Biofilm and Gene Expression Characteristics of the Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales, IMP, and NDM-1 Associated with Common Bacterial Infections.

In light of the limited therapeutic options with Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections, understanding the bacterial risk factors, such as biofilm formation and related gene expression of CRE, is vital. This study investigates the biofilm formation and biofilm-related gene expression of two enteric Enterobacterales with major CR determinants IMP and NDM-1, which were seen in high prevalence in most common bacterial infections over the past few years. To our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrated the relationship between biofilm formation and the related gene expression, to understand the potential molecular mechanisms during the biofilm formation in CRE.

The anti-virulence effect of cranberry active compound proanthocyanins (PACs) on expression of genes in the third-generation cephalosporin-resistant CTX-M-15 associated with urinary tract infection.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections found in humans, with uropathogenic (UPEC) being the most common cause. Prevention of UTI is a major global concern due to its recurrent nature, medical cost, and most importantly, the increased antimicrobial resistance among UPEC. The resistance in UPEC is mainly due to the Extended-Spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL), particularly the CTXM-15 type which is known for its rapid dissemination worldwide.

Two DNA sites for MelR in the same orientation are sufficient for optimal MelR-dependent repression at the Escherichia coli melR promoter.

The Escherichia coli melR gene encodes the MelR transcription factor that controls melibiose utilization. Expression of melR is autoregulated by MelR, which represses the melR promoter by binding to a target that overlaps the transcript start. Here, we show that MelR-dependent repression of the melR promoter can be enhanced by the presence of a second single DNA site for MelR located up to 250 base pairs upstream.

Transient structure associated with the spindle pole body directs meiotic microtubule reorganization in S. pombe.

Background: Vigorous chromosome movements driven by cytoskeletal assemblies are a widely conserved feature of sexual differentiation to facilitate meiotic recombination. In fission yeast, this process involves the dramatic conversion of arrays of cytoplasmic microtubules (MTs), generated from multiple MT organizing centers (MTOCs), into a single radial MT (rMT) array associated with the spindle pole body (SPB), the major MTOC during meiotic prophase. The rMT is then dissolved upon the onset of meiosis I when a bipolar spindle emerges to conduct chromosome segregation.

Autoregulation of the Escherichia coli melR promoter: repression involves four molecules of MelR.

The Escherichia coli MelR protein is a transcription activator that autoregulates its own promoter by repressing transcription initiation. Optimal repression requires MelR binding to a site that overlaps the melR transcription start point and to upstream sites. In this work, we have investigated the different determinants needed for optimal repression and their spatial requirements.