![Gordon Webster BSc (Hons), PhD](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/1249?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Gordon Webster
BSc (Hons), PhD
Research Associate
School of Biosciences
Overview
Research overview
My research interests are in Geomicrobiology, Natural product discovery from Burkholderia, Biocontrol, Water research and Microbial ecology.
Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics
I am a member of the Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics group.
Publication
2025
- Webster, G., Dighe, S. N., Perry, W. B., Stenhouse, E. H., Jones, D. L., Kille, P. and Weightman, A. J. 2025. Wastewater sample storage for physicochemical and microbiological analysis. Journal of Virological Methods 332, article number: 115063. (10.1016/j.jviromet.2024.115063)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2025. Complete genome sequence of the biopesticidal burkholderia ambifaria strain BCC0191. Microbiology Resource Announcements 14(2), article number: e01097-24. (10.1128/mra.01097-24)
- Knight, M. E. et al. 2025. Wastewater-based analysis of antimicrobial resistance at UK airports: Evaluating the potential opportunities and challenges. Environment International 195, article number: 109260. (10.1016/j.envint.2025.109260)
- Silvester, R. et al. 2025. Metagenomics unveils the role of hospitals and wastewater treatment plants on the environmental burden of antibiotic resistance genes and opportunistic pathogens. Science of the Total Environment 961, article number: 178403. (10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178403)
- Webster, G. et al. 2025. Complete Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. PP3, a dehalogenase-producing bacterium, confirms the unusual mobile genetic element DEH. Microbiology Resource Announcements
- Ashraf, U. et al. 2025. Inocybe crenata sp. nov. (subsec. Geophyllinae, sect. Tardae) from conifer dominated forests of Pakistan. Mycobiology (10.1080/12298093.2024.2398273)
2024
- Al-Obaidi, S. A., Srivastava, P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. 2024. Iron oxide-bearing wastes as media for supporting biodegradation of BTEX. Minerals 14(12), article number: 1231. (10.3390/min14121231)
- Knight, M. E. et al. 2024. National-scale antimicrobial resistance surveillance in wastewater: A comparative analysis of HT qPCR and metagenomic approaches. Water Research 262, article number: 121989. (10.1016/j.watres.2024.121989)
- Bydalek, F., Webster, G., Barden, R., Weightman, A. J., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B. and Wenk, J. 2024. Microbial community and antimicrobial resistance niche differentiation in a multistage, surface flow constructed wetland. Water Research 254, article number: 121408. (10.1016/j.watres.2024.121408)
2023
- Nan, X. et al. 2023. VarLOCK: sequencing-independent, rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern for point-of-care testing, qPCR pipelines and national wastewater surveillance. Scientific Reports 13(1), article number: 20832. (10.1038/s41598-023-47289-0)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J., Petrova, Y. D. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2023. Polyyne-producing Burkholderia suppress Globisporangium ultimum damping-off disease of Pisum sativum (pea). Frontiers in Microbiology 14, article number: 1240206. (10.3389/fmicb.2023.1240206)
- Liu, R., Wang, Y. and Webster, G. 2023. Editorial: Microbiology of deep-sea carbon cycling. Frontiers in Microbiology 14, article number: 1236593. (10.3389/fmicb.2023.1236593)
- Smith, H. B. et al. 2023. Sphingopyxis Species Isolated from Sand Filter Biofilm at an Australian Drinking Water Treatment Works. Microbiology Resource Announcements (10.1128/mra.00249-23)
- Webster, G., Cragg, B. A., Rinna, J., Watkins, A. J., Sass, H., Weightman, A. J. and Parkes, R. J. 2023. Methanogen activity and microbial diversity in Gulf of Cádiz mud volcano sediments. Frontiers in Microbiology 14, article number: 1157337. (10.3389/fmicb.2023.1157337)
- Bydalek, F., Webster, G., Barden, R., Weightman, A. J., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B. and Wenk, J. 2023. Microplastic biofilm, associated pathogen and antimicrobial resistance dynamics through a wastewater treatment process incorporating a constructed wetland. Water Research 235, article number: 119936. (10.1016/j.watres.2023.119936)
- Roberts, M., Srivastava, P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. J. 2023. Biostimulation of jarosite and iron oxide-bearing mine waste enhances subsequent metal recovery. Journal of Hazardous Materials 445, article number: 130498. (10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130498)
2022
- Petrova, Y. D. et al. 2022. Cloning and expression of Burkholderia polyyne biosynthetic gene clusters in 2 Paraburkholderia hosts provides a strategy for biopesticide development. Microbial Biotechnology 15(10), pp. 2547-2561. (10.1111/1751-7915.14106)
- Roberts, M., Srivastava, P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. J. 2022. Biostimulation of jarosite and iron oxide-bearing mine waste enhances subsequent metal recovery. [Online]. SSRN. (10.2139/ssrn.4229663) Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4229663
- Srivastava, P., Al-Obaidi, S. A., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. J. 2022. Towards passive bioremediation of dye-bearing effluents using hydrous ferric oxide wastes: Mechanisms, products and microbiology. Journal of Environmental Management 317, article number: 115332. (10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115332)
- Nan, X. et al. 2022. VarLOCK - sequencing independent, rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern for point-of-care testing, qPCR pipelines and national wastewater surveillance. [Online]. medRxix: (10.1101/2022.01.06.21268555) Available at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.06.21268555v1
2021
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2021. Discovery of the pseudomonas polyyne protegencin by a phylogeny-guided study of polyyne biosynthetic gene cluster diversity. mBio 12(4), pp. e00715-21. (10.1128/mBio.00715-21)
- Cunningham-Oakes, E., Pointon, T., Murphy, B., Campbell-Lee, S., Webster, G., Connor, T. R. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2021. Genomics reveals the novel species placement of industrial contaminant isolates incorrectly identified as Burkholderia lata. Microbial Genomics 7(4), article number: 564. (10.1099/mgen.0.000564)
- Jones, C. et al. 2021. Kill and cure: genomic phylogeny and bioactivity of Burkholderia gladioli bacteria capable of pathogenic and beneficial lifestyles. Microbial Genomics 17(1), article number: 515. (10.1099/mgen.0.000515)
2020
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2020. Reclassification of the biocontrol agents Bacillus subtilis BY-2 and Tu-100 as Bacillus velezensis and insights into the genomic and specialised metabolite diversity of the species. Microbiology 166(12), pp. 1121-1128. (10.1099/mic.0.000986)
- Webster, G., Jones, C., Mullins, A. J. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2020. A rapid screening method for the detection of specialised metabolites from bacteria: induction and suppression of metabolites from Burkholderia species. Journal of Microbiological Methods 178, article number: 106057. (10.1016/j.mimet.2020.106057)
- Dashti, Y., Nakou, I. T., Mullins, A. J., Webster, G., Jian, X., Mahenthiralingam, E. and Challis, G. L. 2020. Discovery and biosynthesis of bolagladins: unusual lipodepsipeptides from Burkholderia gladioli clinical isolates. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 59(48), pp. 21553-21561. (10.1002/anie.202009110)
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2020. Genomic assemblies of members of Burkholderia and related genera as a resource for natural product discovery. Microbiology Resource Announcements 9, article number: e00485-20. (10.1128/MRA.00485-20)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J., Cunningham-Oakes, E., Renganathan, A., Aswathanarayan, J. B., Mahenthiralingam, E. and Vittal, R. R. 2020. Culturable diversity of bacterial endophytes associated with medicinal plants of the Western Ghats, India. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 96(1), article number: fiaa147. (10.1093/femsec/fiaa147)
- Poniecka, E. A. et al. 2020. Physiological capabilities of cryoconite hole microorganisms. Frontiers in Microbiology 11, article number: 1783. (10.3389/fmicb.2020.01783)
- Almatouq, A., Babatunde, A. O., Khajah, M., Webster, G. and Alfodari, M. 2020. Microbial community structure of anode electrodes in microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells. Journal of Water Process Engineering 34, article number: 101140. (10.1016/j.jwpe.2020.101140)
- Cowle, M. W., Webster, G., Babatunde, A. O., Bockelmann-Evans, B. N. and Weightman, A. J. 2020. Impact of flow hydrodynamics and pipe material properties on biofilm development within drinking water systems. Environmental Technology 41(28), pp. 3732-3722. (10.1080/09593330.2019.1619844)
2019
- Sass, H., Parkes, R. J. and Webster, G. 2019. Marine deep biosphere. In: Reference Module in Life Sciences. Elsevier, pp. 18-27., (10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.13031-6)
- Webster, G. et al. 2019. Genome sequences of three Paraburkholderia spp. strains isolated from Wood-decay fungi reveals them as novel taxa with antimicrobial biosynthetic potential. Microbiology Resource Announcements 8(34), article number: e00778-19. (10.1128/MRA.00778-19)
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2019. Genome mining identifies cepacin as a plant-protective metabolite of the biopesticidal bacterium Burkholderia ambifaria. Nature Microbiology 4, pp. 996-1005. (10.1038/s41564-019-0383-z)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J., Watkins, A. J., Cunningham-Oakes, E., Weightman, A. J., Mahenthiralingam, E. and Sass, H. 2019. Genome sequences of two choline-utilising methanogenic archaea, Methanococcoides spp., isolated from marine sediments. Microbiology Resource Announcements 8(18), article number: e00342-19. (10.1128/MRA.00342-19)
- Parkes, R. J. et al. 2019. Rock-crushing derived hydrogen directly supports a methanogenic community: significance for the deep biosphere.. Environmental Microbiology Reports 11(2), pp. 165-172. (10.1111/1758-2229.12723)
- Bird, J. T. et al. 2019. Uncultured microbial phyla suggest mechanisms for multi-thousand-year subsistence in Baltic Sea sediments. mBio 10(2), article number: e02376-18. (10.1128/mBio.02376-18)
- Shi, Y., Babatunde, A., Bockelmann-Evans, B. and Webster, G. 2019. Influence of hydraulic regimes and Cl2/NH3-N mass ratios on the bacterial structure and composition in an experimental flow cell chloraminated drinking water system. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology 5(5), pp. 977-992. (10.1039/C9EW00015A)
2017
- Roberts, M., Sapsford, D., Weightman, A. and Webster, G. 2017. Changes in metal leachability through stimulation of iron reducing communities within waste sludge. Solid State Phenomena 262, pp. 269-272. (10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.262.269)
- Song, L. et al. 2017. Discovery and biosynthesis of gladiolin: a Burkholderia gladioli antibiotic with promising activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Journal of the American Chemical Society 139(23), pp. 7974-7981. (10.1021/jacs.7b03382)
2016
- Nobu, M. K. et al. 2016. Phylogeny and physiology of candidate phylum 'Atribacteria' (OP9/JS1) inferred from cultivation-independent genomics. ISME Journal 10(2), pp. 273-286. (10.1038/ismej.2015.97)
2015
- Maceda-Veiga, A., Webster, G., Canals, O., Salvadó, H., Weightman, A. J. and Cable, J. 2015. Chronic effects of temperature and nitrate pollution on Daphnia magna: Is this cladoceran suitable for widespread use as a tertiary treatment?. Water Research 83, pp. 141-152. (10.1016/j.watres.2015.06.036)
- Roussel, E. G. P. et al. 2015. Complex coupled metabolic and prokaryotic community responses to increasing temperatures in anaerobic marine sediments: critical temperatures and substrate changes. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 91(8), article number: fiv084. (10.1093/femsec/fiv084)
- O'Sullivan, L. A. et al. 2015. Survival of Desulfotomaculum spores from estuarine sediments after serial autoclaving and high-temperature exposure. ISME Journal 9, pp. 922-933. (10.1038/ismej.2014.190)
- Webster, G. et al. 2015. Archaeal community diversity and abundance changes along a natural salinity gradient in estuarine sediments. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 91(2), pp. 1-18. (10.1093/femsec/fiu025)
2014
- Parkes, R. J., Cragg, B. A., Roussel, E. G. P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sass, H. 2014. A review of prokaryotic populations and processes in sub-seafloor sediments, including biosphere: geosphere interactions. Marine Geology 352, pp. 409-425. (10.1016/j.margeo.2014.02.009)
- Li, P. et al. 2014. Abundance and diversity of sulfate-reducing bacteria in high arsenic shallow aquifers. Geomicrobiology Journal 31(9), pp. 802-812. (10.1080/01490451.2014.893181)
- Hu, X., Webster, G., Xie, L., Yu, C., Li, Y. and Liao, X. 2014. A new method for the preservation of axenic fungal cultures. Journal of Microbiological Methods 99, pp. 81-83. (10.1016/j.mimet.2014.02.009)
- Parkes, R. J., Sass, H., Cragg, B. A., Webster, G., Roussel, E. G. P. and Weightman, A. J. 2014. Studies on prokaryotic populations and processes in subseafloor sediments - an update. In: Kallmeyer, J. and Wagner, D. eds. Microbial Life of the Deep Biosphere. Berlin: de Gruyter, pp. 1-325.
- Wang, Y. et al. 2014. Bacterial diversity and community structure in high arsenic aquifers in Hetao Plain of Inner Mongolia, China. Geomicrobiology Journal 31(4), pp. 338-349. (10.1080/01490451.2013.835886)
2013
- O'Sullivan, L. A., Sass, A., Webster, G., Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2013. Contrasting relationships between biogeochemistry and prokaryotic diversity depth profiles along an estuarine sediment gradient. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 85(1), pp. 143-157. (10.1111/1574-6941.12106)
2012
- Watkins, A. J., Roussel, E. G. P., Webster, G., Parkes, R. J. and Sass, H. 2012. Choline and N,N-Dimethylethanolamine as direct substrates for methanogens. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 78(23), pp. 8298-8303. (10.1128/AEM.01941-12)
- Gorra, R., Webster, G., Martin, M., Celi, L., Mapelli, F. and Weightman, A. J. 2012. Dynamic microbial community associated with iron-arsenic co-precipitation products from a groundwater storage system in Bangladesh. Microbial Ecology 64(1), pp. 171-186. (10.1007/s00248-012-0014-1)
2011
- Webster, G. et al. 2011. Enrichment and cultivation of prokaryotes associated with the sulphate-methane transition zone of diffusion-controlled sediments of Aarhus Bay, Denmark under heterotrophic conditions. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 77(2), pp. 248-263. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01109.x)
- Rodrigues, C., Hilário, A., Cunha, M., Weightman, A. J. and Webster, G. 2011. Microbial diversity in Frenulata (Siboglinidae, Polychaeta) species from mud volcanoes in the Gulf of Cadiz (NE Atlantic). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 100(1), pp. 83-98. (10.1007/s10482-011-9567-0)
- Parkes, R. J., Linnane, C. D., Webster, G., Sass, H., Weightman, A. J., Hornibrook, E. R. C. and Horsfield, B. 2011. Prokaryotes stimulate mineral H2 formation for the deep biosphere and subsequent thermogenic activity. Geology 39(3), pp. 219-222. (10.1130/G31598.1)
2010
- Rodrigues, C. F., Webster, G., Cunha, M. R., Duperron, S. and Weightman, A. J. 2010. Chemosynthetic bacteria found in bivalve species from mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 73(3), pp. 486-499. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2010.00913.x)
- Webster, G., Rinna, J., Roussel, E. G. P., Fry, J. C., Weightman, A. J. and Parkes, R. J. 2010. Prokaryotic functional diversity in different biogeochemical depth zones in tidal sediments of the Severn Estuary, UK, revealed by stable-isotope probing. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 72(2), pp. 179-197. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2010.00848.x)
- Dillon, R. J., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Charnley, A. K. 2010. Diversity of gut microbiota increases with aging and starvation in the desert locust. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology 97(1), pp. 69-77. (10.1007/s10482-009-9389-5)
- Parkes, R. J., Sass, H., Webster, G., Watkins, A. J., Weightman, A. J., O'Sullivan, L. A. and Cragg, B. A. 2010. Methods for studying methanogens and methanogenesis in marine sediments. In: Timmis, K. H. ed. Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology., Vol. 5. Springer Reference Springer, pp. 3799-3827., (10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_299)
2009
- Parkes, R. J., Sellek, G. A., Webster, G., Martin, D., Anders, E., Weightman, A. J. and Sass, H. 2009. Culturable prokaryotic diversity of deep, gas hydrate sediments: First use of a continuous high-pressure, anaerobic, enrichment and isolation system for subseafloor sediments (DeepIsoBUG). Environmental Microbiology 11(12), pp. 3140-3153. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2009.02018.x)
- Webster, G. et al. 2009. Subsurface microbiology and biogeochemistry of a deep, cold-water carbonate mound from the Porcupine Seabight (IODP Expedition 307). Environmental Microbiology 11(1), pp. 239-257. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01759.x)
2008
- O'Sullivan, L. A., Webster, G., Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. 2008. Modified linker-PCR primers facilitate complete sequencing of DGGE DNA fragments. Journal of Microbiological Methods 75(3), pp. 579-581. (10.1016/j.mimet.2008.08.006)
- Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J., Cragg, B. A., Weightman, A. J. and Webster, G. 2008. Prokaryotic biodiversity and activity in the deep subseafloor biosphere. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 66(2), pp. 181-196. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2008.00566.x)
- Roussel, E. G. P., Bonavita, M. C., Querellou, J., Cragg, B. A., Webster, G., Prieur, D. and Parkes, R. J. 2008. Extending the sub-sea-floor biosphere. Science 320(5879), pp. 1046-1046. (10.1126/science.1154545)
- O'Sullivan, L. A., Webster, G., Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2008. Modified linker-PCR primers facilitate complete sequencing of DGGE DNA fragments. Journal of Microbiological Methods 75(3), pp. 579-581. (10.1016/j.mimet.2008.08.006)
- Dillon, R. J., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J., Dillon, V. M., Blanford, S. and Charnley, A. K. 2008. Composition of Acridid gut bacterial communities as revealed by 16S rRNA gene analysis. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 97(3), pp. 265-272. (10.1016/j.jip.2007.09.010)
2007
- Webster, G., Yarram, L., Freese, E., Köster, J., Sass, H., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2007. Distribution of candidate division JS1 and other Bacteria in tidal sediments of the German Wadden Sea using targeted 16S rRNA gene PCR-DGGE. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 62(1), pp. 78-89. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2007.00372.x)
- Parkes, R. J. et al. 2007. Biogeochemistry and biodiversity of methane cycling in subsurface marine sediments (Skagerrak, Denmark). Environmental Microbiology 9(5), pp. 1146-1161. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01237.x)
2006
- Webster, G., Parkes, R. J., Cragg, B. A., Newberry, C. J., Weightman, A. J. and Fry, J. C. 2006. Prokaryotic community composition and biogeochemical processes in deep subseafloor sediments from the Peru Margin. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 58(1), pp. 65-85. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00147.x)
- Fry, J. C., Webster, G., Cragg, B. A., Weightman, A. J. and Parkes, R. J. 2006. Analysis of DGGE profiles to explore the relationship between prokaryotic community composition and biogeochemical processes in deep subseafloor sediments from the Peru Margin. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 58(1), pp. 86-98. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00144.x)
- Webster, G., Watt, L. C., Rinna, J., Fry, J. C., Evershed, R. P., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2006. A comparison of stable-isotope probing of DNA and phospholipid fatty acids to study prokaryotic functional diversity in sulfate-reducing marine sediment enrichment slurries. Environmental Microbiology 8(9), pp. 1575-1589. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01048.x)
2005
- Parkes, R. J. et al. 2005. Deep sub-seafloor prokaryotes stimulated at interfaces over geological time. Nature 436(7049), pp. 390-394. (10.1038/nature03796)
- Ahn, Y., Park, E., Oh, Y., Park, S., Webster, G. and Weightman, A. J. 2005. Biofilm microbial community of a thermophilic trickling biofilter used for continuous biohydrogen production. FEMS Microbiology Letters 249(1), pp. 31-38. (10.1016/j.femsle.2005.05.050)
2004
- Webster, G., Parkes, R. J., Fry, J. C. and Weightman, A. J. 2004. Widespread occurrence of a novel division of bacteria identified by 16S rRNA gene sequences originally found in deep marine sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70(9), pp. 5708-5713. (10.1128/AEM.70.9.5708-5713.2004)
- Nicol, G. W., Webster, G., Glover, L. A. and Prosser, J. I. 2004. Differential response of archaeal and bacterial communities to nitrogen inputs and pH changes in upland pasture rhizosphere soil. Environmental Microbiology 6(8), pp. 861-867. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00627.x)
- Newberry, C. J., Webster, G., Cragg, B. A., Parkes, R. J., Weightman, A. J. and Fry, J. C. 2004. Diversity of prokaryotes and methanogenesis in deep subsurface sediments from the Nankai Trough, Ocean Drilling Program Leg 190. Environmental Microbiology 6(3), pp. 274-287. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00568.x)
Articles
- Webster, G., Dighe, S. N., Perry, W. B., Stenhouse, E. H., Jones, D. L., Kille, P. and Weightman, A. J. 2025. Wastewater sample storage for physicochemical and microbiological analysis. Journal of Virological Methods 332, article number: 115063. (10.1016/j.jviromet.2024.115063)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2025. Complete genome sequence of the biopesticidal burkholderia ambifaria strain BCC0191. Microbiology Resource Announcements 14(2), article number: e01097-24. (10.1128/mra.01097-24)
- Knight, M. E. et al. 2025. Wastewater-based analysis of antimicrobial resistance at UK airports: Evaluating the potential opportunities and challenges. Environment International 195, article number: 109260. (10.1016/j.envint.2025.109260)
- Silvester, R. et al. 2025. Metagenomics unveils the role of hospitals and wastewater treatment plants on the environmental burden of antibiotic resistance genes and opportunistic pathogens. Science of the Total Environment 961, article number: 178403. (10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178403)
- Webster, G. et al. 2025. Complete Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. PP3, a dehalogenase-producing bacterium, confirms the unusual mobile genetic element DEH. Microbiology Resource Announcements
- Ashraf, U. et al. 2025. Inocybe crenata sp. nov. (subsec. Geophyllinae, sect. Tardae) from conifer dominated forests of Pakistan. Mycobiology (10.1080/12298093.2024.2398273)
- Al-Obaidi, S. A., Srivastava, P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. 2024. Iron oxide-bearing wastes as media for supporting biodegradation of BTEX. Minerals 14(12), article number: 1231. (10.3390/min14121231)
- Knight, M. E. et al. 2024. National-scale antimicrobial resistance surveillance in wastewater: A comparative analysis of HT qPCR and metagenomic approaches. Water Research 262, article number: 121989. (10.1016/j.watres.2024.121989)
- Bydalek, F., Webster, G., Barden, R., Weightman, A. J., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B. and Wenk, J. 2024. Microbial community and antimicrobial resistance niche differentiation in a multistage, surface flow constructed wetland. Water Research 254, article number: 121408. (10.1016/j.watres.2024.121408)
- Nan, X. et al. 2023. VarLOCK: sequencing-independent, rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern for point-of-care testing, qPCR pipelines and national wastewater surveillance. Scientific Reports 13(1), article number: 20832. (10.1038/s41598-023-47289-0)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J., Petrova, Y. D. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2023. Polyyne-producing Burkholderia suppress Globisporangium ultimum damping-off disease of Pisum sativum (pea). Frontiers in Microbiology 14, article number: 1240206. (10.3389/fmicb.2023.1240206)
- Liu, R., Wang, Y. and Webster, G. 2023. Editorial: Microbiology of deep-sea carbon cycling. Frontiers in Microbiology 14, article number: 1236593. (10.3389/fmicb.2023.1236593)
- Smith, H. B. et al. 2023. Sphingopyxis Species Isolated from Sand Filter Biofilm at an Australian Drinking Water Treatment Works. Microbiology Resource Announcements (10.1128/mra.00249-23)
- Webster, G., Cragg, B. A., Rinna, J., Watkins, A. J., Sass, H., Weightman, A. J. and Parkes, R. J. 2023. Methanogen activity and microbial diversity in Gulf of Cádiz mud volcano sediments. Frontiers in Microbiology 14, article number: 1157337. (10.3389/fmicb.2023.1157337)
- Bydalek, F., Webster, G., Barden, R., Weightman, A. J., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B. and Wenk, J. 2023. Microplastic biofilm, associated pathogen and antimicrobial resistance dynamics through a wastewater treatment process incorporating a constructed wetland. Water Research 235, article number: 119936. (10.1016/j.watres.2023.119936)
- Roberts, M., Srivastava, P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. J. 2023. Biostimulation of jarosite and iron oxide-bearing mine waste enhances subsequent metal recovery. Journal of Hazardous Materials 445, article number: 130498. (10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130498)
- Petrova, Y. D. et al. 2022. Cloning and expression of Burkholderia polyyne biosynthetic gene clusters in 2 Paraburkholderia hosts provides a strategy for biopesticide development. Microbial Biotechnology 15(10), pp. 2547-2561. (10.1111/1751-7915.14106)
- Srivastava, P., Al-Obaidi, S. A., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. J. 2022. Towards passive bioremediation of dye-bearing effluents using hydrous ferric oxide wastes: Mechanisms, products and microbiology. Journal of Environmental Management 317, article number: 115332. (10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115332)
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2021. Discovery of the pseudomonas polyyne protegencin by a phylogeny-guided study of polyyne biosynthetic gene cluster diversity. mBio 12(4), pp. e00715-21. (10.1128/mBio.00715-21)
- Cunningham-Oakes, E., Pointon, T., Murphy, B., Campbell-Lee, S., Webster, G., Connor, T. R. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2021. Genomics reveals the novel species placement of industrial contaminant isolates incorrectly identified as Burkholderia lata. Microbial Genomics 7(4), article number: 564. (10.1099/mgen.0.000564)
- Jones, C. et al. 2021. Kill and cure: genomic phylogeny and bioactivity of Burkholderia gladioli bacteria capable of pathogenic and beneficial lifestyles. Microbial Genomics 17(1), article number: 515. (10.1099/mgen.0.000515)
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2020. Reclassification of the biocontrol agents Bacillus subtilis BY-2 and Tu-100 as Bacillus velezensis and insights into the genomic and specialised metabolite diversity of the species. Microbiology 166(12), pp. 1121-1128. (10.1099/mic.0.000986)
- Webster, G., Jones, C., Mullins, A. J. and Mahenthiralingam, E. 2020. A rapid screening method for the detection of specialised metabolites from bacteria: induction and suppression of metabolites from Burkholderia species. Journal of Microbiological Methods 178, article number: 106057. (10.1016/j.mimet.2020.106057)
- Dashti, Y., Nakou, I. T., Mullins, A. J., Webster, G., Jian, X., Mahenthiralingam, E. and Challis, G. L. 2020. Discovery and biosynthesis of bolagladins: unusual lipodepsipeptides from Burkholderia gladioli clinical isolates. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 59(48), pp. 21553-21561. (10.1002/anie.202009110)
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2020. Genomic assemblies of members of Burkholderia and related genera as a resource for natural product discovery. Microbiology Resource Announcements 9, article number: e00485-20. (10.1128/MRA.00485-20)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J., Cunningham-Oakes, E., Renganathan, A., Aswathanarayan, J. B., Mahenthiralingam, E. and Vittal, R. R. 2020. Culturable diversity of bacterial endophytes associated with medicinal plants of the Western Ghats, India. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 96(1), article number: fiaa147. (10.1093/femsec/fiaa147)
- Poniecka, E. A. et al. 2020. Physiological capabilities of cryoconite hole microorganisms. Frontiers in Microbiology 11, article number: 1783. (10.3389/fmicb.2020.01783)
- Almatouq, A., Babatunde, A. O., Khajah, M., Webster, G. and Alfodari, M. 2020. Microbial community structure of anode electrodes in microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells. Journal of Water Process Engineering 34, article number: 101140. (10.1016/j.jwpe.2020.101140)
- Cowle, M. W., Webster, G., Babatunde, A. O., Bockelmann-Evans, B. N. and Weightman, A. J. 2020. Impact of flow hydrodynamics and pipe material properties on biofilm development within drinking water systems. Environmental Technology 41(28), pp. 3732-3722. (10.1080/09593330.2019.1619844)
- Webster, G. et al. 2019. Genome sequences of three Paraburkholderia spp. strains isolated from Wood-decay fungi reveals them as novel taxa with antimicrobial biosynthetic potential. Microbiology Resource Announcements 8(34), article number: e00778-19. (10.1128/MRA.00778-19)
- Mullins, A. J. et al. 2019. Genome mining identifies cepacin as a plant-protective metabolite of the biopesticidal bacterium Burkholderia ambifaria. Nature Microbiology 4, pp. 996-1005. (10.1038/s41564-019-0383-z)
- Webster, G., Mullins, A. J., Watkins, A. J., Cunningham-Oakes, E., Weightman, A. J., Mahenthiralingam, E. and Sass, H. 2019. Genome sequences of two choline-utilising methanogenic archaea, Methanococcoides spp., isolated from marine sediments. Microbiology Resource Announcements 8(18), article number: e00342-19. (10.1128/MRA.00342-19)
- Parkes, R. J. et al. 2019. Rock-crushing derived hydrogen directly supports a methanogenic community: significance for the deep biosphere.. Environmental Microbiology Reports 11(2), pp. 165-172. (10.1111/1758-2229.12723)
- Bird, J. T. et al. 2019. Uncultured microbial phyla suggest mechanisms for multi-thousand-year subsistence in Baltic Sea sediments. mBio 10(2), article number: e02376-18. (10.1128/mBio.02376-18)
- Shi, Y., Babatunde, A., Bockelmann-Evans, B. and Webster, G. 2019. Influence of hydraulic regimes and Cl2/NH3-N mass ratios on the bacterial structure and composition in an experimental flow cell chloraminated drinking water system. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology 5(5), pp. 977-992. (10.1039/C9EW00015A)
- Roberts, M., Sapsford, D., Weightman, A. and Webster, G. 2017. Changes in metal leachability through stimulation of iron reducing communities within waste sludge. Solid State Phenomena 262, pp. 269-272. (10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.262.269)
- Song, L. et al. 2017. Discovery and biosynthesis of gladiolin: a Burkholderia gladioli antibiotic with promising activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Journal of the American Chemical Society 139(23), pp. 7974-7981. (10.1021/jacs.7b03382)
- Nobu, M. K. et al. 2016. Phylogeny and physiology of candidate phylum 'Atribacteria' (OP9/JS1) inferred from cultivation-independent genomics. ISME Journal 10(2), pp. 273-286. (10.1038/ismej.2015.97)
- Maceda-Veiga, A., Webster, G., Canals, O., Salvadó, H., Weightman, A. J. and Cable, J. 2015. Chronic effects of temperature and nitrate pollution on Daphnia magna: Is this cladoceran suitable for widespread use as a tertiary treatment?. Water Research 83, pp. 141-152. (10.1016/j.watres.2015.06.036)
- Roussel, E. G. P. et al. 2015. Complex coupled metabolic and prokaryotic community responses to increasing temperatures in anaerobic marine sediments: critical temperatures and substrate changes. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 91(8), article number: fiv084. (10.1093/femsec/fiv084)
- O'Sullivan, L. A. et al. 2015. Survival of Desulfotomaculum spores from estuarine sediments after serial autoclaving and high-temperature exposure. ISME Journal 9, pp. 922-933. (10.1038/ismej.2014.190)
- Webster, G. et al. 2015. Archaeal community diversity and abundance changes along a natural salinity gradient in estuarine sediments. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 91(2), pp. 1-18. (10.1093/femsec/fiu025)
- Parkes, R. J., Cragg, B. A., Roussel, E. G. P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sass, H. 2014. A review of prokaryotic populations and processes in sub-seafloor sediments, including biosphere: geosphere interactions. Marine Geology 352, pp. 409-425. (10.1016/j.margeo.2014.02.009)
- Li, P. et al. 2014. Abundance and diversity of sulfate-reducing bacteria in high arsenic shallow aquifers. Geomicrobiology Journal 31(9), pp. 802-812. (10.1080/01490451.2014.893181)
- Hu, X., Webster, G., Xie, L., Yu, C., Li, Y. and Liao, X. 2014. A new method for the preservation of axenic fungal cultures. Journal of Microbiological Methods 99, pp. 81-83. (10.1016/j.mimet.2014.02.009)
- Wang, Y. et al. 2014. Bacterial diversity and community structure in high arsenic aquifers in Hetao Plain of Inner Mongolia, China. Geomicrobiology Journal 31(4), pp. 338-349. (10.1080/01490451.2013.835886)
- O'Sullivan, L. A., Sass, A., Webster, G., Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2013. Contrasting relationships between biogeochemistry and prokaryotic diversity depth profiles along an estuarine sediment gradient. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 85(1), pp. 143-157. (10.1111/1574-6941.12106)
- Watkins, A. J., Roussel, E. G. P., Webster, G., Parkes, R. J. and Sass, H. 2012. Choline and N,N-Dimethylethanolamine as direct substrates for methanogens. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 78(23), pp. 8298-8303. (10.1128/AEM.01941-12)
- Gorra, R., Webster, G., Martin, M., Celi, L., Mapelli, F. and Weightman, A. J. 2012. Dynamic microbial community associated with iron-arsenic co-precipitation products from a groundwater storage system in Bangladesh. Microbial Ecology 64(1), pp. 171-186. (10.1007/s00248-012-0014-1)
- Webster, G. et al. 2011. Enrichment and cultivation of prokaryotes associated with the sulphate-methane transition zone of diffusion-controlled sediments of Aarhus Bay, Denmark under heterotrophic conditions. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 77(2), pp. 248-263. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01109.x)
- Rodrigues, C., Hilário, A., Cunha, M., Weightman, A. J. and Webster, G. 2011. Microbial diversity in Frenulata (Siboglinidae, Polychaeta) species from mud volcanoes in the Gulf of Cadiz (NE Atlantic). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 100(1), pp. 83-98. (10.1007/s10482-011-9567-0)
- Parkes, R. J., Linnane, C. D., Webster, G., Sass, H., Weightman, A. J., Hornibrook, E. R. C. and Horsfield, B. 2011. Prokaryotes stimulate mineral H2 formation for the deep biosphere and subsequent thermogenic activity. Geology 39(3), pp. 219-222. (10.1130/G31598.1)
- Rodrigues, C. F., Webster, G., Cunha, M. R., Duperron, S. and Weightman, A. J. 2010. Chemosynthetic bacteria found in bivalve species from mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 73(3), pp. 486-499. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2010.00913.x)
- Webster, G., Rinna, J., Roussel, E. G. P., Fry, J. C., Weightman, A. J. and Parkes, R. J. 2010. Prokaryotic functional diversity in different biogeochemical depth zones in tidal sediments of the Severn Estuary, UK, revealed by stable-isotope probing. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 72(2), pp. 179-197. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2010.00848.x)
- Dillon, R. J., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Charnley, A. K. 2010. Diversity of gut microbiota increases with aging and starvation in the desert locust. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology 97(1), pp. 69-77. (10.1007/s10482-009-9389-5)
- Parkes, R. J., Sellek, G. A., Webster, G., Martin, D., Anders, E., Weightman, A. J. and Sass, H. 2009. Culturable prokaryotic diversity of deep, gas hydrate sediments: First use of a continuous high-pressure, anaerobic, enrichment and isolation system for subseafloor sediments (DeepIsoBUG). Environmental Microbiology 11(12), pp. 3140-3153. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2009.02018.x)
- Webster, G. et al. 2009. Subsurface microbiology and biogeochemistry of a deep, cold-water carbonate mound from the Porcupine Seabight (IODP Expedition 307). Environmental Microbiology 11(1), pp. 239-257. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01759.x)
- O'Sullivan, L. A., Webster, G., Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. 2008. Modified linker-PCR primers facilitate complete sequencing of DGGE DNA fragments. Journal of Microbiological Methods 75(3), pp. 579-581. (10.1016/j.mimet.2008.08.006)
- Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J., Cragg, B. A., Weightman, A. J. and Webster, G. 2008. Prokaryotic biodiversity and activity in the deep subseafloor biosphere. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 66(2), pp. 181-196. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2008.00566.x)
- Roussel, E. G. P., Bonavita, M. C., Querellou, J., Cragg, B. A., Webster, G., Prieur, D. and Parkes, R. J. 2008. Extending the sub-sea-floor biosphere. Science 320(5879), pp. 1046-1046. (10.1126/science.1154545)
- O'Sullivan, L. A., Webster, G., Fry, J. C., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2008. Modified linker-PCR primers facilitate complete sequencing of DGGE DNA fragments. Journal of Microbiological Methods 75(3), pp. 579-581. (10.1016/j.mimet.2008.08.006)
- Dillon, R. J., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J., Dillon, V. M., Blanford, S. and Charnley, A. K. 2008. Composition of Acridid gut bacterial communities as revealed by 16S rRNA gene analysis. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 97(3), pp. 265-272. (10.1016/j.jip.2007.09.010)
- Webster, G., Yarram, L., Freese, E., Köster, J., Sass, H., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2007. Distribution of candidate division JS1 and other Bacteria in tidal sediments of the German Wadden Sea using targeted 16S rRNA gene PCR-DGGE. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 62(1), pp. 78-89. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2007.00372.x)
- Parkes, R. J. et al. 2007. Biogeochemistry and biodiversity of methane cycling in subsurface marine sediments (Skagerrak, Denmark). Environmental Microbiology 9(5), pp. 1146-1161. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01237.x)
- Webster, G., Parkes, R. J., Cragg, B. A., Newberry, C. J., Weightman, A. J. and Fry, J. C. 2006. Prokaryotic community composition and biogeochemical processes in deep subseafloor sediments from the Peru Margin. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 58(1), pp. 65-85. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00147.x)
- Fry, J. C., Webster, G., Cragg, B. A., Weightman, A. J. and Parkes, R. J. 2006. Analysis of DGGE profiles to explore the relationship between prokaryotic community composition and biogeochemical processes in deep subseafloor sediments from the Peru Margin. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 58(1), pp. 86-98. (10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00144.x)
- Webster, G., Watt, L. C., Rinna, J., Fry, J. C., Evershed, R. P., Parkes, R. J. and Weightman, A. J. 2006. A comparison of stable-isotope probing of DNA and phospholipid fatty acids to study prokaryotic functional diversity in sulfate-reducing marine sediment enrichment slurries. Environmental Microbiology 8(9), pp. 1575-1589. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01048.x)
- Parkes, R. J. et al. 2005. Deep sub-seafloor prokaryotes stimulated at interfaces over geological time. Nature 436(7049), pp. 390-394. (10.1038/nature03796)
- Ahn, Y., Park, E., Oh, Y., Park, S., Webster, G. and Weightman, A. J. 2005. Biofilm microbial community of a thermophilic trickling biofilter used for continuous biohydrogen production. FEMS Microbiology Letters 249(1), pp. 31-38. (10.1016/j.femsle.2005.05.050)
- Webster, G., Parkes, R. J., Fry, J. C. and Weightman, A. J. 2004. Widespread occurrence of a novel division of bacteria identified by 16S rRNA gene sequences originally found in deep marine sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70(9), pp. 5708-5713. (10.1128/AEM.70.9.5708-5713.2004)
- Nicol, G. W., Webster, G., Glover, L. A. and Prosser, J. I. 2004. Differential response of archaeal and bacterial communities to nitrogen inputs and pH changes in upland pasture rhizosphere soil. Environmental Microbiology 6(8), pp. 861-867. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00627.x)
- Newberry, C. J., Webster, G., Cragg, B. A., Parkes, R. J., Weightman, A. J. and Fry, J. C. 2004. Diversity of prokaryotes and methanogenesis in deep subsurface sediments from the Nankai Trough, Ocean Drilling Program Leg 190. Environmental Microbiology 6(3), pp. 274-287. (10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00568.x)
Book sections
- Sass, H., Parkes, R. J. and Webster, G. 2019. Marine deep biosphere. In: Reference Module in Life Sciences. Elsevier, pp. 18-27., (10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.13031-6)
- Parkes, R. J., Sass, H., Cragg, B. A., Webster, G., Roussel, E. G. P. and Weightman, A. J. 2014. Studies on prokaryotic populations and processes in subseafloor sediments - an update. In: Kallmeyer, J. and Wagner, D. eds. Microbial Life of the Deep Biosphere. Berlin: de Gruyter, pp. 1-325.
- Parkes, R. J., Sass, H., Webster, G., Watkins, A. J., Weightman, A. J., O'Sullivan, L. A. and Cragg, B. A. 2010. Methods for studying methanogens and methanogenesis in marine sediments. In: Timmis, K. H. ed. Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology., Vol. 5. Springer Reference Springer, pp. 3799-3827., (10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_299)
Websites
- Roberts, M., Srivastava, P., Webster, G., Weightman, A. J. and Sapsford, D. J. 2022. Biostimulation of jarosite and iron oxide-bearing mine waste enhances subsequent metal recovery. [Online]. SSRN. (10.2139/ssrn.4229663) Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4229663
- Nan, X. et al. 2022. VarLOCK - sequencing independent, rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern for point-of-care testing, qPCR pipelines and national wastewater surveillance. [Online]. medRxix: (10.1101/2022.01.06.21268555) Available at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.06.21268555v1
Biography
Brief History
I undertook my BSc (Hons) degree in Applied Biology at Nottingham Trent University specialising in plant biology and crop protection. After graduating in 1991, I started my research career at the University of Nottingham with a BBSRC funded PhD (1991-1995) on the interaction between rhizobia and the non-legume Parasponia andersonii (with Prof. Ted Cocking & Dr Mike Davey). In 1995, the work led to a DANIDA funded collaborative postdoctoral position, between the Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire, INRA-CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France and the University of Nottingham (with Profs. Jean Dénarié and Ted Cocking). The project was to study the association between diazotrophic microorganisms and non-legume crop plants for endophytic biological N fixation.
I then moved to the University of Aberdeen in 1998, where my research interests focused on microbial ecology on a NERC EDGE project with Prof. Jim Prosser and in collaboration with Prof. Martin Embley, Natural History Museum. We used 16S rRNA-based techniques to characterise the diversity and community structure of natural populations of nitrifying bacteria in upland grassland soils. The work looked at the effects of different environmental factors and management regimes on species diversity, functional gene diversity and nitrification activity of ammonia-oxidising bacteria.
In 2001, I arrived at Cardiff University to work with Profs. Andrew Weightman and John Fry on a NERC MFMB funded project to look at microbial communities in the deep sub-seafloor biosphere, and then later with Prof. John Parkes (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences). This included research on an EU HERMES and NERC projects to look at the diversity of prokaryotic communities in marine hotspots such as cold seeps, cold-water coral mounds and other anoxic environments. These important systems require urgent study because of their possible biological fragility, unique genetic resources, global relevance to carbon cycling and susceptibility to global change and human impact.
Since 2017, my research interests include antibiotic discovery from Burkholderia species with Prof. Eshwar Mahenthiralingam. This has included several projects funded by the Welsh Government LSBF and BBSRC to investigate the specialised metabolites produced by Burkholderia species for novel antibiotics and biological control agents. Recently, I have also been working on a project with Prof. Andrew Weightman on understanding the microbial communities responsible for biological removal of taste and odour compounds (geosmin & MIB) in Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water water treatments works. This research is alongside my work on the Wales Environmental Wastewater Analysis & Surveillance for Health (WEWASH) project which was set up to monitor COVID-19 levels in wastewater accross Wales. The WEWASH project is a collaboration between Cardiff University, Bangor University, Public Health Wales and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. We hope the infrastructure set up during this project can now help with other issues, such as the emerging problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Professional memberships
Microbiology Society, American Society for Microbiology, Geological Society
Contact Details
WebsterG@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29208 75175
Sir Martin Evans Building, Room West 2.11, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
+44 29208 75175
Sir Martin Evans Building, Room West 2.11, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
Research themes
Specialisms
- Wastewater treatment processes
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Subsurface microbiology
- Biopesticides