Publications by authors named "P J Brett"

Hemolysin co-regulated protein 1 (Hcp1) is a component of the cluster 1 Type VI secretion system (T6SS1) that plays a key role during the intracellular lifecycle of Burkholderia pseudomallei. Hcp1 is recognized as a promising target antigen for developing melioidosis diagnostics and vaccines. While the gene encoding Hcp1 is retained across B.

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Article Synopsis
  • Plant fungal parasites, like Puccinia striiformis, manipulate the host's metabolic pathways, particularly the glyoxylate cycle, to enhance their survival during infection.
  • In bread wheat, the gene encoding the enzyme isocitrate lyase (TaICL) is expressed differently in susceptible versus resistant interactions with the pathogen, with the TaICL-B version upregulated in successful infections.
  • Disrupting the TaICL-B gene leads to stronger resistance against Pst, as the mutant accumulates more organic acids that inhibit fungal growth, suggesting that targeting TaICL in breeding could improve wheat resistance to fungal diseases.
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Article Synopsis
  • Plant-associated microbes are crucial for enhancing plant growth and health, with plants using secretions (root exudates) to attract specific beneficial microbes from the soil.
  • A study comparing the rhizosphere microbiomes of two barley cultivars revealed significant differences, particularly with the beneficial bacteria Pseudomonas being more abundant in the modern cultivar Tipple.
  • The variations in microbial recruitment were linked to the different root exudate compositions, particularly hexose sugars, which drove distinct microbial community structures and impacted plant health.
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Flystrike remains an important animal health issue on New Zealand sheep farms. To date no useful predictive tool to assist farmers to develop control options has been available. The aim of this study was to use National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) virtual climate station data in New Zealand to develop a weather-based model to accurately predict the presence of Lucilia spp.

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Reductive amination is a relatively simple and convenient strategy for coupling purified polysaccharides to carrier proteins. Following their synthesis, glycoconjugates can be used to assess the protective capacity of specific microbial polysaccharides in animal models of infection and/or to produce polyclonal antiserum and monoclonal antibodies for a variety of immune assays. Here, we describe a reproducible method for chemically activating the 6-deoxyheptan capsular polysaccharide (CPS) from Burkholderia pseudomallei and covalently linking it to recombinant CRM197 diphtheria toxin mutant (CRM197) to produce the glycoconjugate, CPS-CRM197.

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