{{short description|French microbiologist}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Alain Ange-Marie Filloux | image = Prof_Alain_2.jpg | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|05|01}} | fields = {{Plainlist| * Microbiology * Molecular biology * Bacterial genetics}} | workplaces = Utrecht University <br> French National Centre for Scientific Research <br> Imperial College London<br>Nanyang Technological University | alma_mater = Universite d'Aix-Marseille II | thesis_title = Etude de la secrétion des protéines chez Pseudomonas aeruginosa | thesis_url = http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1164072817 | thesis_year = 1988 | doctoral_advisor = Professor Andrée Lazdunski }} {{Scholia}}

'''Alain Ange-Marie Filloux''' (born May 1, 1961) is a French/British microbiologist who is the director of the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) and a professor of molecular microbiology at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He holds joint appointments at both the School of Biological Sciences and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at NTU. His research looks at the chronic infection of ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'', a Gram-negative bacterium that causes nosocomial infections in people who are immunocompromised and a deadly threat for cystic fibrosis patients. He is a visiting professor at Imperial College London.

== Education== Filloux was a graduate student at Universite d'Aix-Marseille II, where he started to study protein secretion in ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa.''<ref>{{Cite thesis|title=Etude de la secrétion des protéines chez Pseudomonas aeruginosa|date=1988|language=French|first=Alain|last=Filloux|oclc=1164072817}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2014-09-30|title=Filloux|url=https://www.fondationbs.org/fr/node/518|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Fondation Bettencourt Schueller|language=fr}}</ref> He obtained his doctorate under the supervision of Andrée Lazdunski in 1988 and with the support of a European Union fellowship moved to the Netherlands for his postdoctoral research, where he joined Utrecht University and the laboratory of Dr Jan Tommassen.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=FEMS Expert: Professor Alain Filloux|url=https://fems-microbiology.org/network/leading_opinion_in_science/eam-members/fems-expert-professor-alain-filloux/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=FEMS|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Research and career == In 1990, Filloux became assistant professor at Utrecht University, and continued to explore protein secretion in Gram-negative bacteria.<ref name=":0"/> He identified that a common mechanism is responsible for the transport of macromolecules across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria that includes ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa.<ref name=":0"/>'' In particular he co-discovered what is now called the type II secretion system (T2SS).''<ref name=":0"/>'' This finding contributed to understanding protein secretion systems in Gram-negative bacteria, which are essential to their pathogenicity.<ref name=":0"/>

In 1994, Filloux was appointed to the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)<ref name=":3" /> as a research associate (CR1). In 2001, he became research director and headed his laboratory on "Molecular Microbiology and Pathogenicity in Pseudomonads". Filloux became director of the CNRS research unit ''Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires'' in 2003.<ref name=":3" /> Filloux became increasingly interested in the ability that allows bacteria to live on a surface or tissues as a resilient community known as biofilm. Biofilms are intrinsically resistant to eradication by antibiotics or the immune system, and present a major issue in healthcare. He used bacterial genetics to identify a series of molecular determinants involved in the biofilm formation process, notably extracellular appendages, or fimbriae, he called Cup. Working with Stephen Lory from Harvard Medical School, Filloux discovered a regulatory switch, LadS, which allows ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' to transition from planktonic to a biofilm.{{cn|date=December 2025}}

In 2007 he joined Imperial College London as professor and chair of the Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Professor Alain Filloux|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/a-z-research/mrc-centre-for-molecular-bacteriology-and-infection/research/research-groups/professor-alain-filloux/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Imperial College London|language=en-GB}}</ref> Filloux continued to work on protein secretion systems, but concentrated his research on the so-called Type VI secretion system (T6SS), a molecular crossbow that delivers toxins in competing bacterial competitors and kills them. He discovered many T6SS toxins in ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' and described how these could be transported in target bacteria notably by being placed at the tip of the molecular arrowhead.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title='Poisoned arrowhead' used by warring bacteria could lead to new antibiotics {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/193148/poisoned-arrowhead-used-warring-bacteria-could/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Imperial News|language=en}}</ref>

One such example is VgrG2b, which contains a metallopeptidase domain targeting, in the prey bacteria, proteins involved in cell wall integrity and cell division.<ref name=":1" /> Bacterial preys will then collapse, as they do for example when treated with Βeta-lactam antibiotics.<ref name=":1" /> Filloux also carried on studying biofilms, and gained interest in a central switch which involves the universal second messenger cyclic-di-GMP. It was known that high levels of c-di-GMP in bacterial cells turns on biofilm development, and Filloux showed that concomitantly high c-di-GMP levels turned on the T6SS. This suggested that the T6SS is put in place when cells enter a phase allowing polymicrobial communities to establish and is thus prepared to eliminate foes.<ref name=":1" />

While continuing to study protein secretion and biofilm formation, Filloux started to investigate antibiotic resistance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A toxic bullet involved in bacterial competition found by researchers {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/189108/toxic-bullet-involved-bacterial-competition-found/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Imperial News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A toxic bullet involved in bacterial competition|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181120124852.htm|access-date=2021-01-05|website=ScienceDaily|language=en}}</ref> He collaborated with Gerald Larrouy-Maumus on the development of a protocol for rapid antibiotic resistance screening using mass spectrometry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New test can identify dangerous bacteria resistant to last-resort antibiotic {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/178917/new-test-identify-dangerous-bacteria-resistant/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Imperial News|language=en}}</ref>

In 2022, Filloux was appointed as the centre director of SCELSE in Singapore, where he continues to explore biofilm formation and bacterial secretion systems.

== Membership and editorial boards == Filloux has been an editor for several scientific journals.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=About the Editors {{!}} npj Biofilms and Microbiomes|url=https://www.nature.com/npjbiofilms/about/editors|access-date=2021-06-24|website=www.nature.com|language=en}}</ref> He was editor-in-chief for ''FEMS Microbiology Reviews'' (2013-2019)<ref name=":3" /> and for ''npj Biolfilms and Microbiomes'' (2018-2022)'','' which is part of the ''Nature Partner Journals'' series.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Community|first=Nature Portfolio Microbiology|date=2020-03-26|title=Happy Birthday npj Biofilms and Microbiomes!|url=http://naturemicrobiologycommunity.nature.com/users/10932-nicolas-fanget/posts/64165-npj-biofilms-and-microbiomes-turns-five|access-date=2021-06-24|website=Nature Portfolio Microbiology Community|language=en}}</ref>

Filloux has held scientific administrative positions including membership of the BBSRC - Research Grants Committee B (2009-2011),<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 February 2012|title=2010-2011 Annual Report and Account - BBSRC|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/247129/1825.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=24 June 2021|website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725174843/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/247129/1825.pdf |archive-date=2019-07-25 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=4 April 2011|title=Annual Report and Accounts 2009-2010 - BBSRC|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229269/0585.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=24 June 2021|website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724153347/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229269/0585.pdf |archive-date=2019-07-24 }}</ref> the MRC Infection and immunity board (2016-2020), the FWO panel Medical Microbiology (2017-2023). He was also chair of the ANR scientific committee on microbiology, immunology and infection (2008-2011 and 2014-2018).

== Awards and honours == * 2004 Fondation Bettencourt Schueller Coup d’élan<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Honours and Memberships - Professor Alain Filloux|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/a.filloux/honours-and-memberships.html|access-date=2021-01-05|website=www.imperial.ac.uk}}</ref> * 2006 Jacques Piraud award for research on infectious diseases<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> * 2007 Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award''<ref name=":0"/>''<ref>{{Cite web|title=rae 2008 : submissions : ra5a|url=http://www.rae.ac.uk/submissions/ra5a.aspx?id=14&type=uoa&subid=982|access-date=2021-01-05|website=www.rae.ac.uk|archive-date=2013-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514104728/http://www.rae.ac.uk/Submissions/ra5a.aspx?id=14&type=uoa&subid=982|url-status=dead}}</ref> *2016 Elected to the European Academy of Microbiology<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alain Filloux elected to European Academy of Microbiology {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/170186/alain-filloux-elected-european-academy-microbiology/|access-date=2021-06-23|website=Imperial News|language=en}}</ref> *2017 Elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alain Filloux elected to Fellowship of the American Academy of Microbiology {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/178729/alain-filloux-elected-fellowship-american-academy/|access-date=2021-06-23|website=Imperial News|language=en}}</ref> *2019 Elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology

== Selected academic works ==

=== Publications === *Fecht, S.; Paracuellos, P.; Subramoni, S.; Tan, C. A. Z.; Ilangovan, A.; Costa, T. R. D.; Filloux, A. (2024-05-20). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38769318/ Functionality of chimeric TssA proteins in the type VI secretion system reveals sheath docking specificity within their N-terminal domains]". ''Nature Communications''. '''15''' (1): 4283. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-48487-8. PMID 38769318. *Rudzite, M.; Subramoni, S.; Endres, R. G.; Filloux, A. (2023-05-30). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37253075/ Effectiveness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa type VI secretion system relies on toxin potency and type IV pili-dependent interaction]". ''PLOS Pathogens''. '''19''' (5): e1011428. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1011428. PMID 37253075. *Nolan, L. M.; Cain, A. K.; Clamens, T.; Furniss, R. C. D.; Manoli, E.; Sainz-Polo, M. A.; Dougan, G.; Albesa-Jové, D.; Parkhill, J.; Mavridou, D. A. I.; Filloux, A. (2021-09). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34413503/ Identification of Tse8 as a Type VI secretion system toxin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa that targets the bacterial transamidosome to inhibit protein synthesis in prey cells]". ''Nature Microbiology''. '''6''' (9): 1199–1210. doi:10.1038/s41564-021-00950-8. PMID 34413503. *Bernal, P.; Furniss, R. C. D.; Fecht, S.; Leung, R. C. Y.; Spiga, L.; Mavridou, D. A. I.; Filloux, A. (2021-02-16). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33558227/ A novel stabilization mechanism for the type VI secretion system sheath]". ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America''. '''118''' (7): e2008500118. doi:10.1073/pnas.2008500118. PMID 33558227. *Wood, T. E.; Howard, S. A.; Förster, A.; Nolan, L. M.; Manoli, E.; Bullen, N. P.; Yau, H. C. L.; Hachani, A.; Hayward, R. D.; Whitney, J. C.; Vollmer, W.; Freemont, P. S.; Filloux, A. (2019-10-01). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31577948/ The Pseudomonas aeruginosa T6SS Delivers a Periplasmic Toxin that Disrupts Bacterial Cell Morphology]". ''Cell Reports''. '''29''' (1): 187–201.e7. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.094. PMID 31577948. *Valentini, M.; Filloux, A. (2019-09-08). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31500536/ Multiple Roles of c-di-GMP Signaling in Bacterial Pathogenesis]". ''Annual Review of Microbiology''. '''73''': 387–406. doi:10.1146/annurev-micro-020518-115555. PMID 31500536. *Pissaridou, P.; Allsopp, L. P.; Wettstadt, S.; Howard, S. A.; Mavridou, D. A. I.; Filloux, A. (2018-12-04). "T[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30455305/ he Pseudomonas aeruginosa T6SS-VgrG1b spike is topped by a PAAR protein eliciting DNA damage to bacterial competitors]". ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America''. '''115''' (49): 12519–12524. doi:10.1073/pnas.1814181115. PMID 30455305. *Dortet, L.; Lombardi, C.; Cretin, F.; Dessen, A.; Filloux, A. (2018-03). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29403015/ Pore-forming activity of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III secretion system translocon alters the host epigenome]". ''Nature Microbiology''. '''3''' (3): 378–386. doi:10.1038/s41564-018-0109-7. PMID 29403015. *Valentini, M.; Gonzalez, D.; Mavridou, D. A.; Filloux, A. (2018-02). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29166621/ Lifestyle transitions and adaptive pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa]". ''Current Opinion in Microbiology''. '''41''': 15–20. doi:10.1016/j.mib.2017.11.006. PMID 29166621. *Allsopp, L. P.; Wood, T. E.; Howard, S. A.; Maggiorelli, F.; Nolan, L. M.; Wettstadt, S.; Filloux, A. (2017-07-18). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28673999/ RsmA and AmrZ orchestrate the assembly of all three type VI secretion systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa]". ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America''. '''114''' (29): 7707–7712. doi:10.1073/pnas.1700286114. PMID 28673999. *McCarthy, R. R.; Mazon-Moya, M. J.; Moscoso, J. A.; Hao, Y.; Lam, J. S.; Bordi, C.; Mostowy, S.; Filloux, A. (2017-03-06). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28263305/ Cyclic-di-GMP regulates lipopolysaccharide modification and contributes to Pseudomonas aeruginosa immune evasion]". ''Nature Microbiology''. '''2''': 17027. doi:10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.27. PMID 28263305. *Valentini, M.; Laventie, B. J.; Moscoso, J.; Jenal, U.; Filloux, A. (2016-10-28). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27792789/ The Diguanylate Cyclase HsbD Intersects with the HptB Regulatory Cascade to Control Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm and Motility]". ''PLOS Genetics''. '''12''' (10): e1006354. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1006354. PMID 27792789. *Planamente, S.; Salih, O.; Manoli, E.; Albesa-Jové, D.; Freemont, P. S.; Filloux, A. (2016-08-01). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27288401/ TssA forms a gp6-like ring attached to the type VI secretion sheath]". ''EMBO Journal''. '''35''' (15): 1613–1627. doi:10.15252/embj.201694024. PMID 27288401. *Valentini, M.; Filloux, A. (2016-06-10). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27129226/ Biofilms and Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) Signaling: Lessons from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Other Bacteria]". ''Journal of Biological Chemistry''. '''291''' (24): 12547–12555. doi:10.1074/jbc.R115.711507. PMID 27129226. *Hachani, A.; Wood, T. E.; Filloux, A. (2016-02). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26722980/ Type VI secretion and anti-host effectors]". ''Current Opinion in Microbiology''. '''29''': 81–93. doi:10.1016/j.mib.2015.11.006. Epub 2015 Dec 24. PMID 26722980. *Hachani, A.; Allsopp, L. P.; Oduko, Y.; Filloux, A. (2014-06-20). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24794869/ The VgrG proteins are 'à la carte' delivery systems for bacterial type VI effectors]". ''Journal of Biological Chemistry''. '''289''' (25): 17872–17884. doi:10.1074/jbc.M114.563429. Epub 2014 May 2. PMID 24794869. *Filloux, A. (2013-08-15). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23925115/ Microbiology: a weapon for bacterial warfare]". ''Nature''. '''500''' (7462): 284–285. doi:10.1038/nature12545. Epub 2013 Aug 7. PMID 23925115. *Moscoso, J. A.; Mikkelsen, H.; Heeb, S.; Williams, P.; Filloux, A. (2011-12). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21955777/ The Pseudomonas aeruginosa sensor RetS switches type III and type VI secretion via c-di-GMP signalling]". ''Environmental Microbiology''. '''13''' (12): 3128–3138. doi:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02595.x. Epub 2011 Sep 29. PMID 21955777. *Garvis, S.; Munder, A.; Ball, G.; de Bentzmann, S.; Wiehlmann, L.; Ewbank, J. J.; Tümmler, B.; Filloux, A. (2009-08). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19662168/ Caenorhabditis elegans semi-automated liquid screen reveals a specialized role for the chemotaxis gene cheB2 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence]". ''PLoS Pathogens''. '''5''' (8): e1000540. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000540. Epub 2009 Aug 7. PMID 19662168. *Filloux, A. (2004-11-11). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15546665/ The underlying mechanisms of type II protein secretion]". ''Biochimica et Biophysica Acta''. '''1694'''(1-3): 163–179. doi:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2004.05.003. PMID 15546665. *Voulhoux, R.; Ball, G.; Ize, B.; Vasil, M. L.; Lazdunski, A.; Wu, L. F.; Filloux, A. (2001-12-03). "[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11726509/ Involvement of the twin-arginine translocation system in protein secretion via the type II pathway]". ''EMBO Journal''. '''20''' (23): 6735–6741. doi:10.1093/emboj/20.23.6735. PMID 11726509. *{{Cite journal|last1=Ventre|first1=Isabelle|last2=Goodman|first2=Andrew L.|last3=Vallet-Gely|first3=Isabelle|last4=Vasseur|first4=Perrine|last5=Soscia|first5=Chantal|last6=Molin|first6=Søren|last7=Bleves|first7=Sophie|last8=Lazdunski|first8=Andrée|last9=Lory|first9=Stephen|last10=Filloux|first10=Alain|date=2006-01-03|title=Multiple sensors control reciprocal expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa regulatory RNA and virulence genes|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=103|issue=1|pages=171–176|doi=10.1073/pnas.0507407103|issn=0027-8424|pmid=16373506|pmc=1324988|bibcode=2006PNAS..103..171V|doi-access=free}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Filloux|first1=Alain|last2=Hachani|first2=Abderrahman|last3=Bleves|first3=Sophie|date=2008-06-01|title=The bacterial type VI secretion machine: yet another player for protein transport across membranes|journal=Microbiology|language=en|volume=154|issue=6|pages=1570–1583|doi=10.1099/mic.0.2008/016840-0|pmid=18524912|issn=1350-0872|doi-access=free|hdl=10044/1/40505|hdl-access=free}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Vallet|first1=Isabelle|last2=Olson|first2=John W.|last3=Lory|first3=Stephen|last4=Lazdunski|first4=Andrée|last5=Filloux|first5=Alain|date=2001-06-05|title=The chaperone/usher pathways of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Identification of fimbrial gene clusters (cup) and their involvement in biofilm formation|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=98|issue=12|pages=6911–6916|doi=10.1073/pnas.111551898|issn=0027-8424|pmid=11381121|pmc=34452|bibcode=2001PNAS...98.6911V|doi-access=free}}

=== Books === * {{Cite book|last1=Filloux|first1=Alain|title=Pseudomonas Methods and Protocols|last2=Ramos|first2=Juan-Luis|date=2014|publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-4939-0473-0|oclc=1058867858}}

== References == {{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Filloux, Alain}} Category:Living people Category:Academic staff of Utrecht University Category:Academics of Imperial College London Category:Aix-Marseille University alumni Category:French microbiologists Category:1961 births