The mycobacterial glycoside hydrolase LamH enables capsular arabinomannan release and stimulates growth.

Mycobacterial glycolipids are important cell envelope structures that drive host-pathogen interactions. Arguably, the most important are lipoarabinomannan (LAM) and its precursor, lipomannan (LM), which are trafficked from the bacterium to the host via unknown mechanisms. Arabinomannan is thought to be a capsular derivative of these molecules, lacking a lipid anchor.

The mycobacterial glycoside hydrolase LamH enables capsular arabinomannan release and stimulates growth.

Mycobacterial glycolipids are important cell envelope structures that drive host-pathogen interactions. Arguably, the most important amongst these are lipoarabinomannan (LAM) and its precursor, lipomannan (LM), which are both trafficked out of the bacterium to the host via unknown mechanisms. An important class of exported LM/LAM is the capsular derivative of these molecules which is devoid of its lipid anchor.

Identification of D-arabinan-degrading enzymes in mycobacteria.

Bacterial cell growth and division require the coordinated action of enzymes that synthesize and degrade cell wall polymers. Here, we identify enzymes that cleave the D-arabinan core of arabinogalactan, an unusual component of the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria. We screened 14 human gut-derived Bacteroidetes for arabinogalactan-degrading activities and identified four families of glycoside hydrolases with activity against the D-arabinan or D-galactan components of arabinogalactan.

Plant -glycan breakdown by human gut .

The major nutrients available to the human colonic microbiota are complex glycans derived from the diet. To degrade this highly variable mix of sugar structures, gut microbes have acquired a huge array of different carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), predominantly glycoside hydrolases, many of which have specificities that can be exploited for a range of different applications. Plant -glycans are prevalent on proteins produced by plants and thus components of the diet, but the breakdown of these complex molecules by the gut microbiota has not been explored.

Systemic Bacillus Calmette-Guerin infection secondary to inadvertent intravenous injection.

Disseminated BCG infection (BCG-osis) secondary to intravesical BCG given for high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer has been reported. We report the successful management of two cases of BCG-osis secondary to inadvertent intravenous BCG injection. Both cases are recurrence-free at the follow-up of 12 and 18 months, respectively.

Transmission of Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium marinum in laboratory zebrafish through live feeds.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a popular vertebrate model organism used in a wide range of research fields. Mycobacteriosis, caused by Mycobacterium species, is particularly concerning because it is a common disease associated with chronic infections in these fish. Infections are also a source of uncontrolled experimental variance that may influence research results.

Efficacy and role of Xpert /rifampicin assay in urinary tuberculosis.

Introduction: The aim was to study the accuracy of Xpert (Cepheid Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) /rifampicin (MTB/RIF) assay as compared to a composite gold standard (urine culture, imaging, and biopsy) and to asses its utility as the initial test compared to smear microscopy to diagnose urinary tuberculosis.

Methods: This prospective study included adult patients suspected to have urinary tuberculosis from March 2014 to December 2017.

Hormone refractory carcinoma prostate with peritoneal metastases and malignant ascites without skeletal involvement: A case report and review of literature.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is rare in prostate cancer especially in the absence of skeletal or other visceral metastases. We report a case of hormone refractory adenocarcinoma prostate presenting with only peritoneal metastases and massive malignant ascites. Palliation with docetaxel based cytotoxic chemotherapy resulted in clinical improvement of refractory ascites decreasing respiratory embarrassment and thereby improving the quality of life.