Serine affects engulfment during the sporulation process in Clostridium perfringens strain SM101.

Objectives: Although Clostridium perfringens sporulation is a key event in the pathogenesis of food-borne illness, the molecules and underlying mechanisms responsible for regulating sporulation are incompletely understood. The present study sought to identify amino acids that affect sporulation in C. perfringens strain SM101.

Inhibitory effects of sucrose palmitic acid ester on the germination-to-outgrowth process of Clostridium perfringens SM101 spores.

As a commercially available esterified compound derived from sucrose and palmitoyl acids, sucrose ester palmitic acid (SEPA) has been used as an emulsifier in food processing. It possesses antibacterial activity against vegetative and spore-forming bacteria, including Clostridium, Moorella, Bacillus, and Geobacillus species, prompting the food industry to use it as a food additive to achieve a desirable shelf life; however, the precise mechanism by which the compound affects the physiological processes of bacteria and how it inhibits bacterial growth remains unclear. In this study, we focused on the inhibitory effect of SEPA on the germination-to-outgrowth process of Clostridium perfringens SM101 spores, a strain widely used as a model of C.

Prunin Laurate Derived from Natural Substances Shows Antibacterial Activity against the Periodontal Pathogen .

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease caused by infection with periodontopathogenic bacteria. Oral care is essential to prevent and control periodontal disease, which affects oral and systemic health. However, many oral hygiene products currently on the market were developed as disinfectants, and their intense irritation makes their use difficult for young children and older people.

Characteristics of epitope dominance pattern and cross-variant neutralisation in 16 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine sera.

SARS-CoV-2 serological studies suggest that individual serum antibody repertoires can affect neutralisation breadth. Herein, we asked whether a BNT162b2 vaccine-induced epitope dominance pattern (i.e.

Nsp14 of SARS-CoV-2 inhibits mRNA processing and nuclear export by targeting the nuclear cap-binding complex.

To facilitate selfish replication, viruses halt host gene expression in various ways. The nuclear export of mRNA is one such process targeted by many viruses. SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome, also prevents mRNA nuclear export.

Antiviral activity of curcumin and its analogs selected by an artificial intelligence-supported activity prediction system in SARS-CoV-2-infected VeroE6 cells.

Curcumin has been reported to exert its anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity by inhibiting the binding of spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). To identify more potent compounds, we evaluated the antiviral activities of curcumin and its analogs in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. An artificial intelligence-supported activity prediction system was used to select the compounds, and 116 of the 334 curcumin analogs were proposed to have spike RBD-ACE2 binding inhibitory activity.

Genetic and phenotypic analyses of mcr-harboring extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli isolates from companion dogs and cats in Japan.

The emergence of mcr plasmid-mediated colistin-resistant extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales among companion dogs and cats poses a risk of the animals acting as reservoirs for cross-species transmission. However, current knowledge of mcr-harboring ESBL-producing Enterobacterales in companion dogs and cats is still limited; thus, the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of the bacterial isolates and plasmids, in companion dogs and cats, remain to be elucidated. Here, we identified mcr gene-harboring ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolates during whole-genome sequencing of ESBL-producing E.

Antibody Avidity Maturation Following Recovery From Infection or the Booster Vaccination Grants Breadth of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Capacity.

Background: Cross-neutralizing capacity of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants is important in mitigating (re-)exposures. Role of antibody maturation, the process whereby selection of higher affinity antibodies augments host immunity, to determine SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing capacity was investigated.

Methods: Sera from SARS-CoV-2 convalescents at 2, 6, or 10 months postrecovery, and BNT162b2 vaccine recipients at 3 or 25 weeks postvaccination, were analyzed.

Comparative evaluation of chlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite activity against SARS-CoV-2.

A novel coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), suddenly emerged in China in 2019, spread globally and caused the present COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection effective measures are essential. Chlorous acid (HClO) has been shown to be an effective antimicrobial agent.

Mechanisms underlying inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by nano-sized electrostatic atomized water particles.

Unlabelled: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a serious global issue. To prevent viral transmission, it is important to disinfect contaminated environmental surfaces and aerosols. We previously demonstrated that nano-sized electrostatic atomized water particles (NEAWPs) inactivate SARS-CoV-2.

ShellCoat, a Calcinated Calcium Solution, Effectively Inactivates SARS-CoV-2.

SARS-CoV-2, an acute respiratory syndrome-causing virus, suddenly emerged at the end of 2019 in China, and rapidly spread all over the world. In this study, we examined whether a calcinated calcium solution (ShellCoat) , which has been approved as a food additive in Japan can inactivate SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, antiviral activity of ShellCoat against SARS-CoV-2 was also evaluated in the presence of organic matter, namely, fetal bovine serum (FBS) .

Identification of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors from FDA-approved drugs by artificial intelligence-supported activity prediction system.

Although a certain level of efficacy and safety of several vaccine products against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been established, unmet medical needs for orally active small molecule therapeutic drugs are still very high. As a key drug target molecule, SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M) is focused and large number of screenings, a part of which were supported by artificial intelligence (AI), have been conducted to identify M inhibitors both through drug repurposing and drug discovery approaches. In the many drug-repurposing studies, docking simulation-based technologies have been mainly employed and contributed to the identification of several M binders.

Isolation and characterization of Staphylococcus argenteus strains from retail foods and slaughterhouses in Japan.

Staphylococcus argenteus has been recently established as a novel species of Staphylococcus aureus complex. It is known to cause various human diseases, such as skin and soft-tissue infections, sepsis, and staphylococcal food poisoning, although the source of infection has not been clearly described. In food poisoning cases, the source of bacterial contamination in food is unknown.

Discrepant Antigen-specific Antibody Responses Causing SARS-CoV-2 Persistence in a Patient Receiving B-cell-targeted Therapy with Rituximab.

A 73-year-old man previously treated with rituximab for his mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma suffered a suboptimal humoral immune response against an acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection. A detailed serological description revealed discrepant antigen-specific humoral immune responses. The titer of spike-targeting, "viral-neutralizing" antibodies remained below the detection level, in contrast to the anti-nucleocapsid, "binding" antibody response, which was comparable in both magnitude and kinetics.

High-Resolution Linear Epitope Mapping of the Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Recipients.

The prompt rollout of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccine is facilitating population immunity, which is becoming more dominant than natural infection-mediated immunity. In the midst of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine deployment, understanding the epitope profiles of vaccine-elicited antibodies will be the first step in assessing the functionality of vaccine-induced immunity. In this study, the high-resolution linear epitope profiles of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine recipients and COVID-19 patients were delineated by using microarrays mapped with overlapping peptides of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Hypochlorous acid solution is a potent antiviral agent against SARS-CoV-2.

Aim: A novel coronavirus, termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) suddenly appeared in Wuhan, China, and has caused pandemic. In this study, we evaluated antiviral activity of purified hypochlorous acid (HClO) against coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) responsible for pig diseases.

Materials And Results: In a suspension test, 28.

Whole-genome analyses of extended-spectrum or AmpC β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli isolates from companion dogs in Japan.

The emergence and global spread of extended-spectrum or AmpC β-lactamase (ESBL/AmpC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in companion animals have led to the hypothesis that companion animals might be reservoirs for cross-species transmission because of their close contact with humans. However, current knowledge in this field is limited; therefore, the role of companion animals in cross-species transmission remains to be elucidated. Herein, we studied ESBL/AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli in particular, isolated from extraintestinal sites and feces of companion dogs.

Clinical findings and treatment of disseminated 'Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis' infection in a domestic cat.

A cat was referred because of diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Close examinations revealed a swollen abdominal lymph node and multiple nodules of the liver. Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis infection was confirmed by culture and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of samples recovered from the liver and bronchoalveolar lavage.

Phosphorothioation of foreign DNA influences the transformation efficiency in Clostridium perfringens NCTC8239.

Major advances in Clostridium perfringens genetics have been achieved through the development of electroporation-induced transformation; however, highly transformable strains are still limited. SM101 is the only useful strain for genetic manipulation via transformation in C. perfringens causing foodborne illness (FBI).

An enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-based reporter assay for quantitative detection of sporulation in Clostridium perfringens SM101.

Clostridium perfringens type F is a spore-forming anaerobe that causes bacterial food-borne illness in humans. The disease develops when ingested vegetative cells reach the intestinal tract and begin to form spores that produce the diarrheagenic C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE).

Effect of sublethal heat treatment on the later stage of germination-to-outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens spores.

Sublethal heating of spores has long been known to stimulate or activate germination; however, the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. In this study, the entire germination-to-outgrowth process of spores from Clostridium perfringens, an anaerobic sporeformer, was visualized at single-cell resolution. Quantitative analysis revealed that sublethal heating significantly reduces the time from completion of germination to the beginning of the first cell division, indicating that sublethal heating of C.

Adherence of Clostridium perfringens spores to human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells.

Clostridium perfringens is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacillus, and is a causative agent of foodborne infection, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and sporadic diarrhoea in humans. In cases of antibiotic-associated and sporadic diarrhoea, C. perfringens colonises the intestine, proliferates and causes disease.

Nitrate salts suppress sporulation and production of enterotoxin in Clostridium perfringens strain NCTC8239.

Clostridium perfringens type A is a common source of food-borne illness in humans. Ingested vegetative cells sporulate in the small intestinal tract and in the process produce C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE).

Recombinant production and characterization of human anti-influenza virus monoclonal antibodies identified from hybridomas fused with human lymphocytes.

In previous studies, hybridomas producing human immunoglobulin G, the antibodies 5E4 and 5A7 against influenza A and B virus were established using a novel human lymphocyte fusion partner, SPYMEG. In the present study, we succeeded in achieving the recombinant production and secretion of 5E4 and 5A7 in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Our N-glycan analysis by intact-mass detection and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry showed that recombinant 5E4 and 5A7 have one N-glycan and the typical mammalian-type N-glycan structures similar to those in hybridomas.

Transcriptional Profile during Deoxycholate-Induced Sporulation in a Clostridium perfringens Isolate Causing Foodborne Illness.

Unlabelled: Clostridium perfringens type A is a common source of foodborne illness (FBI) in humans. Vegetative cells sporulate in the small intestinal tract and produce the major pathogenic factor C. perfringens enterotoxin.