Statistical 3D morphology characterization of vaterite microspheres produced by engineered Escherichia coli.

Hollow vaterite microspheres are important materials for biomedical applications such as drug delivery and regenerative medicine owing to their biocompatibility, high specific surface area, and ability to encapsulate a large number of bioactive molecules and compounds. We demonstrated that hollow vaterite microspheres are produced by an Escherichia coli strain engineered with a urease gene cluster from the ureolytic bacteria Sporosarcina pasteurii in the presence of bovine serum albumin. We characterized the 3D nanoscale morphology of five biogenic hollow vaterite microspheres using 3D high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) tomography.

Metabolic engineering of low-pH-tolerant non-model yeast, , for production of citramalate.

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is an important petrochemical with many applications. However, its manufacture has a large environmental footprint. Combined biological and chemical synthesis (semisynthesis) may be a promising alternative to reduce both cost and environmental impact, but strains that can produce the MMA precursor (citramalate) at low pH are required.

Antimicrobial Peptide Mastoparan-AF Kills Multi-Antibiotic Resistant O157:H7 via Multiple Membrane Disruption Patterns and Likely by Adopting 3-11 Amphipathic Helices to Favor Membrane Interaction.

We investigated the antimicrobial activity and membrane disruption modes of the antimicrobial peptide mastoparan-AF against hemolytic O157:H7. Based on the physicochemical properties, mastoparan-AF may potentially adopt a 3-11 amphipathic helix-type structure, with five to seven nonpolar or hydrophobic amino acid residues forming the hydrophobic face. O157:H7 and two diarrheagenic veterinary clinical isolates, which are highly resistant to multiple antibiotics, are sensitive to mastoparan-AF, with minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC) ranging from 16 to 32 μg mL for O157:H7 and four to eight μg mL for the latter two isolates.

Expanding the genomic encyclopedia of with 824 isolate reference genomes.

The phylum includes important human pathogens like and and renowned producers of secondary metabolites of commercial interest, yet only a small part of its diversity is represented by sequenced genomes. Here, we present 824 actinobacterial isolate genomes in the context of a phylum-wide analysis of 6,700 genomes including public isolates and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). We estimate that only 30%-50% of projected actinobacterial phylogenetic diversity possesses genomic representation via isolates and MAGs.

Cas9-Based Metabolic Engineering of for Enhanced Utilization of Cellulosic Hydrolysates.

, exhibiting high tolerance against harsh environmental conditions, is a promising metabolic engineering host for producing fuels and chemicals from cellulosic hydrolysates containing fermentation inhibitors under acidic conditions. Although genetic tools for exist, they require auxotrophic mutants so that the selection of a host strain is limited. We developed a drug resistance gene (cloNAT)-based genome-editing method for engineering any strains and engineered strains isolated from various sources for xylose fermentation.

CRAGE-CRISPR facilitates rapid activation of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters in bacteria.

With the advent of genome sequencing and mining technologies, secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) within bacterial genomes are becoming easier to predict. For subsequent BGC characterization, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) has contributed to knocking out target genes and/or modulating their expression; however, CRISPR is limited to strains for which robust genetic tools are available. Here we present a strategy that combines CRISPR with chassis-independent recombinase-assisted genome engineering (CRAGE), which enables CRISPR systems in diverse bacteria.

Bacterial genome editing by coupling Cre-lox and CRISPR-Cas9 systems.

The past decade has been a golden age for microbiology, marked by the discovery of an unprecedented increase in the number of novel bacterial species. Yet gaining biological knowledge of those organisms has not kept pace with sequencing efforts. To unlock this genetic potential there is an urgent need for generic (i.

Genomic and phylogenetic characterization of Shewanella xiamenensis isolated from giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) in Taiwan.

Shewanella xiamenensis is an emerging pathogen causing intra-abdominal infection and intestinal colonization. Epidemiologic clues suggest its role as a potential food-borne zoonotic agent. To date, four genome sequences of S.

Complex Microbiome in Brain Abscess Revealed by Whole-Genome Culture-Independent and Culture-Based Sequencing.

Brain abscess is a severe infectious disease with high mortality and mobility. Although culture-based techniques have been widely used for the investigation of microbial composition of brain abscess, these approaches are inherent biased. Recent studies using 16S ribosomal sequencing approaches revealed high complexity of the bacterial community involved in brain abscess but fail to detect fungal and viral composition.

Reversal of carbapenem-resistance in by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing.

Antibiotic resistance in pathogens is a growing threat to human health. Of particular concern is resistance to carbapenem, which is an antimicrobial agent listed as critically important by the World Health Organization. With the global spread of carbapenem-resistant organisms, there is an urgent need for new treatment options.

Whole-genome characterization of Shewanella algae strain SYT3 isolated from seawater reveals insight into hemolysis.

Aim: To describe the genomic characteristics of seawater-borne hemolytic Shewanella algae and its resistance genes.

Materials & Methods: Whole genome sequence of S. algae SYT3 was determined using llumina MiSeq platform.

The Pathogenicity of and Ability to Tolerate a Wide Range of Temperatures and Salinities.

is a rod-shaped Gram-negative marine bacterium frequently found in nonhuman sources such as aquatic ecosystems and has been shown to be the pathogenic agent in various clinical cases due to the ingestion of raw seafood. The results of this study showed that was present in approximately one in four samples, including water and shellfish samples. Positive reactions (API systems) in strains were seen for gelatinase (gelatin); however, negative reactions were found for indole production (tryptophan).

Genome characterization of bile-isolated ACCC.

Background: has been recognized as an emerging human pathogen. However, not much is known about the mechanism of its pathogenesis and its adaptation to a special niche such as the hepatobiliary tract.

Results: In this study, we isolated the ACCC strain from human bile and performed whole genome sequencing.

Comparative genomics reveals diverse capsular polysaccharide synthesis gene clusters in emerging Raoultella planticola.

Raoultella planticola is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that is associated with rare but life-threatening cases of bacteremia, biliary tract infections, and urinary tract infections. Moreover, increasing antimicrobial resistance in the organism poses a potential threat to public health. In spite of its importance as a human pathogen, the genome of R.

Characteristics and Phylogeny of Isolated from Cultivated Shellfish in Taiwan.

is an emerging human pathogen. Many infectious cases were linked to shellfish ingestion or aquatic exposure. Therefore, it is important to study the phylogeny and distribution of in shellfish aquaculture.

Draft genome sequence of carbapenem-resistant Shewanella algae strain AC isolated from small abalone (Haliotis diversicolor).

Objectives: Shewanella algae is an environmental marine bacterium and an emerging opportunistic human pathogen. Moreover, there are increasing reports of strains showing multidrug resistance, particularly carbapenem-resistant isolates. Although S.

Genome Sequencing and Comparative Analysis of Reveal Evolutionary Insights Into Sulfamethoxazole Resistance.

is an aerobic, glucose non-fermentative, Gram-negative bacterium that been isolated from various environmental sources, particularly aquatic ecosystems. Although resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents has been reported in , the mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, for the first time, we report the complete genome and antimicrobial resistome analysis of a clinical isolate SUNEO which is resistant to sulfamethoxazole.

Volatile Oils of (Jing Jie) as an Alternative Medicine against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogenic Microbes.

Essential oils from the dried spikes of (Benth) are obtained by steam distillation. Pulegone was identified as the main component in the spikes of through analysis, with greater than 85% purity obtained in this study. The essential oils are extremely active against all Gram-positive and some Gram-negative reference bacteria, particularly , , and .

Culture-independent analysis of liver abscess using nanopore sequencing.

The identification of microbial species has depended predominantly upon culture-based techniques. However, the difficulty with which types of organisms are cultured implies that the grown species may be overrepresented by both cultivation and plate counts. In recent years, culture-independent analysis using high-throughput sequencing has been advocated for use as a point-of-care diagnostic tool.

Antibacterial and Synergistic Activity of Pentacyclic Triterpenoids Isolated from Alstonia scholaris.

(1) BACKGROUND: Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae) is an important medicinal plant that has been historically used in "Dai" ethnopharmacy to treat infectious diseases in China. Although various pharmacological activities have been reported, the antimicrobial constitutes of A. scholaris have not yet been identified.

Antimicrobial resistance to cefotaxime and ertapenem in Enterobacteriaceae: the effects of altering clinical breakpoints.

Introduction: The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) updated its antimicrobial susceptibility testing interpretation criteria for Enterobacteriaceae. This study assessed the effects of clinical breakpoint changes in the CLSI 2009 to 2012 guidelines on antibiotic susceptibility testing reports.

Methodology: In total, 2,076 non-duplicate clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were analyzed.

Cobra bite wound infection caused by Shewanella algae.

Shewanella wound infections after snake bites are rare. We report the case of a Shewanella algae wound infection associated with a cobra bite in a 27-year-old woman. The isolate was confirmed by sequencing of the 16S ribosomal DNA gene.