Attractant and repellent induce opposing changes in the four-helix bundle ligand-binding domain of a bacterial chemoreceptor.

Motile bacteria navigate toward favorable conditions and away from unfavorable environments using chemotaxis. Mechanisms of sensing attractants are well understood; however, molecular aspects of how bacteria sense repellents have not been established. Here, we identified malate as a repellent recognized by the MCP2201 chemoreceptor in a bacterium Comamonas testosteroni and showed that it binds to the same site as an attractant citrate.

Bi-needle technique versus transforaminal endoscopic spine system technique for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in treating intervertebral disc calcification: a propensity score matched cohort analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of a Bi-needle technique and conventional transforaminal endoscopic spine system (TESSYS) technique for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) in treating patients with intervertebral disc calcification (IDC).

Background: PELD has gained acceptance for treating patients with IDC. The Bi-needle technique was designed to improve the efficiency and safety of PELD.

PapA, a peptidoglycan-associated protein, interacts with OmpC and maintains cell envelope integrity.

The bacterial cell envelope is critical to support and maintain cellular life. In Gram-negative bacterial cells, the outer membrane and the peptidoglycan layer are two important parts of the cell envelope and they harbour abundant proteins. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a previously unknown peptidoglycan-associated protein, PapA, from the Gram-negative Comamonas testosteroni.

Chemotaxis Towards Aromatic Compounds: Insights from .

Chemotaxis is an important physiological adaptation that allows many motile bacteria to orientate themselves for better niche adaptation. Chemotaxis is best understood in . Other representative bacteria, such as , species, , and , also have been deeply studied and systemically summarized.

Cross Talk between Chemosensory Pathways That Modulate Chemotaxis and Biofilm Formation.

Complex chemosensory systems control multiple biological functions in bacteria, such as chemotaxis, gene regulation, and cell cycle progression. Many species contain more than one chemosensory system per genome, but little is known about their potential interplay. In this study, we reveal cross talk between two chemosensory pathways that modulate chemotaxis and biofilm formation in We demonstrate that some chemoreceptors that govern chemotaxis also contribute to biofilm formation and these chemoreceptors can physically interact with components of both pathways.

Leptin-induced inflammation by activating IL-6 expression contributes to the fibrosis and hypertrophy of ligamentum flavum in lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

The ongoing chronic inflammation and subsequent fibrosis play an important role in ligamentum flavum (LF) fibrosis and hypertrophy in patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS). Leptin is a chronic inflammatory mediator and involved in the fibrotic process in multiple organ systems. The present study aimed to investigate the role of leptin in LF fibrosis and its related regulatory mechanisms.

Parapedobacter defluvii sp. nov., isolated from the sewage treatment packing of a coking chemical plant.

Strain WY-1, a Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterium, was isolated from the sewage treatment packing of a coking chemical plant. Strain WY-1 grew over a temperature range of 15-45 °C (optimum, 30-37 °C), a pH range of 5.5-11.