Publications by authors named "Obana N"

There is a growing interest in development of novel vaccines against respiratory tract infections, due to COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we examined mucosal adjuvanticity and the mucosal booster effect of membrane vesicles (MVs) of a novel probiotic derivative lacking both flagella and potentially carcinogenic colibactin (ΔΔ). ΔΔ-derived MVs showed rather strong mucosal adjuvanticity as compared to those of a single flagellar mutant strain (Δ-MVs).

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  • - The intestinal barrier, composed of mucosal, epithelial, and immune components, plays a crucial role in maintaining health, and its disruption is linked to gastrointestinal diseases like inflammatory bowel disease.
  • - A study found that mice lacking the inhibitory receptor Allergin-1 showed greater intestinal permeability and more severe colitis than normal mice, suggesting that Allergin-1 is important for maintaining barrier integrity.
  • - Treatment with neomycin in Allergin-1-deficient mice restored barrier function, while the dominant gut bacterium Bifidobacterium pseudolongum exacerbated intestinal permeability issues after ampicillin treatment, indicating a complex interplay between gut microbes and barrier integrity.
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To improve the eating quality of chicken, the physicochemical properties were examined, which serve as indicators for breeding. Thigh meat was collected from 384 chickens from seven and nine types of the jidori (free-range local traditional pedigree chickens) or broiler chickens, respectively. The principal component analysis of the physicochemical values of the jidori and broilers were arranged as different groups in the score plot.

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  • Mammalian gut microbes adapt to the intestinal environment and their composition is heavily influenced by the host's diet, which can alter nutrient profiles in the intestine.* -
  • Genetic mutations in a specific gut microbe species enhance their fitness in the intestinal tract, and this research discovered important mutations related to sugar metabolism soon after colonization in mice.* -
  • The study highlights that not only do these genetic changes improve the microbe's ability to use nutrients from the diet, but the host's diet also affects which mutations occur, shedding light on the adaptation mechanisms of gut bacteria.*
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Natto, known for its high vitamin K content, has been demonstrated to suppress atherosclerosis in large-scale clinical trials through a yet-unknown mechanism. In this study, we used a previously reported mouse model, transplanting the bone marrow of mice expressing infra-red fluorescent protein (iRFP) into LDLR-deficient mice, allowing unique and non-invasive observation of foam cells expressing iRFP in atherosclerotic lesions. Using 3 natto strains, we meticulously examined the effects of varying vitamin K levels on atherosclerosis in these mice.

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JCM 10645 is an obligately anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium that was isolated from a human stool sample, generally known as a bacterium associated with sepsis, bacteremia, halitosis, and periodontal disease. In this study, we report the complete genome sequence of this strain, which is 2.615 Mbp with a 37.

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  • Many bacteria form biofilms, which are clusters that allow them to survive tough environmental conditions and resist antibiotics, linking them to disease development.
  • Within these biofilms, bacteria can exhibit different behaviors and characteristics, indicating that they can act more like a community than as isolated single cells.
  • This article summarizes research on Clostridium perfringens, focusing on its biofilm structures, gene expression related to its virulence, and how it interacts with host organisms through vesicles.
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During the consumption of alkanes, will form a biofilm around an oil droplet, but the role this plays during degradation remains unclear. We identified a shift in biofilm morphology that depends on adaptation to oil consumption: Longer exposure leads to the appearance of dendritic biofilms optimized for oil consumption effected through tubulation of the interface. In situ microfluidic tracking enabled us to correlate tubulation to localized defects in the interfacial cell ordering.

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Streptococcus mutans is a major caries-causing bacterium that forms firmly attached biofilms on tooth surfaces. Biofilm formation by S. mutans consists of polysaccharide-dependent and polysaccharide-independent processes.

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  • The study analyzed discrepancies in fatty acid compositions measured by gas chromatography (GC) and near-infrared fiber-optic method (NIR) in bovine fat, focusing on refractive index values.
  • Using intermuscular fat from 45 crossbreeds, the researchers found that both SFA and MUFA measurements had strong correlations (≥ 0.8) between GC and NIR and with refractive index.
  • The findings suggested that measurement errors lead to significant differences (over 3%) between GC and NIR, and reanalyzing GC samples using refractive index could enhance accuracy by slightly reducing these discrepancies.
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  • Scientists studied special proteins in bacteria that help them resist antibiotics.
  • They found different types of these proteins in various bacteria, like those that make the antibiotic A201A and soil bacteria.
  • One protein, CplR, helps some bacteria resist certain antibiotics and works together with another molecule to make them very resistant to treatment.
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The bacterium Leptothrix cholodnii generates filaments encased in a sheath comprised of woven nanofibrils. In static liquid culture, moves toward the air-liquid interface, where it forms porous pellicles. Observations of aggregation at the interface reveal that clusters consisting of only a few bacteria primarily grow by netting free cells.

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Bacterial cells release nanometer-sized extracellular membrane vesicles (MVs) to deliver cargo molecules for use in mediating various biological processes. However, the detailed processes of transporting these cargos from MVs to recipient cells remain unclear because of the lack of imaging techniques to image nanometer-sized fragile vesicles in a living bacterial cell surface. Herein, we quantitatively demonstrated that the direct binding of MV to the cell surface significantly promotes hydrophobic quorum-sensing signal (C16-HSL) transportation to the recipient cells.

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Background: Acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD) and mild encephalopathy associated with excitotoxicity (MEEX) are the most frequent acute encephalopathies in pediatric patients in Japan. AESD typically presents with biphasic seizures and delayed reduced diffusion in the subcortical area, called bright tree appearance (BTA), on radiological examination. In patients with AESD, arterial spin labeling (ASL) shows decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the hyperacute stage and increased CBF in the acute stage, suggesting the usefulness of ASL for the early diagnosis of AESD.

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Paenibacillus polymyxa is a spore-forming Gram-positive bacterial species. Both its sporulation process and the spore properties are poorly understood. Here, we investigated sporulation in P.

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Background: It is estimated that by 2040 there will be 1,017,712 new cases of prostate cancer worldwide. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is widely used as a treatment option for all disease stages. ADT, and the resulting decline in androgen levels, may indirectly affect gut microbiota.

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produces botulinum neurotoxin complexes that cause botulism. Previous studies elucidated the molecular pathogenesis of botulinum neurotoxin complexes; however, it currently remains unclear whether other components of the bacterium affect host cells. Recent studies provided insights into the role of bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs) produced by some bacterial species in host immunity and pathology.

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Membrane vesicles (MVs) released from the bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans Pd1222 are enriched with the quorum sensing (QS) signaling molecule N-hexadecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C16-HSL). However, the biogenesis of MVs in Pd1222 remains unclear. Investigations on MV formation are crucial for obtaining a more detailed understanding of the dynamics of MV-assisted signaling.

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Background: Generally, vaccination uptake in Japan lags behind World Health Organization targets.

Objective: This study aimed to understand how risk information and advice affect intention to receive vaccinations.

Methods: This study had a within-subjects design.

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bacterium strain P1 (, ) was isolated from mouse feces. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of this strain, which has a total size of 2,028,478 bp and a G+C content of 58.6%.

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Our previous study showed that chronic skin colonization by Staphylococcus aureus exacerbated atopic dermatitis (AD) and that control of such skin colonization using antibiotic ointment might relieve AD-related skin inflammation. However, the role of S. aureus colonization in the pruritus accompanying AD was not elucidated.

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It is known that Bacillus subtilis releases membrane vesicles (MVs) during the SOS response, which is associated with cell lysis triggered by the PBSX prophage-encoded cell-lytic enzymes XhlAB and XlyA. In this study, we demonstrate that MVs are released under various stress conditions: sucrose fatty acid ester (SFE; surfactant) treatment, cold shock, starvation, and oxygen deficiency. B.

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Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota affects physiological processes, including brain functions, by altering the intestinal metabolism. Here we examined the effects of the gut microbiota on sleep/wake regulation. C57BL/6 male mice were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics for 4 weeks to deplete their gut microbiota.

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Exclusivity in physical spaces and nutrients is a prerequisite for survival of organisms, but a few species have been able to develop mutually beneficial strategies that allow them to co-habit. Here, we discovered a mutualistic mechanism between filamentous fungus, , and bacterium, The bacterial cells co-cultured with the fungus traveled along mycelia using their flagella and dispersed farther with the expansion of fungal colony, indicating that the fungal mycelia supply space for bacteria to migrate, disperse, and proliferate. Transcriptomic, genetic, molecular mass, and imaging analyses demonstrated that the bacteria reached the mycelial edge and supplied thiamine to the growing hyphae, which led to a promotion of hyphal growth.

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Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is a biofilm component that contributes to the formation and structural stability of biofilms. , a major cariogenic bacterium, induces eDNA-dependent biofilm formation under specific conditions. Since cell death can result in the release and accumulation of DNA, the dead cells in biofilms are a source of eDNA.

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