Discovery, Characterization, and Bioactivity of the Achromonodins: Lasso Peptides Encoded by .

Through genome mining efforts, two lasso peptide biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) within two different species of , a genus that contains pathogenic organisms that can infect patients with cystic fibrosis, were discovered. Using gene-refactored BGCs in , these lasso peptides, which were named achromonodin-1 and achromonodin-2, were heterologously expressed. Achromonodin-1 is naturally encoded by certain isolates from the sputum of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Cloacaenodin, an Antimicrobial Lasso Peptide with Activity against .

Using genome mining and heterologous expression, we report the discovery and production of a new antimicrobial lasso peptide from species related to the complex. Using NMR and mass spectrometric analysis, we show that this lasso peptide, named cloacaenodin, employs a threaded lasso fold which imparts proteolytic resistance that its unthreaded counterpart lacks. Cloacaenodin has selective, low micromolar, antimicrobial activity against species related to the complex, including species implicated in nosocomial infections and against clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant .

Factors Influencing Gambling Behavior Among Employees in Macau Gambling Industry.

Casino staff of the gambling industry seem to have a higher risk of pathological gambling than the general public because they share many previously identified risk factors, such as easy access to gambling activities. The studies in western countries reported casino staff have a higher prevalence of problematic gambling than the general public. However, some studies in Macau revealed gambling behavior among casino staff is not more common than among other residents there.