Sensitive Detection of Nucleic Acids Using Subzyme Feedback Cascades.

The development of Subzymes demonstrates how the catalytic activity of DNAzymes can be controlled for detecting nucleic acids; however, Subzymes alone lack the sensitivity required to detect low target concentrations. To improve sensitivity, we developed a feedback system using a pair of cross-catalytic Subzymes. These were individually tethered to microparticles (MP) and separated by a porous membrane rendering them unable to interact.

Identification of diverse arthropod associated viruses in native Australian fleas.

Fleas are important vectors of zoonotic disease. However, little is known about the natural diversity and abundance of flea viruses, particularly in the absence of disease associations, nor the evolutionary relationships among those viruses found in different parasitic vector species. Herein, we present the first virome scale study of fleas, based on the meta-transcriptomic analysis of 52 fleas collected along the eastern coast of Australia.

Out-of-Africa, human-mediated dispersal of the common cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis: The hitchhiker's guide to world domination.

The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the most common parasite of domestic cats and dogs worldwide. Due to the morphological ambiguity of C. felis and a lack of - particularly largescale - phylogenetic data, we do not know whether global C.

Accurate identification of Australian mosquitoes using protein profiling.

Australian mosquito species significantly impact human health through nuisance biting and the transmission of endemic and exotic pathogens. Surveillance programmes designed to provide an early warning of mosquito-borne disease risk require reliable identification of mosquitoes. This study aimed to investigate the viability of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as a rapid and inexpensive approach to the identification of Australian mosquitoes and was validated using a three-step taxonomic approach.

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) carrying Rickettsia felis and Bartonella species in Hong Kong.

Fleas are commonly recorded on stray as well as domestic dogs and cats in Hong Kong. Fleas can be a major cause of pruritus in dogs and cats and also vectors of potentially zoonotic bacteria in the genera Rickettsia and Bartonella. Morphological examination of 174 fleas from dogs and cats living in Hong Kong revealed only cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis).

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) from cats and dogs in New Zealand: Molecular characterisation, presence of Rickettsia felis and Bartonella clarridgeiae and comparison with Australia.

The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the most common flea species parasitising both domestic cats and dogs globally. Fleas are known vectors of zoonotic pathogens such as vector borne Rickettsia and Bartonella. This study compared cat fleas from domestic cats and dogs in New Zealand's North and South Islands to Australian cat fleas, using the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and II (cox1, cox2).

Isolation of Novel Trypanosomatid, Zelonia australiensis sp. nov. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) Provides Support for a Gondwanan Origin of Dixenous Parasitism in the Leishmaniinae.

The genus Leishmania includes approximately 53 species, 20 of which cause human leishmaniais; a significant albeit neglected tropical disease. Leishmaniasis has afflicted humans for millennia, but how ancient is Leishmania and where did it arise? These questions have been hotly debated for decades and several theories have been proposed. One theory suggests Leishmania originated in the Palearctic, and dispersed to the New World via the Bering land bridge.

Evaluation of the bacterial microbiome of two flea species using different DNA-isolation techniques provides insights into flea host ecology.

Fleas (Siphonaptera) are ubiquitous blood-sucking pests of animals worldwide and are vectors of zoonotic bacteria such as Rickettsia and Bartonella. We performed Ion Torrent PGM amplicon sequencing for the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to compare the microbiome of the ubiquitous cat flea (Ctenocephalides f. felis) and the host-specific echidna stickfast flea (Echidnophaga a.

Integrated morphological and molecular identification of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) and dog fleas (Ctenocephalides canis) vectoring Rickettsia felis in central Europe.

Fleas of the genus Ctenocephalides are the most common ectoparasites infesting dogs and cats world-wide. The species Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis are competent vectors for zoonotic pathogens such as Rickettsia felis and Bartonella spp. Improved knowledge on the diversity and phylogenetics of fleas is important for understanding flea-borne pathogen transmission cycles.

Evidence for a specific host-endosymbiont relationship between 'Rickettsia sp. genotype RF2125' and Ctenocephalides felis orientis infesting dogs in India.

Background: Fleas of the genus Ctenocephalides serve as vectors for a number of rickettsial zoonoses, including Rickettsia felis. There are currently no published reports of the presence and distribution of R. felis in India, however, the ubiquitous distribution of its vector Ctenocephalides felis, makes it possible that the pathogen is endemic to the region.

TLR4 genotype and environmental LPS mediate RSV bronchiolitis through Th2 polarization.

While 30%-70% of RSV-infected infants develop bronchiolitis, 2% require hospitalization. It is not clear why disease severity differs among healthy, full-term infants; however, virus titers, inflammation, and Th2 bias are proposed explanations. While TLR4 is associated with these disease phenotypes, the role of this receptor in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pathogenesis is controversial.

Perlecan domain V inhibits α2 integrin-mediated amyloid-β neurotoxicity.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide is a key component of amyloid plaques, one of the pathological features of Alzheimer's disease. Another feature is pronounced cell loss in the brain leading to an enlargement of the ventricular area and a decrease in brain weight and volume. Aβ plaque deposition and neuronal toxicity can be modeled by treating human cortical neuronal cultures with Aβ and showing robust Aβ deposition and neurotoxicity that is mediated by α2β1 and αvβ1 integrins.