Alexander Webb

Biography

During my Doctoral training at King's College London my research focused on the role of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in the physiology of Streptococcus mutans. This organism was originally isolated from carious lesions of the tooth. Using physiological and molecular studies I was able to: identify and characterise an ABC transporter (RnsBACD) involved in the uptake of ribonucleosides; identify and characterise an ABC transporter (MalXFGK) involved in the uptake of maltotriose and longer maltodextrins; further clarify the subtrates taken up by the previously characterised ABC transporter MsmEFGK; show that ABC-ATPases MalK and MsmK are interchangeable and can energise both the Msm and Mal transport systems; identify and characterise the principle phospoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase maltose system (MalT). Previous postdoctoral projects include: designing padlock probes (molecular inversion probes) for the identification of different Brucellae (in the group of Dr Sally J. Cutler). identification and characterisation of two-enzymes system for glycolipid and polyglycerolphosphate lipoteichoic acid synthesis in the Gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (in the group of Prof. Angelika Gründling).

Research Interest

synthetic biology