Draft genome sequences of strains isolated from ocular surface of CD36-knockout mice (B6.129S1-/J) with keratitis.

Three strains were cultured from the eyes of CD36-knockout mice (B6.129S1-/J) with and without keratitis housed at a biomedical research institute. Bacteria were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq technology for subsequent phylogenetic characterization and identification of virulence factor genes conferring pathogenic potential.

Multiple Displacement Amplification Facilitates SMRT Sequencing of Microscopic Animals and the Genome of the Gastrotrich Lepidodermella squamata (Dujardin 1841).

Obtaining adequate DNA for long-read genome sequencing remains a roadblock to producing contiguous genomes from small-bodied organisms, hindering understanding of phylogenetic relationships and genome evolution. Multiple displacement amplification leverages Phi29 DNA polymerase to produce micrograms of DNA from picograms of input. However, multiple displacement amplification's inherent biases in amplification related to guanine and cytosine (GC) content, repeat content and chimera production are a problem for long-read genome assembly, which has been little investigated.

LD-transpeptidation is crucial for fitness and polar growth in Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Peptidoglycan (PG), a mesh-like structure which is the primary component of the bacterial cell wall, is crucial to maintain cell integrity and shape. While most bacteria rely on penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) for crosslinking, some species also employ LD-transpeptidases (LDTs). Unlike PBPs, the essentiality and biological functions of LDTs remain largely unclear.

Bacterial spore surface nanoenvironment requires a AAA+ ATPase to promote MurG function.

spores are produced inside the cytosol of a mother cell. Spore surface assembly requires the SpoVK protein in the mother cell, but its function is unknown. Here, we report that SpoVK is a sporulation-specific, forespore-localized putative chaperone from a distinct higher-order clade of AAA+ ATPases that promotes the peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase activity of MurG during sporulation, even though MurG does not normally require activation during vegetative growth.

Bibacillin 1: a two-component lantibiotic from .

Here we describe bibacillin 1 - a two-component lantibiotic from . The peptides that comprise bibacillin 1 are modified by a class II lanthipeptide synthetase Bib1M producing two peptides with non-overlapping ring patterns that are reminiscent of cerecidin and the short component of the enterococcal cytolysin (CylL''), a virulence factor associated with human disease. Stereochemical analysis demonstrated that each component contains ll-methyllanthionine and dl-lanthionine.

Bibacillin 1: A two-component lantibiotic from .

Here we describe bibacillin 1 - a two-component lantibiotic from . The peptides that comprise bibacillin 1 are modified by a class II lanthipeptide synthetase Bib1M producing two peptides with non-overlapping ring patterns that are reminiscent of cerecidin and the short component of the enterococcal cytolysin (CylL"), a virulence factor associated with human disease. Stereochemical analysis demonstrated that each component contains LL-methyllanthionine and DL-lanthionine.

Drivers of geophagy by red brocket deer () at Amazonian interior forest mineral licks.

Mineral licks are key ecological components of the Amazon rainforest, providing critical dietary functions for herbivorous and frugivorous mammals and birds, which help maintain the structure and function of the forest itself through seed and nutrient dispersal. One of the most frequent visitors of interior forest mineral licks in the Amazon is the red brocket deer (), a large-bodied ruminant frugivore and seed predator. While several hypotheses for the drivers of geophagy exist, including mineral supplementation, toxin adsorption, and habitat selection, robust data on geophagy for the red brocket deer for large numbers of mineral licks is nonexistent.

CadB is capable of promiscuously transporting muropeptides and contributing to peptidoglycan recycling.

The bacterial peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall is remodeled during growth and division, releasing fragments called muropeptides. Muropeptides can be internalized and reused in a process called PG recycling. is highly devoted to recycling muropeptides and is known to have at least two transporters, AmpG and OppBCDF, that import them into the cytoplasm.

A peptidoglycan N-deacetylase specific for anhydroMurNAc chain termini in Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

During growth, bacteria remodel and recycle their peptidoglycan (PG). A key family of PG-degrading enzymes is the lytic transglycosylases, which produce anhydromuropeptides, a modification that caps the PG chains and contributes to bacterial virulence. Previously, it was reported that the polar-growing Gram-negative plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens lacks anhydromuropeptides.

activates NRLP3-dependent IL-1β secretion from human conjunctival goblet cells using α toxin and toll-like receptors 2 and 1.

We used cultured human conjunctival goblet cells to determine (i) whether the toxigenic induced activation of the epithelial goblet cells requires two signals to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, (ii) if one signal is mediated by TLR1, TLR2, or TLR6, and (iii) if the toxin α toxin is another signal for the activation of the inflammasome and secretion of mature IL-1β. Cultured cells were incubated with siRNA to knock down the different TLRs. After stimulation with toxigenic RN6390, pro-IL-1β synthesis, caspase-1 activity, and mature IL-1β secretion were measured.

Bacterial cell surface nanoenvironment requires a specialized chaperone to activate a peptidoglycan biosynthetic enzyme.

spores are produced inside the cytosol of a mother cell. Spore surface assembly requires the SpoVK protein in the mother cell, but its function is unknown. Here, we report that SpoVK is a dedicated chaperone from a distinct higher-order clade of AAA+ ATPases that activates the peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase MurG during sporulation, even though MurG does not normally require activation by a chaperone during vegetative growth.

Gut microbial fatty acid isomerization modulates intraepithelial T cells.

The human gut microbiome constantly converts natural products derived from the host and diet into numerous bioactive metabolites. Dietary fats are essential micronutrients that undergo lipolysis to release free fatty acids (FAs) for absorption in the small intestine. Gut commensal bacteria modify some unsaturated FAs-for example, linoleic acid (LA)-into various intestinal FA isomers that regulate host metabolism and have anticarcinogenic properties.

Microbiology of Eye Infections at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear: An 8-Year Retrospective Review Combined With Genomic Epidemiology.

Purpose: Ocular bacterial infections are important causes of morbidity and vision loss. Early antimicrobial therapy is necessary to save vision, but their efficacy is increasingly compromised by antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We assessed the etiology of ocular bacterial infections seen at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and investigated the molecular epidemiology and AMR profiles of contemporary isolates.

zol & fai: large-scale targeted detection and evolutionary investigation of gene clusters.

Many universally and conditionally important genes are genomically aggregated within clusters. Here, we introduce fai and zol, which together enable large-scale comparative analysis of different types of gene clusters and mobile-genetic elements (MGEs), such as biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) or viruses. Fundamentally, they overcome a current bottleneck to reliably perform comprehensive orthology inference at large scale across broad taxonomic contexts and thousands of genomes.

Global diversity of enterococci and description of 18 novel species.

Enterococci are commensal gut microbes of most land animals. They diversified over hundreds of millions of years adapting to evolving hosts and host diets. Of over 60 known enterococcal species, and uniquely emerged in the antibiotic era among leading causes of multidrug resistant hospital-associated infection.

An All-in-One Highly Multiplexed Diagnostic Assay for Rapid, Sensitive, and Comprehensive Detection of Intraocular Pathogens.

Purpose: Intraocular infections are sight-threatening conditions that can lead to vision loss. Rapid identification of the etiologies plays a key role in early initiation of effective therapy to save vision. However, current diagnostic modalities are time consuming and lack sensitivity and inclusiveness.

Peptidoglycan recycling mediated by an ABC transporter in the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

During growth and division, the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (PG) is remodelled, resulting in the liberation of PG muropeptides which are typically reinternalized and recycled. Bacteria belonging to the Rhizobiales and Rhodobacterales orders of the Alphaproteobacteria lack the muropeptide transporter AmpG, despite having other key PG recycling enzymes. Here, we show that an alternative transporter, YejBEF-YepA, takes over this role in the Rhizobiales phytopathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Physical, landscape, and chemical properties of Amazonian interior forest mineral licks.

Mineral licks, sites where animals go to consume soil, are key resources for herbivorous birds and mammals in the Amazon, providing supplemental dietary nutrients and toxin adsorption functions. However, because they are often difficult to find, the properties of mineral licks are poorly understood. Here, we undertake the largest survey of Amazonian mineral licks to date to determine the landscape, physical, and chemical properties of these critical sites.