Enriched Opportunistic Pathogens Revealed by Metagenomic Sequencing Hint Potential Linkages between Pharyngeal Microbiota and COVID-19.

As a respiratory tract virus, SARS-CoV-2 infected people through contacting with the upper respiratory tract first. Previous studies indicated that microbiota could modulate immune response against pathogen infection. In the present study, we performed metagenomic sequencing of pharyngeal swabs from eleven patients with COVID-19 and eleven Non-COVID-19 patients who had similar symptoms such as fever and cough.

A Highly Active Chimeric Lysin with a Calcium-Enhanced Bactericidal Activity against In Vitro and In Vivo.

Lysins, including chimeric lysins, have recently been explored as novel promising alternatives to failing antibiotics in treating multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens, including methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Herein, by fusing the CHAP (cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase) catalytic domain from the Ply187 lysin with the non-SH3b cell-wall binding domain from the LysSA97 lysin, a new chimeric lysin ClyC was constructed with Ca-enhanced bactericidal activity against all strains tested, including MRSA. Notably, treating with 50 μg/mL of ClyC in the presence of 100 μM Ca lead to a reduction of 9 Log (CFU/mL) in viable bacterial number, which was the first time to observe a lysin showing such a high activity.

Genetic Polymorphism Drives Susceptibility Between Bacteria and Bacteriophages.

Phage therapy has attracted much attention for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in recent years. However, it is common for bacteria to obtain resistance capability in short time after interaction with a lytic phage, as observed in phage therapy and co-culture of host and phage in a lab. In order to understand the mechanisms behind resistance, AB91118 and its lytic phage LQ7 were studied as a model system.

Linear epitope landscape of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein constructed from 1,051 COVID-19 patients.

To fully decipher the immunogenicity of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Spike protein, it is essential to assess which part is highly immunogenic in a systematic way. We generate a linear epitope landscape of the Spike protein by analyzing the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) response of 1,051 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with a peptide microarray. We reveal two regions rich in linear epitopes, i.

Rapid genome-wide sequence typing of African swine fever virus based on alleles.

Rapid and accurate molecular typing of African swine fever virus (ASFV) during outbreaks is important to reveal diversity and sourcing of ASFV. Here we present a new way to perform rapid genome-wide multi-locus sequence typing of ASFV using an allele calling based on gene by gene approach. Using open-accessed chewBBACA software, 41 publicly available ASFV genomes were analyzed to optimize the parameters to find the alleles.

PEG-Delivered CRISPR-Cas9 Ribonucleoproteins System for Gene-Editing Screening of Maize Protoplasts.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 technology allows the modification of DNA sequences in vivo at the location of interest. Although CRISPR-Cas9 can produce genomic changes that do not require DNA vector carriers, the use of transgenesis for the stable integration of DNA coding for gene-editing tools into plant genomes is still the most used approach. However, it can generate unintended transgenic integrations, while Cas9 prolonged-expression can increase cleavage at off-target sites.

Non-safety Assessments of Genome-Edited Organisms: Should They be Included in Regulation?

This article presents and evaluates arguments supporting that an approval procedure for genome-edited organisms for food or feed should include a broad assessment of societal, ethical and environmental concerns; so-called non-safety assessment. The core of analysis is the requirement of the Norwegian Gene Technology Act that the sustainability, ethical and societal impacts of a genetically modified organism should be assessed prior to regulatory approval of the novel products. The article gives an overview how this requirement has been implemented in the regulatory practice, demonstrating that such assessment is feasible and justified.

Acute and chronic effects of polystyrene microplastics on juvenile and adult Daphnia magna.

We investigate the distribution and effects of polystyrene microplastic (MP) particles in exposure experiments with the ecotoxicology model organism Daphnia magna. The aim was to investigate the short and long-term toxicity of MP at different concentrations. To achieve this goal, the effects of 6 μm commercially available polystyrene beads on two different life-stages of D.

A One Health approach to managing the applications and implications of nanotechnologies in agriculture.

The need for appropriate science and regulation to underpin nanosafety is greater than ever as ongoing advances in nanotechnology are rapidly translated into new industrial applications and nano-enabled commercial products. Nevertheless, a disconnect persists between those examining risks to human and environmental health from nanomaterials. This disconnect is not atypical in research and risk assessment and has been perpetuated in the case of engineered nanomaterials by the relatively limited overlap in human and environmental exposure pathways.

Revisiting Risk Governance of GM Plants: The Need to Consider New and Emerging Gene-Editing Techniques.

New and emerging gene-editing techniques make it possible to target specific genes in species with greater speed and specificity than previously possible. Of major relevance for plant breeding, regulators and scientists are discussing how to regulate products developed using these gene-editing techniques. Such discussions include whether to adopt or adapt the current framework for GMO risk governance in evaluating the impacts of gene-edited plants, and derived products, on the environment, human and animal health and society.

Filaria specific antibody response profiling in plasma from anti-retroviral naïve Loa loa microfilaraemic HIV-1 infected people.

Background: In West and Central Africa areas of endemic Loa loa infections overlap with regions of high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections. Because individuals in this region are exposed to filarial parasites from birth, most HIV-1 infected individuals invariably also have a history of filarial parasite infection. Since HIV-1 infection both depletes immune system and maintains it in perpetual inflammation, this can hamper Loa loa filarial parasite mediated immune modulation, leading to enhanced loaisis.

CRISPR/Cas9-Advancing Orthopoxvirus Genome Editing for Vaccine and Vector Development.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology is revolutionizing genome editing approaches. Its high efficiency, specificity, versatility, flexibility, simplicity and low cost have made the CRISPR/Cas9 system preferable to other guided site-specific nuclease-based systems such as TALENs (Transcription Activator-like Effector Nucleases) and ZFNs (Zinc Finger Nucleases) in genome editing of viruses. CRISPR/Cas9 is presently being applied in constructing viral mutants, preventing virus infections, eradicating proviral DNA, and inhibiting viral replication in infected cells.

Dendritic cell targeted HIV-1 gag protein vaccine provides help to a recombinant Newcastle disease virus vectored vaccine including mobilization of protective CD8 T cells.

Introduction: Recombinant Newcastle Disease virus (rNDV) vectored vaccines are safe mucosal applicable vaccines with intrinsic immune-modulatory properties for the induction of efficient immunity. Like all viral vectored vaccines repeated inoculation via mucosal routes invariably results to immunity against viral vaccine vectors. To obviate immunity against viral vaccine vectors and improve the ability of rNDV vectored vaccines in inducing T cell immunity in murine air way we have directed dendritic cell targeted HIV-1 gag protein (DEC-Gag) vaccine; for the induction of helper CD4 T cells to a Recombinant Newcastle disease virus expressing codon optimized HIV-1 Gag P55 (rNDV-L-Gag) vaccine.

Criticism of EFSA's scientific opinion on combinatorial effects of 'stacked' GM plants.

Recent genetically modified plants tend to include both insect resistance and herbicide tolerance traits. Some of these 'stacked' GM plants have multiple Cry-toxins expressed as well as tolerance to several herbicides. This means that non-target organisms in the environment (biodiversity) will be co-exposed to multiple stressors simultaneously.

A Marine Bacterium, Bacillus sp. Isolated from the Sediment Samples of Algoa Bay in South Africa Produces a Polysaccharide-Bioflocculant.

Bioflocculants mediate the removal of suspended particles from solution and the efficiency of flocculation is dependent on the characteristics of the flocculant. Apart from the merits of biodegradability and harmlessness, bioflocculants could be viable as industrially relevant flocculants as they are a renewable resource. Additionally, the shortcomings associated with the conventionally used flocculants such as aluminium salts and acrylamide polymers, which include dementia and cancer, highlight more the need to use bioflocculants as an alternative.

Zero-valent iron particles for PCB degradation and an evaluation of their effects on bacteria, plants, and soil organisms.

Two types of nano-scale zero-valent iron (nZVI-B prepared by borohydride reduction and nZVI-T produced by thermal reduction of iron oxide nanoparticles in H) and a micro-scale ZVI (mZVI) were compared for PCB degradation efficiency in water and soil. In addition, the ecotoxicity of nZVI-B and nZVI-T particles in treated water and soil was evaluated on bacteria, plants, earthworms, and ostracods. All types of nZVI and mZVI were highly efficient in degradation of PCBs in water, but had little degradation effect on PCBs in soil.

Is it only the regulatory status? Broadening the debate on cisgenic plants.

In current debates on emerging technologies for plant breeding in Europe, much attention has been given to the regulatory status of these techniques and their public acceptance. At present, both genetically modified plants with cisgenic approaches-using genes from crossable species-as well as transgenic approaches-using genes from different species-fall under GMO regulation in the EU and both are mandatorily labelled as GMOs. Researchers involved in the early development of cisgenic GM plants convey the message that the potential use and acceptance of cisgenic approaches will be seriously hindered if GMO regulations are not adjusted.

In plastico: laboratory material newness affects growth and reproduction of Daphnia magna reared in 50-ml polypropylene tubes.

Plastic laboratory materials are found to affect vital parameters of the waterflea Daphnia magna. The main responsible factor is defined as "newness" of the materials. Juvenile D.

What can nanosafety learn from drug development? The feasibility of "safety by design".

"Safety by design" (SbD) is an intuitively appealing concept that is on the rise within nanotoxicology and nanosafety research, as well as within nanotechnology research policy. It leans on principles established within drug discovery and development (DDD) and seeks to address safety early, as well as throughout product development. However, it remains unclear what the concept of SbD exactly entails for engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) or how it is envisioned to be implemented.

Levels of DNA methylation and transcript accumulation in leaves of transgenic maize varieties.

Background: Prior to their release in the environment, transgenic crops are examined for their health and environmental safety. In addition, transgene expression needs to be consistent in order to express the introduced trait (e.g.

DNA Vaccines: Regulatory Considerations and Safety Aspects.

DNA vaccines have great potential as preventive or therapeutic vaccines against viral, bacterial, or parasitic diseases as well as cancer, and may also be used as gene therapy products. Although many human and veterinary DNA vaccines have been investigated in laboratory trials, only four of these have been approved for commercial use. In this paper an overview of the regulatory requirements for the development of DNA vaccines is given.

Pollen-mediated gene flow and seed exchange in small-scale Zambian maize farming, implications for biosafety assessment.

Gene flow in agricultural crops is important for risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly in countries with a large informal agricultural sector of subsistence cultivation. We present a pollen flow model for maize (Zea mays), a major staple crop in Africa. We use spatial properties of fields (size, position) in three small-scale maize farming communities in Zambia and estimate rates of cross-fertilisation between fields sown with different maize varieties (e.

Distribution of class 1 integrons in a highly impacted catchment.

Polluted compounds into freshwater sediments may select and enrich bacteria carrying specific genetic compositions. Here we examine the possible use of class 1 integrons as bioindicators in freshwater environments. Samples were collected from various sediments in an urban area (Zhangye, Gansu province, China), specifically within the city, in the industrial zone, in the surrounding agricultural area and in a nearby national park.