Metabolic response of porcine colon explants to in vitro infection by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachyspira hyodysenteriae</Emphasis>: a leap into disease pathophysiology

Introduction

Swine dysentery caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae is a production limiting disease in pig farming. Currently antimicrobial therapy is the only treatment and control method available.

Objective

The aim of this study was to characterize the metabolic response of porcine colon explants to infection by B. hyodysenteriae.

Methods

Porcine colon explants exposed to B. hyodysenteriae were analyzed for histopathological, metabolic and pro-inflammatory gene expression changes.

Results

Significant epithelial necrosis, increased levels of l-citrulline and IL-1α were observed on explants infected with B. hyodysenteriae.

Conclusions

The spirochete induces necrosis in vitro likely through an inflammatory process mediated by IL-1α and NO.

     

Effect of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)-induced ethylene on <Emphasis Type="Italic">cellulose synthase A</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">CesA</Emphasis>) genes in flax (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Linum usitatissimum</Emphasis> L. ‘Nike’) seedlings

Introduction

Cellulose microfibril is a major cell wall polymer that plays an important role in the growth and development of plants. The gene cellulose synthase A (CesA), encoding cellulose synthases, is involved in the synthesis of cellulose microfibrils. However, the regulatory mechanism of CesA gene expression is not well understood, especially during the early developmental stages.

Objective

To identify factor(s) that regulate the expression of CesA genes and ultimately control seedling growth and development.

Methods

The presence of cis-elements in the promoter region of the eight CesA genes identified in flax (Linum usitatissimum L. ‘Nike’) seedlings was verified, and three kinds of ethylene-responsive cis-elements were identified in the promoters. Therefore, the effect of ethylene on the expression of four selected CesA genes classified into Clades 1 and 6 after treatment with 10^?4 and 10^?3 M 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) was examined in the hypocotyl of 4–6-day-old flax seedlings.

Results

ACC-induced ethylene either up- or down-regulated the expression of the CesA genes depending on the clade to which these genes belonged, age of seedlings, part of the hypocotyl, and concentration of ACC.

Conclusion

Ethylene might be one of the factors regulating the expression of CesA genes in flax seedlings.

     

A long term evaluation of differential potassium fertilization of a creeping bentgrass putting green

Aims

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is highly tolerant to Al stress, but the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. This study aims to investigate a half-type ABC transporter gene (FeSTAR1) with respect to Al tolerance.

Methods

The expression of FeSTAR1 was examined and complementation test in atstar1 mutant was conducted. Furthermore, Al distribution and cell wall polysaccharides content were analyzed.

Results

FeSTAR1 is an ABC transporter protein with nucleotide binding domain, but lack of transmembrane domain. Consistently, FeSTAR1 is a soluble protein, localizing to both cytoplasm and nucleus. Al rapidly and specifically induced FeSTAR1 expression. Heterologous expression of FeSTAR1 in atstar1 rescued its Al tolerance, and exogenous applied UDP-glucose could alleviate Al sensitivity of atstar1 mutant, suggesting the connection between FeSTAR1 and UDP-glucose in terms of Al tolerance. Furthermore, FeSTAR1 complemented lines accumulated less Al in root cell wall than atstar1 mutant. Further cell wall fraction analysis showed that Al was largely confined to cell wall hemicellulose1, at which Al content was significantly lower in complemented lines. Consistent with Al distribution in different cell wall polysaccharides, complemented lines had lower hemicellulose1 content.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that FeSTAR1 is involved in Al resistance via possibly cell wall matrix polysaccharides metabolism in buckwheat.

     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">massPix</Emphasis>: an R package for annotation and interpretation of mass spectrometry imaging data for lipidomics

Introduction

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) experiments result in complex multi-dimensional datasets, which require specialist data analysis tools.

Objectives

We have developed massPix—an R package for analysing and interpreting data from MSI of lipids in tissue.

Methods

massPix produces single ion images, performs multivariate statistics and provides putative lipid annotations based on accurate mass matching against generated lipid libraries.

Results

Classification of tissue regions with high spectral similarly can be carried out by principal components analysis (PCA) or k-means clustering.

Conclusion

massPix is an open-source tool for the analysis and statistical interpretation of MSI data, and is particularly useful for lipidomics applications.

     

Iridoid and phenylethanoid/phenylpropanoid metabolite profiles of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scrophularia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verbascum</Emphasis> species used medicinally in North America

Introduction

Botanicals containing iridoid and phenylethanoid/phenylpropanoid glycosides are used worldwide for the treatment of inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions that are primary causes of human years lived with disability, such as arthritis and lower back pain.

Objectives

We report the analysis of candidate anti-inflammatory metabolites of several endemic Scrophularia species and Verbascum thapsus used medicinally by peoples of North America.

Methods

Leaves, stems, and roots were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed in MetaboAnalyst 3.0 after processing the datasets in Progenesis QI.

Results

Comparison of the datasets revealed significant and differential accumulation of iridoid and phenylethanoid/phenylpropanoid glycosides in the tissues of the endemic Scrophularia species and Verbascum thapsus.

Conclusions

Our investigation identified several species of pharmacological interest as good sources for harpagoside and other important anti-inflammatory metabolites.

     

Study on the Clinical Features and Prognosis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicilliosis marneffei</Emphasis> Without Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Objective

To improve the diagnosis and treatment of Penicilliosis marneffei without human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Methods

Analyze and review the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of six cases of P. marneffei without human immunodeficiency virus infection at The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University.

Results

Two cases were diagnosed in the ENT Department, three cases in the respiratory department and one case in the dermatological department. Penicillium marneffei infection was confirmed by sputum culture, blood culture and tissue biopsy. After definite diagnosis, one refused further treatment, and others showed significant improvement.

Conclusion

Penicilliosis marneffei is insidious onset and easy to be escaped and misdiagnosed. To achieve early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, doubtful cases should be alerted for the diagnoses as P. marneffei.

     

A versatile <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma reesei</Emphasis> expression system for the production of heterologous proteins

Objectives

To develop a versatile Trichoderma reesei (teleomorph Hypocrea jecorina) expression system for the high-purity production of heterologous proteins.

Results

The versatile T. reesei expression system is based on xyn1 and xyn2 promoters, A824V transition in XYRI, and a bicomponent carbon source strategy. Red fluorescent protein gene rfp and alkaline endoglucanase EGV gene egv3 from Humicola insolens were used as reporter genes to test our versatile expression system

Conclusions

The versatile T. reesei expression system can be applied to produce heterologous proteins with high purity and high yield.

     

Production of caffeoylmalic acid from glucose in engineered <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Objectives

To achieve biosynthesis of caffeoylmalic acid from glucose in engineered Escherichia coli.

Results

We constructed the biosynthetic pathway of caffeoylmalic acid in E. coli by co-expression of heterologous genes RgTAL, HpaBC, At4CL2 and HCT2. To enhance the production of caffeoylmalic acid, we optimized the tyrosine metabolic pathway of E. coli to increase the supply of the substrate caffeic acid. Consequently, an E. coli–E. coli co-culture system was used for the efficient production of caffeoylmalic acid. The final titer of caffeoylmalic acid reached 570.1 mg/L.

Conclusions

Microbial production of caffeoylmalic acid using glucose has application potential. In addition, microbial co-culture is an efficient tool for producing caffeic acid esters.

     

Development of a novel engineered antibody targeting <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neisseria</Emphasis> species

Objectives

A Neissaria bacterial pilus sugar, bacillosamine, was synthesized and, for the first time, used as a probe to screen a single-chain variable fragment (scFv).

Results

Four Neisseria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria sicca and Neisseria subflava, and two negative controls, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, were tested through ELISA, immunostaining and gold nanoparticle immunological assay. All results indicated that the selected scFv is feasible for the specific detection of Neisseria species via the recognition of bacillosamine.

Conclusions

The recombinant scFv could detect Neisseria strains at 10⁶ CFU/ml.

     

Plant growth-promoting bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas fluorescens</Emphasis> FR1 secrets a novel type of extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate polymerase involved in abiotic stress response in plants

Objectives

Identification of novel microbial factors contributing to plant protection against abiotic stress.

Results

The genome of plant growth-promoting bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens FR1 contains a short mobile element encoding a novel type of extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) polymerase (PhbC) associated with a type I secretion system. Genetic analysis using a phbC mutant strain and plants showed that this novel extracellular enzyme is related to the PHB production in planta and suggests that PHB could be a beneficial microbial compound synthesized during plant adaptation to cold stress.

Conclusion

Extracellular PhbC can be used as a new tool for improve crop production under abiotic stress.

     

Role of <Emphasis Type="Italic">PUF60</Emphasis> gene in Verheij syndrome: a case report of the first Chinese Han patient with a de novo pathogenic variant and review of the literature

Background

Verheij syndrome is a rare microdeletion syndrome of chromosome 8q24.3 that harbors PUF60, SCRIB, and NRBP2 genes. Subsequently, loss of function mutations in PUF60 have been found in children with clinical features significantly overlapping with Verheij.

Case presentation

Here we present the first Chinese Han patient with a de novo nonsense variant (c.1357C?>?T, p.Gln453*) in PUF60 by clinical whole exome sequencing. The 5-year-old boy presents with dysmorphic facial features, intellectual disability, and growth retardation but without apparent cardiac, renal, ocular, and spinal anomalies.

Conclusions

Our finding contributes to the understanding of the genotype and phenotype in PUF60 related disorder.

     

A quantitative analysis of root distortion from contrasting wheat cropping systems

Aims

Bacterial ACC deaminase is one of the key tools to ameliorate plant stress by lowering ethylene level in plants. The effects of ACC deaminase-producing bacteria on the volatile profiles in plants have not been examined to date. To address this, we performed metabolic profiling of volatiles in carrots following inoculation of the bacteria producing ACC deaminase.

Methods

We isolated ACC deaminase-producing bacteria from the inner part of the fruits and vegetables grown on organic farms by culturing on ACC-containing media, and screened them with PCR for the acdS gene, mungbean growth assay, and in vitro ACC deaminase activity. The isolated endophytes were evaluated for their ability to alter volatile profiles in carrots.

Results

Eleven bacterial strains possessing the activity to cleave ACC were selected among the 60 isolates grown on the medium containing ACC as a sole N source. Three of them that belonged to Pseudomonas could reduce the levels of (E)-2-hexenal and the other green leaf volatiles (GLVs) and terpenoids in the carrot leaves following inoculation of the seeds.

Conclusions

The isolated endophytes with ACC deaminase activity could alter the composition of volatiles in plants, probably through lowering ethylene level in the plant.

     

Genetic improvement of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense</Emphasis> for enhanced biological removal of phosphate

Objectives

To improve its phosphate accumulating abilities for phosphate recycling from wastewater, a magnetotactic bacterium, Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense, was genetically modified to over-express polyphosphate kinase.

Results

Polyphosphate kinase was over-expressed in the bacterium. The recombinant strain accumulated ninefold more polyphosphate from synthetic wastewater compared to original wild type. The magnetic property of the recombinant M. gryphiswaldense strain was retained.

Conclusions

The recombinant M. gryphiswaldense can be used for phosphate removal and recovery in bioremediation.

     

Synthesis of rosmarinic acid analogues in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Objectives

To produce rosmarinic acid analogues in the recombinant Escherichia coli BLRA1, harboring a 4-coumarate: CoA ligase from Arabidopsis thaliana (At4CL) and a rosmarinic acid synthase from Coleus blumei (CbRAS).

Results

Incubation of the recombinant E. coli strain BLRA1 with exogenously supplied phenyllactic acid (PL) and analogues as acceptor substrates, and coumaric acid and analogues as donor substrates led to production of 18 compounds, including 13 unnatural RA analogues.

Conclusion

This work demonstrates the viability of synthesizing a broad range of rosmarinic acid analogues in E. coli, and sheds new light on the substrate specificity of CbRAS.

     

The bacterial community associated with rose-scented geranium (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pelargonium graveolens</Emphasis>) leaves responds to anthracnose symptoms

Background

The fungus Colletotrichum is a plant pathogen that causes the anthracnose disease, resulting in huge losses in various crops including the rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens). Although the bacterial community associated with plants has an important role in the establishment of plant diseases, little is known about what happens in P. graveolens.

Aims

To increase the knowledge about the bacterial community associated with P. graveolens and its relationship with anthracnose disease symptoms.

Methods

Quantitative PCR and high-throughput sequencing were combined to determine the presence of the fungus Colletotrichum and to reveal the bacterial communities associated with different plant parts – root, stem and leaf – and in the rhizosphere and bulk soil, and also to determine the respective bacterial communities associated with P. graveolens leaves symptomatic and asymptomatic for anthracnose disease.

Results

The fungus Colletotrichum was detected in all plant parts and in the surrounding soil. Bacterial communities varied spatially in plants, and the disease symptoms also influenced the composition of the bacterial community. Abundances of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) assigned to the phylum Actinobacteria and to the genus Streptococcus were greatly increased in asymptomatic leaves.

Conclusions

The bacterial community associated to geranium leaves responds to anthracnose symptoms.

     

The rapid accumulation of aluminum is ubiquitous in both the evergreen and deciduous leaves of Theaceae and Ternstroemiaceae plants over a wide pH range in acidic soils

Background and aims

Aluminum (Al) accumulator plants are occasionally found in certain genera or families of woody plant species that are broadly dispersed in the angiosperm phylogeny. However, spatial and seasonal patterns in Al accumulation within the closely related species of each group remain poorly understood.

Methods

We quantitatively monitored the internal Al levels of eight Theaceae and Ternstroemiaceae species growing on acidic soils at multiple sites.

Results

Among the eight species, seven other than Ternstroemia gymnanthera shared a rapid Al accumulation in the developing leaves. Species comparison revealed that Al accumulation in mature leaves saturates within a flushing year, regardless of differences in leaf structure, seasonality, and acidic soil pH (4.5–5.5) at multiple sites. In tall trees of Stewartia monadelpha, the Al contents of the leaves were constantly high irrespective of their height positions up to 12 m. Moreover, the Al content of the leaves was only slightly decreased in the last 2 weeks of autumn senescence, in which nitrogen (N) or phosphate (P) retranslocation had been completed.

Conclusion

These results suggest that most of the Theaceae and Ternstroemiaceae species possess an effective metal-transport mechanism that rapidly loads Al into the young leaves until each level reaches a species-specific threshold.

     

Inhibitory effects of YCW and MOS from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella pullorum</Emphasis> adhesion to Caco-2 cells

Background

For many years, yeast cell walls (YCW) and mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) have been used as alternatives to antibiotics and health feed additives to enhance the growth performance and health of food animals. In the present study, the inhibitory effects of YCWand MOS on the adhesion of enteropathogenic bacteria to intestinal epithelial cells were tested.

Methods

YCW and MOS were extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (XM 0315), and the morphology of YCW and MOS bound to pathogenic bacteria was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to quantitatively analyze the effects of YCW and MOS on the adhesion of Escherichia coli (CVCC3367) and Salmonella pullorum (CVCC520) to Caco-2 cells.

Results

The results showed that YCW inhibited E. coli and S. pullorum binding to Caco-2 cells by 95% and 74%, respectively, whereas MOS prevented E. coli and S. pullorum binding by 67% and 50%, respectively.

Conclusions

These data suggest that YCW has a stronger ability than MOS to inhibit pathogenic bacteria from adhering to Caco-2 cells in vitro.