Scientists map genetic code of deadly bacteria

Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have helped to map the genetic make-up of a deadly form of bacteria known to exist in powdered baby formula.

The team says that its work could reduce the possibility and risk of infections among newborn babies, along with the development of new and suitable treatments.

Prof Stephen Forsythe, a specialist in food microbiology from Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology, has worked alongside PhD student Eva Kucerova to identify the characteristics of more than 385,000 regions of the Cronobacter sakazakii DNA sequence.

The work was performed in collaboration with teams at the Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego, led by Michael McClelland, and at Washington University, St Louis, led by Profs Richard K Wilson and Sandra W Clifton.

Their work - published in the journal 'Plos One' - has identified previously unknown characteristics of the bacteria, including the presence of bacterial viruses within its genetic make-up - a discovery that could hold clues to better understanding the organism's virulence and diversity.

Other findings have revealed the characteristics of the organism's surface structure, an important asset in the development of methods with which to detect the bacteria before it causes an infection.

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