Staphylococcus aureus is a major human and animal pathogen. Autolysins regulate the growth, turnover, cell lysis, biofilm formation, and the pathogenicity of S. aureus. Atl is the major autolysin in S. aureus. The biochemical and structural studies of staphylococcal Atl have been limited due to difficulty in cloning, high level overexpression, and purification of this protein. This study describes successful cloning, high level over-expression, and purification of two forms of fully functional Atl proteins. These pure proteins can be used to study the functional and structural properties of this important protein.

Vineet K. Singh

High Level Expression and Purification of Atl, the Major Autolytic Protein of Staphylococcus aureus

The biphasic-dose response of microorganisms to hydrogen peroxide is a phenomenon of particular interest in hormesis research. In different animal models, the dose-response curve for ethanol is also nonlinear showing an inhibitory effect at high doses but a stimulatory effect at low doses. In this study, we observed the hormetic-dose response to ethanol in budding yeast S. cerevisiae. Cross-protection is a phenomenon in which exposure to mild stress results in the acquisition of cellular resistance to lethal stress induced by different factors. Since both hydrogen peroxide and ethanol at low concentrations were found to stimulate yeast colony growth, we evaluated the role of one substance in cell cross-adaptation to the other substance as well as some weak organic acid preservatives. This study demonstrates that, unlike ethanol, hydrogen peroxide at hormetic concentrations causes cross-resistance of S. cerevisiae to different stresses. The regulatory protein Yap1 plays an important role in the hormetic effects by low concentrations of either hydrogen peroxide or ethanol, and it is involved in the yeast cross-adaptation by low sublethal doses of hydrogen peroxide.

Halyna M. Semchyshyn

Hormetic Concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide but Not Ethanol Induce Cross-Adaptation to Different Stresses in Budding Yeast

Bordetella bronchiseptica infection causing atrophic rhinitis in pigs is reported from almost all countries. In the present study, occurrence of Bordetella infection in apparently healthy pigs was determined in 392 pigs sampled to collect 358 serum samples and 316 nasal swabs from Northern India by conventional bacterioscopy, detection of antigen with multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR), and detection of antibodies with microagglutination test (MAT) and enzyme linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Bordetella bronchiseptica could be isolated from six (1.92&#x25;) nasal swabs. Although isolates varied significantly in their antimicrobial sensitivity, they had similar plasmid profile. The genus specific and species specific amplicons were detected from 8.2&#x25; and 4.4&#x25; nasal swabs using mPCR with alc gene (genus specific) and fla gene and fim2 gene (species specific) primers, respectively. Observations revealed that there may be other bordetellae infecting pigs because about 50&#x25; of the samples positive using mPCR for genus specific amplicons failed to confirm presence of B. bronchiseptica. Of the pig sera tested with MAT and ELISA for Bordetella antibodies, 67.6&#x25; and 86.3&#x25; samples, respectively, were positive. For antigen detection mPCR was more sensitive than conventional bacterioscopy while for detection of antibodies neither of the two tests (MAT and ELISA) had specificity in relation to antigen detection. Study indicated high prevalence of infection in swine herds in Northern India.

Sandeep Kumar

Bhoj R. Singh

Monika Bhardwaj

Vidya Singh

Occurrence of Bordetella Infection in Pigs in Northern India

The characterization of autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains is an important step towards the conservation and employment of microbial biodiversity. The utilization of selected autochthonous yeast strains would be a powerful tool to enhance the organoleptic and sensory properties of typical regional wines. In fact, indigenous yeasts are better tailored to a particular must and because of this they are able to praise the peculiarities of the derived wine. The present study described the biodiversity of indigenous S. cerevisiae strains isolated from natural must fermentations of an ancient and recently rediscovered Apulian grape cultivar, denoted as &#x201c;Susumaniello.&#x201d; The yeast strains denoted by the best oenological and technological features were identified and their fermentative performances were tested by either laboratory assay. Five yeast strains showed that they could be excellent candidates for the production of industrial starter cultures, since they dominated the fermentation process and produced wines characterized by peculiar oenological and organoleptic features.

Mariana Tristezza

Lorenagostina Fantastico

Cosimo Vetrano

Gianluca Bleve

Daniela Corallo

Francesco Grieco

Giovanni Mita

Molecular and Technological Characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains Isolated from Natural Fermentation of Susumaniello Grape Must in Apulia, Southern Italy

Eighteen Kiko-cross meat goats (<svg style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:36.237499px;" id="M1" height="11.225" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 36.237499 11.225" width="36.237499" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>) were used to collect gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria and methanogenic archaea for diversity measures when fed condensed tannin-containing pine bark (PB). Three dietary treatments were tested: control diet (0&#x25; PB and 30&#x25; wheat straw (WS); 0.17&#x25; condensed tannins (CT) dry matter (DM)); 15&#x25; PB and 15&#x25; WS (1.6&#x25; CT DM), and 30&#x25; PB and 0&#x25; WS (3.2&#x25; CT DM). A 16S rDNA bacterial tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing technique was used to characterize and elucidate changes in GI bacteria and methanogenic archaea diversity among the diets. Proteobacteria was the most dominant phylum in goats with mean relative abundance values ranging from 39.7 (30&#x25; PB) to 46.5&#x25; (control) and 47.1&#x25; (15&#x25; PB). Other phyla individually accounted for fewer than 25&#x25; of the relative abundance observed. Predominant methanogens were Methanobrevibacter (75, 72, and 49&#x25;), Methanosphaera (3.3, 2.3, and 3.4&#x25;), and Methanobacteriaceae (1.2, 0.6, and 0.7&#x25;) population in control, 15, and 30&#x25; PB, respectively. Among methanogens, Methanobrevibacter was linearly decreased (<svg style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:58.712502px;" id="M2" height="11.375" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 58.712502 11.375" width="58.712502" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>) with increasing PB supplementation. These results indicate that feeding PB selectively altered bacteria and methanogenic archaeal populations in the GI tract of goats.

Byeng R. Min

Sandra Solaiman

Raymon Shange

Jong-Su Eun

Gastrointestinal Bacterial and Methanogenic Archaea Diversity Dynamics Associated with Condensed Tannin-Containing Pine Bark Diet in Goats Using 16S rDNA Amplicon Pyrosequencing

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International Journal of Microbiology publishes papers on microorganisms and their interaction with hosts and the environment. The journal covers all microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa.

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International Journal of Microbiology - Table of contents 2014

International Journal of Microbiology | Hindawi

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International Journal of Microbiology publishes papers on microorganisms and their interaction with hosts and the environment. The journal covers all microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa.

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International Journal of Microbiology