Identification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Burkholderia mallei</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Burkholderia pseudomallei</Emphasis> adhesins for human respiratory epithelial cells

Background  

Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei cause the diseases melioidosis and glanders, respectively. A well-studied aspect of pathogenesis by these closely-related bacteria is their ability to invade and multiply within eukaryotic cells. In contrast, the means by which B. pseudomallei and B. mallei adhere to cells are poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to identify adherence factors expressed by these organisms.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dppa3 / Pgc7 / stella</Emphasis> is a maternal factor and is not required for germ cell specification in mice

Background  

In mice, germ cells are specified through signalling between layers of cells comprising the primitive embryo. The function of Dppa3 (also known as Pgc7 or stella), a gene expressed in primordial germ cells at the time of their emergence in gastrulating embryos, is unknown, but a recent study has claimed that it plays a central role in germ cell specification.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma viride</Emphasis> cellulase induces resistance to the antibiotic pore-forming peptide alamethicin associated with changes in the plasma membrane lipid composition of tobacco BY-2 cells

Background  

Alamethicin is a membrane-active peptide isolated from the beneficial root-colonising fungus Trichoderma viride. This peptide can insert into membranes to form voltage-dependent pores. We have previously shown that alamethicin efficiently permeabilises the plasma membrane, mitochondria and plastids of cultured plant cells. In the present investigation, tobacco cells (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Bright Yellow-2) were pre-treated with elicitors of defence responses to study whether this would affect permeabilisation.     

Sulphur metabolism and cellulase gene expression are connected processes in the filamentous fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypocrea jecorina</Emphasis> (anamorph <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma reesei</Emphasis>)

Background  

Sulphur compounds like cysteine, methionine and S-adenosylmethionine are essential for the viability of most cells. Thus many organisms have developed a complex regulatory circuit that governs the expression of enzymes involved in sulphur assimilation and metabolism. In the filamentous fungus Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph Trichoderma reesei) little is known about the participants in this circuit.     

Characterization of the biotin uptake system encoded by the biotin-inducible <Emphasis Type="Italic">bioYMN</Emphasis> operon of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corynebacterium glutamicum</Emphasis>

Background  

The amino acid-producing Gram-positive Corynebacterium glutamicum is auxotrophic for biotin although biotin ring assembly starting from the precursor pimeloyl-CoA is still functional. It possesses AccBC, the α-subunit of the acyl-carboxylases involved in fatty acid and mycolic acid synthesis, and pyruvate carboxylase as the only biotin-containing proteins. Comparative genome analyses suggested that the putative transport system BioYMN encoded by cg2147, cg2148 and cg2149 might be involved in biotin uptake by C. glutamicum.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">vaa</Emphasis> locus of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycoplasma hominis</Emphasis> contains a divergent genetic islet encoding a putative membrane protein

Background  

The Mycoplasma hominis vaa gene encodes a highly variable, surface antigen involved in the adhesion to host cells. We have analysed the structure of the vaa locus to elucidate the genetic basis for variation of vaa.     

Exocytosis and protein secretion in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trypanosoma</Emphasis>

Background  

Human African trypanosomiasis is a lethal disease caused by the extracellular parasite Trypanosoma brucei. The proteins secreted by T. brucei inhibit the maturation of dendritic cells and their ability to induce lymphocytic allogenic responses. To better understand the pathogenic process, we combined different approaches to characterize these secreted proteins.     

Inhibition of cytokinesis by wiskostatin does not rely on N-WASP/Arp2/3 complex pathway

Background  

Cytokinesis is the final step of cell division taking place at the end of mitosis during which the cytoplasmic content and replicated chromosomes of a cell are equally partitioned between the two daughter cells. This process is achieved by the formation and the ingression of an actomyosin contractile ring under the control of equatorial microtubules. The mechanisms of contractile ring formation are not fully understood but involve recruitment of preexisting actin filaments and de novo actin polymerisation.     

A link of Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> to cAMP oscillations in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dictyostelium</Emphasis>: the calmodulin antagonist W-7 potentiates cAMP relay and transiently inhibits the acidic Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>-store

Background  

During early differentiation of Dictyostelium the attractant cAMP is released periodically to induce aggregation of the cells. Here we pursue the question whether pulsatile cAMP signaling is coupled to a basic Ca²⁺-oscillation.     

Binding mechanism of patulin to heat‐treated yeast cell

Aims

This study aims to assess the removal mechanism of patulin using heat‐treated Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and identify the role of different cell wall components in the binding process.

Methods and Results

In order to understand the binding mechanism, viable cells, heat‐treated cells, cell wall and intracellular extract were performed to assess their ability to remove patulin. Additionally, the effects of chemical and enzymatic treatments of yeast on the binding ability were tested. The results showed that there was no significant difference between viable (53·28%) and heat‐treated yeast cells (51·71%) in patulin binding. In addition, the cell wall fraction decreased patulin by 35·05%, and the cell extract nearly failed to bind patulin. Treatments with protease E, methanol, formaldehyde, periodate or urea significantly decreased (P < 0·05) the ability of heat‐treated cells to remove patulin. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis indicated that more functional groups were involved in the binding process of heat‐treated cells.

Conclusions

Polysaccharides and protein are important components of yeast cell wall involved in patulin removal. In addition, hydrophobic interactions play a major role in binding processes.

Significance and Impact of the Study

Heat‐treated S. cerevisiae cells could be used to control patulin contamination in the apple juice industry. Also, our results proof that the patulin removal process is based mainly on the adsorption not degradation.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vibrio parahaemolyticus</Emphasis> Type III Secretion Systems manipulate host cell MAPK for critical steps in pathogenesis

Background  

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a food-borne pathogen causing inflammation of the gastrointestinal epithelium. Pathogenic strains of this bacterium possess two Type III Secretion Systems (TTSS) that deliver effector proteins into host cells. In order to better understand human host cell responses to V. parahaemolyticus, the modulation of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) activation in epithelial cells by an O3:K6 clinical isolate, RIMD2210633, was investigated. The importance of MAPK activation for the ability of the bacterium to be cytotoxic and to induce secretion of Interleukin-8 (IL-8) was determined.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces coelicolor</Emphasis> increases the production of undecylprodigiosin when interacted with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis>

Purpose of work  

Undecylprodigiosin has antimicrobial, immunosuppressive and anticancer properties. Pure cultures of Streptomyces coelicolor produce only low concentrations of undecylprodigiosin. We have therefore sought to increase this by interacting the cells with a bacterium.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acinetobacter baumannii</Emphasis> invades epithelial cells and outer membrane protein A mediates interactions with epithelial cells

Background  

Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen of increasing importance, but the pathogenic mechanism of this microorganism has not been fully explored. This study investigated the potential of A. baumannii to invade epithelial cells and determined the role of A. baumannii outer membrane protein A (AbOmpA) in interactions with epithelial cells.     

Functional analysis of the copy 1 of the fixNOQP operon of Ensifer meliloti under free‐living micro‐oxic and symbiotic conditions

Aim

In this work, phenotypic analyses of a Ensifer meliloti fixN1 mutant under free‐living and symbiotic conditions have been carried out.

Methods and Results

Ensifer meliloti fixN1 mutant showed a defect in growth as well as in TMPD‐dependent oxidase activity when cells were incubated under micro‐oxic conditions. Furthermore, haem c staining analyses of a fixN1 and a fixP1 mutant identified two membrane‐bound c‐type cytochromes of 27 and 32 kDa, present in microaerobically grown cells and in bacteroids, as the FixO and FixP components of the E. meliloti cbb₃ oxidase. Under symbiotic conditions, fixN1 mutant showed a clear nitrogen fixation defect in alfalfa plants that were grown in an N‐free nutrient solution during 3 weeks. However, in plants grown for a longer period, fixNOQP1 copy was not indispensable for symbiotic nitrogen fixation.

Conclusions

The copy 1 of the fixNOQP operon is involved in E. meliloti respiration and growth under micro‐oxic conditions as well as in the expression of the FixO and FixP components of the cbb₃ oxidase present in free‐living microaerobic cultures and in bacteroids. This copy is important for nitrogen fixation during the early steps of the symbiosis.

Significance and Impact of the Study

It is the first time that a functional analysis of the E. meliloti copy 1 of the fixNOQP operon is performed. In this work, the cytochromes c that constitute the cbb₃ oxidase operating in free‐living micro‐oxic cultures and in bacteroids of E. meliloti have been identified.     

Engineered myocardial tissues constructed <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> using cardiomyocyte-like cells derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rats

Background  

To explore the feasibility of constructing engineered myocardial tissues (EMTs) in vivo, using polylactic acid -co-glycolic acid (PLGA) for scaffold and cardiomyocyte-like cells derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) for seeded cells.     

Heat shock cognate protein 70 contributes to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brucella</Emphasis> invasion into trophoblast giant cells that cause infectious abortion

Background  

The cell tropism of Brucella abortus, a causative agent of brucellosis and facultative intracellular pathogen, in the placenta is thought to be a key event of infectious abortion, although the molecular mechanism for this is largely unknown. There is a higher degree of bacterial colonization in the placenta than in other organs and many bacteria are detected in trophoblast giant (TG) cells in the placenta. In the present study, we investigated mechanism of B. abortus invasion into TG cells.     

Individual fates of mesenchymal stem cells <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Background  

In vitro cultivated stem cell populations are in general heterogeneous with respect to their expression of differentiation markers. In hematopoietic progenitor populations, this heterogeneity has been shown to regenerate within days from isolated subpopulations defined by high or low marker expression. This kind of plasticity has been suggested to be a fundamental feature of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as well. Here, we study MSC plasticity on the level of individual cells applying a multi-scale computer model that is based on the concept of noise-driven stem cell differentiation.     

Insight into the early steps of root hair formation revealed by the <Emphasis Type="Italic">procuste1</Emphasis> cellulose synthase mutant of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Background  

Formation of plant root hairs originating from epidermal cells involves selection of a polar initiation site and production of an initial hair bulge which requires local cell wall loosening. In Arabidopsis the polar initiation site is located towards the basal end of epidermal cells. However little is currently understood about the mechanism for the selection of the hair initiation site or the mechanism by which localised hair outgrowth is achieved. The Arabidopsis procuste1 (prc1-1) cellulose synthase mutant was studied in order to investigate the role of the cell wall loosening during the early stages of hair formation.     

Regions important for the adhesin activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Moraxella catarrhalis</Emphasis> Hag

Background  

The Moraxella catarrhalis Hag protein, an Oca autotransporter adhesin, has previously been shown to be important for adherence of this respiratory tract pathogen to human middle ear and A549 lung cells.