Assessment of Synthesis Machinery of Two Antimicrobial Peptides from Paenibacillus alvei NP75

Paenibacillus alvei NP75, a Gram-positive bacterium, produces two different antimicrobial peptides, paenibacillin N and P, which has potent antimicrobial activity against many clinical pathogens. The synthesis pattern of these antimicrobial peptides by P. alvei NP75 was studied extensively. The results were outstanding in a way that the paenibacillin N was synthesized irrespective of the growth of bacteria (non-ribosomal mediated), whereas paenibacillin P production was carried out by ribosomal mediated. In addition to the antimicrobial peptides, P. alvei NP75 also produces an immunogenic extracellular protease to defend itself from its own antimicrobial peptide, paenibacillin P. Furthermore, this immunogenic protease production was impaired by the addition of protease inhibitor, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treated strain (mutant) failed to produce paenibacillin P, whereas the production of neither paenibacillin N nor the protease was affected by the plasmid curing. The plasmid curing studies that divulge the genes responsible for the synthesis of paenibacillin N and protease were found to be genome encoded, and paenibacillin P was plasmid encoded. We are reporting, first of its kind, the co-production of two different antimicrobial peptides from P. alvei NP75 through non-ribosomal and ribosomal pathways that could be used as effective antibiotics.

     

Achievements and challenges of lymphatic filariasis elimination in Sierra Leone

BackgroundLymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for elimination in Sierra Leone. Epidemiological coverage of mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin and albendazole had been reported >65% in all 12 districts annually. Eight districts qualified to implement transmission assessment survey (TAS) in 2013 but were deferred until 2017 due to the Ebola outbreak (2014–2016). In 2017, four districts qualified for conducting a repeat pre-TAS after completing three more rounds of MDA and the final two districts were also eligible to implement a pre-TAS.Methodology/Principal findingsFor TAS, eight districts were surveyed as four evaluation units (EU). A school-based survey was conducted in children aged 6–7 years from 30 clusters per EU. For pre-TAS, one sentinel and one spot check site per district (with 2 spot check sites in Bombali) were selected and 300–350 persons aged 5 years and above were selected. For both surveys, finger prick blood samples were tested using the Filariasis Test Strips (FTS).For TAS, 7,143 children aged 6–7 years were surveyed across four EUs, and positives were found in three EUs, all below the critical cut-off value for each EU. For the repeat pre-TAS/pre-TAS, 3,994 persons over five years of age were surveyed. The Western Area Urban had FTS prevalence of 0.7% in two sites and qualified for TAS, while other five districts had sites with antigenemia prevalence >2%: 9.1–25.9% in Bombali, 7.5–19.4% in Koinadugu, 6.1–2.9% in Kailahun, 1.3–2.3% in Kenema and 1.7% - 3.7% in Western Area Rural.Conclusions/SignificanceEight districts in Sierra Leone have successfully passed TAS1 and stopped MDA, with one more district qualified for conducting TAS1, a significant progress towards LF elimination. However, great challenges exist in eliminating LF from the whole country with repeated failure of pre-TAS in border districts. Effort needs to be intensified to achieve LF elimination.     

An African bat in Europe,Plecotus gaisleri: Biogeographic and ecological insights from molecular taxonomy and Species Distribution Models

Because of the high risk of going unnoticed, cryptic species represent a major challenge to biodiversity assessments, and this is particularly true for taxa that include many such species, for example, bats. Long‐eared bats from the genus Plecotus comprise numerous cryptic species occurring in the Mediterranean Region and present complex phylogenetic relationships and often unclear distributions, particularly at the edge of their known ranges and on islands. Here, we combine Species Distribution Models (SDMs), field surveys and molecular analyses to shed light on the presence of a cryptic long‐eared bat species from North Africa, Plecotus gaisleri, on the islands of the Sicily Channel, providing strong evidence that this species also occurs in Europe, at least on the islands of the Western Mediterranean Sea that act as a crossroad between the Old Continent and Africa. Species Distribution Models built using African records of P. gaisleri and projected to the Sicily Channel Islands showed that all these islands are potentially suitable for the species. Molecular identification of Plecotus captured on Pantelleria, and recent data from Malta and Gozo, confirmed the species' presence on two of the islands in question. Besides confirming that P. gaisleri occurs on Pantelleria, haplotype network reconstructions highlighted moderate structuring between insular and continental populations of this species. Our results remark the role of Italy as a bat diversity hotspot in the Mediterranean and also highlight the need to include P. gaisleri in European faunal checklists and conservation directives, confirming the usefulness of combining different approaches to explore the presence of cryptic species outside their known ranges—a fundamental step to informing conservation.     

Effects of an anthropogenic diet on indicators of physiological challenge and immunity of white ibis nestlings raised in captivity

When wildlife forage and/or live in urban habitats, they often experience a shift in resource availability and dietary quality. Some species even use human handouts, such as bread, as well as human refuse, as a large part of their new diets; yet the influences of this nutritional shift on health and survival remain unclear. American white ibises are increasingly being seen in urban areas in Florida; they collect handouts, such as bread and other food items, from humans in parks, and are also found foraging on anthropogenic sources in trash heaps. We hypothesized that the consumption of these new anthropogenic food sources may trigger increases in indicators of physiological challenge and dampen immune responses. We tested this experimentally by raising 20 white ibis nestlings in captivity, and exposing 10 to a simulated anthropogenic diet (including the addition of white bread and a reduction in seafood content) while maintaining 10 on a diet similar to what ibises consume in more natural environments. We then tested two indicators of physiological challenge (corticosterone and heat shock protein 70), assessed innate immunity in these birds via bactericidal assays and an in vitro carbon clearance assay, and adaptive immunity using a phytohemagglutinin skin test. The anthropogenic diet depressed the development of the ability to kill Salmonella paratyphi in culture. Our results suggest that consuming an anthropogenic diet may be detrimental in terms of the ability to battle a pathogenic bacterial species, but there was little effect on indicators of physiological challenge and other immunological measures.     

A correlation between BCL-2 modifying factor,p53 and livin gene expressions in cancer colon patients

Accumulating evidence has revealed that livin gene and BCL-2 modifying factor (BMF) gene are closely associated with the initiation and progression of colon carcinoma by activating or suppressing multiple malignant processes. Those genes that can detect colon - cancer are a promising approach for cancer screening and diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate correlation between livin, BMF and p53 genes expression in colon cancer tissues of patients included in the study, and their relationship with clinicopathological features and survival outcome in those patients. In this study, 50 pathologically diagnosed early cancer colon patients included and their tissue biopsy with 50 matched adjacent normal tissue, and 50 adenoma tissue specimens were analyzed for livin gene and BMF gene expressions using real time PCR. The relationship of those genes expressions with clinicopathological features, tumor markers, Time to Progression and overall survival for those patients were correlated in cancer colon group. In this study, there was a significant a reciprocal relationship between over expression of livin gene and down regulation of BMF and p53 genes in colon cancer cells. Livin mRNA was significantly higher, while BMF and p53 mRNA were significantly lower in colorectal cancer tissue compared to benign and normal colon tissue specimens (P < 0.001), however, this finding was absent between colon adenomas and normal mucosa. There was a significant association between up regulation of livin and down regulation of BMF and p53 expressions with more aggressive tumor (advanced TNM stage), rapid progression with metastasis and decreased overall survival in cancer colon patients, hence these genes can serve as significant prognostic markers of poor outcome in colon cancer patients. This work highlights the role of livin, BMF and p53 genes in colorectal tumorigenesis and the applicability of using those genes as a diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with colon carcinoma and as a good target for cancer colon treatment in the future.     

Phylogenetic diversity of indigenous Rhizobium trapped from the natural habitat of Pisum sativum L. in eastern and central Algeria

Plant and Soil - The nitrogen-fixing symbiosis fixation between legumes and Rhizobium helps the plant to survive and to compete effectively on nitrogen poor soils. The soil environment attached to...     

Circulating and local nuclear expression of survivin and fibulin-3 genes in discriminating benign from malignant respiratory diseases: correlation analysis

Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis as well as a promoter of cell proliferation. Fibulin-3 is a matrix glycoprotein that displays potential for tumor suppression or propagation. The present study aimed to validate the expression levels of survivin and fibulin-3 in benign and malignant respiratory diseases. This case–control study included 219 patients categorized into five groups. Group A included 63 patients with lung cancer, group B included 63 patients with various benign lung diseases, group D included 45 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), and group E included 48 patients with various benign pleural diseases. Group C included 60 healthy individuals (control group). Serum survivin and fibulin-3 levels were measured by ELISA, whereas their nuclear expressions in the lung and pleura were assessed via Western blot analysis. The results showed significantly higher survivin serum levels and significantly lower fibulin-3 levels in group A compared with in group B and controls (P<0.001). There were significantly higher serum levels of survivin and fibulin-3 in group D compared with in group E and controls (P<0.001), consistent with observed nuclear survivin and fibulin-3 expression levels. Fibulin-3 was determined to have higher value than survivin in discriminating lung cancer from MPM (P<0.05). Survivin and fibulin-3 could be useful diagnostic markers for lung and pleural cancers, and fibulin-3 expression was particularly useful in differentiating lung cancer from MPM.