Anthocyanins with unusual furanose sugar (apiose) from leaves of Synadeniumgrantii (Euphorbiaceae)

Four anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-O-(2″-(5?-(E-p-coumaroyl)-β-apiofuranosyl)-β-xylopyranoside)-5-O-β-glucopyranoside, cyanidin 3-O-(2″-(5?-(E-p-coumaroyl)-β-apiofuranosyl)-β-xylopyranoside), cyanidin 3-O-(2″-(5?-(E-caffeoyl)-β-apiofuranosyl)-β-xylopyranoside) and cyanidin 3-O-(2″-(5?-(E-feroyl)-β-apiofuranosyl)-β-xylopyranoside) were isolated from leaves of African milk bush, (Synadeniumgrantii Hook, Euphorbiaceae) together with the known cyanidin 3-O-β-xylopyranoside-5-O-β-glucopyranoside and cyanidin 3-O-β-xyloside. The four former pigments are the first reported anthocyanins containing the monosaccharide apiose, and the three 5?-cinnamoyl derivative-2″-(β-apiosyl)-β-xyloside subunits have previously not been reported for any compound.     

Bordetella avium causes induction of apoptosis and nitric oxide synthase in turkey tracheal explant cultures

Bordetellosis is an upper respiratory disease of turkeys caused by Bordetella avium in which the bacteria attach specifically to ciliated respiratory epithelial cells. Little is known about the mechanisms of pathogenesis of this disease, which has a negative impact in the commercial turkey industry. In this study, we produced a novel explant organ culture system that was able to successfully reproduce pathogenesis of B. avium in vitro, using tracheal tissue derived from 26 day-old turkey embryos. Treatment of the explants with whole cells of B. avium virulent strain 197N and culture supernatant, but not lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tracheal cytotoxin (TCT), specifically induced apoptosis in ciliated cells, as shown by annexin V and TUNEL staining. LPS and TCT are known virulence factors of Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough. Treatment with whole cells of B. avium and LPS specifically induced NO response in ciliated cells, shown by uNOS staining and diaphorase activity. The explant system is being used as a model to elucidate specific molecules responsible for the symptoms of bordetellosis.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> genes that reduce the lethal effects of stress

Background  

The continuing emergence of antimicrobial resistance requires the development of new compounds and/or enhancers of existing compounds. Genes that protect against the lethal effects of antibiotic stress are potential targets of enhancers. To distinguish such genes from those involved in drug uptake and efflux, a new susceptibility screen is required.     

Age-dependent characterization of pendrin gene expression in various tissues of deer mice

Pendrin is a membrane transport protein which functions as the transporter of chloride, bicarbonate, formate, and iodide. In this study, we characterized pendrin gene expression in various tissues of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), a sentinel wildlife species. Deer mice were euthanized at post-natal day (PND) 21 (day of weaning) and PND 45 (24 days post-weaning) for tissue collection. A deer mouse-specific partial pendrin cDNA sequence was generated, from which Taqman-specific probe and primers were designed for quantification of mRNA equivalents of pendrin gene expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression profile was standardized to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Results indicate that the pendrin gene was expressed at different levels in the different tissues of developing deer mice relative to GAPDH expression. Expression in the tissues was determined to be age-dependent. Pendrin gene was highly expressed in the kidney, lungs and reproductive tissues. PND 21 expression in the kidney and testes was significantly lower than PND 45. This study represents the first identification of differential expression of pendrin gene in various deer mouse tissues.     

The secretion ATPase ComGA is required for the binding and transport of transforming DNA

Transformation requires specialized proteins to facilitate the binding and uptake of DNA. The genes of the Bacillus subtilis comG operon (comGA-G) are required for transformation and to assemble a structure, the pseudopilus, in the cell envelope. No role for the pseudopilus has been established and the functions of the individual comG genes are unknown. We show that among the comG genes, only comGA is absolutely required for DNA binding to the cell surface. ComEA, an integral membrane DNA-binding protein plays a minor role in the initial binding step, while an unidentified protein which communicates with ComGA must be directly responsible for binding to the cell. We show that the use of resistance to DNase to measure 'DNA uptake' reflects the movement of transforming DNA to a protected state in which it is not irreversibly associated with the protoplast, and presumably resides outside the cell membrane, in the periplasm or associated with the cell wall. We suggest that ComGA is needed for the acquisition of DNase resistance as well as for the binding of DNA to the cell surface. Finally, we show that the pseudopilus is required for DNA uptake and we offer a revised model for the transformation process.     

YihE Kinase Is a Central Regulator of Programmed Cell Death in Bacteria

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Highlights? YihE protein kinase is a central regulator of programmed cell death in bacteria ? YihE antagonizes the MazEF toxin-antitoxin module to suppress stress-mediated death ? YihE links MazF, Cpx, and a cascade of ROS into a unified stress-response scheme ? YihE is a potential target of small-molecule enhancers of antimicrobial lethality     

Sporadic outbreaks of crimean-congo haemorrhagic fever in Uganda,July 2018-January 2019

IntroductionCrimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne, zoonotic viral disease that causes haemorrhagic symptoms. Despite having eight confirmed outbreaks between 2013 and 2017, all within Uganda’s ‘cattle corridor’, no targeted tick control programs exist in Uganda to prevent disease. During a seven-month-period from July 2018-January 2019, the Ministry of Health confirmed multiple independent CCHF outbreaks. We investigated to identify risk factors and recommend interventions to prevent future outbreaks.MethodsWe defined a confirmed case as sudden onset of fever (≥37.5°C) with ≥4 of the following signs and symptoms: anorexia, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, abdominal pain, joint pain, or sudden unexplained bleeding in a resident of the affected districts who tested positive for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFv) by RT-PCR from 1 July 2018–30 January 2019. We reviewed medical records and performed active case-finding. We conducted a case-control study and compared exposures of case-patients with age-, sex-, and sub-county-matched control-persons (1:4).ResultsWe identified 14 confirmed cases (64% males) with five deaths (case-fatality rate: 36%) from 11 districts in western and central region. Of these, eight (73%) case-patients resided in Uganda’s ‘cattle corridor’. One outbreak involved two case-patients and the remainder involved one. All case-patients had fever and 93% had unexplained bleeding. Case-patients were aged 6–36 years, with persons aged 20–44 years more affected (AR: 7.2/1,000,000) than persons ≤19 years (2.0/1,000,000), p = 0.015. Most (93%) case-patients had contact with livestock ≤2 weeks before symptom onset. Twelve (86%) lived <1 km from grazing fields compared with 27 (48%) controls (OR_M-H = 18, 95% CI = 3.2-∞) and 10 (71%) of 14 case-patients found ticks attached to their bodies ≤2 weeks before symptom onset, compared to 15 (27%) of 56 control-persons (OR_M-H = 9.3, 95%CI = 1.9–46).ConclusionsCCHF outbreaks occurred sporadically during 2018–2019, both within and outside ‘cattle corridor’ districts of Uganda. Most cases were associated with tick exposure. The Ministry of Health should partner with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to develop joint nationwide tick control programs and strategies with shared responsibilities through a One Health approach.