Offline Next Generation Metagenomics Sequence Analysis Using MinION Detection Software (MINDS).

Field laboratories interested in using the MinION often need the internet to perform sample analysis. Thus, the lack of internet connectivity in resource-limited or remote locations renders downstream analysis problematic, resulting in a lack of sample identification in the field. Due to this dependency, field samples are generally transported back to the lab for analysis where internet availability for downstream analysis is available.

Extracellular protein biomarkers for the characterization of enterohemorrhagic and enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains.

The extracellular proteins (ECPs) of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) can cause hemorrhagic colitis which may cause life threatening hemolytic-uremic syndrome, while that of enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) can clump to intestinal membranes. Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry based proteomics is used to evaluate a preliminary study on the extracellular and whole cell protein extracts associated with E.

Pulsed UV-C disinfection of Escherichia coli with light-emitting diodes, emitted at various repetition rates and duty cycles.

A 2010 study exposed Staphylococcus aureus to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and thermal heating from pulsed xenon flash lamps. The results suggested that disinfection could be caused not only by photochemical changes from UV radiation, but also by photophysical stress damage caused by the disturbance from incoming pulses. The study called for more research in this area.

Evaluation of handheld assays for the detection of ricin and staphylococcal enterotoxin B in disinfected waters.

Development of a rapid field test is needed capable of determining if field supplies of water are safe to drink by the warfighter during a military operation. The present study sought to assess the effectiveness of handheld assays (HHAs) in detecting ricin and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) in water. Performance of HHAs was evaluated in formulated tap water with and without chlorine, reverse osmosis water (RO) with chlorine, and RO with bromine.

Survival of viral biowarfare agents in disinfected waters.

Protecting civilian and military water supplies has received more attention since the United States began its war on terror in 2001. Both chlorine and bromine are used by branches of the U.S.

Identification of Yersinia pestis and Escherichia coli strains by whole cell and outer membrane protein extracts with mass spectrometry-based proteomics.

Whole cell protein and outer membrane protein (OMP) extracts were compared for their ability to differentiate and delineate the correct database organism to an experimental sample and for the degree of dissimilarity to the nearest neighbor database organism strains. These extracts were isolated from pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains of Yersinia pestis and Escherichia coli using ultracentrifugation and a sarkosyl extraction method followed by protein digestion and analysis using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (MS). Whole cell protein extracts contain many different types of proteins resident in an organism at a given phase in its growth cycle.

Double-blind characterization of non-genome-sequenced bacteria by mass spectrometry-based proteomics.

Due to the possibility of a biothreat attack on civilian or military installations, a need exists for technologies that can detect and accurately identify pathogens in a near-real-time approach. One technology potentially capable of meeting these needs is a high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic approach. This approach utilizes the knowledge of amino acid sequences of peptides derived from the proteolysis of proteins as a basis for reliable bacterial identification.

Effects of weak acids, UV and proton motive force inhibitors on pyrazinamide activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro.

Background: Pyrazinamide is a paradoxical frontline tuberculosis drug characterized by high sterilizing in vivo activity but poor in vitro activity. Pyrazinamide is thought to act by the entrapment of pyrazinoic acid in the bacterial cell, leading to acidification and membrane damage. Consequently, the effects of weak acids and molecules affecting membranes added to pyrazinamide were studied.

Anaerobic incubation conditions enhance pyrazinamide activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is an unconventional front line tuberculosis drug characterized by high in vivo sterilizing activity, but poor in vitro activity. This disparity in PZA activity may reflect differences between the in vivo tissue environment and in vitro culture conditions. This study examined the effect of anaerobic conditions, which exist in granulomatous lesions in vivo, on PZA activity in vitro.

Accurate mapping of mutations of pyrazinamide-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with a scanning-frame oligonucleotide microarray.

The increasing emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis poses significant threat to the treatment of tuberculosis. Conventional susceptibility testing for the front-line tuberculosis drug pyrazinamide (PZA) is difficult, because of the requirement for acid pH for the drug to show activity. Resistance to PZA in M.

Mechanisms of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is a worldwide health problem posing increasing threat with the spread of HIV infection and drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. Consequently, control of this disease has become a significant challenge despite the availability of chemotherapy and BCG vaccine. Drug resistance for all first-line anti-tuberculosis agents and some second-line agents has been observed.

Iron enhances the antituberculous activity of pyrazinamide.

Background: Pyrazinamide is a paradoxical frontline tuberculosis drug characterized by high in vivo sterilizing activity but poor in vitro activity. This separation in pyrazinamide activity reflects differences between the in vivo tissue environment and in vitro culture conditions. The well-known acid pH requirement for pyrazinamide activity was discovered previously based on such reasoning but does not completely explain the discrepancy between in vivo and in vitro activity of pyrazinamide.

Mode of action of pyrazinamide: disruption of Mycobacterium tuberculosis membrane transport and energetics by pyrazinoic acid.

Pyrazinamide is an important sterilizing drug that shortens tuberculosis (TB) therapy. However, the mechanism of action of pyrazinamide is poorly understood because of its unusual properties. Here we show that pyrazinoic acid, the active moiety of pyrazinamide, disrupted membrane energetics and inhibited membrane transport function in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Regulation of capsule biosynthesis in serotype A strains of Pasteurella multocida.

The capsule of Pasteurella multocida serotype A strain ATCC 11039 is composed of hyaluronic acid and is an important virulence factor. Repeated subculturing of certain capsular serotype A strains results in dissociation from a capsulated to a noncapsulated phenotype with a concomitant loss of virulence. Although noncapsulated variants have been thought to arise as a result of mutation, the molecular mechanisms underlying this event are unknown.