First report of a bifunctional chitinase/lysozyme produced by Bacillus pumilus SG2.

Bacillus pumilus SG2 isolated from high salinity ecosystem in Iran produces two chitinases (ChiS and ChiL) and secretes them into the medium. In this study, chiS and chiL genes were cloned in pQE-30 expression vector and were expressed in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli strain M15. The recombinant proteins were purified using Ni-NTA column.

Efficient binding of nickel ions to recombinant Bacillus subtilis spores.

We report the use of recombinant spores of Bacillus subtilis as a potential bioremediation tool for adsorption of nickel ions. The spore surface protein CotB, previously used for the display of heterologous antigens, was engineered to express eighteen histidine residues within the spore coat. Wild type and recombinant spores were then analyzed to assess their efficiency in adsorbing nickel ions, and the latter proved to be significantly more efficient than wild type spores in metal-binding.

Characterization of beta-lactamases from urinary isolates of Escherichia coli in Tehran.

Background: Knowledge of antimicrobial resistance patterns in E. coli, the predominant pathogen associated with urinary tract infections (UTI) is important as a guide in selecting empirical antimicrobial therapy.

Methods: To describe the antimicrobial susceptibility of E.