Mobilization of a cryptic plasmid from the melioidosis pathogen in heterologous species of microorganisms

Cryptic plasmids with different molecular weights have been detected in B. pseudomallei strains. Mobilization of B. pseudomallei plasmid DNA in heterologous B. mallei species was performed by the conjugate plasmid RP1::Tn10. Possibility of detecting phenotypical characteristics of plasmids and behavior of B. pseudomallei non-chromosomal replicons in B. mallei have been determined.     

Modulation of Mcl-1 transcription by serum deprivation sensitizes cancer cells to cisplatin

Background

The development of approaches that increase therapeutic effects of anti-cancer drugs is one of the most important tasks of oncology. Caloric restriction in vivo or serum deprivation (SD) in vitro has been shown to be an effective tool for sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying the enhancement of apoptosis in cancer cells by SD remain to be elucidated.

Modelling of the prebiotic synthesis of oligopeptides: silicate catalysts help to overcome the critical stage

On the basis of experimental studies of the initial stages of glycine oligomerization in aqueous suspension of zeolite and kaolinite catalysts, a model is suggested for the prebiotic synthesis of oligopeptides from -amino acids. The formation of linear dipeptides by hydrolysis of one amide bond in the cyclic piperazinedione intermediate (formed from glycine spontaneously) is found to be the critical stage of the reaction. This stage is base catalyzed and its rate increases when pH of the medium goes up. The linear glycyl-glycine yield rises under effect of hydroxyl anions generated from different sources including insoluble silicates and soluble sodium bicarbonate. During prebiotic evolution silicates capable of cation-exchange can serve as local sources of the hydroxyl anions which dramatically accelerate formation of linear dipeptides from cyclic ones. Oligopeptides of higher molecular weight are then easily formed from the linear dipeptides at neutral pH, even in the absence of catalysts or sources of energy (e.g. such as light). The described catalytic synthesis could occur in the proximity of submarine hydrothermal vents.     

Identification of the causative agents of glanders and melioidosis by polymerase chain reaction

Burkholderia mallei and B. pseudomallei are causative agents of glanders and melioidosis, respectively, i.e. severe and fatal infection diseases of man and animal. The computer-based analysis of the 23S rRNA gene sites was used for selecting the primers. Two pairs of primers were chosen for the identification of B. mallei and Bpseudomallei. DNAs from 48 B. pseudomallei and 15 strains of B. mallei, unlike from other geterological bacteria, were positively amplified. Therefore, the method of polymerase chain reaction can be used in laboratory diagnosis of glanders and melioidosis.     

Mechanism of caspase-2 activation upon DNA damage

The mechanism of caspase-2 activation in response to DNA damage was studied using human ovarian cancer cells Caov-4 treated with chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. It was shown that mutations of the three cleavage sites of caspase-2 do not affect the assembly of the macromolecular complex of caspase-2 and its activation, but, conversely, stabilize this complex, most likely, via the inhibition of the dissociation of the active caspase-2.     

Cloning and expression of 7.55 kb KPNI fragment of Burkholderia pseudomallei PPM1 plasmid in Escherichia coli

BamHI, SalI, PstI, and KpnI fragments of pPM1 (B. pseudomallei 12.95 kb plasmid) were cloned in E. coli. The recombinant clones carrying a 7.55 kb KpnI fragment of pPM1 were highly resistant to several aminoglycosides (streptomycin, kanamycin, and gentamycin) and fluoroguinolones (perfloxacin, ofloxacin). Two outer membrane proteins (23 and 27 kDa) absent in E. coli and capable to form 120 kDa oligomer complex were detected by the Western blot method in the strain carrying recombinant pS19 plasmid. The integration of a cloned 7.55 kb sequence in the chromosome was observed by the dot and Southern hybridization analysis in the clones carrying recombinant plasmids pS12 and pS14.     

Identification of the agents of coccidioidomycosis using polymerase chain reaction

Two pairs of primers for diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis using the method of PCR were constructed. One pair was used for identification of the two species of Coccidioides (C. immitis and C. posadasil) on the basis of MBP-1 gene. The other pair was chosen on the basis of SOWgp82 gene, which encodes an immunodominant, spherule outer wall glycoprotein for detecting only C. posadasii. The used primers allowed the agents of coccidioidomycosis to be detected using PCR with high sensitivity and specificity. The effective method of isolation of fungus DNA from soil contaminated with arthroconidia of Coccidioides spp. was developed. It includes guanidinthiocyanate-phenol-chloroform deproteinization followed by DNA purification using nuclear sorption.     

The use of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) for the differentiation between strains of Burkholderia mallei

Burkholderia mallei is highly pathogenic microorganism for both humans and animals. In this work, the possibility of the use of the genotyping method for differentiation between strains of B. mallei was studied. A collection of 14 isolates of B. mallei was characterized using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). RAPD was the best method used for detecting strain differences of B. mallei. It was suggested that this method would be an increasingly useful molecular epidemiological tool.     

Comparative assessment of DNA extraction methods for identification of glanders and melioidosis etiological agents by PCR

Pathogenic Burkholderia are considered as a cause of dangerous infections and potential agents of bioterrorism. Comparative assessment of different methods of extraction and purification of DNA for PCR analysis of pure cultures and samples contaminated by etiological agents of glanders and melioidosis was performed. Samples of soil and food artificially contaminated by pathogenic Burkholderia as well as organs of infected animals were tested. DNA was extracted by methods of boiling, nucleosorption with presence of guanidine thiocyanate, guanidine thiocyanatephenol extraction, guanidine thiocyanate-phenol extraction with additional purification of DNA by nucleosorption. Amplification was performed by "Flash" technique and detector of fluorescence was used for analysis of PCR products. Utilization of the recommended methods of preparation depending on the nature of sample let to detect by the "Flash" technique the etiological agents of glanders and melioidosis in concentration =10(3) microbial cells per ml. Choice of DNA extraction and purification methods is determined by type of a sample and presence in it of admixtures inhibiting PCR.