Increase In Extracellular Proteins Research Articles

Prophage-Related Gene VpaChn25_0724 Contributes to Cell Membrane Integrity and Growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus CHN25.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a leading seafood-borne pathogen that can cause acute gastroenteritis and even death in humans. In aquatic ecosystems, phages constantly transform bacterial communities by horizontal gene transfer. Nevertheless, biological functions of prophage-related genes in V. parahaemolyticus remain to be fully unveiled. Herein, for the first time, we studied one such gene VpaChn25_0724 encoding an unknown hypothetical protein in V. parahaemolyticus CHN25. This gene deletion mutant ΔVpaChn25_0724 was constructed by homologous recombination, and its complementary mutant ΔVpaChn25_0724-com was also obtained. The ΔVpaChn25_0724 mutant exhibited a sever defect in growth and swimming motility particularly at lower temperatures. Biofilm formation and cytotoxicity capacity of V. parahaemolyticus CHN25 was significantly lowered in the absence of VpaChn25_0724. Comparative secretomic analysis revealed an increase in extracellular proteins of ΔVpaChn25_0724, which likely resulted from its damaged cell membrane. Comparison of transcriptome data showed twelve significantly altered metabolic pathways in ΔVpaChn25_0724, suggesting inactive transport and utilization of carbon sources, repressed energy production and membrane biogenesis in ΔVpaChn25_0724. Comparative transcriptomic analysis also revealed several remarkably down-regulated key regulators in bacterial gene regulatory networks linked to the observed phenotypic variations. Overall, the results here facilitate better understanding of biological significance of prophage-related genes remaining in V. parahaemolyticus.

Inactivation of fungi from four typical genera in groundwater using PMS/Cl− system: Efficacy, kinetics and mechanisms

Fungal contamination of drinking water has become a major water quality concern in recent years and as a result, various disinfection methods have been explored. A promising, but relatively unexplored disinfection approach, is the combination of potassium peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with chloride (Cl−) to inactivate fungal spores. In this study, four dominant fungal species found in groundwater were selected to evaluate the efficacy of PMS/Cl− disinfection combination system. The PMS/Cl− system exhibited a delayed Chick-Watson model to inactivate the four genera of fungi and had an improved sustained inactivation effect than a Cl2 system despite the lag period. Four genera of fungi resist PMS/Cl− inactivation to varying degrees: Trichoderma harzianum > Aspergillus niger > Penicillium polonicum > Cladosporium cladosporioides, which was found to be related to their hydrophobicity and individual size. Inactivation of fungi by the PMS/Cl− system was enhanced with increasing PMS or Cl− dosage and also lower pH, but was inhibited by the presence of humic acid (HA). The main reactive species are HOCl/OCl− but not the reactive radicals responsible for the inactivation of fungal spores. The increase of extracellular proteins, total dissolved nitrogen, extracellular adenosine triphosphate and morphologic changes of the four genera of fungi prior to and after inactivation, revealed that the cell membrane of fungal spores was damaged seriously by exposure to the PMS/Cl− system. Moreover, PMS/Cl− system also exhibited a good inactivation effect on the four genera of fungi in real groundwater. Finally, attention should be paid to the use of phosphate buffer solution containing Cl− when PMS is used for disinfection experiments as this could impact results.

A comprehensive analysis of the Manduca sexta immunotranscriptome

As a biochemical model, Manduca sexta has substantially contributed to our knowledge on insect innate immunity. The RNA-Seq approach was implemented in three studies to examine tissue immunotranscriptomes of this species. With the latest and largest focusing on highly regulated process- and tissue-specific genes, we further analyzed the same set of data using BLAST2GO to explore functional aspects of the larval fat body (F) and hemocyte (H) transcriptomes with (I) or without (C) immune challenge. Using immunity-related sequences from other insects, we found 383 homologous contigs and compared them with those discovered based on relative abundance changes. The major overlap of the two lists validated our previous research designed for gene discovery and transcript profiling in organisms lacking sequenced genomes. By concatenating the contigs, we established a repertoire of 232 immunity-related genes encoding proteins for pathogen recognition (16%), signal transduction (53%), microbe killing (13%) and others (18%). We examined their transcript levels along with attribute classifications and detected prominent differences in nine of the 30 level 2 gene ontology (GO) categories. The increase in extracellular proteins (155%) was consistent with the highly induced synthesis of defense molecules (e.g., antimicrobial peptides) in fat body after the immune challenge. We identified most members of the putative Toll, IMD, MAPK-JNK-p38 and JAK-STAT pathways and small changes in their mRNA levels. Together, these findings set the stage for on-going analysis of the M. sexta immunogenome.

Staphylococcus aureus Elicits Marked Alterations in the Airway Proteome during Early Pneumonia

Pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus is a growing concern in the health care community. We hypothesized that characterization of the early innate immune response to bacteria in the lungs would provide insight into the mechanisms used by the host to protect itself from infection. An adult mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia was utilized to define the early events in the innate immune response and to assess the changes in the airway proteome during the first 6 h of pneumonia. S. aureus actively replicated in the lungs of mice inoculated intranasally under anesthesia to cause significant morbidity and mortality. By 6 h postinoculation, the release of proinflammatory cytokines caused effective recruitment of neutrophils to the airway. Neutrophil influx, loss of alveolar architecture, and consolidated pneumonia were observed histologically 6 h postinoculation. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from mice inoculated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or S. aureus were depleted of overabundant proteins and subjected to strong cation exchange fractionation followed by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to identify the proteins present in the airway. No significant changes in response to PBS inoculation or 30 min following S. aureus inoculation were observed. However, a dramatic increase in extracellular proteins was observed 6 h postinoculation with S. aureus, with the increase dominated by inflammatory and coagulation proteins. The data presented here provide a comprehensive evaluation of the rapid and vigorous innate immune response mounted in the host airway during the earliest stages of S. aureus pneumonia.

FTIR Spectroscopic Study of Biogenic Mn-Oxide Formation by Pseudomonas putida GB-1

Biomineralization in heterogeneous aqueous systems results from a complex association between pre-existing surfaces, bacterial cells, extracellular biomacromolecules, and neoformed precipitates. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used in several complementary sample introduction modes (attenuated total reflectance [ATR], diffuse reflectance [DRIFT], and transmission) to investigate the processes of cell adhesion, biofilm growth, and biological Mn-oxidation by Pseudomonas putida strain GB-1. Distinct differences in the adhesive properties of GB-1 were observed upon Mn oxidation. No adhesion to the ZnSe crystal surface was observed for planktonic GB-1 cells coated with biogenic MnO x , whereas cell adhesion was extensive and a GB-1 biofilm was readily grown on ZnSe, CdTe, and Ge crystals prior to Mn-oxidation. IR peak intensity ratios reveal changes in biomolecular (carbohydrate, phosphate, and protein) composition during biologically catalyzed Mn-oxidation. In situ monitoring via ATR-FTIR of an active GB-1 biofilm and DRIFT data revealed an increase in extracellular protein (amide I and II) during Mn(II) oxidation, whereas transmission mode measurements suggest an overall increase in carbohydrate and phosphate moieties. The FTIR spectrum of biogenic Mn oxide comprises Mn-O stretching vibrations characteristic of various known Mn oxides (e.g., “acid” birnessite, romanechite, todorokite), but it is not identical to known synthetic solids, possibly because of solid-phase incorporation of biomolecular constituents. The results suggest that, when biogenic MnO x accumulates on the surfaces of planktonic cells, adhesion of the bacteria to other negatively charged surfaces is hindered via blocking of surficial proteins.

Penile Weight and Cell Subtype Specific Changes in a Post-Radical Prostatectomy Model of Erectile Dysfunction

We evaluated neurogenic erectile dysfunction, focusing on the post-radical prostatectomy model. We investigated changes in DNA, protein and apoptotic cells of the rat penis after denervation. Gross morphometry was measured to elucidate the impact of chemical changes. Postpubertal male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to bilateral or unilateral cavernous nerve transection, or sham operation. Wet weight, DNA content and protein content were measured. Tissue sections were stained for apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling and the apoptotic index was calculated. Dual staining was performed for endothelial and smooth muscle cells to identify apoptotic cells. Penile wet weight was significantly decreased at all time points after bilateral neurotomy (p <0.0005). Unilateral neurotomy allowed much greater preservation of penile weight. DNA content was significantly decreased in bilaterally denervated penes and unchanged in unilaterally operated penes. Protein content was not significantly altered in the bilateral or unilateral cohorts. Bilateral neurotomy induced significant apoptosis, while unilateral surgery caused significantly less apoptosis. Each population had apoptotic clustering just beneath the tunica albuginea, which was mostly smooth muscle cells. These data suggest the importance of neural integrity to maintain penile homeostasis. The loss in penile weight was consistent with the anecdotal experience of many clinicians. Decreased DNA content may have been due to significant levels of apoptosis in smooth muscle cells. Preserved protein content may suggest an increase in extracellular protein, as postulated in corporeal fibrosis. The subtunical population of apoptotic smooth muscle cells revealed a mechanism for veno-occlusive dysfunction observed after radical prostatectomy. These effects were significantly moderated in the unilateral model, reinforcing the critical nature of neural integrity.

Biochemical changes in pulmonary cells following manganese oxide inhalation.

Inhalation of manganese oxide (Mn dose, 879.0 micrograms/m3) for 2 h reduced the total number of alveolar macrophages obtained by endotracheal lavage in pulmonary cell populations, slightly reduced cellular viability, and reduced both phagocytic capability and total protein in sonicated pulmonary cells. Increases in intracellular adenosine triphosphate and acid phosphatase specific activity were also exhibited by the pulmonary cells, but sonicated cells obtained from the exposed mice showed no change in lactic acid dehydrogenase specific activity. A slight increase in extracellular protein in the fluid phase of the lavage suspension was observed after manganese oxide exposure.

The Growth and Composition of Skeletal Muscle in the Chicken: 1. The Increase of Extracellular Proteins and Other Nitrogen Containing Fractions

INTRODUCTIONCHANGES in the composition of fowl skeletal muscle during growth and development have previously been investigated by Robinson (1952) and Dickerson (1960). These workers have examined a number of protein constituents of the developing muscle of White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red chickens respectively. Their findings indicated that while there is an overall similarity between these two breeds, the pattern of development of certain fractions may differ to some degree. This seemed to be particularly so for the extracellular protein fraction which comprises the major portion of the connective tissue framework of the muscle.Although these differences may be due to genetic factors as Dickerson suggests, it is likely that different management and environmental conditions during the rearing of the experimental birds would also be important and should therefore be taken into account. In view of these considerations it was decided to carry out a somewhat similar study using…