Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in Poland: further evidence for the changing epidemiology of MRSA

This study reports the isolation of CA-MRSA strain which was found to colonize the nasal mucosa of a patient undergoing haemodialysis treatment. The MRSA was subjected to molecular analysis by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), multiplex PCR assay for staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, and PCR detection of the pvl gene encoding for Panton-Valentine leukocidin. The analyzed MRSA harbored the SCCmec type IV and the pvl gene-two unique genetic markers of CA-MRSA. The PFGE pattern of the strain corresponded to the common European CA-MRSA (MLST Type ST80). Moreover, the strain was only resistant to beta-lactam agents and tetracycline. This study adds further evidence for the changing epidemiology of MRSA and indicates the ability of CA-MRSA to affect persons with established risk factors in addition to previously healthy individuals.     

Crystals of alveolar soft part sarcoma in a fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology smear. A case report

BACKGROUND: Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare soft tissue tumor. It has characteristic histomorphology, with typical ultrastructural features demonstrating unique crystalloids. It occurs predominantly in adolescents and young adults, in whom the most common location is within the fascial planes of skeletal muscle of the lower extremity. CASE: We present fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) findings along with histopathologic features and ultrastructural appearance of a large gluteal mass in a 29-year-old female. FNAB cytology smears showed single and small groups of polyhedral malignant cells with granular cytoplasm, anisokaryosis and prominent nucleoli. The delicate cytoplasm had a tendency to rupture, with the presence of many bare nuclei. The characteristic crystals were observed in Papanicolaou-stained smears within the cytoplasm and in the background near the tumor cells. This consolidated the radiologic suspicion of ASPS and facilitated the application of relevant ancillary tests. Biopsy of the mass showed the characteristic histologic pattern. Electron microscopy confirmed the diagnosis with demonstration of membrane-bound, rhomboid crystalloids with a latticelike ultrastructure. CONCLUSION: Detection of characteristic crystalloids in Papanicolaou-stained FNAB smears facilitated a proper evaluation and correct diagnosis of ASPS.     

miRNAs: Major modulators for crop growth and development under abiotic stresses

Cumulatively, biotic and abiotic stresses of various magnitudes can decrease the production of crops by 70%. miRNAs have emerged as a genetic tool with enormous potential that can be exploited to understand stress tolerance at the molecular level and eventually regulate stress in crops. Plant miRNA targets frequently fit into diverse families of TFs that control the expression of genes related to a certain trait. As key machinery in gene regulatory networks, it is agreed that a broad understanding of miRNAs will greatly increase our understanding of plant responses to environmental stresses. miRNA-led stress regulatory networks are being considered as novel tools for the development of abiotic stress tolerance in crops. At this time, we need to expand our knowledge about the modulatory role of miRNAs during environmental fluctuations. It has become exceedingly clear that with increased understanding of the role of miRNAs during stress, the techniques for using miRNA-mediated gene regulation to enhance plant stress tolerance will become more effective and reliable. In this review we present: (1) miRNAs as a potential avenue for the modulation of abiotic stresses, and (2) summarize the research progress regarding plant responses to stress. Current progress is explained through discussion of the identification and validation of several miRNAs that enhance crop tolerance of salinity, drought, etc., while missing links on different aspects of miRNAs related to abiotic stress tolerance are noted.     

A PROCEDURE FOR THE PURIFICATION OF BETA-LACTOGLOBULIN FROM BOVINE MILK USING GEL FILTRATION CHROMATOGRAPHY AT LOW pH

A simple and rapid procedure for the purification of beta-lactoglobulin (β-LG) from bovine milk is described. The procedure exploits the major difference in molecular mass of β-LG and other whey components and the existence of the former in monomeric form at acidic pH. Gel filtration of whey was carried out using a Bio-Gel P10 column at pH 3.0. Residual caseins and other milk proteins were excluded from the gel and β-LG and alpha-lactalbumin (α-LA) emerged as two fully resolved peaks. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) suggested that β-LG was purified to apparent homogeneity, while absorption, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated the native-like conformation of the protein. Western blot analysis revealed that the antibodies raised against the purified β-LG in rabbits also readily react with the commercial bovine protein. This procedure requires only 4–5 hr for the purification of about 10 mg of β-LG from a single run while using a small column (2.3 cm × 83 cm) of Bio-Gel P10 and has the potential for scaling up.     

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Sensitize Lung Cancer Cells to Hyperthermia: Involvement of Ku70/SirT-1 in Thermo-Protection

This study describes the sensitization mechanism to thermal stress by histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) in lung cancer cells and shows that Ku70, based on its acetylation status, mediates the protection of lung cancer from hyperthermia (42.5°C, 1-6 hrs). Ku70 regulates apoptosis by sequestering pro-apoptotic Bax. However, its role in thermal stress is not fully understood. The findings showed that, pre-treating lung cancer cells with HDACIs, nicotinamide (NM) or Trichostatin A (TsA) or both significantly enhanced hyperthermia-induced Bax-dependent apoptosis in PC-10 cells. We found that hyperthermia induces SirT-1, Sirtuin, upregulation but not HDAC6 or SirT-3, therefore transfection with dominant negative SirT-1 (Y/H) also eliminated the protection and resulted in more cell death by hyperthermia, in H1299 cells through Bax activation. Hyperthermia alone primed lung cancer cells to apoptosis without prominent death. After hyperthermia Bax was upregulated, Bcl-2 was downregulated, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was inversed and Bax/Bcl-2 heterodimer was dissociated. Although hyperthermia did not affect total Ku70 expression level, it stimulated Ku70 deacetylation, which in turn could bind more Bax in the PC-10 cells. These findings suggest an escape mechanism from hyperthermia-induced Bax activation. To verify the role of Ku70 in this protection mechanism, Ku70 was silenced by siRNA. Ku70 silencing significantly sensitized the lung cancer cells to hyperthermia. The Ku70 KD cells underwent cytotoxic G1 arrest and caspase-dependant apoptosis when compared to scrambled transfectants which showed only G2/M cytostatic arrest in the cell lines investigated, suggesting an additional cell cycle-dependent, novel, role of Ku70 in protection from hyperthermia. Taken together, our data show a Ku70-dependent protection mechanism from hyperthermia. Targeting Ku70 and/or its acetylation during hyperthermia may represent a promising therapeutic approach for lung cancer.     

Functional Convergence of Oxylipin and Abscisic Acid Pathways Controls Stomatal Closure in Response to Drought

Membranes are primary sites of perception of environmental stimuli. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are major structural constituents of membranes that also function as modulators of a multitude of signal transduction pathways evoked by environmental stimuli. Different stresses induce production of a distinct blend of oxygenated polyunsaturated fatty acids, “oxylipins.” We employed three Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ecotypes to examine the oxylipin signature in response to specific stresses and determined that wounding and drought differentially alter oxylipin profiles, particularly the allene oxide synthase branch of the oxylipin pathway, responsible for production of jasmonic acid (JA) and its precursor 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (12-OPDA). Specifically, wounding induced both 12-OPDA and JA levels, whereas drought induced only the precursor 12-OPDA. Levels of the classical stress phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) were also mainly enhanced by drought and little by wounding. To explore the role of 12-OPDA in plant drought responses, we generated a range of transgenic lines and exploited the existing mutant plants that differ in their levels of stress-inducible 12-OPDA but display similar ABA levels. The plants producing higher 12-OPDA levels exhibited enhanced drought tolerance and reduced stomatal aperture. Furthermore, exogenously applied ABA and 12-OPDA, individually or combined, promote stomatal closure of ABA and allene oxide synthase biosynthetic mutants, albeit most effectively when combined. Using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Brassica napus verified the potency of this combination in inducing stomatal closure in plants other than Arabidopsis. These data have identified drought as a stress signal that uncouples the conversion of 12-OPDA to JA and have revealed 12-OPDA as a drought-responsive regulator of stomatal closure functioning most effectively together with ABA.To colonize a diverse range of environments successfully, plants have developed converging functional pathways to synthesize an array of secondary metabolites for their protection against hostile conditions. For example, in response to environmental challenges, the oxylipin pathway induces the de novo synthesis of biologically active compounds called “oxylipins,” derivatives of oxygenated polyunsaturated fatty acids (Feussner and Wasternack, 2002; Howe and Schilmiller, 2002). Among the oxylipin pathways, the enzymes allene oxide synthase (AOS) and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) are considered to partition two major branches that compete for the same substrates and are critical plant stress response pathways (Chehab et al., 2008).Production of the AOS pathway metabolites 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (12-OPDA) and jasmonic acid (JA) originates from α-linolenic acid of chloroplast membranes (Feussner and Wasternack, 2002). Oxygenation of α-linolenic acid by a 13-lipoxygenase followed by the action of AOS forms an unstable allene oxide that is subsequently cyclized by an allene oxide cyclase to form 12-OPDA (Stenzel et al., 2012). 12-OPDA is the end product of the plastid-localized part of the pathway (Stintzi and Browse, 2000; Schaller and Stintzi, 2009). 12-OPDA is then translocated to the peroxisome where it is reduced by 12-OPDA reductase3 (OPR3) and subsequently activated by CoA ester prior to undergoing three rounds of β-oxidation to form JA (Schaller et al., 2000; Koo et al., 2006; Kienow et al., 2008). 12-OPDA is also a signaling molecule with both overlapping and distinct functions from JA. The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) opr3 mutant is deficient in JA synthesis but accumulates 12-OPDA and displays wild-type resistance to the dipteran Bradysia impatiens and to the fungal pathogen Alternaria brassicicola, generally considered JA-dependent responses (Stintzi et al., 2001). In addition, expression studies have identified genes induced by 12-OPDA but not by JA or methyl jasmonate (MeJA; Kramell et al., 2000; Stintzi et al., 2001; Taki et al., 2005; Ribot et al., 2008). These studies collectively show that 12-OPDA mediates gene expression with or without the canonical JA signaling framework (Stintzi et al., 2001; Taki et al., 2005; Ribot et al., 2008).The HPL branch of the oxylipin pathway produces aldehydes and corresponding alcohols. The first enzyme in the pathway is encoded by one or more HPL genes, differing in their subcellular localization, including microsomes (Pérez et al., 1999), lipid bodies (Mita et al., 2005), and the outer envelope of chloroplasts (Froehlich et al., 2001), and in some cases, with no specific localization in a particular organelle (Noordermeer et al., 2000). This variation in the number of genes and subcellular localization of their encoded enzymes is suggestive of the differential regulation of this pathway and, ultimately, the diversity of their responses, potentially tailored to the nature of stimuli.We have previously identified three rice (Oryza sativa) HPLs (HPL1 through HPL3) differing in their enzyme kinetics and substrate preference. Expression of these enzymes in Arabidopsis accession Columbia (Col-0), a natural hpl loss-of-function mutant, reestablished the production of the pathway metabolites (Chehab et al., 2006) and revealed the key role of HPL-derived metabolites in plant stress signaling (Chehab et al., 2008).The HPL and AOS branches of the oxylipin pathway do not function independently; the signaling crosstalk between them is key to fine tuning plant adaptive responses to a diverse range of perturbations (Halitschke et al., 2004; Liu et al., 2012; Scala et al., 2013).To gain deeper insight into the role of AOS- and HPL-derived metabolites in fine-tuning plant stress responses, we have (1) characterized the corresponding oxylipin signatures in response to wounding and drought in three Arabidopsis ecotypes, (2) generated a range of transgenic lines that produce varying blends of oxylipins tailored to the nature of the stress, (3) elucidated a JA-independent role for 12-OPDA in enhanced drought tolerance in part via regulation of stomatal aperture, and (4) reexamined the 12-OPDA-mediated regulation of stomatal aperture, alone or in combination with abscisic acid (ABA) in the model system Arabidopsis as well as in two crop species, namely tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Brassica napus. Unexpectedly, these analyses have identified drought as a stress signal that uncouples the conversion of 12-OPDA to JA and have revealed that 12-OPDA is a previously unrecognized regulator of stomatal closure in response to drought. This function of 12-OPDA, however, is most effective when combined with ABA, a phytohormone known to be essential for plant-adaptive responses to drought stress (Seki et al., 2007).     

Identification and distribution of a GABA receptor mutation conferring dieldrin resistance in the malaria vector Anopheles funestus in Africa

Growing problems of pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles funestus have intensified efforts to identify alternative insecticides. Many agrochemicals target the GABA receptors, but cross-resistance from dieldrin resistance may preclude their introduction.Dieldrin resistance was detected in An. funestus populations from West (Burkina Faso) and central (Cameroon) Africa, but populations from East (Uganda) and Southern Africa (Mozambique and Malawi) were fully susceptible to this insecticide. Partial sequencing of the dieldrin target site, the ??-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, identified two amino acid substitutions, A296S and V327I. The A296S mutation has been associated with dieldrin resistance in other species. The V327I mutations was detected in the resistant sample from Burkina Faso and Cameroon and consistently associated with the A296S substitution. The full-length of the An. funestus GABA-receptor gene, amplified by RT-PCR, generated a sequence of 1674 bp encoding 557 amino acid of the protein in An. funestus with 98% similarity to that of Anopheles gambiae. Two diagnostic assays were developed to genotype the A296S mutation (pyrosequencing and PCR-RFLP), and use of these assays revealed high frequency of the resistant allele in Burkina Faso (60%) and Cameroon (82%), moderate level in Benin (16%) while low frequency or absence of the mutation was observed respectively in Uganda (7.5%) or 0% in Malawi and Mozambique.The distribution of the Rdl^R mutation in An. funestus populations in Africa suggests extensive barriers to gene flow between populations from different regions.     

Boosting understanding of Lassa Fever virus epidemiology: Field testing a novel assay to identify past Lassa Fever virus infection in blood and oral fluids of survivors and unexposed controls in Sierra Leone

BackgroundDespite identification 50 years ago, the true burden of Lassa Fever (LF) across Africa remains undefined for reasons including research focus on hospitalised patients, lack of validated field-feasible tools which reliably identify past infection, and the fact that all assays require blood samples making large-scale surveys difficult. Designated a priority pathogen of epidemic potential requiring urgent research by the World Health Organisation, a better understanding of LF sero-epidemiology is essential to developing and evaluating new interventions including vaccines. We describe the first field testing of a novel species-neutral Double Antigen Binding Assay (DABA) designed to detect antibodies to LF in plasma and oral fluid.Methodology/Principal findingsPaired plasma and oral fluid were collected in Sierra Leone from survivors discharged from Kenema Government Hospital Lassa Fever Unit between 1980 and 2018, and from controls recruited in Freetown in 2019. Epidemiological sensitivity and specificity of the DABA measured against historical diagnosis in survivors and self-declared non-exposed controls was 81.7% (95% CI 70.7%– 89.9%) and 83.3% (72.7%- 91.1%) respectively in plasma, and 71.8% (60.0%– 81.9%) and 83.3% (72.7%– 91.1%) respectively in oral fluid. Antibodies were identified in people infected up to 15 years and, in one case, 40 years previously. Participants found oral fluid collection easy and painless with 80% happy to give an oral fluid sample regularly.Conclusions/SignificanceGiven the difficulties of assay validation in a resource-limited setting, including unexpected exposures and diagnostics of varying accuracy, the new assay performed well in both plasma and oral fluid. Sensitivity and specificity are expected to be higher when case/control ascertainment is more definitive and further work is planned to investigate this. Even at the performance levels achieved, the species-neutral DABA has the potential to facilitate the large-scale seroprevalence surveys needed to underpin essential developments in LF control, as well as support zoonotic investigations.