(QU) MICROBIOLOGY

The division focuses on basic organisms in aquatic ecosystems, where both microalgae, bacteria and fungi play an important role. Research in blue-biome science and technology focuses on basic organisms in aquatic ecosystems, where both microalgae, bacteria and fungi play an important role, as well as how these organisms individually or in ecological societies interact.

Bacteria are found everywhere: in clouds and raindrops, on tree leaves, in soil and oceans, on and in our body. Unlike eukaryotes, bacterial evolution comprises both vertical and horizontal components. Recombination at the species level plays a role in selective sweeps through the population, while inter-species lateral gene transfer (LGT) has important implications to microbial adaptation and evolutionary transformations. In our research we study molecular and genome evolution of microbial genomes.

The research of the group focuses on understanding the interaction between one of the most important human pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, and human skin.

The main research focus is based on:

Dr Mariusz Grinholc, Assistant Professor at Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology at University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk in Poland. Was born on 16 June 1980. In the years 1995 - 1999 attended the Salesian High School, and then took up studies at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, which graduated with honors in 2004.

Our research is mostly focused on the development of new antimicrobial approaches to address the issue of bacterial infections in agriculture, as well as problem of multi-drug resistance in human and veterinary medicine. Currently we concentrate on the three major research areas:

1. Nanomaterials for treatment and prevention of infectious diseases.

Our research focuses on understanding the plant-bacteria interaction in the plant rhizosphere. Our goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms i) involved in plant-bacteria interactions, including adhesion and biofilm formation; ii) determining antimicrobial activity of the plant associated-bacteria. We are interested in bacterial cell-to-cell communication (quorum sensing, QS).

Genomic and phenomic-oriented studies on soft rot Pectobacteriaceae (especially Dickeya solani and Pectobacterium parmentieri) aiming for revealing molecular mechanisms responsible for their virulence or reevaluation of their taxonomy.

Collection of Plasmids and Microorganisms (KPD) is a newly established resource at the Faculty of Biology dedicated to collecting and long-term preservation of plasmids and microorganisms, aiming to foster advanced collection management of biological material and consolidate microbial resources previously dispersed among several university labs.

The Microbial Ecology and Biodiversity Laboratory (LUBEM, UR n ° 3882) is a research laboratory at the University of Western Brittany specializing in the study of biodiversity and the ecology of microorganisms, mainly in agriculture, food industry and environment.

The LUBEM laboratory has 2 applicative axes:

• Ecosystems with fungal components (molds and yeasts).

• Risks associated with spore forming bacteria.

The main objective of our research group is to exploit properties of Prokaryotes that thrive in extreme habitats for potential biotech applications. Enzymes being in our focus such as Enzymes such as DNA replication/transcription enzymes, DNA/RNA ligases, nucleases, SSB proteins, helicases, recombinases constitute primary targets to advance the knowledge on genome plasticity, maintenance and evolution.