The ZKIR Assay, a Real-Time PCR Method for the Detection of and Closely Related Species in Environmental Samples.

is of growing public health concern due to the emergence of strains that are multidrug resistant, virulent, or both. Taxonomically, the complex ("Kp") includes seven phylogroups, with Kp1 () being medically prominent. Kp can be present in environmental sources such as soils and vegetation, which could act as reservoirs of animal and human infections.

Dissemination of CTX-M-Producing in Freshwater Fishes From a French Watershed (Burgundy).

The burden of extended-spectrum β-lactamases producing (ESBL-), has increased over several decades. Freshwater ecosystems are suspected to play an important ecological and evolutionary role in driving the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of our study was to decipher the occurrence of ESBL- in a small watershed (Ouche river, Burgundy, France), targeting environmental matrices and fishes.

Free water surface constructed wetlands limit the dissemination of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in the natural environment.

The fates of Escherichia coli and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli (ESBL E. coli) were studied over a period of one year in a free water surface constructed wetland (FWS CW) with a succession of open water zones and vegetation ponds (Typha or Phragmites), that received the effluent from a wastewater treatment plant.

Nation-wide study of the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in French soils using culture-based and molecular detection methods.

Soil is a potential reservoir of human pathogens and a possible source of contamination of animals, crops and water. In order to study the distribution of Listeria monocytogenes in French soils, a real-time PCR TaqMan assay targeting the phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase (prs) gene of L. monocytogenes was developed for the specific detection and quantification of this bacterium within a collection of 1315 soil DNAs originated from the French Soil Quality Monitoring Network.

Occurrence of CTX-M Producing Escherichia coli in Soils, Cattle, and Farm Environment in France (Burgundy Region).

CTX-M [a major type of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)] producing Escherichia coli are increasingly involved in human infections worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate potential reservoirs for such strains: soils, cattle, and farm environment. The prevalence of bla(CTX-M) genes was determined directly from soil DNA extracts obtained from 120 sites in Burgundy (France) using real-time PCR.

A novel ABCC8 mutation illustrates the variability of the diabetes phenotypes associated with a single mutation.

Aim: ATP-sensitive potassium channels are important regulators of insulin secretion. They consist of four sulphonylurea receptor (encoded by ABCC8) and four inwardly rectifying protein (encoded by KCNJ11) subunits. Activating ABCC8 mutations lead to decreased insulin secretion and to diabetes.

Changes in gene expression during adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes to the soil environment.

Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen responsible for listeriosis. In order to study the processes underlying its ability to adapt to the soil environment, whole-genome arrays were used to analyse transcriptome modifications 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 18 h after inoculation of L. monocytogenes EGD-e in soil extracts.

Vigna mungo, V. radiata and V. unguiculata plants sampled in different agronomical-ecological-climatic regions of India are nodulated by Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense.

Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata and Vigna unguiculata are important legume crops cultivated in India, but little is known about the genetic resources in native rhizobia that nodulate these species. To identify these bacteria, a core collection of 76 slow-growing isolates was built from root nodules of V. mungo, V.

Retama species growing in different ecological-climatic areas of northeastern Algeria have a narrow range of rhizobia that form a novel phylogenetic clade within the Bradyrhizobium genus.

Sixty-seven isolates were isolated from nodules collected on roots of Mediterranean shrubby legumes Retama raetam and Retama sphaerocarpa growing in seven ecological-climatic areas of northeastern Algeria. Genetic diversity of the Retama isolates was analyzed based on genotyping by restriction fragment length polymorphism of PCR-amplified fragments of the 16S rRNA gene, the intergenic spacer (IGS) region between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes (IGS), and the symbiotic genes nifH and nodC. Eleven haplotypes assigned to the Bradyrhizobium genus were identified.

Molecular models of human P-glycoprotein in two different catalytic states.

Background: P-glycoprotein belongs to the family of ATP-binding cassette proteins which hydrolyze ATP to catalyse the translocation of their substrates through membranes. This protein extrudes a large range of components out of cells, especially therapeutic agents causing a phenomenon known as multidrug resistance. Because of its clinical interest, its activity and transport function have been largely characterized by various biochemical studies.

Plant phenology and genetic variability in root and nodule development strongly influence genetic structuring of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae populations nodulating pea.

The symbiotic relationships between legumes and their nitrogen (N(2))-fixing bacterial partners (rhizobia) vary in effectiveness to promote plant growth according to both bacterial and legume genotype. To assess the selective effect of host plant on its microsymbionts, the influence of the pea (Pisum sativum) genotype on the relative nodulation success of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae (Rlv) genotypes from the soil populations during plant development has been investigated. Five pea lines were chosen for their genetic variability in root and nodule development.

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae genotypes interact with pea plants in developmental responses of nodules, roots and shoots.

The variability of the developmental responses of two contrasting cultivars of pea (Pisum sativum) was studied in relation to the genetic diversity of their nitrogen-fixing symbiont Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae. A sample of 42 strains of pea rhizobia was chosen to represent 17 genotypes predominating in indigenous rhizobial populations, the genotypes being defined by the combination of haplotypes characterized with rDNA intergenic spacer and nodD gene regions as markers.

Genetic variability in nodulation and root growth affects nitrogen fixation and accumulation in pea.

Background And Aims: Legume nitrogen is derived from two different sources, symbiotically fixed atmospheric N(2) and soil N. The effect of genetic variability of root and nodule establishment on N acquisition and seed protein yield was investigated under field conditions in pea (Pisum sativum). In addition, these parameters were related to the variability in preference for rhizobial genotypes.

Long-term effects of crop management on Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae populations.

Little is known about factors that affect the indigenous populations of rhizobia in soils. We compared the abundance, diversity and genetic structure of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae populations in soils under different crop managements, i.e.

Quantification of bacterial subgroups in soil: comparison of DNA extracted directly from soil or from cells previously released by density gradient centrifugation.

All molecular analyses of soil bacterial diversity are based on the extraction of a representative fraction of cellular DNA. Methods of DNA extraction for this purpose are divided into two categories: those in which cells are lysed within the soil (direct extraction) and those in which cells are first removed from soil (cell extraction) and then lysed. The purpose of this study was to compare a method of direct extraction with a method in which cells were first separated from the soil matrix by Nycodenz gradient centrifugation in order to evaluate the effect of these different approaches on the analysis of the spectrum of diversity in a microbial community.

The cold shock response of the psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas fragi involves four low-molecular-mass nucleic acid-binding proteins.

The psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas fragi was subjected to cold shocks from 30 or 20 to 5 degrees C. The downshifts were followed by a lag phase before growth resumed at a characteristic 5 degrees C growth rate. The analysis of protein patterns by two-dimentional gel electrophoresis revealed overexpression of 25 or 17 proteins and underexpression of 12 proteins following the 30- or 20-to-5 degrees C shift, respectively.