scholarly journals Both clinical and environmentalCaulobacterspecies act as opportunistic pathogens

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel M. Moore ◽  
Zemer Gitai
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Caulobacter Crescentus ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Medical Applications ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Virulence Determinants ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogens ◽  
Toxic Factor ◽  
Model Animal

ABSTRACTTheCaulobactergenus, including the widely-studied model organismCaulobacter crescentus, has been thought to be non-pathogenic and thus proposed as a bioengineering vector for various environmental remediation and medical purposes. However,Caulobacterspecies have been implicated as the causative agents of several hospital-acquired infections, raising the question of whether these clinical isolates represent an emerging pathogenic species or whetherCaulobacterson whole possess previously-unappreciated virulence capability. Given the proposed environmental and medical applications forC. crescentus, understanding the potential pathogenicity and human health implications of this bacterium is crucial. Consequently, we sequenced a clinicalCaulobacterisolate to determine if it has acquired novel virulence determinants. We found that the clinical isolate represents a new species,Caulobacter mirare. C. mirarephylogenetically resembles bothC. crescentusand the relatedC. segnis, which was also thought to be non-pathogenic. The similarity to otherCaulobactersand lack of obvious pathogenesis markers suggested thatC. mirareis not unique amongstCaulobactersand that consequently otherCaulobactersmay also have the potential to be virulent. We tested this hypothesis by characterizing the ability ofCaulobactersto infect the model animal hostGalleria mellonella. In this context, two different lab strains ofC. crescentusproved to be as pathogenic asC. mirare, while lab strains ofE. coliwere non-pathogenic. Further characterization showed thatCaulobacterpathogenesis is mediated by a dose-dependent, cell-associated toxic factor that does not require active bacterial cells or host cellular innate immunity to elicit its toxic effects. Finally, we show thatC. crescentusdoes not grow well in standard clinical culture conditions, suggesting thatCaulobacterinfections may be more common than generally appreciated but rarely cultured. Taken together, our findings redefineCaulobactersas opportunistic pathogens and highlight the importance of broadening our methods for identifying and characterizing pathogens.AUTHOR SUMMARYBacterial species have historically been classified as either capable of causing disease in an animal (pathogenic) or not.Caulobacterspecies represent a class of bacteria that were thought to be non-pathogenic.Caulobactershave been widely studied and proposed to be used for various industrial and medical applications due to their presumed safety. However, recent reports of humanCaulobacterinfections raised the question of whether disease-causingCaulobactershave acquired special factors that help them cause disease or whether the ability to infect is a more general feature of mostCaulobacters. By combining genomic sequencing and animal infection studies we show that a clinicalCaulobacterstrain is similar to labCaulobactersand that allCaulobactersstudied can infect a model host. We explore the mechanism of this infectivity and show that it is due to a toxic factor that associates withCaulobactercells. We also provide a possible explanation for whyCaulobactershave not traditionally been isolated from human patients, owing to their inability to tolerate the salt levels used in most medical culturing systems.

Modulation of Gut Microbiota through Dietary Phytochemicals as a Novel Anti-infective Strategy

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 498-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavan K. Mujawdiya ◽  
Suman Kapur
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Chemical Interaction ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Gut Microbes

: Quorum Sensing (QS) is a phenomenon in which bacterial cells communicate with each other with the help of several low molecular weight compounds. QS is largely dependent on population density, and it triggers when the concentration of quorum sensing molecules accumulate in the environment and crosses a particular threshold. Once a certain population density is achieved and the concentration of molecules crosses a threshold, the bacterial cells show a collective behavior in response to various chemical stimuli referred to as “auto-inducers”. The QS signaling is crucial for several phenotypic characteristics responsible for bacterial survival such as motility, virulence, and biofilm formation. Biofilm formation is also responsible for making bacterial cells resistant to antibiotics. : The human gut is home to trillions of bacterial cells collectively called “gut microbiota” or “gut microbes”. Gut microbes are a consortium of more than 15,000 bacterial species and play a very crucial role in several body functions such as metabolism, development and maturation of the immune system, and the synthesis of several essential vitamins. Due to its critical role in shaping human survival and its modulating impact on body metabolisms, the gut microbial community has been referred to as “the forgotten organ” by O`Hara et al. (2006) [1]. Several studies have demonstrated that chemical interaction between the members of bacterial cells in the gut is responsible for shaping the overall microbial community. : Recent advances in phytochemical research have generated a lot of interest in finding new, effective, and safer alternatives to modern chemical-based medicines. In the context of antimicrobial research various plant extracts have been identified with Quorum Sensing Inhibitory (QSI) activities among bacterial cells. This review focuses on the mechanism of quorum sensing and quorum sensing inhibitors isolated from natural sources.

scholarly journals Bacteria in the global atmosphere – Part 2: Modeling of emissions and transport between different ecosystems

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (23) ◽  
pp. 9281-9297 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Burrows ◽  
T. Butler ◽  
P. Jöckel ◽  
H. Tost ◽  
A. Kerkweg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Residence Time ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nucleus ◽  
Cloud Formation ◽  
Emission Region ◽  
Culturable Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Cells

Abstract. Bacteria are constantly being transported through the atmosphere, which may have implications for human health, agriculture, cloud formation, and the dispersal of bacterial species. We simulate the global transport of bacteria, represented as 1 μm and 3 μm diameter spherical solid particle tracers in a general circulation model. We investigate factors influencing residence time and distribution of the particles, including emission region, cloud condensation nucleus activity and removal by ice-phase precipitation. The global distribution depends strongly on the assumptions made about uptake into cloud droplets and ice. The transport is also affected, to a lesser extent, by the emission region, particulate diameter, and season. We find that the seasonal variation in atmospheric residence time is insufficient to explain by itself the observed seasonal variation in concentrations of particulate airborne culturable bacteria, indicating that this variability is mainly driven by seasonal variations in culturability and/or emission strength. We examine the potential for exchange of bacteria between ecosystems and obtain rough estimates of the flux from each ecosystem by using a maximum likelihood estimation technique, together with a new compilation of available observations described in a companion paper. Globally, we estimate the total emissions of bacteria-containing particles to the atmosphere to be 7.6×1023–3.5×1024 a−1, originating mainly from grasslands, shrubs and crops. We estimate the mass of emitted bacteria- to be 40–1800 Gg a−1, depending on the mass fraction of bacterial cells in the particles. In order to improve understanding of this topic, more measurements of the bacterial content of the air and of the rate of surface-atmosphere exchange of bacteria will be necessary. Future observations in wetlands, hot deserts, tundra, remote glacial and coastal regions and over oceans will be of particular interest.

scholarly journals Microbial Photoinactivation by Visible Light Results in Limited Loss of Membrane Integrity

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 341
Author(s):  
Katharina Hoenes ◽  
Richard Bauer ◽  
Barbara Spellerberg ◽  
Martin Hessling
Keyword(s):  
Visible Light ◽  
Pseudomonas Fluorescens ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Cell Lysis ◽  
Microbial Inactivation ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Resistance Development ◽  
Transmission Electron

Interest in visible light irradiation as a microbial inactivation method has widely increased due to multiple possible applications. Resistance development is considered unlikely, because of the multi-target mechanism, based on the induction of reactive oxygen species by wavelength specific photosensitizers. However, the affected targets are still not completely identified. We investigated membrane integrity with the fluorescence staining kit LIVE/DEAD® BacLight™ on a Gram positive and a Gram negative bacterial species, irradiating Staphylococcus carnosus and Pseudomonas fluorescens with 405 nm and 450 nm. To exclude the generation of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) bacterial cells, we applied an ATP test, measuring the loss of vitality. Pronounced uptake of propidium iodide was only observed in Pseudomonas fluorescens at 405 nm. Transmission electron micrographs revealed no obvious differences between irradiated samples and controls, especially no indication of an increased bacterial cell lysis could be observed. Based on our results and previous literature, we suggest that visible light photoinactivation does not lead to rapid bacterial cell lysis or disruption. However, functional loss of membrane integrity due to depolarization or inactivation of membrane proteins may occur. Decomposition of the bacterial envelope following cell death might be responsible for observations of intracellular component leakage.

Antimicrobial Activity of Gaseous Allyl Isothiocyanate

1997 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 943-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
PASCAL J. DELAQUIS ◽  
PETER L. SHOLBERG
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Allyl Isothiocyanate ◽  
Model System ◽  
Penicillium Expansum ◽  
Escherichia Coli O157 ◽  
Fluorescent Pseudomonad ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Simple Model System ◽  
Germination And Growth

A simple model system was constructed to evaluate the microbistatic and microbicidal properties of gaseous allyl isothiocyanate (AIT) against bacterial cells and fungal conidia deposited on agar surfaces. Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes Scott A, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were inhibited when exposed to 1,000 μg AIT per liter. Pseudomonas corrugata, a Cytophaga species, and a fluorescent pseudomonad failed to grow in the presence of 500 μg AIT per liter. Germination and growth of Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus flavus, and Botrytis cinerea conidia was inhibited in the presence of 100 μg AIT per liter. Bactericidal and sporicidal activities varied with strain and increased with time of exposure, AIT concentration, and temperature. E. coli O157:H7 was the most resistant bacterial species tested.

scholarly journals Metagenome of SARS-Cov2 patients in Shenzhen with travel to Wuhan shows a wide range of species - Lautropia, Cutibacterium, Haemophilus being most abundant - and Campylobacter explaining diarrhea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Chakraborty
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Infection ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
San Diego County ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogens ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Familial Cluster ◽  
Chinese Study ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Initial Results

The metagenome of patients infected with SARS-Cov2 [1] has shown Prevotella to be a key player in immune response [2] in one Chinese study [3], just starting in another [4] and a host of other opportunistic pathogens in a study from San Diego county [5]. The metagenome can also be queried to find host response genes [5], as was done in monkey cells infected with SARS-Cov2 [6]Nanopore sequencing data from a familial cluster in ShenzhenThe patients were tested for 4 bacterial species - Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The sequencing data (Accid:SRR10948474, Nanopore) from five patients in a family cluster from Shenzhen who presented with unexplained pneumonia after returning from Wuhan (Table 1) shows a wide range of bacterial species - Lautropia, Cutibacterium, Haemophilus being most abundant. The presence of Campylobacter explains diarrhea seen in the patient [7,8]. Also, their tests should have detected Mycoplasma, since it is there in the data.Significant bacterial load with some bacterial species predominatingThe bacterial reads are about 20% (95K out of 500K reads). The viral load is also significant here (70K reads) [2]. They are in SI.familial/allsequences.fa. The number of bacterial species (with at least two reads) is 876 (SI.familial/list.allbacteria.txt). Thus, it is important to consider secondary infection, a possible reason why azithromycin (in addition to hydroxychloroquine) has given good initial results in a clinical trial [9].

scholarly journals Gut Microbiota May Not Be Fully Restored in Recovered COVID-19 Patients After 3-Month Recovery

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Tian ◽  
Kai-yi Sun ◽  
Tian-qing Meng ◽  
Zhen Ye ◽  
Shi-meng Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogens ◽  
Recovery Stage ◽  
Β Diversity ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Male Patients

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected over 124 million people worldwide. In addition to the development of therapeutics and vaccines, the evaluation of the sequelae in recovered patients is also important. Recent studies have indicated that COVID-19 has the ability to infect intestinal tissues and to trigger alterations of the gut microbiota. However, whether these changes in gut microbiota persist into the recovery stage remains largely unknown. Here, we recruited seven healthy Chinese men and seven recovered COVID-19 male patients with an average of 3-months after discharge and analyzed their fecal samples by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis to identify the differences in gut microbiota. Our results suggested that the gut microbiota differed in male recovered patients compared with healthy controls, in which a significant difference in Chao index, Simpson index, and β-diversity was observed. And the relative abundance of several bacterial species differed clearly between two groups, characterized by enrichment of opportunistic pathogens and insufficiency of some anti-inflammatory bacteria in producing short chain fatty acids. The above findings provide preliminary clues supporting that the imbalanced gut microbiota may not be fully restored in recovered patients, highlighting the importance of continuous monitoring of gut health in people who have recovered from COVID-19.

scholarly journals Polyvalent Bacterial Lysate Protects Against Pneumonia Independently of Neutrophils, IL-17A or Caspase-1 Activation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florencia Ferrara ◽  
Analía Rial ◽  
Norma Suárez ◽  
José Alejandro Chabalgoity
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activity ◽  
Protective Effect ◽  
Pneumococcal Pneumonia ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Active Components ◽  
Caspase 1 ◽  
Bacterial Lysates

Polyvalent bacterial lysates have been in use for decades for prevention and treatment of respiratory infections with reported clinical benefits. However, besides claims of broad immune activation, the mode of action is still a matter of debate. The lysates, formulated with the main bacterial species involved in respiratory infections, are commonly prepared by chemical or mechanical disruption of bacterial cells, what is believed influences the biological activity of the product. Here, we prepared two polyvalent lysates with the same composition but different method of bacterial cell disruption and evaluated their biological activity in a comparative fashion. We found that both bacterial lysates induce NF-kB activation in a MyD88 dependent manner, suggesting they work as TLR agonists. Further, we found that a single intranasal dose of any of the two lysates, is sufficient to protect against pneumococcal pneumonia, suggesting that they exert similar biological activity. We have previously shown that protection against pneumococcal pneumonia can also be induced by prior S. pneumoniae sub lethal infection or therapeutic treatment with a TLR5 agonist. Protection in those cases depends on neutrophil recruitment to the lungs, and can be associated with increased local expression of IL-17A. Here, we show that bacterial lysates exert protection against pneumococcal pneumonia independently of neutrophils, IL-17A or Caspase-1/11 activation, suggesting the existence of redundant mechanisms of protection. Trypsin-treated lysates afford protection to the same extent, suggesting that just small peptides suffice to exert the protective effect or that the molecules responsible for the protective effect are not proteins. Understanding the mechanism of action of bacterial lysates and deciphering the active components shall allow redesigning them with more precisely defined formulations and expanding their range of action.

scholarly journals Evaluating Flinders Technology Associates card for transporting bacterial isolates and retrieval of bacterial DNA after various storage conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2243-2251
Author(s):  
Azhar G. Shalaby ◽  
Neveen R. Bakry ◽  
Abeer A. E. Mohamed ◽  
Ashraf A. Khalil
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Cell Detection ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Bacterial Dna ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Fta Cards

Background and Aim: Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards simplify sample storage, transport, and extraction by reducing cost and time for diagnosis. This study evaluated the FTA suitability for safe transport and storage of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cells of animal origin on its liquid culture form and from organ impression smears (tissues) under the same routine condition of microbiological laboratory along with detecting their nucleic acid over different storage conditions. Materials and Methods: Increase in bacterial count from 104 to 107 (colony-forming units/mL) of 78 isolates representing seven bacterial species was applied onto cards. FTA cards were grouped and inoculated by these bacteria and then stored at different conditions of 24-27°C, 4°C, and –20°C for 24 h, for 2 weeks, for 1 and 3 month storage, respectively. Bacteriological examination was done, after which bacterial DNA was identified using specific primers for each bacterial type and detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The total percentage of recovered bacteria from FTA cards was 66.7% at 24-27–C for 24 h, the detection limit was 100% in Gram-positive species, while it was 57.4% in Gram-negative ones. Regarding viable cell detection from organ impression smears, it was successful under the previous conditions. No live bacterial cells were observed by bacteriological isolation rather than only at 24-27°C for 24 h storage. All bacterial DNA were sufficiently confirmed by the PCR technique at different conditions. Conclusion: Overall, the FTA card method was observed to be a valid tool for nucleic acid purification for bacteria of animal origin in the form of culture or organ smears regardless of its Gram type and is used for a short time only 24 h for storage and transport of live bacteria specifically Gram-positive type. Moreover, the bacterial nucleic acid was intact after storage in –20°C for 3 months and was PCR amplifiable.

scholarly journals DNA-Binding Properties of YbaB, a Putative Nucleoid-Associated Protein From Caulobacter crescentus

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parul Pal ◽  
Malvika Modi ◽  
Shashank Ravichandran ◽  
Ragothaman M. Yennamalli ◽  
Richa Priyadarshini
Keyword(s):  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Caulobacter Crescentus ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Dna Binding Protein ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Family Gene ◽  
Almost All

Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) or histone-like proteins (HLPs) are DNA-binding proteins present in bacteria that play an important role in nucleoid architecture and gene regulation. NAPs affect bacterial nucleoid organization via DNA bending, bridging, or forming aggregates. EbfC is a nucleoid-associated protein identified first in Borrelia burgdorferi, belonging to YbaB/EbfC family of NAPs capable of binding and altering DNA conformation. YbaB, an ortholog of EbfC found in Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae, also acts as a transcriptional regulator. YbaB has a novel tweezer-like structure and binds DNA as homodimers. The homologs of YbaB are found in almost all bacterial species, suggesting a conserved function, yet the physiological role of YbaB protein in many bacteria is not well understood. In this study, we characterized the YbaB/EbfC family DNA-binding protein in Caulobacter crescentus. C. crescentus has one YbaB/EbfC family gene annotated in the genome (YbaBCc) and it shares 41% sequence identity with YbaB/EbfC family NAPs. Computational modeling revealed tweezer-like structure of YbaBCc, a characteristic of YbaB/EbfC family of NAPs. N-terminal–CFP tagged YbaBCc localized with the nucleoid and is able to compact DNA. Unlike B. burgdorferi EbfC protein, YbaBCc protein is a non-specific DNA-binding protein in C. crescentus. Moreover, YbaBCc shields DNA against enzymatic degradation. Collectively, our findings reveal that YbaBCc is a small histone-like protein and may play a role in bacterial chromosome structuring and gene regulation in C. crescentus.

scholarly journals Factors That Affect the Enlargement of Bacterial Protoplasts and Spheroplasts

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 7131
Author(s):  
Hiromi Nishida
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Metal Ion ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Cell Enlargement ◽  
Ion Composition ◽  
Gene Manipulation ◽  
Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis

Cell enlargement is essential for the microinjection of various substances into bacterial cells. The cell wall (peptidoglycan) inhibits cell enlargement. Thus, bacterial protoplasts/spheroplasts are used for enlargement because they lack cell wall. Though bacterial species that are capable of gene manipulation are limited, procedure for bacterial cell enlargement does not involve any gene manipulation technique. In order to prevent cell wall resynthesis during enlargement of protoplasts/spheroplasts, incubation media are supplemented with inhibitors of peptidoglycan biosynthesis such as penicillin. Moreover, metal ion composition in the incubation medium affects the properties of the plasma membrane. Therefore, in order to generate enlarged cells that are suitable for microinjection, metal ion composition in the medium should be considered. Experiment of bacterial protoplast or spheroplast enlargement is useful for studies on bacterial plasma membrane biosynthesis. In this paper, we have summarized the factors that influence bacterial cell enlargement.

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