Almost 60 researchers from around the world spent last weekend in South Texas at the 2006 Texas, Evergreen Phage and Virus Genomics and Ecology Meeting organized by Philip Serwer, Ph.D., and Stephen C. Hardies, Ph.D., both of the Health Science Center; and Elizabeth Kutter, Ph.D., of the Evergreen State College. The unique program was made possible by the Robert J. Kleberg Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation.
The diverse group included individuals from the Republic of Georgia, Russia, the United States, Finland, Canada and England. Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., president of the Health Science Center, and individuals from the King Ranch and Texas A&M - Kingsville spoke at the meeting that took place at both the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Center and Texas A&M - Kingsville. Helen Kleberg Groves was a guest of honor, and several students attended to get a better understanding of the study of various bacteriophages. (Bacteriophages are also known as phages - viruses that attack and often kill bacteria.)
"A similar meeting has been hosted by the Evergreen State College in the past," Dr. Serwer said. "We collaborated with Evergreen to diversify the attendees."
Dr. Serwer and co-workers, Jean Hayes and Karen Lieman of biochemistry, have isolated many unusual phages from the soil at the King Ranch. "Examining unknown and unusual phages is part of our effort to determine how evolution occurred," he said. "We want to see relationships between the various versions of each type of phage gene.”
The team, including Mandy Rolando and postdoctoral associate Julie Thomas, Ph.D., determines the nucleotide sequence of the phage genomes. Dr. Hardies and co-workers use informatics to relate the genes of new phages to those of other phages in order to interpret the role of the genes. The informatics is done at the Health Science Center using the supercomputer run by Borries Demeler, Ph.D., of the department of biochemistry. Gene/protein correlations are sometimes learned by mass spectrometry performed by Susan Weintraub, Ph.D., and co-workers of the department of biochemistry.
The meeting was designed for groups to discuss a variety of topics including advanced informatics of phage and viral genes; phage therapy; microbial communities; prophage (a dormant form of some bacteriophages) genes and their role in bacterial phenotypes; and phage and virus detection, characterization, purification and evolution.
Several groups presented their work involving their respective studies of phages.
"Many of the presentations led to great networking opportunities for these researchers," Dr. Serwer said.
Those who attended were included in discussions concerning alternatives to antibiotics, as well as discussions about advanced genomics and its applications to studies of ecology and evolution.
Other attendees included the Georgian representative to the United Nations, Dennis Bamford, Ph.D., who was the keynote speaker, and several other noted individuals who have experience in researching phages.
Dr. Serwer said he hopes that meetings similar to this can take place annually.
"If the Health Science Center and the Evergreen State College alternate hosting the meeting each year, we may be able to have the meeting more frequently and continue to bring together a diverse group to share their research about the world of phages."
