Soybean lectin (SBL) purified from soybean seeds by affinity chromatography strongly bound to Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110 cell surface. This lectin enhanced biofilm formation by B. japonicum in a concentration-dependent manner. Presence of galactose during biofilm formation had different effects in the presence or absence of SBL. Biofilms were completely inhibited in the presence of both SBL and galactose, while in the absence of SBL, galactose was less inhibitory. SBL was very stable, since its agglutinating activity of B. japonicum cells as well as of human group A+ erythrocytes was resistant to preincubation for one week at <svg style="vertical-align:-0.20473pt;width:32.787498px;" id="M1" height="13.1875" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 32.787498 13.1875" width="32.787498" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>. Hence, we propose that plant remnants might constitute a source of this lectin, which might remain active in soil and thus favor B. japonicum biofilm formation in the interval between soybean crop seasons.

Julieta Pérez-Giménez

Elías J. Mongiardini

M. Julia Althabegoiti

Julieta Covelli

J. Ignacio Quelas

Silvina L. López-García

Aníbal R. Lodeiro

Soybean Lectin Enhances Biofilm Formation by Bradyrhizobium japonicum in the Absence of Plants

Essential oils (EO) are being considered as possible alternatives to in-feed antibiotic growth promoters in pig nutrition. The effects of an EO mixture consisting of limonene, eugenol and pinene (10.0, 2.0, and 4.8 mg/kg diet, resp.) on gut physiology and ecology were studied in piglets. The experiment was conducted at low (commercial farm) and high hygienic conditions (experimental farm), to elucidate interactions between EO supplementation and husbandry methods. Piglets were weaned at 28 days of age, when they were offered either a control diet (C) or C with EO. Four piglets were sacrificed in each group on day 29, 30, 33 and 39. Digesta from the third distal part of the small intestine and from the colon were sampled and analysed for pH, dry matter, lactic acid, short chain fatty acids and ammonia concentrations. Enterobacteria, enterococci, lactobacilli and yeast counts were obtained by plating. Genomic DNA was extracted from digesta and polymerase chain reaction—denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was performed. Individual microbial communities were identified at each farm. Age affected the intestinal parameters. No effects of the EO with exception for a significant reduction in colon bacterial diversity at 39 days of age could be recorded at experimental farm.

P. Janczyk

R. Pieper

V. Urubschurov

K. R. Wendler

W. B. Souffrant

Investigations on the Effects of Dietary Essential Oils and Different Husbandry Conditions on the Gut Ecology in Piglets after Weaning

The regulation of mRNA turnover is a recently appreciated phenomenon by which bacteria modulate gene expression. This review outlines the mechanisms by which three major classes of bacterial trans-acting factors, ribonucleases (RNases), RNA binding proteins, and small noncoding RNAs (sRNA), regulate the transcript stability and protein production of target genes. Because the mechanisms of RNA decay and maturation are best characterized in Escherichia coli, the majority of this review will focus on how these factors modulate mRNA stability in this organism. However, we also address the effects of RNases, RNA binding proteins, sRNAs on mRNA turnover, and gene expression in Bacillus subtilis, which has served as a model for studying RNA processing in gram-positive organisms. We conclude by discussing emerging studies on the role modulating mRNA stability has on gene expression in the important human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus.

Kelsi L. Anderson

Paul M. Dunman

Messenger RNA Turnover Processes in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Emerging Studies in Staphylococcus aureus

Growth and survival of acid-resistant (AR) and non-acid-resistant (NAR) Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains were investigated during the manufacture 
			and ripening of microfiltered milk Camembert cheeses. The induction of acid resistance of the STEC strains in cheeses 
			was also studied. Six different mixtures of AR and/or NAR STEC strains were inoculated separately into microfiltered 
			milk at a level of <svg style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:22.775px;" id="M1" height="16.049999" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 22.775 16.049999" width="22.775" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
			<g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,15.775)"><path id="x31" d="M384 0h-275v27q67 5 81.5 18.5t14.5 68.5v385q0 38 -7.5 47.5t-40.5 10.5l-48 2v24q85 15 178 52v-521q0 -55 14.5 -68.5t82.5 -18.5v-27z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,8.222,15.775)"><path id="x30" d="M241 635q53 0 94 -28.5t63.5 -76t33.5 -102.5t11 -116q0 -58 -11 -112.5t-34 -103.5t-63.5 -78.5t-94.5 -29.5t-95 28t-64.5 75t-34.5 102.5t-11 118.5q0 58 11.5 112.5t34.5 103t64.5 78t95.5 29.5zM238 602q-32 0 -55.5 -25t-35.5 -68t-17.5 -91t-5.5 -105&#xA;q0 -76 10 -138.5t37 -107.5t69 -45q32 0 55.5 25t35.5 68.5t17.5 91.5t5.5 105t-5.5 105.5t-18 92t-36 68t-56.5 24.5z" /></g>

			<g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,16.375,7.613)"><path id="x33" d="M285 378v-2q65 -13 102 -54.5t37 -97.5q0 -57 -30.5 -104.5t-74 -75t-85.5 -42t-72 -14.5q-31 0 -59.5 11t-40.5 23q-19 18 -16 36q1 16 23 33q13 10 24 0q58 -51 124 -51q55 0 88 40t33 112q0 64 -39 96.5t-88 32.5q-29 0 -64 -11l-6 29q77 25 118 57.5t41 84.5&#xA;q0 45 -26.5 69.5t-68.5 24.5q-67 0 -120 -79l-20 20l43 63q51 56 127 56h1q66 0 107 -37t41 -95q0 -42 -31 -71q-22 -23 -68 -54z" /></g>

		
	
</svg> CFU <svg style="vertical-align:-0.0pt;width:36.512501px;" id="M2" height="15.8375" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 36.512501 15.8375" width="36.512501" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
			<g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,15.775)"><path id="x6D" d="M797 0h-214v26q46 5 58 17.5t12 63.5v167q0 116 -88 116q-48 0 -112 -52q3 -18 3 -42v-195q0 -46 11 -58t53 -17v-26h-214v26q48 5 59.5 17t11.5 60v172q0 115 -88 115q-47 0 -109 -52v-235q0 -47 10 -59.5t48 -17.5v-26h-211v26q50 5 62.5 17t12.5 60v207q0 48 -9 59.5&#xA;t-52 18.5v23q79 14 139 41v-81q3 2 29 20.5t44 29.5q45 28 81 28t66 -22t46 -61q25 20 83 57q39 26 76 26q59 0 93 -40t34 -113v-193q0 -49 10.5 -60.5t54.5 -16.5v-26z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,13.984,15.775)"><path id="x4C" d="M495 163l30 -6q-19 -99 -36 -157h-453v28q63 5 77.5 20t14.5 78v400q0 63 -13 77t-75 19v28h261v-28q-61 -5 -74.5 -19t-13.5 -77v-395q0 -41 5 -59t18 -25q24 -13 96 -13q85 0 112 31q30 33 51 98z" /></g>

			<g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,23.125,7.613)"><path id="x2212" d="M535 230h-483v50h483v-50z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,30.11,7.613)"><use xlink:href="#x31"/></g>

		
	
</svg>. The STEC counts (AR and NAR) initially increased by 1 to 2 <svg style="vertical-align:-4.10045pt;width:38.762501px;" id="M3" height="17.3375" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 38.762501 17.3375" width="38.762501" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
			<g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,12.162)"><path id="x6C" d="M238 0h-223v26q48 5 60 17t12 61v473q0 50 -10.5 60.5t-58.5 15.5v24q73 8 148 35v-608q0 -49 11.5 -61t60.5 -17v-26z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,4.363,12.162)"><path id="x6F" d="M257 449q92 0 154 -65t62 -158q0 -112 -67 -175t-150 -63q-98 0 -158.5 66.5t-60.5 154.5q0 59 21 106.5t54.5 75.5t71 43t73.5 15zM244 416q-48 0 -81 -47t-33 -128q0 -96 38 -158t99 -62q51 0 82 43.5t31 139.5q0 91 -36 151.5t-100 60.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,13.033,12.162)"><path id="x67" d="M463 437l5 -8q-21 -38 -45 -51l-57 3q30 -35 30 -88q0 -76 -52.5 -118t-122.5 -42q-24 0 -51 5q-30 -21 -30 -42q0 -16 16 -27t47 -11q19 0 54 0.5t52 0.5q36 0 65.5 -8t53.5 -36t24 -74q0 -77 -75 -137.5t-174 -60.5q-79 0 -126 37.5t-48 84.5q0 32 24 56q21 21 83 70&#xA;q-49 15 -74 55q-13 20 -11 42q56 21 88 61q-37 16 -62.5 51t-25.5 83q0 78 56.5 122t122.5 44h1q51 0 96 -27q71 4 136 15zM219 418q-34 0 -58 -32t-24 -87q0 -59 26.5 -96.5t67.5 -37.5q35 1 59 32t24 87q0 59 -26 96.5t-69 37.5zM241 -11q-62 0 -87 -21q-46 -39 -46 -78&#xA;q0 -41 38 -68.5t94 -27.5q69 0 106.5 31t37.5 80q0 52 -45 71q-33 13 -98 13z" /></g>

			<g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,26.65,17.125)"><use xlink:href="#x31"/></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,32.361,17.125)"><use xlink:href="#x30"/></g>

		
	
</svg> CFU <svg style="vertical-align:-3.50803pt;width:21.4px;" id="M4" height="20.2125" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 21.4 20.2125" width="21.4" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
			<g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,15.775)"><use xlink:href="#x67"/></g>

			<g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,8.012,7.613)"><use xlink:href="#x2212"/></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,14.997,7.613)"><use xlink:href="#x31"/></g>

		
	
</svg> during cheese-making. Thereafter, the populations stabilized during salting/drying and then 
				decreased during the early stages of ripening. Exposing the STEC strains in artificially inoculated cheeses 
				to simulated gastric fluid (SGF - pH: 2.0) reduced the number of NAR strains to undetectable levels within 40 minutes, versus 120 minutes for the AR STEC strains. AR and NAR STEC were able to survive during the manufacture and ripening of Camembert cheese prepared from microfiltered milk with no evidence of induced acid tolerance in NAR STEC strains.

M. P. Montet

E. Jamet

S. Ganet

M. Dizin

S. Miszczycha

L. Dunière

D. Thevenot

C. Vernozy-Rozand

Growth and Survival of Acid-Resistant and Non-Acid-Resistant Shiga-Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains during the Manufacture and Ripening of Camembert Cheese

HEp-2 cell monolayers were cocultured with intracellular Staphylococcus aureus, and changes in gene expression were profiled using DNA microarrays. Intracellular S. aureus affected genes involved in cellular stress responses, signal transduction, inflammation, apoptosis, fibrosis, and cholesterol biosynthesis. Transcription of stress response and signal transduction-related genes including atf3, sgk, map2k1, map2k3, arhb, and arhe was increased. In addition, elevated transcription of proinflammatory genes was observed for tnfa, il1b, il6, il8, cxcl1, ccl20, cox2, and pai1. Genes involved in proapoptosis and fibrosis were also affected at transcriptional level by intracellular S. aureus. Notably, intracellular S. aureus induced strong transcriptional down-regulation of several cholesterol biosynthesis genes. These results suggest that epithelial cells respond to intracellular S. aureus by inducing genes affecting immunity and in repairing damage caused by the organism, and are consistent with the possibility that the organism exploits an intracellular environment to subvert host immunity and promote colonization.

Xianglu Li

William G. Fusco

Keun S. Seo

Kenneth W. Bayles

Erin E. Mosley

Mark A. McGuire

Gregory A. Bohach

Epithelial Cell Gene Expression Induced by Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus

The ability to rapidly differentiate coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) from Staphylococcus aureus and to determine methicillin resistance is important as it affects the decision to treat empiric antibiotic selection. The objective of this study was to evaluate CHROMagar S. aureus and CHROMagar MRSA (Becton Dickinson) for rapid identification of Staphylococcus spp. directly from blood cultures. Consecutive blood culture bottles (BacT Alert 3D SA and SN, bioM&#233;rieux) growing gram-positive cocci in clusters were evaluated. An aliquot was plated onto CHROMagar MRSA (C-MRSA) and CHROMagar S. aureus (C-SA) plates, which were read at 12 to 16 hours. C-SA correctly identified 147/147 S. aureus (100&#37; sensitivity); 2 CoNS were misidentified as S. aureus (98&#37; specificity). C-MRSA correctly identified 74/77 MRSA (96&#37; sensitivity). None of the MSSA isolates grew on C-MRSA (100&#37; specificity). In conclusion, CHROMagar is a rapid and sensitive method to distinguish MRSA, MSSA, and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and may decrease time of reporting positive results.

Shingo Chihara

Mary K. Hayden

Eileen Minogue-Corbett

Kamaljit Singh

Shortened Time to Identify Staphylococcus Species from Blood Cultures and Methicillin Resistance Testing Using CHROMAgar

The purpose of this study was to examine prophylactic efficacy of probiotics in neonatal sepsis and meningitis caused by E. coli K1. The potential inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on meningitic E. coli K1 infection was examined by using (i) in vitro inhibition assays with E44 (a CSF isolate from a newborn baby with E. coli meningitis), and (ii) the neonatal rat model of E. coli sepsis and meningitis. The in vitro studies demonstrated that LGG blocked E44 adhesion, invasion, and transcytosis in a dose-dependent manner. A significant reduction in the levels of pathogen colonization, E. coli bacteremia, and meningitis was observed in the LGG-treated neonatal rats, as assessed by viable cultures, compared to the levels in the control group. In conclusion, probiotic LGG strongly suppresses meningitic E. coli pathogens in vitro and in vivo. The results support the use of probiotic strains such as LGG for prophylaxis of neonatal sepsis and meningitis.

Sheng-He Huang

Lina He

Yanhong Zhou

Chun-Hua Wu

Ambrose Jong

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Suppresses Meningitic E. coli K1 Penetration across Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells In Vitro and Protects Neonatal Rats against Experimental Hematogenous Meningitis

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International Journal of Microbiology publishes papers on microorganisms and their interaction with hosts and the environment. The journal covers all microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa.

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International Journal of Microbiology | Hindawi

title

International Journal of Microbiology publishes papers on microorganisms and their interaction with hosts and the environment. The journal covers all microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa.

International Journal of Microbiology