Complete Genome Sequences of Two Bioluminescent Vibrio campbellii Strains Isolated from Biofouling Communities in the Bay of Bengal.

is a pathogen of aquatic animals and has been proposed as a bacterial partner in the formation of bioluminescent milky seas. We present here the complete genome sequences assembled from Illumina and Oxford Nanopore data for two bioluminescent strains (BoB-53 and BoB-90) isolated from biofouled moorings in the Bay of Bengal.

Biofilm community structure and the associated drag penalties of a groomed fouling release ship hull coating.

Grooming is a proactive method to keep a ship's hull free of fouling. This approach uses a frequent and gentle wiping of the hull surface to prevent the recruitment of fouling organisms. A study was designed to compare the community composition and the drag associated with biofilms formed on a groomed and ungroomed fouling release coating.

Relative abundance of 'Candidatus Tenderia electrophaga' is linked to cathodic current in an aerobic biocathode community.

Biocathode microbial communities are proposed to catalyse a range of useful reactions. Unlike bioanodes, model biocathode organisms have not yet been successfully cultivated in isolation highlighting the need for culture-independent approaches to characterization. Biocathode MCL (Marinobacter, Chromatiaceae, Labrenzia) is a microbial community proposed to couple CO fixation to extracellular electron transfer and O reduction.

Metatranscriptomics Supports the Mechanism for Biocathode Electroautotrophy by " Tenderia electrophaga".

Biocathodes provide a stable electron source to drive reduction reactions in electrotrophic microbial electrochemical systems. Electroautotrophic biocathode communities may be more robust than monocultures in environmentally relevant settings, but some members are not easily cultivated outside the electrode environment. We previously used metagenomics and metaproteomics to propose a pathway for coupling extracellular electron transfer (EET) to carbon fixation in " Tenderia electrophaga," an uncultivated but dominant member of an electroautotrophic biocathode community.

Indole signalling and (micro)algal auxins decrease the virulence of Vibrio campbellii, a major pathogen of aquatic organisms.

Vibrios belonging to the Harveyi clade are major pathogens of marine vertebrates and invertebrates, causing major losses in wild and cultured organisms. Despite their significant impact, the pathogenicity mechanisms of these bacteria are not yet completely understood. In this study, the impact of indole signalling on the virulence of Vibrio campbellii was investigated.

Molecular Mechanisms Contributing to the Growth and Physiology of an Extremophile Cultured with Dielectric Heating.

Unlabelled: The effect of microwave frequency electromagnetic fields on living microorganisms is an active and highly contested area of research. One of the major drawbacks to using mesophilic organisms to study microwave radiation effects is the unavoidable heating of the organism, which has limited the scale (<5 ml) and duration (<1 h) of experiments. However, the negative effects of heating a mesophile can be mitigated by employing thermophiles (organisms able to grow at temperatures of >60°C).

Complete Genome Sequence of Labrenzia sp. Strain CP4, Isolated from a Self-Regenerating Biocathode Biofilm.

Here, we present the complete genome sequence of Labrenzia sp. strain CP4, isolated from an electricity-consuming marine biocathode biofilm. Labrenzia sp.

'Candidatus Tenderia electrophaga', an uncultivated electroautotroph from a biocathode enrichment.

Biocathode communities are of interest for a variety of applications, including electrosynthesis, bioremediation, and biosensors, yet much remains to be understood about the biological processes that occur to enable these communities to grow. One major difficulty in understanding these communities is that the critical autotrophic organisms are difficult to cultivate. An uncultivated, electroautotrophic bacterium previously identified as an uncultivated member of the family Chromatiaceae appears to be a key organism in an autotrophic biocathode microbial community.

Complete Genome Sequence of Marinobacter sp. CP1, Isolated from a Self-Regenerating Biocathode Biofilm.

Marinobacter sp. CP1 was isolated from a self-regenerating and self-sustaining biocathode biofilm that can fix CO2 and generate electric current. We present the complete genome sequence of this strain, which consists of a circular 4.

Metaproteomic evidence of changes in protein expression following a change in electrode potential in a robust biocathode microbiome.

Microorganisms that respire electrodes may be exploited for biotechnology applications if key pathways for extracellular electron transfer can be identified and manipulated through bioengineering. To determine whether expression of proposed Biocathode-MCL extracellular electron transfer proteins are changed by modulating electrode potential without disrupting the relative distribution of microbial constituents, metaproteomic and 16S rRNA gene expression analyses were performed after switching from an optimal to suboptimal potential based on an expected decrease in electrode respiration. Five hundred and seventy-nine unique proteins were identified across both potentials, the majority of which were assigned to three previously defined Biocathode-MCL metagenomic clusters: a Marinobacter sp.

Unique and conserved genome regions in Vibrio harveyi and related species in comparison with the shrimp pathogen Vibrio harveyi CAIM 1792.

Vibrio harveyi CAIM 1792 is a marine bacterial strain that causes mortality in farmed shrimp in north-west Mexico, and the identification of virulence genes in this strain is important for understanding its pathogenicity. The aim of this work was to compare the V. harveyi CAIM 1792 genome with related genome sequences to determine their phylogenic relationship and explore unique regions in silico that differentiate this strain from other V.

Sequence variability and geographic distribution of Lassa virus, Sierra Leone.

Lassa virus (LASV) is endemic to parts of West Africa and causes highly fatal hemorrhagic fever. The multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) is the only known reservoir of LASV. Most human infections result from zoonotic transmission.

Complete Genome Sequence of the Bioluminescent Marine Bacterium Vibrio harveyi ATCC 33843 (392 [MAV]).

Vibrio harveyi is a Gram-negative marine γ-proteobacterium that is known to be a formidable pathogen of aquatic animals and is a model organism for the study of bacterial bioluminescence and quorum sensing. In this report, we describe the complete genome sequence of the most studied strain of this species: V. harveyi ATCC 33843 (392 [MAV]).

A previously uncharacterized, nonphotosynthetic member of the Chromatiaceae is the primary CO2-fixing constituent in a self-regenerating biocathode.

Biocathode extracellular electron transfer (EET) may be exploited for biotechnology applications, including microbially mediated O2 reduction in microbial fuel cells and microbial electrosynthesis. However, biocathode mechanistic studies needed to improve or engineer functionality have been limited to a few select species that form sparse, homogeneous biofilms characterized by little or no growth. Attempts to cultivate isolates from biocathode environmental enrichments often fail due to a lack of some advantage provided by life in a consortium, highlighting the need to study and understand biocathode consortia in situ.

Vibrio campbellii hmgA-mediated pyomelanization impairs quorum sensing, virulence, and cellular fitness.

Melanization due to the inactivation of the homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase gene (hmgA) has been demonstrated to increase stress resistance, persistence, and virulence in some bacterial species but such pigmented mutants have not been observed in pathogenic members of the Vibrio Harveyi clade. In this study, we used Vibrio campbellii ATCC BAA-1116 as model organism to understand how melanization affected cellular phenotype, metabolism, and virulence. An in-frame deletion of the hmgA gene resulted in the overproduction of a pigment in cell culture supernatants and cellular membranes that was identified as pyomelanin.

Presumptive self-diagnosis of malaria and other febrile illnesses in Sierra Leone.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-diagnosis of malaria and other febrile illnesses in Bo, Sierra Leone.

Methods: All households in two neighboring sections of Bo were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey.

Results: A total of 882 households (an 85% participation rate) that were home to 5410 individuals participated in the study.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Fast-Growing Marine Bacterium Vibrio natriegens Strain ATCC 14048.

Vibrio natriegens bacteria are Gram-negative aquatic microorganisms that are found primarily in coastal seawater and sediments and are perhaps best known for their high growth rates (generation time of <10 min). In this study, we report the first sequenced genome of this species, that of the type strain Vibrio natriegens ATCC 14048, a salt marsh mud isolate from Sapelo Island, GA.

Reemergence of chikungunya virus in Bo, Sierra Leone.

We diagnosed 400 possible IgM-positive cases of chikungunya virus in Bo, Sierra Leone, during July 2012-January 2013 by using lateral flow immunoassays. Cases detected likely represent only a small fraction of total cases. Further laboratory testing is required to confirm this outbreak and characterize the virus.

Evolving gene targets and technology in influenza detection.

Influenza viruses cause recurring epidemic outbreaks every year associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive research and surveillance efforts to control influenza outbreaks, the primary mitigation treatment for influenza is the development of yearly vaccine mixes targeted for the most prevalent virus strains. Consequently, the focus of many detection technologies has evolved toward accurate identification of subtype and understanding the evolution and molecular determinants of novel and pathogenic forms of influenza.

Stabilization of RNA through absorption by functionalized mesoporous silicate nanospheres.

The potential for encapsulating RNA within tunable, semi-permeable structures for storage and transportation purposes offers an interesting approach to the reduction of stringent storage requirements that often hamper the field application of genetic analysis methods. In this study, we assessed the potential for application of functionalized, porous silicate sorbents in maintaining nucleic acid integrity. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with and without incorporated stabilizing reagents were used to encapsulate triosephosphate isomerase mRNA of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Leapfrog diagnostics: Demonstration of a broad spectrum pathogen identification platform in a resource-limited setting.

Background: Resource-limited tropical countries are home to numerous infectious pathogens of both human and zoonotic origin. A capability for early detection to allow rapid outbreak containment and prevent spread to non-endemic regions is severely impaired by inadequate diagnostic laboratory capacity, the absence of a "cold chain" and the lack of highly trained personnel. Building up detection capacity in these countries by direct replication of the systems existing in developed countries is not a feasible approach and instead requires "leapfrogging" to the deployment of the newest diagnostic systems that do not have the infrastructure requirements of systems used in developed countries.

Application of resequencing microarrays in microbial detection and characterization.

Microarrays are powerful, highly parallel assays that are transforming microbiological diagnostics and research. The adaptation of microarray-based resequencing technology for microbial detection and characterization resulted in the development of a number assays that have unique advantages over other existing technologies. This technological platform seems to be especially useful for sensitive and high-resolution multiplexed diagnostics for clinical syndromes with similar symptoms, screening environmental samples for biothreat agents, as well as genotyping and whole-genome analysis of single pathogens.

Water quality associated public health risk in Bo, Sierra Leone.

Human health depends on reliable access to safe drinking water, but in many developing countries only a limited number of wells and boreholes are available. Many of these water resources are contaminated with biological or chemical pollutants. The goal of this study was to examine water access and quality in urban Bo, Sierra Leone.

Development of a single-step subtraction method for eukaryotic 18S and 28S ribonucleic acids.

The abundance of mammalian 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA can decrease the detection sensitivity of bacterial or viral targets in complex host-pathogen mixtures. A method to capture human RNA in a single step was developed and characterized to address this issue. For this purpose, capture probes were covalently attached to magnetic microbeads using a dendrimer linker and the solid phase was tested using rat thymus RNA (mammalian components) with Escherichia coli RNA (bacterial target) as a model system.

Application of a broad-range resequencing array for detection of pathogens in desert dust samples from Kuwait and Iraq.

A significant percentage of the human population is exposed to high levels of naturally occurring airborne dusts. Although the link between airborne particulate inhalation and a variety of respiratory diseases has long been established, little is known about the pathogenic role of the microbial component of the dust. In this study, we applied highly multiplexed PCR and a high-density resequencing microarray (RPM-TEI version 1.