Determining the efficacy of disinfectants at nucleic acid degradation.

Aims: Nucleic acids, particularly antibiotic resistance genes, are commonly found on surfaces within healthcare environments, with levels not reducing following cleaning. Within the UK, there are no regulations for testing disinfectants against nucleic acids.

Methods And Results: A series of commonplace in vitro methods were used to determine disinfectant-induced physical and functional damage to various nucleic acids; RNA (10 μg), genomic DNA (2 μg), and plasmids (1 μg).

A single sensor controls large variations in zinc quotas in a marine cyanobacterium.

Marine cyanobacteria are critical players in global nutrient cycles that crucially depend on trace metals in metalloenzymes, including zinc for CO fixation and phosphorus acquisition. How strains proliferating in the vast oligotrophic ocean gyres thrive at ultra-low zinc concentrations is currently unknown. Using Synechococcus sp.

Development of a Phage Cocktail to Target Strains Associated with Swine.

Infections caused by multidrug resistant strains are problematic in swine and are entering human food chains. Bacteriophages (phages) could be used to complement or replace antibiotics to reduce infection within swine. Here, we extensively characterised six broad host range lytic phages, with the aim of developing a phage cocktail to prevent or treat infection.

Extracellular alpha/beta-hydrolase from Paenibacillus species shares structural and functional homology to tobacco salicylic acid binding protein 2.

An alpha/ beta hydrolase annotated as a putative salicylate esterase within the genome of a species of Paenibacillus previously identified from differential and selective growth on Kraft lignin was structurally and functionally characterised. Feruloyl esterases are key to the degradation of lignin in several bacterial species and although this activity was investigated, no such activity was observed. The crystal structure of the Paenibacillus esterase, here denoted as PnbE, was determined at 1.

Characterization of Thiamine Diphosphate-Dependent 4-Hydroxybenzoylformate Decarboxylase Enzymes from RHA1 and Pf-5 Involved in Degradation of Aryl C Lignin Degradation Fragments.

A thiamine diphosphate-dependent enzyme annotated as a benzoylformate decarboxylase is encoded by gene cluster ro02984-ro02986 in RHA1 previously shown to generate vanillin and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde from lignin oxidation, and a closely related gene cluster is also found in the genome of Pf-5. Two hypotheses for possible pathways involving a thiamine diphosphate-dependent cleavage, either C-C cleavage of a ketol or diketone aryl C substrate or decarboxylation of an aryl C substrate, were investigated by expression and purification of the recombinant enzymes and expression of dehydrogenase and oxidase enzymes also found in the gene clusters. The ThDP-dependent enzymes showed no activity for cleavage of aryl C ketol or diketone substrates but showed activity for decarboxylation of benzoylformate and 4-hydroxybenzoylformate.

Sphingobacterium sp. T2 Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Catalyzes the Oxidative Demethylation of Polymeric Lignin via Generation of Hydroxyl Radical.

Sphingobacterium sp. T2 contains two extracellular manganese superoxide dismutase enzymes which exhibit unprecedented activity for lignin oxidation but via an unknown mechanism. Enzymatic treatment of lignin model compounds gave products whose structures were indicative of aryl-Cα oxidative cleavage and demethylation, as well as alkene dihydroxylation and alcohol oxidation.

Structural and functional characterisation of multi-copper oxidase CueO from lignin-degrading bacterium Ochrobactrum sp. reveal its activity towards lignin model compounds and lignosulfonate.

Unlabelled: The identification of enzymes responsible for oxidation of lignin in lignin-degrading bacteria is of interest for biotechnological valorization of lignin to renewable chemical products. The genome sequences of two lignin-degrading bacteria, Ochrobactrum sp., and Paenibacillus sp.

Biochemical studies on Francisella tularensis RelA in (p)ppGpp biosynthesis.

The bacterial stringent response is induced by nutrient deprivation and is mediated by enzymes of the RSH (RelA/SpoT homologue; RelA, (p)ppGpp synthetase I; SpoT, (p)ppGpp synthetase II) superfamily that control concentrations of the 'alarmones' (p)ppGpp (guanosine penta- or tetra-phosphate). This regulatory pathway is present in the vast majority of pathogens and has been proposed as a potential anti-bacterial target. Current understanding of RelA-mediated responses is based on biochemical studies using Escherichia coli as a model.

The receptor-like kinase SERK3/BAK1 is required for basal resistance against the late blight pathogen phytophthora infestans in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Background: The filamentous oomycete plant pathogen Phytophthora infestans causes late blight, an economically important disease, on members of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), such as the crop plants potato and tomato. The related plant Nicotiana benthamiana is a model system to study plant-pathogen interactions, and the susceptibility of N. benthamiana to Phytophthora species varies from susceptible to resistant.