The characteristics of the microflora isolated in bovine endometritis]

117 pure bacterial cultures of numerous species isolated by the authors at acute postnatal pyo-catarrhal cattle endometritis have been studied for their virulence and resistance to 18 antibiotics with the aim to determine their etiologic role in the development of the given pathology and to make a prediction estimation of possible therapeutic and preventive efficiency of the antibiotics. The experiments on white mice have revealed pathogenic properties and virulence in most studied strains of bacteria of different species. The studied microflora is, mainly, resistant practically to all 18 tested antibiotics. A direct dependence is established between virulence of the microflora, isolated in case of endometritis, and its resistance to antibiotics.     

First report of a mycolactone-producing Mycobacterium infection in fish agriculture in Belgium

In the past few years, a mycolactone-producing subgroup of the Mycobacterium marinum complex has been identified and analyzed. These IS 2404 -positive species cause pathology in frogs and fish. A recently isolated mycobacterial strain from a fish in Belgium was analyzed using a variety of molecular methods and the results were identical to those obtained from a mycolactone-producing M. marinum from Israel.     

The chitinases of aerobic sporulating bacteria isolated from different ecological sources]

The chitinolytic activity of 171 strains of 15 species of spore-forming aerobic bacteria isolated from different ecological sources has been studied. 85 strains of the studied bacilli (50%) hydrolyzed colloidal chitin in a different degree. Among the cultures isolated from human and animal organism 60% of strains were characterized by the presence of extracellular chinases, among the collection strains--37%, among those isolated from soil and from insects--40 and 43%, respectively. The cultures of Bacillus subtilis as well as B. coagulans, B. megaterium and some other possessed the highest activity on the liquid medium. Some strains have been chosen for further research aimed at their possible use for biotechnology.     

Biochemical and serologic study of Acholeplasmae isolated from monkeys

Biochemical and serological properties of mycoplasmas isolated from the blood, feces and parenchymatous organs of monkeys have been studied to determine their species. It was established that the isolated strains belong to the family Acholeplasmatoceae. The study of their biochemical properties in different tests has revealed the presence of 5 biochemically heterogeneous groups. Their serological properties suggest that 13 out of 45 strains are identical to the reference strain of A. laidlawii A, and all other strains have been classified as new Acholeplasma species which have never been isolated from monkeys before.     

Some properties of guinea pig brain glutamate decarboxylase and its inhibition by the convulsant allylglycine (2-amino-4-pentenoic acid)

—Glutamate decarboxylase (l -glutamate 1-carboxy-lyase EC 4.1.1.15; GAD) has been isolated from guinea pig brain and some of its properties studied. Many of its properties indicated that it was similar if not identical to the decarboxylase isolated from other species. It showed normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics (K_m= 8 mM), had a pH optimum of 6.6–7.0 and was protected by sulphydryl reagents. Its activity was stimulated by pyridoxal phosphate and inhibited by a variety of anions, cations and carbonyl trapping agents. Allylglycine strongly inhibited GAD isolated from the brains of several different species. The mechanism of this inhibition has been studied kinetically and compared to chloride induced inhibition. The kinetic data presented is consistent with the idea that allylglycine inhibits the enzyme by a partially reversible inactivation rather than by reversible competitive inhibition.     

The characterization of the RNAs and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases of the blue-green alga, Anacystis nidulans

The tRNA and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases of the blue-green alga, Anacystis nidulans have been isolated and studied. The distribution of some algal tRNA species on BD-cellulose chromatography has been determined. One tRNA^Met species has been isolated in 80% purity by a single chromatography on a BD-cellulose column developed with a modified salt gradient. The number of different tRNA isoacceptors for Met, Ser, and Leu has been ascertained by RPC-5 chromatography. The recognition of algal tRNAs by the homologous algal synthetase preparation as well as the heterologous Escherichia coli preparation was studied by the aminoacylation tests. Since all of the isoaccepting species of the tRNAs tested behaved almost identically in presence of the two enzyme preparations, a conservation of the recognition site during the evolutionary divergence of bacteria and algae is strongly suggested.     

Yeast antagonists in the normal microflora of the intestinal tract in the long-lived inhabitants of Abkhazia

Yeast of different taxonomic groups isolated from the organism of long-livers of Abkhazia have been studied for their antagonistic activity relative to the conditionally pathogenic and pathogenic bacteria and for the presence of the killer factor. It is shown that representatives of ten species of fungi are antagonists of the studied bacteria, the strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae being the most active antagonists. The presence of the killer factor is found in representatives of five species o the yeast. It is supposed that the antagonistic activity relative to the bacteria and the killer activity in the yeast are due to substances of different chemical nature.     

Unusual characteristics of ciliate actins

Actin is a cytoskeletal protein that is ubiquitous in eukaryotes, hence the corresponding genes and proteins have been isolated from numerous organisms as different as animals, plants, fungi and protozoa. Several atomic models are available for the monomeric as well as the filamentous form, and more than 70 proteins that bind actin and control filament dynamics have been isolated from diverse eukaryotes. Moreover, the function and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton in several eukaryotic systems have been depicted in depth. Unlike other protozoa, such as amoeba, actin is not an abundant protein in ciliates, whose cytoskeleton is mainly composed of microtubular arrays. Ciliate actin has been studied in several species, and it was established early on that this ciliate protein is very different from that of other eukaryotes. Similarly, the actin-binding proteins studied in ciliates display great differences with those of other eukaryotes. Consequently, ciliate actin has been considered as "unconventional," and this review focuses on molecular data leading to this conclusion.     

Characteristics of nuclear DNA in the genus Oryza

Summary DNAs have been isolated from various Oryza species and studied using physical techniques. The percent of guanine plus cytosine has been determined by thermal denaturation. While the base composition varied between the species, no heterogeneity in the base pair distribution was observed. Renaturation kinetics data of DNAs from different species show that the proportion of repeated DNA sequences vary considerably depending on the DNA content per cell, whereas the nonrepetitive DNA component remains relatively constant. These results suggest that in addition to a small range of DNA variation between the species, changes in the base composition and proportion of repeated sequences have accompanied divergence of the species within the genus.     

Identification of Bacterial Strains Isolated from the Mediterranean Sea Exhibiting Different Abilities of Biofilm Formation

The Mediterranean Sea has rarely been investigated for the characterization of marine bacteria as compared to other marine environments such as the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. Bacteria recovered from inert surfaces are poorly studied in these environments, when it has been shown that the community structure of attached bacteria can be dissimilar from that of planktonic bacteria present in the water column. The objectives of this study were to identify and characterize marine bacteria isolated from biofilms developed on inert surfaces immersed in the Mediterranean Sea and to evaluate their capacity to form a biofilm in vitro. Here, 13 marine bacterial strains have been isolated from different supports immersed in seawater in the Bay of Toulon (France). Phylogenetic analysis and different biological and physico-chemical properties have been investigated. Among the 13 strains recovered, 8 different genera and 12 different species were identified including 2 isolates of a novel bacterial species that we named Persicivirga mediterranea and whose genus had never been isolated from the Mediterranean Sea. Shewanella sp. and Pseudoalteromonas sp. were the most preponderant genera recovered in our conditions. The phenotypical characterization revealed that one isolate belonging to the Polaribacter genus differed from all the other ones by its hydrophobic properties and poor ability to form biofilms in vitro. Identifying and characterizing species isolated from seawater including from Mediterranean ecosystems could be helpful for example, to understand some aspects of bacterial biodiversity and to further study the mechanisms of biofilm (and biofouling) development in conditions approaching those of the marine environment.     

Amino acids and their metabolites in Sarcocystis fusiformis and S. gigantea cysts

It has been established that cysts S. fusiformis and S. gigantea of parasites isolated from the esophagi of infected buffaloes and sheep have the identical set of free amino acids and their metabolites. These species differ from each other in 7 components of 34 studied that points to their metabolic closeness and to specific differences of sarcocysts from different hosts.     

Species Based Synonymous Codon Usage in Fusion Protein Gene of Newcastle Disease Virus

Newcastle disease is highly pathogenic to poultry and many other avian species. However, the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has also been reported from many non-avian species. The NDV fusion protein (F) is a major determinant of its pathogenicity and virulence. The functionalities of F gene have been explored for the development of vaccine and diagnostics against NDV. Although the F protein is well studied but the codon usage and its nucleotide composition from NDV isolated from different species have not yet been explored. In present study, we have analyzed the factors responsible for the determination of codon usage in NDV isolated from four major avian host species. The F gene of NDV is analyzed for its base composition and its correlation with the bias in codon usage. Our result showed that random mutational pressure is responsible for codon usage bias in F protein of NDV isolates. Aromaticity, GC3s, and aliphatic index were not found responsible for species based synonymous codon usage bias in F gene of NDV. Moreover, the low amount of codon usage bias and expression level was further confirmed by a low CAI value. The phylogenetic analysis of isolates was found in corroboration with the relatedness of species based on codon usage bias. The relationship between the host species and the NDV isolates from the host does not represent a significant correlation in our study. The present study provides a basic understanding of the mechanism involved in codon usage among species.     

Living fast and dying of infection: host life history drives interspecific variation in infection and disease risk

Parasite infections often lead to dramatically different outcomes among host species. Although an emerging body of ecoimmunological research proposes that hosts experience a fundamental trade-off between pathogen defences and life-history activities, this line of inquiry has rarely been extended to the most essential outcomes of host-pathogen interactions: namely, infection and disease pathology. Using a comparative experimental approach involving 13 amphibian host species and a virulent parasite, we test the hypothesis that 'pace-of-life' predicts parasite infection and host pathology. Trematode exposure increased mortality and malformations in nine host species. After accounting for evolutionary history, species that developed quickly and metamorphosed smaller ('fast-species') were particularly prone to infection and pathology. This pattern likely resulted from both weaker host defences and greater adaptation by parasites to infect common hosts. Broader integration between life history theory and disease ecology can aid in identifying both reservoir hosts and species at risk of disease-driven declines.     

Determination of protein A I staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from monkeys

Protein A content in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from 6 species of monkeys at the Sukhumi Monkey Nursery has been studied. Protein A has been detected in 73% of the studied strains. One strain isolated from a rhesus macaque has been found to release high amounts of protein A into the environment.     

不同类群酵母胞壁甘露聚糖核磁共振氢谱的比较研究

运用核磁共振氢谱(PMR谱)~(**)对各类酵母的细胞壁甘露聚糖进行比较研究,在我国尚无报道,其中某些酵母也尚无文献记载。本文结果表明:1.同菌株的胞壁甘露聚糖PMR谱型的重复性很好。2.同种不同株的酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)的多糖谱型也相同。3.所测的二端芽殖酵母中完全型与不完全型菌株的谱型很相似,如柠檬形克勒克酵母(Kloeckera apiculata)与葡萄有孢汉逊酵母(Hanseniaspora uvarum。4.某些分类系统上来源较杂的子囊菌酵母如单宁管囊酵母(Packysolen tanophilus)、萤光威克酵母(Wickerhamiaflurescens)与高糖固囊酵母(Citeromyces matritensis)则体现了各不相同的谱型。5.二株分自西双版纳的极为相近的类酵母(Saccharomycodes sp.)其多糖的(PMR)谱型与多糖的组分都彼此相同,有助于对它们的适当归类。这一切证明酵母胞壁多糖PMR谱型相似程度的比较是分类上较有意义的性状,有助于探讨亲缘关系,核实完全型与不完全型,也有助于对疑难菌株的分析     

First isolation of Desulfovibrio from the human vaginal flora

Four Desulfovibrio species, including 2 subtypes of 1 species, namely, Desulfovibrio piger, Desulfovibrio desulfuricans MB subtype and Essex 6 subtype, Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis, and Desulfovibrio vulgaris, have been isolated from the human oral and intestinal flora, but not previously from the vaginal flora. They are opportunistic pathogens and have been considered as possible environmental and etiologic agents involved in ulcerative colitis and chronic periodontitis. We isolated Desulfovibrio intestinalis from vaginal specimens of four Japanese women; a species which has not been previously isolated from humans. The vaginal isolates were highly resistant to cefoxitin, piperacillin, and piperacillin-tazobactam but were susceptible to the other antimicrobial agents tested. Our findings suggested that vaginal Desulfovibrio species may be involved in gynecological or obstetric pathology, and provides additional information of the medical relevance on human Desulfovibrio species.     

Molecular evidence of new variant Brucella in North Pacific common minke whales

Brucella, a causative agent of brucellosis, has been isolated recently from a variety of marine mammals. The molecular analysis of marine mammalian Brucella strains, without manifest pathology of brucellosis in the eastern North Atlantic, showed that they are distinct from terrestrial Brucella species. Previously, we reported abnormal gonads in common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the western North Pacific and suggested the presence of Brucella infection in the whales in pathology and serology studies. In the present study, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Brucella was detected in granular testes of the whales showing caseation or calcification. The insertion of an IS711 transposable element specific for marine mammal isolates as well as a seal isolate-specific DNA fragment were also found. Molecular characterization of Brucella based on sequence analysis of the PCR products amplified from the outer membrane protein (omp) 2 gene showed that the Brucella from North Pacific common minke whales was different from terrestrial and North Atlantic marine mammal Brucella strains. The North Pacific Brucella showed the highest similarity to North Atlantic seal strains among the known Brucella strains.     

Endochironomus tendens (F.) (Chironomidae,Diptera) an example of stasipatric speciation

Endochironomus tendens has been studied from different localities and geographically isolated populations. On the basis of the detailed karyotaxonomic analysis the investigated material can be divided into two forms. These forms are distinguished by their karyotype and phenotype. The results of the karologica and hybridization analysis showed that the differences between these forms lie only on the basis of microevolution differentiation of species, without being reproductively isolated. This is an example of stasipatric speciation-chromosomal aberrations having an adaptive value in a homozygous state are fixed in definitive localities of species range.     

β-Glucan Induces Reactive Oxygen Species Production in Human Neutrophils to Improve the Killing of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata Isolates from Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is among the most prevalent vaginal diseases. Candida albicans is still the most prevalent species associated with this pathology, however, the prevalence of other Candida species, such as C. glabrata, is increasing. The pathogenesis of these infections has been intensely studied, nevertheless, no consensus has been reached on the pathogenicity of VVC. In addition, inappropriate treatment or the presence of resistant strains can lead to RVVC (vulvovaginal candidiasis recurrent). Immunomodulation therapy studies have become increasingly promising, including with the β-glucans. Thus, in the present study, we evaluated microbicidal activity, phagocytosis, intracellular oxidant species production, oxygen consumption, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and the release of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-1β, and IL-1Ra in neutrophils previously treated or not with β-glucan. In all of the assays, human neutrophils were challenged with C. albicans and C. glabrata isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis. β-glucan significantly increased oxidant species production, suggesting that β-glucan may be an efficient immunomodulator that triggers an increase in the microbicidal response of neutrophils for both of the species isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis. The effects of β-glucan appeared to be mainly related to the activation of reactive oxygen species and modulation of cytokine release.     

假丝酵母一新种——北京假丝酵母

本文研究了一株从水果表皮分离到的假丝酵母,它与至今已发表的所有已知假丝酵母均不相同,定名为北京假丝酵母(Candida beijingensis)。