Microarray for serotyping of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bartonella</Emphasis> species

Background  

Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are responsible for a large variety of human and animal diseases. Serological typing of Bartonella is a method that can be used for differentiation and identification of Bartonella subspecies.     

Attenuation of fibrosis <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> with <Emphasis Type="Italic">SPARC</Emphasis> siRNA

Introduction  

SPARC is a matricellular protein, which, along with other extracellular matrix components including collagens, is commonly over-expressed in fibrotic diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether inhibition of SPARC can regulate collagen expression in vitro and in vivo, and subsequently attenuate fibrotic stimulation by bleomycin in mouse skin and lungs.     

Control of <Emphasis Type="Italic">gag-pol</Emphasis> gene expression in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida albicans</Emphasis> retrotransposon Tca2

Background  

In the C. albicans retrotransposon Tca2, the gag and pol ORFs are separated by a UGA stop codon, 3' of which is a potential RNA pseudoknot. It is unclear how the Tca2 gag UGA codon is bypassed to allow pol expression. However, in other retroelements, translational readthrough of the gag stop codon can be directed by its flanking sequence, including a 3' pseudoknot.     

Computational modeling and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in silico</Emphasis> analysis of differential regulation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">myo</Emphasis>-inositol catabolic enzymes in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptococcus neoformans</Emphasis>

Background  

Inositol is a key cellular metabolite for many organisms. Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic pathogen which primarily infects the central nervous system, a region of high inositol concentration, of immunocompromised individuals. Through the use of myo-inositol oxygenase C. neoformans can catabolize inositol as a sole carbon source to support growth and viability.     

Association of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bordetella</Emphasis> dermonecrotic toxin with the extracellular matrix

Background  

Bordetella dermonecrotic toxin (DNT) causes the turbinate atrophy in swine atrophic rhinitis, caused by a Bordetella bronchiseptica infection of pigs, by inhibiting osteoblastic differentiation. The toxin is not actively secreted from the bacteria, and is presumed to be present in only small amounts in infected areas. How such small amounts can affect target tissues is unknown.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> gene regulatory networks predict <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> function of liver

Background  

Evolution of toxicity testing is predicated upon using in vitro cell based systems to rapidly screen and predict how a chemical might cause toxicity to an organ in vivo. However, the degree to which we can extend in vitro results to in vivo activity and possible mechanisms of action remains to be fully addressed.     

The effect of biotic and physical factors on the competitive ability of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizobium leguminosarum</Emphasis>

Background  

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae (Rlv) is a soil bacterium which can form nitrogen-fixing symbiotic relationships with leguminous plants. Numerous rhizobial strains found in soils compete with each other. Competition can occur both during the saprophytic growth phase in the rhizosphere and inside plant tissues, during the symbiotic phase. Competition is important as it may affect the composition of rhizobial populations present in the soil and in the root nodules of plants.     

Oxygen and nitrate-dependent regulation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">dmsABC</Emphasis> operon expression in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>: sites for Fnr and NarL protein interactions

Background  

Escherichia coli can respire anaerobically using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) as the terminal electron acceptor for anaerobic energy generation. Expression of the dmsABC genes that encode the membrane-associated DMSO/TMAO reductase is positively regulated during anaerobic conditions by the Fnr protein and negatively regulated by the NarL protein when nitrate is present.     

Herd prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae producing CTX‐M‐type and CMY‐2 β‐lactamases among Japanese dairy farms

Aims

To determine the herd prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae producing CTX‐M‐type extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases (ESBLs) among 381 dairy farms in Japan.

Methods and Results

Between 2007 and 2009, we screened 897 faecal samples using BTB lactose agar plates containing cefotaxime (2 μg ml^?1). Positive isolates were tested using ESBL confirmatory tests, PCR and sequencing for CTX‐M, AmpC, TEM and SHV. The incidence of Enterobacteriaceae producing CTX‐M‐15 (n = 7), CTX‐M‐2 (n = 12), CTX‐M‐14 (n = 3), CMY‐2 (n = 2) or CTX‐M‐15/2/14 and CMY‐2 (n = 4) in bovine faeces was 28/897 (3·1%) faecal samples. These genes had spread to Escherichia coli (n = 23) and three genera of Enterobacteriaceae (n = 5). Herd prevalence was found to be 20/381 (5·2%) dairy farms. The 23 E. coli isolates showed clonal diversity, as assessed by multilocus sequence typing and pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis. The pandemic E. coli strain ST131 producing CTX‐M‐15 or CTX‐M‐27 was not detected.

Conclusions

Three clusters of CTX‐M (CTX‐M‐15, CTX‐M‐2, CTX‐M‐14) had spread among Japanese dairy farms.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This is the first report on the prevalence of multidrug‐resistant CTX‐M‐15–producing E. coli among Japanese dairy farms.     

Factors acting on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mos1</Emphasis> transposition efficiency

Background  

Mariner-like elements (MLEs) are widespread DNA transposons in animal genomes. Although in vitro transposition reactions require only the transposase, various factors depending on the host, the physico-chemical environment and the transposon sequence can interfere with the MLEs transposition in vivo.     

Crucial role of zebrafish <Emphasis Type="Italic">prox1</Emphasis>in hypothalamic catecholaminergic neurons development

Background  

Prox1, the vertebrate homolog of prospero in Drosophila melanogaster, is a divergent homeogene that regulates cell proliferation, fate determination and differentiation during vertebrate embryonic development.     

Genetic microheterogeneity and phenotypic variation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> arginase in clinical isolates

Background  

Clinical isolates of the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori display a high level of genetic macro- and microheterogeneity, featuring a panmictic, rather than clonal structure. The ability of H. pylori to survive the stomach acid is due, in part, to the arginase-urease enzyme system. Arginase (RocF) hydrolyzes L-arginine to L-ornithine and urea, and urease hydrolyzes urea to carbon dioxide and ammonium, which can neutralize acid.     

Variability in SCC <Emphasis Type="Italic">mec</Emphasis><Subscript>N1</Subscript> spreading among injection drug users in Zurich,Switzerland

Background  

An extremely low level methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) belonging to ST45, circulates among intravenous drug users in the Zurich area. This clone can be misinterpreted as an MSSA by phenotypic oxacillin resistance tests, although it carries a staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) element encoding a functional mecA gene and it produces PBP2a.     

Targeted protein depletion in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> by activation of a bidirectional degron

Background  

Tools for in vivo manipulation of protein abundance or activity are highly beneficial for life science research. Protein stability can be efficiently controlled by conditional degrons, which induce target protein degradation at restrictive conditions.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">HXT</Emphasis> 1 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">HXT</Emphasis> 7 hexose transporter overexpression on wild-type and lactic acid producing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> cells

Background  

Since about three decades, Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be engineered to efficiently produce proteins and metabolites. Even recognizing that in baker's yeast one determining step for the glucose consumption rate is the sugar uptake, this fact has never been conceived to improve the metabolite(s) productivity.     

The two authentic methionine aminopeptidase genes are differentially expressed in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis>

Background  

Two putative methionine aminopeptidase genes,map(essential) andyflG(non-essential), were identified in the genome sequence ofBacillus subtilis. We investigated whether they can function as methionine aminopeptidases and further explored possible reasons for their essentiality or dispensability inB. subtilis.     

The evolution of TEP1, an exceptionally polymorphic immunity gene in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anopheles gambiae</Emphasis>

Background  

Host-parasite coevolution can result in balancing selection, which maintains genetic variation in the susceptibility of hosts to parasites. It has been suggested that variation in a thioester-containing protein called TEP1 (AGAP010815) may alter the ability of Anopheles mosquitoes to transmit Plasmodium parasites, and high divergence between alleles of this gene suggests the possible action of long-term balancing selection. We studied whether TEP1 is a case of an ancient balanced polymorphism in an animal immune system.     

Genomic transcriptional response to loss of chromosomal supercoiling in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Background  

The chromosome of Escherichia coli is maintained in a negatively supercoiled state, and supercoiling levels are affected by growth phase and a variety of environmental stimuli. In turn, supercoiling influences local DNA structure and can affect gene expression. We used microarrays representing nearly the entire genome of Escherichia coli MG1655 to examine the dynamics of chromosome structure.     

Allele distribution and genetic diversity of VNTR loci in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella enterica</Emphasis>serotype Enteritidis isolates from different sources

Background  

Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is a zoonotic pathogen, which can be found in many sources including animals and the environment. However, little is known about the molecular relatedness among S. Enteritidis isolates from different sources. We have applied multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) to study the genetic diversity of S. Enteritidis isolates from human and non-human sources.     

Para‐psychobiotic Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 ameliorates stress‐related symptoms and sleep quality

Aims

To confirm the stress‐relieving effects of heat‐inactivated, enteric‐colonizing Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 (paraprobiotic CP2305) in medical students taking a cadaver dissection course.

Methods and Results

Healthy students (21 males and 11 females) took paraprobiotic CP2305 daily for 5 weeks during a cadaver dissection course. The General Health Questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were employed to assess stress‐related somatic symptoms and sleep quality respectively. The aggravation of stress‐associated somatic symptoms was observed in female students (P = 0·029). Sleep quality was improved in the paraprobiotic CP2305 group (P = 0·038), particularly in men (P = 0·004). Among men, paraprobiotic CP2305 shortened sleep latency (P = 0·035) and increased sleep duration (P = 0·048). Diarrhoea‐like symptoms were also effectively controlled with CP2305 (P = 0·005) in men. Thus, we observed sex‐related differences in the effects of paraprobiotic CP2305. In addition, CP2305 affected the growth of faecal Bacteroides vulgatus and Dorea longicatena, which are involved in intestinal inflammation.

Conclusions

CP2305 is a potential paraprobiotic that regulates stress responses, and its beneficial effects may depend on specific cell component(s).

Significance and Impact of the Study

This study characterizes the effects of a stress‐relieving para‐psychobiotic in humans.