, S. C., Robinson, A. K. and Rodriguez-Quinones, F. (2003) Bacterial iron homeostasis. Fems Microbiology Reviews, 27 (2-3). pp. 215-237. ISSN 0168-6445 doi: 10.1016/s0168-6445(03)00055-x
• McHugh, J. P., Rodriguez-Quinones, F., Abdul-Tehrani, H., Svistunenko, D. A., Poole, R. K., Cooper, C. E. and Andrews, S. C. (2003) Global iron-dependent gene regulation in Escherichia coli - A new mechanism for iron homeostasis. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278 (32). pp. 29478-29486. ISSN 1083-351X doi: 10.1074/jbc.M303381200
• Stillman, T. J., Connolly, P. P., Latimer, C. L., Morland, A. F., Quail, M. A., Andrews, S. C., Treffry, A., Guest, J. R., Artymiuk, P. J. and Harrison, P. M. (2003) Insights into the effects on metal binding of the systematic substitution of five key glutamate ligands in the ferritin of Escherichia coli. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278 (28). pp. 26275-26286. ISSN 1083-351X doi: 10.1074/jbc.M207354200

This list was generated on Fri May 25 00:25:04 2012 BST.

 

Recent publications

Nandal, A., Huggins, C.C.O., Woodhall, M.R., McHugh, J., Rodríguez-Quiñones, F., Quail, M.A., Guest, J.R., and Andrews, S.C. (2010) Induction of the ferritin gene (ftnA) of Escherichia coli by Fe²⁺-Fur is mediated by reversal of H-NS silencing and is RyhB independent. Mol. Microbiol. 75, 637-657.

Altonsy, M.O., Andrews, S.C., and Tuohy, K. (2010) Differential induction of apoptosis in human colonic carcinoma cells (Caco-2) by Atopobium, and commensal, probiotic and enteropathogenic bacteria: mediation by the mitochondrial pathway. Int. J. Food Microbiol. (2010) 137, 190-203.