Hasil untuk "Microbiology"

Bo-Ra Kim, Jiwon Shin, R. Guevarra et al.

K. Rabaey, R. Rozendal

C. Schindler, D. Levy, T. Decker

Published, JBC Papers in Press, May 14, 2007, DOI 10.1074/jbc.R700016200 Christian Schindler, David E. Levy, and Thomas Decker From the Departments of Microbiology and Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, and Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, A1030 Vienna, Austria

Yingying Han, Xingzhao Li, Xin Wang et al.

BackgroundThe recent mpox outbreaks have brought challenges to the global health system. We aimed to study the epidemiological and clinical differences between patients with mpox and patients without mpox among suspected cases during and after 2022.MethodsThis study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.ResultsOur meta-analysis included a total of 22 articles regarding 12,850 suspected cases of mpox. The prevalence of mpox was 54%. We found that the proportion of men among the mpox patients was much greater than that among the non-mpox patients (odds ratio (OR)=9.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.37–22.58), and the same trend was also observed (OR = 11.52, 95% CI: 6.22–21.33) for men who have sex with men (MSM). Sexual intercourse (OR = 4.02, 95% CI: 2.63–6.13), multiple sexual partners (OR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.99–5.68), and anal sex (OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.53–3.77) were more common among mpox patients than non-mpox patients. Sexual contact was more strongly associated with mpox infection (OR = 4.39, 95% CI: 1.77–10.92), whereas nonsexual contact (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.63–0.83) and transmission through health services (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.33–0.93) showed weaker associations. Furthermore, there were significant differences between the two patient groups in terms of sexually transmitted infections, symptoms, complications, lesion locations and types of lesions.ConclusionsOur findings provide a reference for clinicians in the diagnosis and differentiation of mpox. By scientifically understanding these epidemiological and clinical differences, healthcare workers can not only address this epidemic more effectively but also be more fully prepared for the inevitable challenges of future emerging infectious diseases.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420251141869.

Wanyu Deng, Zhen Luo, Haifei Yu et al.

IntroductionChronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to pose a significant global health burden, and current therapies rarely target the viral covalently closed circular DNA reservoir. Kaempferol (KP), a major flavonoid found in various herbs and plants, exhibits diverse bioactivities, but its potential anti-HBV activity remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the anti-HBV potential of KP and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms.MethodsThe HBV-infected Huh7DhNTCP cell, viral stable transfection cell HepG2.2.15, as well as a hydrodynamic injection-based chronic HBV infection mouse model, were established to evaluate the antiviral effects of KP. The levels of HBV RNAs, DNA and proteins were detected using ELISA, western blot, qPCR, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. To investigate the mechanisms, viral promoter activities were assessed via dual-luciferase reporter assays, and relevant transcription factors were validated through qPCR and western blot analysis.ResultsKP dose- and time-dependently reduced the levels of viral antigens, RNA, and DNA in vitro, and also significantly lowered viral markers and attenuated HBV-induced hepatic pro-inflammatory cytokines expression in vivo. Furthermore, KP acted in combination with the nucleoside analog entecavir to suppress HBV replication. Mechanistically, KP strongly inhibited the transcriptional activity of the HBV core promoter (Cp), and enhanced the phosphorylation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and its downstream target forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1). Importantly, the ERK-specific inhibitor U0126 completely abolished the antiviral effects of KP, confirming that its antiviral activity depended on the ERK/FOXO1 pathway.DiscussionCollectively, our results indicate that KP activates ERK-dependent FOXO1 phosphorylation, leading to transcriptional repression of the HBV Cp and thereby suppression of viral replication. These findings identify KP as a potential candidate for developing novel therapeutics against chronic HBV infection.

S. Socransky

G. Pugh

Marianna Dedousi, Eirini-Maria Melanouri, Dimitris Karayannis et al.

Five agro-industrial residues, their corresponding spent mushroom substrates (SMS), commercial fresh and spent mushroom compost of Agaricus (SMC) and Pleurotus ostreatus (SMS GZ) cultivation, Pleurotus and Agaricus waste (stipes/mishappen mushrooms) were combined and re-utilized as novel substrates for the cultivation of P. ostreatus, P. eryngii and A. bisporus mushrooms. SMSs/ SMC were used up to 40% (treatment 1 and 2), while 20% of mushroom waste were added in fresh and spent substrates (treatment 3 and 4). The impact of different substrates on mycelial growth rate and biomass production was examined. Then, Pleurotus spp. were cultivated on the most promising substrates and essential cultivation aspects (earliness, total mushroom yield, biological efficiency-BE) and carposomes’ quality parameters (weight, morphological characteristics) were evaluated. Laccase and endoglucanase production by Pleurotus species were also determined at 50 and 100% of colonization stages. All species showed their fastest mycelial growth rate (up to 5 mm/day) on substrates consisted of SMC, whereas many combinations of species/substrate enhanced biomass production. The SMS GZ supplementation positively affected laccase activity; in the cultures of P. ostreatus and P. eryngii the highest values were 62,539 and 17,584 U/g d.w., respectively. On the contrary, small amounts of endoglucanase were produced (0.007 to 0.322 U/g d.w.); the greatest production was recorded for P. ostreatus at full colonization. Regarding fermentation in bags, significant amount of total mushroom yield was produced in all substrates and those with SMS GZ supported the fastest earliness period and the highest BE for both Pleurotus species. BE values ranged from 54 to 133% for P. ostreatus and from 53 to 121% for P. eryngii. Concerning morphological characteristics, mushroom waste addition seemed to affect them positively. The data included in this paper support the effective re-utilization of different types of SMS and mushroom waste for fungal mass and enzymes’ production and for new high quality Pleurotus spp. carposomes.

José Alberto Choreño-Parra, José Alberto Choreño-Parra, Lucero A. Ramon-Luing et al.

IntroductionThe proteolytic activity of A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) regulates the release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and TNF receptors (TNFRs) from cell surfaces. These molecules play important roles in tuberculosis (TB) shaping innate immune reactions and granuloma formation.MethodsHere, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ADAM17 influence TNF and TNFRs levels in 224 patients with active TB (ATB) and 118 healthy close contacts. Also, we looked for significant associations between SNPs of ADAM17 and ATB status. TNF, TNFR1, and TNFR2 levels were measured in plasma samples by ELISA. Four SNPs of ADAM17 (rs12692386, rs1524668, rs11684747, and rs55790676) were analyzed in DNA isolated from peripheral blood leucocytes. The association between ATB status, genotype, and cytokines was analyzed by multiple regression models.ResultsOur results showed a higher frequency of rs11684747 and rs55790676 in close contacts than ATB patients. Coincidentally, heterozygous to these SNPs of ADAM17 showed higher plasma levels of TNF compared to homozygous to their respective ancestral alleles. Strikingly, the levels of TNF and TNFRs distinguished participant groups, with ATB patients displaying lower TNF and higher TNFR1/TNFR2 levels compared to their close contacts.ConclusionThese findings suggest a role for SNPs of ADAM17 in genetic susceptibility to ATB.

Guoxing Liu, Guoxing Liu, Sen Zhang et al.

Vaccination is a widely adopted measure to prevent diseases, but the process of immunization can induce a substantial stress response. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a combined Mycoplasma bovis-BoHV-1 vaccine on the upper respiratory tract microbiome and BRD-associated pathogens in calves, as well as to evaluate the effects of potential interventions. The results showed that the percentage of Pasteurella species in the upper respiratory tract was elevated in calves after vaccination without intervention, and Pasteurella multocida was activated and proliferated. Interestingly, none of the three interventions (Sodium selenite-vitamin E, Astragalus polysaccharide and Ceftiofur sodium) affected antibody production after immunization. The administration of sodium selenite-vitamin E and astragalus polysaccharide reduced serum levels of cortisol and malondialdehyde, increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and alleviated the proliferation of Pasteurella multocida. Furthermore, the use of ceftiofur sodium almost completely inhibited the proliferation of Pasteurella multocida induced by immune stress. These findings provide a reference for mitigating the negative impacts associated with vaccination and highlight the potential benefits of using targeted nutritional and antimicrobial interventions to optimize immune responses and maintain a stable respiratory microbiome in calves.

P. Gilligan

Răzvan Lucian Coșeriu, Anca Delia Mare, Felicia Toma et al.

(1) Background: The purpose of the study was to describe the activity of <i>mex</i> efflux pumps in Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) clinical isolates of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> and to compare the carbapenem-resistance identification tests with PCR; (2) Methods: Sixty MDR <i>P. aeruginosa</i> were analyzed for detection of carbapenemase by disk diffusion inhibitory method, carbapenem inactivation method and Modified Hodge Test. Endpoint PCR was used to detect 7 carbapenemase genes (<i>bla</i>_KPC, <i>bla</i>_OXA48-like, <i>bla</i>_NDM, <i>bla</i>_GES-2, <i>bla</i>_SPM, <i>bla</i>_IMP, <i>bla</i>_VIM) and <i>mcr-1</i> for colistin resistance. The expression of <i>mex</i>A, <i>mex</i>B, <i>mex</i>C, <i>mex</i>E and <i>mex</i>X genes corresponding to the four main efflux pumps was also evaluated; (3) Results: From the tested strains, 71.66% presented at least one carbapenemase gene, with <i>bla</i>_GES-2 as the most occurring gene (63.3%). Compared with the PCR, the accuracy of phenotypic tests did not exceed 25% for <i>P. aeruginosa</i>. The efflux pump genes were present in all strains except one. In 85% of the isolates, an overactivity of <i>mex</i>A, <i>mex</i>B and mostly <i>mex</i>C was detected. Previous treatment with ceftriaxone increased the activity of <i>mex</i>C by more than 160 times; (4) Conclusions: In our MDR <i>P. aeruginosa</i> clinical isolates, the carbapenem resistance is not accurately detected by phenotypic tests, due to the overexpression of <i>mex</i> efflux pumps and in a lesser amount, due to carbapenemase production.

Meredith E. Davis-Gardner, Jesse A. Weber, Jun Xie et al.

IntroductionUse of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is complicated by host immune responses that can limit transgene expression. Recent clinical trials using AAV vectors to deliver HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) by intramuscular administration resulted in poor expression with anti-drug antibodies (ADA) responses against the bNAb.MethodsHere we compared the expression of, and ADA responses against, an anti-SIV antibody ITS01 when delivered by five different AAV capsids. We first evaluated ITS01 expression from AAV vectors three different 2A peptides. Rhesus macaques were selected for the study based on preexisiting neutralizing antibodies by evaluating serum samples in a neutralization assay against the five capsids used in the study. Macaques were intramuscularly administered AAV vectors at a 2.5x10^12 vg/kg over eight administration sites. ITS01 concentrations and anti-drug antibodies (ADA) were measured by ELISA and a neutralization assay was conducted to confirm ex vivo antibody potency.ResultsWe observed that ITS01 expressed three-fold more efficiently in mice from AAV vectors in which heavy and light-chain genes were separated by a P2A ribosomal skipping peptide, compared with those bearing F2A or T2A peptides. We then measured the preexisting neutralizing antibody responses against three traditional AAV capsids in 360 rhesus macaques and observed that 8%, 16%, and 42% were seronegative for AAV1, AAV8, and AAV9, respectively. Finally, we compared ITS01 expression in seronegative macaques intramuscularly transduced with AAV1, AAV8, or AAV9, or with the synthetic capsids AAV-NP22 or AAV-KP1. We observed at 30 weeks after administration that AAV9- and AAV1-delivered vectors expressed the highest concentrations of ITS01 (224 µg/mL, n=5, and 216 µg/mL, n=3, respectively). The remaining groups expressed an average of 35-73 µg/mL. Notably, ADA responses against ITS01 were observed in six of the 19 animals. Lastly, we demonstrated that the expressed ITS01 retained its neutralizing activity with nearly the same potency of purified recombinant protein.DiscussionOverall, these data suggest that the AAV9 capsid is a suitable choice for intramuscular expression of antibodies in nonhuman primates.

Prof. Dr. Uğur Arslan, Gülay Maçin, Salih Maçin

Aim: COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily affects the respiratory system and spreads rapidly. Diagnostic methods as computed Tomography (CT) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) have gained importance in the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the appearance and distribution of abnormal parenchymal findings with Thorax CT in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR method. And to evaluate the relationship between the severity of lung infection and the clinical course of the disease in these patients. Materials and Methods: Patients (n:613) with a preliminary diagnosis of COVID-19 who applied to Konya Beyhekim Training and Research Hospital were evaluated retrospectively between December 2020 and February 2021. Nasopharyngeal samples were studied for COVID-19 with RT-PCR by Selcuk University Medical Faculty Microbiology Laboratory. Thoracic CT images of 361 patients with positive COVID-19 PCR tests were examined for the presence of COVID-19 pneumonia. The clinical course of patients with Covid-19 pneumonia was evaluated. Results: RT-PCR results was positive in 361 (58%) of 613 patients. While 243 (64.8%) of the PCR positive patients had signs of pneumonia, 118 of them had normal lung parenchyma (GGO). There was consolidation in 22% of the patients, and ground glass with consolidation in 20%. 34 patients (13.9%) had crazy-paving pattern and 19 (7.8%) patients had reverse halo appearance. A significant relationship was found between the severity of lung infection involvement and the clinical course of the disease. Conclusion: A comprehensive understanding of diagnostic imaging features is essential for effective patient management and treatment.

Xu Qiao, Xu Qiao, Tao Sun et al.

Intercropping achieved through agroforestry is increasingly being recognized as a sustainable form of land use. In agroforestry, the roots of trees and crops are intermingled, and their interactions and the production of exudates alter the soil environment and soil microbial community. Although tree–crop interactions vary depending on the stand age of the trees, how stand age affects beneficial microorganisms, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and whether changes in soil microorganisms feed back on crop growth in agroforestry systems are unknown. We therefore conducted a long-term field study to compare changes in the soil microbial and AMF communities in a jujube/wheat agroforestry system containing trees of different stand ages: 3-year-old jujube, 8-year-old jujube, and 13-year-old jujube. Our results showed that by changing soil moisture and available phosphorus content, the stand age of the trees had a significant effect on the soil microbial and AMF communities. Soil moisture altered the composition of soil bacteria, in particular the proportions of Gram-positive and Gram-negative species, and available phosphorus had significant effects on the AMF community. A network analysis showed that older stands of trees reduced both AMF diversity and network complexity. An ordinary least squares regression analysis indicated that AMF diversity, network complexity, and stability contributed to wheat yield. Finally, structural equation modeling showed that changes in edaphic factors induced by tree age brought about significant variation in the soil microbial and AMF communities, in turn, affecting crop growth. Our study highlights the crucial roles of soil microorganisms, in particular AMF, in supporting plant growth in agroforestry systems as well as the need to consider stand age in the establishment of these systems.

Hodoši R., Nováková E., Šupolíková M.

The method for separation of viral particles in a concentrated form from the environment is called virus purification. Viruses are required to be purified for a range of studies in which it is necessary to distinguish the properties or structure of a virus from the host cells or culture media, including analysis of viral polypeptide structures and membrane glycoprotein function. Our objective was to purify murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68, MuHV-4) using the centrifuge, equipment and other materials available in our laboratory. After infection of baby hamster kidney 21 (BHK-21) cells with MHV-68 with the multiplicity of infection (MI) of 0.01 and following virus multiplication, we repeatedly froze and thawed the cell culture to disrupt the cells and release the virus particles into the culture medium. We used low-speed centrifugation (3000 rpm at 4°C) to separate the viral particles from cell debris. Subsequently, we transferred the supernatant containing virus particles to a fresh centrifuge tube and centrifuged at a speed of 8000 rpm (8801 g) and 11,000 rpm (=16,639 g) and at 4°C. We tested different centrifugation durations of 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours. To evaluate the quality of the obtained purified MHV-68 virus by this method and compare it to purified MHV-68 sample acquired by conventional ultracentrifugation on sucrose cushion (30%, w/v), we used the SDS-PAGE separation method using a 4%–20% (w/v) and 6%–14% (w/v) gradient gel. We obtained the best results with 6-hour-long centrifugation at 11,000 rpm. In conclusion, we managed to optimise virus purification method using the equipment available in our laboratory and prepared purified MHV-68 virus in sufficient concentration for determination of MHV-68 virus proteins.

Maiara Medeiros Brum, Ana Teresa A. Ramos Cerqueira, Lenice do Rosário de Souza

Iurii Koboziev, Shane Scoggin, Xiaoxia Gong et al.

Worldwide rates of Western-diet-induced obesity epidemics are growing dramatically. Being linked with numerous comorbidities and complications, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, chronic inflammation, and osteoarthritis (OA), obesity represents one of the most threatening challenges for modern healthcare. Mouse models are an invaluable tool for investigating the effects of diets and their bioactive components against high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and its comorbidities. During recent years, very high fat diets (VHFDs), providing 58–60% kcal fat, have become a popular alternative to more traditional HFDs, providing 40–45% total kcal fat, due to the faster induction of obesity and stronger metabolic responses. This project aims to investigate if the 60% fat VHFD is suitable to evaluate the protective effects of curcumin in diet-induced obesity and osteoarthritis. B6 male mice, prone to diet-induced metabolic dysfunction, were supplemented with VHFD without or with curcumin for 13 weeks. Under these experimental conditions, feeding mice a VHFD for 13 weeks did not result in expected robust manifestations of the targeted pathophysiologic conditions. Supplementing the diet with curcumin, in turn, protected the animals against obesity without significant changes in white adipocyte size, glucose clearance, and knee cartilage integrity. Additional research is needed to optimize diet composition, curcumin dosage, and duration of dietary interventions to establish the VHFD-induced obesity for evaluating the effects of curcumin on metabolic dysfunctions related to obesity and osteoarthritis.

Niccolo’ Meriggi, Monica Di Paola, Duccio Cavalieri et al.

Over the last few years, an increasing number of studies have reported the existence of an association between the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and insects. The discovery of this relationship has called into question the hypothesis that S. cerevisiae is unable to survive in nature and that the presence of S. cerevisiae strains in natural specimens is the result of contamination from human-related environments. S. cerevisiae cells benefit from this association as they find in the insect intestine a shelter, but also a place where they can reproduce themselves through mating, the latter being an event otherwise rarely observed in natural environments. On the other hand, insects also take advantage in hosting S. cerevisiae as they rely on yeasts as nutriment to properly develop, to localize suitable food, and to enhance their immune system. Despite the relevance of this relationship on both yeast and insect ecology, we are still far from completely appreciating its extent and effects. It has been shown that other yeasts are able to colonize only one or a few insect species. Is it the same for S. cerevisiae cells or is this yeast able to associate with any insect? Similarly, is this association geographically or topographically limited in areas characterized by specific physical features? With this review, we recapitulate the nature of the S. cerevisiae-insect association, disclose its extent in terms of geographical distribution and species involved, and present YeastFinder, a cured online database providing a collection of information on this topic.

Nahid Hossain, Alok Kumar Paul, Ishrat Alam et al.

The experiment was conducted in the farm area of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka during the period of July to November, 2015 to find out the effect of plant growth regulator-flora on the growth and yield of transplanted aman rice (BR 11-Mukta). The experiment comprised of 8 treatments as- T0: Control condition (No chemical fertilizer, no Flora), T1: Recommended Fertilizer Doses-RFD (120, 20, 80, 16 and 2 kg ha-1 of N, P, K, S and Zn, respectively), T2: RFD+1 time spray of Flora, T3: RFD+2 times spray of Flora, T4: ½ RFD+1 time spray of Flora, T5: ½ RFD+2 times spray of Flora, T6: No chemical fertilizer+1 time spray of Flora and T7: No chemical fertilizer+2 times spray of Flora. Data on different yield contributing characters, yield, and characteristics of post-harvest soil was recorded and significant variation was observed for different treatments. At harvest, the tallest plant (117.60 cm) was recorded from T3, while the shortest plant (88.85 cm) in T0 treatment. The highest number of filled grains panicle-1 (86.27) was recorded in T3, whereas the lowest number (68.53) in T0 treatment. The highest grain yield (5.13 t ha-1) was recorded in T3, while the lowest (2.78 t ha-1) in T0 treatment. The highest total nitrogen (0.632%) was recorded from T3, while the lowest (0.369%) in T0 treatment.