Search results for "bacterial protein"
showing 10 items of 616 documents
Association of Cry1Ac toxin resistance in Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) with increased alkaline phosphatase levels in the midgut lumen.
2012
ABSTRACT Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac toxin was characterized in a population of Helicoverpa zea larvae previously shown not to have an alteration in toxin binding as the primary resistance mechanism to this toxin. Cry1Ac-selected larvae (AR1) were resistant to protoxins and toxins of Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, and the corresponding modified proteins lacking helix α-1 (Cry1AbMod and Cry1AcMod). When comparing brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) prepared from susceptible (LC) and AR1 larval midguts, there were only negligible differences in overall Cry1Ac toxin binding, though AR1 had 18% reversible binding, in contrast to LC, in which all binding was irreversible. However, no differe…
In Vivo and In Vitro Binding of Vip3Aa to Spodoptera frugiperda Midgut and Characterization of Binding Sites by 125 I Radiolabeling
2014
ABSTRACT Bacillus thuringiensis vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip3A) have been recently introduced in important crops as a strategy to delay the emerging resistance to the existing Cry toxins. The mode of action of Vip3A proteins has been studied in Spodoptera frugiperda with the aim of characterizing their binding to the insect midgut. Immunofluorescence histological localization of Vip3Aa in the midgut of intoxicated larvae showed that Vip3Aa bound to the brush border membrane along the entire apical surface. The presence of fluorescence in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells seems to suggest internalization of Vip3Aa or a fragment of it. Successful radiolabeling and optimization of the…
Fighting mycobacterial infections by antibiotics, phytochemicals and vaccines.
2011
Buruli ulcer is a neglected disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans and represents the world's third most common mycobacterial infection. It produces the polyketide toxins, mycolactones A, B, C and D, which induce apoptosis and necrosis. Clinical symptoms are subcutaneous nodules, papules, plaques and ulcerating oedemae, which can enlarge and destroy nerves and blood vessels and even invade bones by lymphatic or haematogenous spread (osteomyelitis). Patients usually do not suffer from pain or systematic inflammation. Surgery is the treatment of choice, although recurrence is common and wide surgical excisions including healthy tissues result in significant morbidity. Antibiotic therapy wit…
Highly focused T cell responses in latent human pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
2005
Abstract The elucidation of the molecular and immunological mechanisms mediating maintenance of latency in human tuberculosis aids to develop more effective vaccines and to define biologically meaningful markers for immune protection. We analyzed granuloma-associated lymphocytes (GALs) from human lung biopsies of five patients with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. MTB CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response was highly focused in the lung, distinct from PBL, as assessed by TCR-CDR3 spectratyping coupled with a quantitative analysis of TCR VB frequencies. GALs produced IFN-γ in response to autologous macrophages infected with MTB and to defined MTB-derived HLA-A2-presented peptides Ag…
A urochordate putative homolog of human EB1, the protein which binds APC1
1996
Abstract The human EB1 protein has been cloned by virtue of its interaction with the C-terminus of the APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) protein, whose C-terminal truncated forms have been shown to accompany sporadic and familial forms of colorectal cancer. We have cloned a putative EB1 homolog from Botryllus schlosseri (Urochordata, Ascidiacea). The deduced protein is 287 amino acids long, and is identical with 48% of the residues in human EB1 and 24–25% in two yeast hypothetical proteins. We propose that such a high degree of conservation among EB1 homologs is indicative of an essential regulatory mechanism in eukaryotic cells.
Serratia symbiotica from the aphid Cinara cedri: a missing link from facultative to obligate insect endosymbiont.
2011
The genome sequencing of Buchnera aphidicola BCc from the aphid Cinara cedri, which is the smallest known Buchnera genome, revealed that this bacterium had lost its symbiotic role, as it was not able to synthesize tryptophan and riboflavin. Moreover, the biosynthesis of tryptophan is shared with the endosymbiont Serratia symbiotica SCc, which coexists with B. aphidicola in this aphid. The whole-genome sequencing of S. symbiotica SCc reveals an endosymbiont in a stage of genome reduction that is closer to an obligate endosymbiont, such as B. aphidicola from Acyrthosiphon pisum, than to another S. symbiotica, which is a facultative endosymbiont in this aphid, and presents much less gene decay…
An Update of the Evolving Epidemic of blaKPC Carrying Klebsiella pneumoniae in Sicily, Italy, 2014: Emergence of Multiple Non-ST258 Clones
2015
Background: In Italy, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) strains are highly endemic and KPC producing CC258 is reported as the widely predominating clone. In Palermo, Italy, previous reports have confirmed this pattern. However, recent preliminary findings suggest that an epidemiological change is likely ongoing towards a polyclonal KPC-Kp spread. Here we present the results of molecular typing of 94 carbapenem non susceptible K. pneumoniae isolates detected during 2014 in the three different hospitals in Palermo, Italy. Methods and Results: Ninety-four consecutive, non replicate carbapenem non susceptible isolates were identified in the three largest acute…
Phenolic Acid-Mediated Regulation of the padC Gene, Encoding the Phenolic Acid Decarboxylase of Bacillus subtilis
2008
ABSTRACT In Bacillus subtilis , several phenolic acids specifically induce expression of padC , encoding a phenolic acid decarboxylase that converts these antimicrobial compounds into vinyl derivatives. padC forms an operon with a putative coding sequence of unknown function, yveFG , and this coding sequence does not appear to be involved in the phenolic acid stress response (PASR). To identify putative regulators involved in the PASR, random transposon mutagenesis, combined with two different screens, was performed. PadR, a negative transcriptional regulator of padC expression, was identified. padR is not located in the vicinity of padC , and the expression of padR is low and appears const…
A rare case of sepsis due to Corynebacterium macginleyi from central venous catheter in an elderly woman
2011
Corynebacterium macginleyi is a gram positive rod that causes especially ocular infections: since now only six elderly cases of extraocular infection are described. A 76 years old bedridden woman with a central venous catheter was hospitalized for 10 days of persistent fever. She was treated before with vancomicin and then with imipenem. The clinical conditions improved and the patient was discharged after two weeks of hospitalization. Among recognised risk factors for this infection the advanced age, indwelling devices and immunosuppression seem the most important. On the other hand, the antibiotics of choice are glycopeptides while the association of another antibiotic is recommended in o…
Reversible stress-induced lipid body formation in fast twitch rat myofibers
2012
We analyzed the existence of lipid bodies (LBs) in the fast twitch rat flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) myofibers and found that these structures were scarce. However, isolation procedure of the myofibers, heath shock, viral infection or the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin induced formation of the LBs, which were stationary structures flanking Z lines. We next infected FDB myofibers with recombinant Semliki Forest virus expressing caveolin 3-yellow fluorescent protein (cav3-YFP) since this chimeric protein was targeted to the LBs facilitating their further analysis. Photobleaching experiments showed that the LBs recovered cav 3-YFP extremely slowly, indicating that they were not continuous…