Saturation transfer difference NMR and computational modeling of a sialoadhesin-sialyl lactose complex

The siglecs are a family of I-type lectins binding to sialic acids on the cell surface. Sialoadhesin (siglec-1) is expressed at much higher levels in inflammatory macrophages and specifically binds to alpha-2,3-sialylated N-acetyl lactosamine residues of glycan chains. The terminal disaccharide alpha-D-Neu5Ac-(2-->3)-beta-D-Gal is thought to be the main epitope recognized by sialoadhesin. To understand the basis of this biological recognition reaction we combined NMR experiments with a molecular modeling study. We employed saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR experiments to characterize the binding epitope of alpha-2,3-sialylated lactose, alpha-D-Neu5Ac-(2-->3)-beta-D-Gal-(1-->4)-D-Glc 1 to sialoadhesin at atomic resolution. The experimental results were compared to a computational docking model and to X-ray data of a complex of sialyl lactose and sialoadhesin. The data reveal that sialoadhesin mainly recognizes the N-acetyl neuraminic acid and a small part of the galactose moiety of 1. The crystal structure of a complex of sialoadhesin with sialyl lactose 1 was used as a basis for a modeling study using the FlexiDock algorithm. The model generated was very similar to the original crystal structure. Therefore, the X-ray data were used to predict theoretical STD values utilizing the CORCEMA-STD protocol. The good agreement between experimental and theoretical STD values indicates that a combined modeling/STD NMR approach yields a reliable structural model for the complex of sialoadhesin with alpha-D-Neu5Ac-(2-->3)-beta-D-Gal-(1-->4)-D-Glc 1 in aqueous solution.     

Analysis of environmental Escherichia coli isolates for virulence genes using the TaqMan PCR system

AIMS: To assess the presence of virulence genes in environmental and foodborne Escherichia coli isolates using the TaqMan PCR system. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three TaqMan pathogen detection kits called O157:H7, StxI and StxII were used to investigate the presence of virulence genes in Escherichia coli isolates. All 54 foodborne E. coli O157:H7 isolates showed expected results using these kits. Ninety (15%) of 604 environmental isolates gave positive amplification with an O157:H7-specific kit. TaqMan PCR amplification products from these 90 isolates were analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis, and 90% (81 of 90) of the environmental samples contained the expected PCR product. Sixty-six of these 90 were chosen for serotyping tests and only 35% (23 of 66) showed agglutination with both anti-O157 and anti-H7 antibodies. Further ribotyping of 16 sero-positive isolates in an automated Riboprinter did not identify these to be O157:H7. Multiplex PCR with primers for eaeA, stxI and stxII genes was used to confirm the TaqMan results in 10 selected environmental isolates. CONCLUSIONS: All three TaqMan pathogen detection kits were useful for virulence gene analysis of prescreened foodborne O157:H7 isolates, while the O157:H7-specific kit may not be suitable for virulence gene analysis of environmental E. coli isolates, because of high false positive identification. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The ability to rapidly identify the presence of pathogenic E. coli in food or environmental samples is essential to avert outbreaks. These results are of importance to microbiologists seeking to use TaqMan PCR to rapidly identify pathogenic E. coli in environmental samples. Furthermore, serotyping may not be a reliable method for identification of O157:H7 strains.     

Glucose and Nutrient Concentrations Affect the Expression of a 104-Kilodalton Listeria Adhesion Protein in Listeria monocytogenes

Growth media and environmental conditions influence the expression of adhesion and invasion proteins in Listeria monocytogenes. Here, the expression of the 104-kDa Listeria adhesion protein (LAP) was studied in nutrient-rich media (Trypticase soy broth [TSB] and brain heart infusion [BHI]), minimal medium (Luria-Bertani [LB]), or nutrient-deficient medium (peptone water [PW]) by immunoblotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunoelectron microscopy. Also, the effect of incorporating different concentrations of glucose on LAP expression was studied. Immunoblotting showed that LAP expression was at least twofold higher in LB medium than in TSB or BHI, while PW supported very poor cell growth and LAP expression. ELISA and immunoblotting results showed that higher concentrations of glucose (>1.6 g/liter) lowered the culture pH and suppressed LAP expression by more than 75%; however, the addition of K₂HPO₄ reduced this effect. L. monocytogenes cells grown in LB media with lower concentrations of glucose showed higher adhesion to Caco-2 cells (3,716 and 4,186 cpm of attached bacteria for 0 and 0.2 g of glucose/liter, respectively), while L. monocytogenes cells grown in LB with higher glucose concentrations exhibited lower adhesion (2,126 and 2,221 cpm for 1.6 and 3.2 g of glucose/liter, respectively). A LAP-negative L. monocytogenes strain (A572) showed low adhesion profiles regardless of the amount of glucose added. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that LAP is localized mainly in the cytoplasm, with only a few molecules located on the cell surface. Growth in LB with high glucose (3.2 g/liter) showed the presence of only a few molecules in the cells, corroborating the results observed with ELISA or immunoblotting. In summary, nutrient-rich media and high concentrations of glucose suppressed LAP expression, which possibly is due to the changes in the pH of the media during growth from the accumulation of sugar fermentation by-products.     

Minimally modified low density lipoproteins induce aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation via the activation of mitogen activated protein kinase

We have investigated the effects of modifying LDL by Cu++ and various hemoglobin preparations on aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation and on the activation of mitogen activated protein kinase. We found that at very low concentrations (10 g/ml), LDL modified by all of the above agonists markedly stimulated cell proliferation (5–10 fold). This was accompanied by a 2–3 fold stimulation in mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. We conclude that modification of LDL under situations that are closer to those found in vivo (i.e. hypoxic conditions), may involve the activation of MAPK as a common biochemical mechanism of action. This in turn, contributes to aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation.     

Monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay for pediocins of Pediococcus acidilactici.

Monoclonal antibody (MAb) R2-AR against pediocin RS2 was developed. Mice were immunized for 12 weeks with pediocin RS2 conjugated to a polyacrylamide gel. Two hybridoma fusions yielded an MAb that in Western blots (immunoblots) reacted only with pediocins RS2 and AcH (3 kDa) from Pediococcus acidilactici RS2 and H, respectively, and did not react with any other bacteriocin, including sakacin A from Lactobacillus sake Lb 706, leuconocin LCM1 from Leuconostoc carnosum LM1, nisin from Lactococcus lactis ATCC 11454, and pediocin A from Pediococcus pentosaceus FBB61. Each of the bacteriocin bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels was confirmed to be biologically active by a gel overlay test performed with sensitive indicator organisms. In dot immunoblot assays, the MAb could detect a minimum of 32,000 arbitrary units of pediocin RS2 or AcH per ml. In colony immunoblot assays, the MAb was used successfully to differentiate bac+ and bac- variants of P. acidilactici RS2 strains.     

Role of calcium in the inhibition of nitrogenase activity by Methylparathion and Benthiocarb in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum

Methylparathion and Benthiocarb inhibition of N₂ fixation in the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum was reversed by Ca²⁺ at 1 mm but not at 0.1 mm. The concentration of intracellular Ca²⁺ was relatively high in the presence of these pesticides when 1 mm Ca²⁺ was also present, indicating that intracellular Ca²⁺ may participate in protecting nitrogenase activity against Methylparathion and Benthiocarb.The authors are with the Department of Biochemistry, University College of Science, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta 700 019, India.     

Role of non-electrostatic forces in antimicrobial potency of a dengue-virus derived fusion peptide VG16KRKP: Mechanistic insight into the interfacial peptide-lipid interactions

Cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as effective alternatives to conventional therapeutics that are used against the ever-rising number of multidrug-resistant microbial strains. Most studies established the peptide's amphipathicity and electrostatic interaction with the membrane as the basis for their antimicrobial effect. However, the interplay between the stoichiometric ratio of lipids, local geometry, diverse physicochemical properties of the host membranes and antimicrobial peptide efficacy is still poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate the mechanism of interaction of VG16KRKP (VARGWKRKCPLFGKGG), a novel AMP designed from the dengue-virus fusion peptide, with bacterial/fungal membrane mimics. Fluorescence based dye leakage assays show that membrane disruption is not solely induced by electrostatic interaction but also driven by stoichiometric ratio of the lipids that dictates the net surface charge, amount of lipid defects and local geometry of the membrane. Solid-state ¹⁴N and ³¹P NMR experiments show that peptide interaction results in lowering of lipid order around both the headgroups and acyl chains, suggesting deep peptide insertion. Further, an increase or decrease in membrane stability of the host membrane was observed in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms, dictated by the overall stoichiometric ratio of the lipids and the sterol present. In general, our results help understand the diverse fates of host membranes against an antimicrobial peptide.     

Optical forward-scattering for detection of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species

We demonstrate here the development of a non-invasive optical forward-scattering system, called 'scatterometer' for rapid identification of bacterial colonies. The system is based on the concept that variations in refractive indices and size, relative to the arrangement of cells in bacterial colonies growing on a semi-solid agar surface will generate different forward-scattering patterns. A 1.2-1.5mm colony size for a 1mm laser beam and brain heart infusion agar as substrate were used as fixed variables. The current study is focused on exploring identification of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species exploiting the known differences in their phenotypic characters. Using diffraction theory, we could model the scattering patterns and explain the appearance of radial spokes and the rings seen in the scattering images of L. monocytogenes. Further, we have also demonstrated development of a suitable software for the extraction of the features (scalar values) calculated from images of the scattering patterns using Zernike moment invariants and principal component analysis and were grouped using K-means clustering. We achieved 91-100% accuracy in detecting different species. It was also observed that substrate variations affect the scattering patterns of Listeria. Finally, a database was constructed based on the scattering patterns from 108 different strains belonging to six species of Listeria. The overall system proved to be simple, non-invasive and virtually reagent-less and has the potential for automated user-friendly application for detection and differentiation of L. monocytogenes and other Listeria species colonies grown on agar plates within 5-10 min analysis time.     

Appraisal of Phlebotomus argentipes habitat suitability using a remotely sensed index in the kala-azar endemic focus of Bihar,India

Visceral leishmaniasis, or kala-azar, is recognised as a serious emerging public health problem in India. In this study, environmental parameters, such as land surface temperature (LST) and renormalised difference vegetation indices (RDVI), were used to delineate the association between environmental variables and Phlebotomus argentipes abundance in a representative endemic region of Bihar, India. The adult P. argentipes were collected between September 2009-February 2010 using the hand-held aspirator technique. The distribution of P. argentipes was analysed with the LST and RDVI of the peak and lean seasons. The association between environmental covariates and P. argentipes density was analysed a multivariate linear regression model. The sandfly density at its maximum in September, whereas the minimum density was recorded in January. The regression model indicated that the season, minimum LST, mean LST and mean RDVI were the best environmental covariates for the P. argentipes distribution. The final model indicated that nearly 74% of the variance of sandfly density could be explained by these environmental covariates. This approach might be useful for mapping and predicting the distribution of P. argentipes, which may help the health agencies that are involved in the kala-azar control programme focus on high-risk areas.