Email: jeff.errington@newcastle.ac.uk

Research profile and key clinical specialties

Cell division, chromosome segregation, and the control of cell shape are some of the most fundamental problems in biology. The Errington lab uses an array of biochemical, genetic and microscopic methods to study these problems in a range of bacteria, including important pathogens.

We also collaborate with Demuris Ltd, an antibiotic discovery company, in finding inhibitors of some of the essential cell processes we study, which might be turned into novel antibiotics. The compounds we look for are made by actinomycetes, a fascinating group of bacteria that make many of our current antibiotics and other drugs, and have amazing biology and life cycles.

Finally, we study cell wall deficient or ‘L-form’ bacteria and have described the molecular basis for their growth and proliferation. These curious organisms are interesting for three very fundamental reasons.

First, they are good models for primordial cells of interest to thinking about the origins of cellular life. Second, they can be used in innovative ways as ‘œchassis’ for synthetic biology applications. Third, they are probably important in a range of chronic, persistent or recurrent infections, such as urinary tract infections.

Two key publications Mercier

• R, Kawai Y, Errington J. (2014) General principles for the formation and proliferation of a wall-free (L-form) state in bacteria. eLife 04629.
• Kawai Y, Mercier R, Wu LJ, Dominguez-Cuevas P, Oshima T, Errington J. (2015) Cell growth of wall-free L-form bacteria is limited by oxidative damage. Curr Biol. 25, 1613- 1618.

Possible PhD projects

• Molecular mechanisms of the L-Form (cell wall deficient) transition in chronic urinary tract infection. Small molecule effectors made by mycetoma organisms.

More information

I have successfully trained 20 (of 21) graduate students to PhD level. My lab is funded by Wellcome Trust and European Research Council.

Keywords: Chromosome, biology, biochemical, genetic, antibiotic, actinomycetes, organisms, primordial, urinary, tract, infections, Jeff, Erington, Newcastle

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