David Whitworth

BA, PhD, SFHEA

 David Whitworth

Professor

Department of Life Sciences

Contact Details

Research

My research focuses on the myxobacterial predator Myxococcus xanthus and how it preys upon other microbes. We are studying natural myxobacterial isolates using a variety of genomic, proteomic and phenotypic techniques to identify the genes conferring antimicrobial activity. Particular topics of interest include the predatory vesicles shed by myxobacteria, and myxobacterial signalling pathways and how they alter behaviour in response to a changing environment. 

Publications

Khalid, A, Cookson, AR, Whitworth, DE, Beeton, ML, Robins, LI & Maddocks, SE 2023, 'A Synthetic Polymicrobial Community Biofilm Model Demonstrates Spatial Partitioning, Tolerance to Antimicrobial Treatment, Reduced Metabolism, and Small Colony Variants Typical of Chronic Wound Biofilms', Pathogens, vol. 12, no. 1, 118. 10.3390/pathogens12010118
Arakal, BS, Whitworth, DE, James, PE, Rowlands, R, Madhusoodanan, NPT, Baijoo, MR & Livingstone, PG 2023, 'In Silico and In Vitro Analyses Reveal Promising Antimicrobial Peptides from Myxobacteria', Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 202-214. 10.1007/s12602-022-10036-4
Zwarycz, AS & Whitworth, DE 2023, 'Myxobacterial Predation: A Standardised Lawn Predation Assay Highlights Strains with Unusually Efficient Predatory Activity', Microorganisms, vol. 11, no. 2, 398. 10.3390/microorganisms11020398
Payne, S & Whitworth, D 2022, 'Increasing creative self-efficacy: Developing the confidence of biochemistry undergraduates to innovate', Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 296-306. 10.1002/bmb.21628
Whitworth, D 2022, 'Myxobacteria: Physiology and Regulation', Microorganisms, vol. 10, no. 4, 805. 10.3390/microorganisms10040805
More publications on the Research Portal