Characterization of sequence and structural features of the Candida krusei enolase.

The incidence of human infections by the fungal pathogen Candida species has been increasing in recent years. Enolase is an essential protein in fungal metabolism. Sequence data is available for human and a number of medically important fungal species.

Interferon-gamma responses to Candida recover slowly or remain low in immunodeficient HIV patients responding to ART.

Extended assessments of memory T-cell responses in HIV patients who have a satisfactory virological response to combination antiretroviral therapy (CART) have been limited by availability of longitudinal samples and of antigens to which most individuals (including HIV-negative controls) have been exposed. Studies of cytomegalovirus (CMV) show that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) responses never recover completely, but this may be antigen-specific. Here we present responses to Candida and CMV antigens analyzed using a statistical approach that derives overall trends from samples collected at variable time points.

Urease activity in microbiologically-induced calcite precipitation.

The role of microbial urease in calcite precipitation was studied utilizing a recombinant Escherichia coli HB101 containing a plasmid, pBU11, that encodes Bacillus pasteurii urease. The calcite precipitation by E. coli HB101 (pBU11) was significant although its precipitation level was not as high as that by B.

The bacterial multiple antibiotic resistant (Mar) phenotype leads to increased tolerance to tea tree oil.

Mutants of Escherichia coil strain AG100 exhibiting the multiple antibiotic resistance (Mar) phenotype demonstrated a greater level of tolerance to tea tree oil (TTO) compared with the parent strain. The ability of TTO to kill all E. coil strains studied was greater at 37 than at 30 degrees C.

Purification of native enolase from medically important Candida species.

The 48 kDa glycolytic enzyme, enolase, has been identified as an immunodominant antigen in Candida albicans infections. It has also been identified as an important fungal allergen. Enolase from a number of medically important Candida species has been purified using a two-step anion- and cation-exchange chromatography method that was preceded by an organic extraction.

The mode of antimicrobial action of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil).

The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Its mode of action against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli AG100, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 8325, and the yeast Candida albicans has been investigated using a range of methods. We report that exposing these organisms to minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations of tea tree oil inhibited respiration and increased the permeability of bacterial cytoplasmic and yeast plasma membranes as indicated by uptake of propidium iodide.

Genetically distinct strains of Candida albicans with elevated secretory proteinase production are associated with diarrhoea in hospitalized children.

Background: Candida albicans has been implicated as the aetiological agent in a significant percentage of children with diarrhoea. The virulence properties of C. albicans strains associated with acute and chronic diarrhoea in hospitalized children were investigated.

Effects of salicylate and related compounds on fusidic acid MICs in Staphylococcus aureus.

Salicylate, acetyl-salicylate, benzoate and ibuprofen increased fusidic acid MICs for fusidic acid-resistant and -susceptible strains of Staphylococcus aureus representing six genetic lineages. The effects of these substances on fusidic acid resistance levels occurred in a strain-dependent manner. The weak acid acetate, and acetaminophen did not alter fusidic acid resistance levels, while the addition of saligenin, the alcohol of salicylate, reduced gradient plate MICs for all strains studied.

Tea tree oil causes K+ leakage and inhibits respiration in Escherichia coli.

Concentrations of tea tree oil (TTO) which inhibit or decrease growth of Escherichia coli also inhibit glucose-dependent respiration and stimulate the leakage of intracellular K+. Stationary phase cells are more tolerant to these TTO effects than exponential phase cells.

Effects of tea tree oil on Escherichia coli.

Tea tree oil (TTO) stimulates autolysis in exponential and stationary phase cells of Escherichia coli. Electron micrographs of cells grown in the presence of TTO showed the loss of electron dense material, coagulation of cell cytoplasm and formation of extracellular blebs. Stationary phase cells demonstrated less TTO-stimulated autolysis and also had greater tolerance to TTO-induced cell death, compared to exponentially grown cells.

A clinical decision process model for evaluating vancomycin use with modified HICPAC guidelines. Hospital Infection Control Practice Advisory Committee.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate a clinical decision process model for the appropriateness of vancomycin use, using modified Hospital Infection Control Practice Advisory Committee (HICPAC) guidelines.

Design: All nondialysis vancomycin use was reviewed using the retrospective chart review method. The HICPAC guidelines were modified to distinguish between documented and suspected infections and appropriateness of vancomycin use initially and after 3 days of therapy.

The genotypic relationship of Candida albicans strains isolated from the oral cavity of patients with denture stomatitis.

Fifty-seven isolates of Candida albicans were obtained from different sites within the oral cavities of 18 dental patients without AIDS or any malignancies. Eleven of the patients had oral candidosis associated with the wearing of dentures. The genotypic relationships of the individual isolates were determined by hybridisation of a C.

Humoral immune responses to systemic Candida albicans infection in inbred mouse strains.

The protective role of humoral antibodies in the resolution of systemic candidiasis remains controversial. Investigation of the humoral immune responses in mouse strains of varying susceptibility to infection may demonstrate a link between mouse strain susceptibility, antibody production and specificity, and the ability to resolve an infection. The antibody response in five different strains of mice during primary immune response to systemic infection with Candida albicans was investigated.

The expression of Candida albicans enolase is not heat shock inducible.

An isoprotein of enolase from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was reported to be a heat shock protein. The possible role of the C. albicans enolase as a heat shock protein was therefore investigated.

Production of antibodies to antigens of Candida albicans in CBA/H mice.

Reported targets of the specific immune responses to Candida albicans in human candidiasis include a 47-kDa breakdown product of a 90-kDa heat shock protein (HSP 90) (R. Matthews and J. Burnie, FEMS Microbiol.

Cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of the Candida albicans enolase gene.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the coding region as well as the flanking non-coding region of Candida albicans enolase gene was determined. A continuous open reading frame of 1323 nucleotides with no introns was identified. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 87% similarity to the enolases from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

An immunodominant antigen of Candida albicans shows homology to the enzyme enolase.

Antibody to an immunodominant antigen of approximately 48 kDa is found in a high proportion of patients with mucocutaneous or systemic infections of the yeast Candida albicans. A cDNA encoding part of the 48 kDa antigen has been isolated. From the deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA clone, the 48 kDa antigen shows homology to the enzyme enolase.

A downstream activator sequence regulates the expression of the yeast transposon.

The regulation of transcription of the class II yeast transposon Ty 1-17 has been examined using a Ty::LEU2 fusion gene. Deletion analysis has defined a 251 bp region within the coding sequence of the TY A gene which is essential for Ty transcription and is also required for diploid control of Ty expression. This downstream activator sequence (DAS) contains two sequence blocks which show homology to the SV40 enhancer core and three with homology to the diploid-regulation-site from the yeast MAT gene.

Polymorphisms on the right arm of yeast chromosome III associated with Ty transposition and recombination events.

The region of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome III centromere-distal to the PGK gene is the site of frequent chromosome polymorphisms. We have sequenced this region from fragments of chromosome III isolated from three different yeast strains, GRF88, CN31C and CF4-16B. The sequence analysis demonstrates that these polymorphisms are associated with the presence of Ty and delta elements and defines a region of the chromosome which is a hot-spot for transposition events (the RAHS).