Enhancing sensitivity of lateral flow assay with application to SARS-CoV-2.

Lateral flow assay (LFA) has long been used as a biomarker detection technique. It has advantages such as low cost, rapid readout, portability, and ease of use. However, its qualitative readout process and lack of sensitivity are limiting factors.

Equine hyperimmune serum protects mice against Clostridium difficile spore challenge.

Clostridium (C.) difficile is a common cause of nosocomial diarrhea in horses. Vancomycin and metronidazole have been used as standard treatments but are only moderately effective, which highlights the need for a novel alternative therapy.

Evaluation of a Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis leuD mutant as a vaccine candidate against challenge in a caprine model.

Johne's disease (JD) is prevalent worldwide and has a significant impact on the global agricultural economy. In the present study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of a leuD (Δleud) mutant and gained insight into differential immune responses after challenge with virulent M. avium subsp.

Elastin, a novel extracellular matrix protein adhering to mycobacterial antigen 85 complex.

The antigen 85 complex (Ag85) consists of three predominantly secreted proteins (Ag85A, Ag85B, and Ag85C), which play a key role in the mycobacterial pathogenesis and also possess enzymatic mycolyltransferase activity involved in cell wall synthesis. Ag85 is not only considered to be a virulence factor because its expression is essential for intracellular survival within macrophages, but also because it contributes to adherence, invasion, and dissemination of mycobacteria in host cells. In this study, we report that the extracellular matrix components, elastin and its precursor (tropoelastin) derived from human aorta, lung, and skin, serve as binding partners of Ag85 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Temporal differential proteomes of Clostridium difficile in the pig ileal-ligated loop model.

The impact of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) on healthcare is becoming increasingly recognized as it represents a major cause of nosocomial diarrhea. A rising number of CDI cases and outbreaks have been reported worldwide. Here, we developed the pig ileal-ligated loop model for semi-quantitative analysis comparing temporal differential proteomes in C.