Microbiology Commons^™

Differential Resource Allocation In Deer Mice Exposed To Sin Nombre Virus, Eric Wilson, Erin M. Lehmer, Christine A. Clay, Stephen St. Jeor, Denise M. Dearing

Faculty Publications

The resource allocation hypothesis predicts that reproductive activity suppresses immunocompetence; however, this has never been tested in an endemic disease system with free-ranging mammals. We tested the resource allocation hypothesis in wild deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) with natural exposure to Sin Nombre Virus (SNV). Immunocompetence was estimated from the extent of swelling elicited after deer mice were injected with phytohemagglutinin (PHA); swelling is positively correlated with immunocompetence. After livetrapping deer mice, we determined their reproductive state and SNV infection status. Males were more likely to be seropositive for SNV than females (37% vs. 25%) and exhibited 10% less swelling after …

Inhibitory Effects Of Estrogen Receptor Beta On Specific Hormone-Responsive Gene Expression And Association With Disease Outcome In Primary Breast Cancer, Chin-Yo Lin, Anders Strom, Li Say Kong, Silke Kietz, Jane S. Thomsen, Jason B. S. Tee, Vinsensius B. Vega, Lance D. Miller, Johanna Smeds, Jonas Bergh, Jan-Ake Gustafsson, Edison T. Liu

Faculty Publications

The impact of interactions between the two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ER(alpha) and ER(beta), on gene expression in breast cancer biology is not clear. The goal of this study was to examine transcriptomic alterations in cancer cells co-expressing both receptors and the association of gene expression signatures with disease outcome. Methods: Transcriptional effects of ER(beta) overexpression were determined in a stably transfected cell line derived from ER(alpha) -positive T-47D cells. Microarray analysis was carried out to identify differential gene expression in the cell line, and expression of key genes was validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Microarray and clinical data …

Tandem Repeat Regions Within The Burkholderia Pseudomallei Genome And Their Application For High Resolution Genotyping, Richard A. Robison, Jana M. U'Ren, James M. Schupp, Talima Pearson, Heidie Hornstra, Christine L. Friedman Clark, Kimothy L. Smith, Rebecca R. Leadem Daugherty, Shane D. Rhoton, Ben Leadem, Shalamar Georgia, Michelle Cardon, Lynn Y. Huynh, David Deshazer, Steven P. Harvey, Daniel Gal, Mark J. Mayo, David Wagner, Bart J. Currie, Paul Keim

Faculty Publications

The facultative, intracellular bacterium Burkholderia pseudomalle is the causative agent of melioidosis, a serious infectious disease of humans and animals. We identified and categorized tandem repeat arrays and their distribution throughout the genome of B. pseudomallei strain K96243 in order to develop a genetic typing method for B. pseudomallei. We then screened 104 of the potentially polymorphic loci across a diverse panel of 31 isolates including B. pseudomallei, B. mallei and B. thailandensis in order to identify loci with varying degrees of polymorphism. A subset of these tandem repeat arrays were subsequently developed into a multiple-locus VNTR analysis to examine …

Enzymes As Feed Additive To Aid In Responses Against Eimeria Species In Coccidia-Vaccinated Broilers Fed Corn-Soybean Meal Diets With Different Protein Levels, J. Parker, E. O. Oviedo Rondon, Beatrice A. Clack, S. Clemente-Hernandez, J. Osborne, J. C. Remus, H. Kettunen, H. Makivuokko, E. M. Pierson

Faculty Publications

This research aimed to evaluate the effects of adding a combination of exogenous enzymes to starter diets varying in protein content and fed to broilers vaccinated at day of hatch with live oocysts and then challenged with mixed Eimeria spp. Five hundred four 1-d-old male Cobb-500 chickens were distributed in 72 cages. The design consisted of 12 treatments. Three anticoccidial control programs [ionophore (IO), coccidian vaccine (COV), and coccidia-vaccine + enzymes (COV + EC)] were evaluated under 3 CP levels (19, 21, and 23%), and 3 unmedicated-uninfected (UU) negative controls were included for each one of the protein levels. All …

Morphological And Molecular Analyses Of Microorganisms In Caribbean Reef Adult Sponges And In Corresponding Reproductive Material, Susanne Schmitt, Markus Wehrl, Niels Lindquist, Jeremy B. Weisz, Ute Hentschel

Faculty Publications

Caribbean reef sponges were surveyed for the presence of microorganisms in the mesohyl tissue of adult sponges and the respective reproductive material (embryos, larvae). A clear correlation was found in that high microbial abundance (HMA) sponges always contained microorganisms in their reproductive stages. In contrast, low microbial abundance (LMA) sponges did not contain microorganisms in their reproductive stages. Based on these data, Ircinia felix Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864 was chosen as a model organism for the molecular analysis of microorganisms within the adult sponge and its larvae and juveniles. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of eubacterial 16S rDNA sequences revealed …

Vertical Transmission Of A Phylogenetically Complex Microbial Consortium In The Viviparous Sponge Ircinia Felix, Susanne Schmitt, Jeremy B. Weisz, Niels Lindquist, Ute Hentschel

Faculty Publications

Many marine demosponges contain large amounts of phylogenetically complex yet highly sponge-specific microbial consortia within the mesohyl matrix, but little is known about how these microorganisms are acquired by their hosts. Settlement experiments were performed with the viviparous Caribbean demosponge Ircinia felix to investigate the role of larvae in the vertical transmission of the sponge-associated microbial community. Inspections by electron microscopy revealed large amounts of morphologically diverse microorganisms in the center of I. felix larvae, while the outer rim appeared to be devoid of microorganisms. In juveniles, microorganisms were found between densely packed sponge cells. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) …

Computational Promoter Analysis Of Mouse, Rat, And Human Antimicrobial Peptide-Coding Genes, Chin-Yo Lin, Manisha Brahmachary, Christian Schonbach, Liang Yang, Enli Huang, Sin Lam Tan, Rajesh Chowdhary, S. P. T. Krishnan, David A. Hume, Chikatoshi Kai, Jun Kawai, Piero Carninci, Yoshihide Hayashizaki, Vladimir B. Bajic

Faculty Publications

Mammalian antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effectors of the innate immune response. A multitude of signals coming from pathways of mammalian pathogen/pattern recognition receptors and other proteins affect the expression of AMP-coding genes (AMPcgs). For many AMPcgs the promoter elements and transcription factors that control their tissue cell-specific expression have yet to be fully identified and characterized. Results- Based upon the RIKEN full-length cDNA and public sequence data derived from human, mouse and rat, we identified 178 candidate AMP transcripts derived from 61 genes belonging to 29 AMP families. However, only for 31 mouse genes belonging to 22 AMP families we …

A Phylogeny Of Belonolaimus Populations In Florida Inferred From Dna Sequences, Byron J. Adams, U. Gozel, K. B. Nguyen, R. N. Inserra, R. M. Giblin-Davis

Faculty Publications

The D2-D3 and ITS regions of rDNA from 33 Florida populations of Belonolaimus spp. were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Our objective was to derive a theoretical evolutionary framework for interpreting phenotypic differences as they relate to the taxonomy of the genus. The most striking aspect of the phylogenetic analysis is that none of the three nominal species (B. longicaudatus, B. euthychilus, and B. gracilis) are monophyletic. Additionally, two taxa appear to have discordant ITS and LSU sequences. Three major clades of B. longicaudatus exhibited discernible, overlapping, geographic foci from east to west across the peninsula. Morphological character states …

Multiplatform Genome-Wide Identification And Modeling Of Functional Human Estrogen Receptor Binding Sites, Chin-Yo Lin, Vinsensius B. Vega, Koon Siew Lai, Li Say Kong, Min Xie, Xiaodi Su, Huey Fang The, Jane S. Thomsen, Ai Li Yeo, Wing Kin Sung, Guillaume Bourque, Edison T. Liu

Faculty Publications

Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) impart specificity to cellular transcriptional responses and have largely been defined by consensus motifs derived from a handful of validated sites. The low specificity of the computational predictions of TFBSs has been attributed to ubiquity of the motifs and the relaxed sequence requirements for binding. We posited that the inadequacy is due to limited input of empirically verified sites, and demonstrated a multiplatform approach to constructing a robust model. Results: Using the TFBS for the estrogen receptor (ER)alpha (estrogen response element [ERE]) as a model system, we extracted EREs from multiple molecular and genomic platforms …

Co-Variation In Soil Biodiversity And Biogeochemistry In Northern And Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, Byron J. Adams, J. E. Barrett, Ross A. Virginia, Diana H. Wall, S. C. Cary, A. L. Hacker, J. M. Aislabie

Faculty Publications

Data from six sites in Victoria Land (72-77degrees S) investigating co-variation in soil communities (microbial and invertebrate) with biogeochemical properties show the influence of soil properties on habitat suitability varied among local landscapes as well as across climate gradients. Species richness of metazoan invertebrates (Nematoda, Tardigrada and Rotifera) was similar to previous descriptions in this region, though identification of three cryptic nematode species of Eudorylaimus through DNA analysis contributed to the understanding of controls over habitat preferences for individual species. Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis profiles revealed unexpectedly high diversity of bacteria. Distribution of distinct bacterial communities was associated with specific …

Effects Of Feed Additives And Mixed Eimeria Species Infection On Intestinal Microbial Ecology Of Broilers, M. E. Hume, S. Clemente-Hernandez, E. O. Oviedo Rondon

Faculty Publications

Evaluation of digestive microbial ecology is necessary to understand effects of growth-promoting feed. In the current study, the dynamics of intestinal microbial communities (MC) were examined in broilers fed diets supplemented with a combination of antibiotic (bacitracin methylene disalicylate) and ionophore (Coban 60), and diets containing 1 of 2 essential oil (EO) blends, Crina Poultry (CP) and Crina Alternate (CA). Five treatments were analyzed: 1) unmedicated uninfected control; 2) unmedicated infected control; 3) feed additives monensin (bacitracin methylene disalicylate) + monensin (Coban 60; AI); 4) EO blend CP; and 5) EO blend CA. Additives were mixed into a basal feed …

Investigating The Mechanism Of Acoustically Activated Uptake Of Drugs From Pluronic Micelles, Ghaleb A. Husseini, Christopher M. Runyan, William G. Pitt

Faculty Publications

Background

This paper examines the mechanism of ultrasonic enhanced drug delivery from Pluronic micelles. In previous publications by our group, fluorescently labeled Pluronic was shown to penetrate HL-60 cells with and without the action of ultrasound, while drug uptake was increased with the application of ultrasound.

Methods

In this study, the amount of uptake of two fluorescent probes, Lysosensor Green (a pH-sensitive probe) and Cell Tracker Orange CMTMR (a pH-independent probe), was measured in HL-60 and HeLa cells.

Results

The results of our experiments show that the increase in drug accumulation in the cells as a result of ultrasonication is …

The Mycobactericidal Efficacy Of Orthophthalaldehyde And The Comparative Resistances Of Mycobacterium Bovis, Mycobacterium Terrae, And Mycobacterium Chelonae, Richard A. Robison, Adam W. Gregory, G. Bruce Schaalje, Jonathan D. Smart

Faculty Publications

Objectives: To assess the mycobactericidal efficacy of an agent relatively new to disinfection, ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) and to compare the resistances of three Mycobacterium species. Mycobacterium bovis (strain BCG) was compared with Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium terrae to investigate the feasibility of using either of the latter two species in tuberculocidal testing. M chelonae (a rapid grower) and M terrae (an intermediate grower) both grow faster and are less virulent than M bovis (a slow grower).