Microbiology Commons^™

The Mrna-Lnp Vaccines - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly?, Botond Z. Igyártó, Zhen Qin

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The mRNA-LNP vaccine has received much attention during the COVID-19 pandemic since it served as the basis of the most widely used SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Western countries. Based on early clinical trial data, these vaccines were deemed safe and effective for all demographics. However, the latest data raise serious concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines. Here, we review some of the safety and efficacy concerns identified to date. We also discuss the potential mechanism of observed adverse events related to the use of these vaccines and whether they can be mitigated by alterations of this vaccine mechanism …

A Rationally Designed Antimicrobial Peptide From Structural And Functional Insights Of Clostridioides Difficile Translation Initiation Factor 1, Elvira Alanis, Faith Aguilar, Niaz Banaei, Frank B. Dean, Alexa Villarreal, Miguel Alanis, Karen Lozano, James M. Bullard, Yonghong Zhang

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

ABSTRACT: A significant increase of hospital-acquired bacterial infections during the COVID-19 pandemic has become an urgent medical problem. Clostridioides difficile is an urgent antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen and a leading causative agent of nosocomial infections. The increasing recurrence of C. difficile infection and antibi­otic resistance in C. difficile has led to an unmet need for the discovery of new com­pounds distinctly different from present antimicrobials, while antimicrobial peptides as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics have attracted growing interest recently. Protein synthesis is an essential metabolic process in all bacteria and a validated antibiotic target. Initiation factor 1 from C. difficile (Cd-IF1) …

Metabolic Model Predictions Enable Targeted Microbiome Manipulation Through Precision Prebiotics, Georgios Marinos, Inga K Hamerich, Reena Debray, Nancy Obeng, Carola Petersen, Jan Taubenheim, Johannes Zimmermann, Dana Blackburn, Buck S Samuel, Katja Dierking, Andre Franke, Matthias Laudes, Silvio Waschina, Hinrich Schulenburg, Christoph Kaleta

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

While numerous health-beneficial interactions between host and microbiota have been identified, there is still a lack of targeted approaches for modulating these interactions. Thus, we here identify precision prebiotics that specifically modulate the abundance of a microbiome member species of interest. In the first step, we show that defining precision prebiotics by compounds that are only taken up by the target species but no other species in a community is usually not possible due to overlapping metabolic niches. Subsequently, we use metabolic modeling to identify precision prebiotics for a two-member Caenorhabditis elegans microbiome community comprising the immune-protective target species Pseudomonas …

The Diversity Of Wolbachia Across The Turtle Ants (Formicidae: Cephalotes Spp.), Corey Reese, Leland C. Graber, Manuela O. Ramalho, Corrie S. Moreau

Biology Faculty Publications

Wolbachia is a widespread and well-known bacterium that can induce a wide range of changes within its host. Ants specifically harbor a great deal of Wolbachia diversity and are useful systems to study endosymbiosis. The turtle ants (Cephalotes) are a widespread group of tropical ants that rely on gut microbes to support their herbivorous diet for their survival, yet little is known of the extent of this diversity. Therefore, studying their endosymbionts and categorizing the diversity of bacteria within Cephalotes hosts could help to delimit species and identify new strains and can help lead to a further understanding of how …

Clostridium Butyricum And Carbohydrate Active Enzymes Contribute To The Reduced Fat Deposition In Pigs, Lingyan Ma, Shiyu Tao, Tongxing Song, Wentao Lyu, Ying Li, Wen Wang, Qicheng Shen, Yan Ni, Jiang Zhu, Jiangchao Zhao, Hua Yang, Yingping Xiao

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pig gastrointestinal tracts harbor a heterogeneous and dynamic ecosystem populated with trillions of microbes, enhancing the ability of the host to harvest energy from dietary carbohydrates and contributing to host adipogenesis and fatness. However, the microbial community structure and related mechanisms responsible for the differences between the fatty phenotypes and the lean phenotypes of the pigs remained to be comprehensively elucidated. Herein, we first found significant differences in microbial composition and potential functional capacity among different gut locations in Jinhua pigs with distinct fatness phenotypes. Second, we identified that Jinhua pigs with lower fatness exhibited higher levels of short-chain fatty …

College Of Natural Sciences 2023 Year-End Publication, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 3 Department Highlights
Page 4 One Day for State
Page 5 Noble Prize Winner Speaks on Campus
Page 6-7 Faculty Excellence
Page 8-9 Student Excellence
Page 10 Outreach Program
Page 10 Events and Traditions
Page 11 Connections Abroad
Page 12 Student Spotlight
Page 13 Alumni Spotlight
Page 14 First Ever Drone Day
Page 15 Grand Opening of POET Bioproducts Center
Page 16 Work Anniversaries

Hiv-1 Mrna Knockdown With Crispr/Cas9 Enhances Neurocognitive Function, Kristen A. Mclaurin, Hailong Li, Kamel Khalili, Charles F. Mactutus, Rosemarie M. Booze

Neurology Faculty Publications

Mixed glia are infiltrated with HIV-1 virus early in the course of infection leading to the development of a persistent viral reservoir in the central nervous system. Modification of the HIV-1 genome using gene editing techniques, including CRISPR/Cas9, has shown great promise towards eliminating HIV-1 viral reservoirs; whether these techniques are capable of removing HIV-1 viral proteins from mixed glia, however, has not been systematically evaluated. Herein, the efficacy of adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing for eliminating HIV-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) from cortical mixed glia was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, a within-subjects experimental design was …

Molecular Genomic Analyses Of Enterococcus Cecorum From Sepsis Outbreaks In Broilers, Douglas D. Rhoads, Jeff Pummill, Adnan Ali Khalaf Alrubaye

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Extensive genomic analyses of Enterococcus cecorum isolates from sepsis outbreaks in broilers suggest a polyphyletic origin, likely arising from core genome mutations rather than gene acquisition. This species is a normal intestinal flora of avian species with particular isolates associated with osteomyelitis. More recently, this species has been associated with sepsis outbreaks affecting broilers during the first 3 weeks post-hatch. Understanding the genetic and management basis of this new phenotype is critical for developing strategies to mitigate this emerging problem. Phylogenomic analyses of 227 genomes suggest that sepsis isolates are polyphyletic and closely related to both commensal and osteomyelitis isolate …

Adaptive Evolution Of Surface Proteins In Microbial Pathogens: Lyme Disease Pathogens (Borreliella Sp.) And Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (Hiv-1), Li Li

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cell and virion surface proteins are key to the survival and adaptation of microbial pathogens by enabling them to evade host immune responses and to persist in diverse environments. Pathogens respond to host immune pressures with genetic changes in surface proteins through mechanisms including point mutations, recombination, gene duplication and loss, and lateral gene transfer, resulting in novel antigenic variants and antigenic diversity. This continuous adaptation helps pathogens evade host immunity, leading to chronic infections and recurrent disease outbreaks. Understanding these mechanisms is vital for developing effective strategies to combat infectious diseases.

This dissertation comprises three chapters exploring the adaptive …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes In The Giant Panda Gut, Feilong Deng, Yanhua Han, Yushan Huang, Desheng Li, Jianmin Chai, Linhua Deng, Ming Wei, Kai Wu, Huabin Zhao, Guan Yang, Jiangchao Zhao, Ying Li, Chengdong Wang

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this study, we have successfully constructed a comprehensive database of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) pertaining to the gut microbiota of the giant panda. Through our analysis, we have identified significant reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), namely Escherichia coli, Citrobacter portucalensis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Furthermore, we have elucidated the primary contributors to ARGs, including Streptococcus alactolyticus and Clostridium SGBP116, in both captive and wild pandas. Additionally, our findings have demonstrated a higher prevalence of ARGs in the metagenome, with notable expression of the RPOB2 gene in S. alactolyticus. Crucially, 1217 ARGs shared homology with human gut …

Us Public Opinion About The Safety Of Gene Editing In The Agriculture And Medical Fields And The Amount Of Evidence Needed To Improve Opinions, Brandon R. Mcfadden, Joy N. Rumble, Kathryn A. Stofer, Kevin M. Folta

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Implementation of gene editing in agriculture and medicine hinges on public acceptance. The objectives of this study were to explore U.S. public opinion about gene editing in agricultural and medical fields and to provide more insight into the relationship between opinions about the safety of gene editing and the potential impact of evidence to improve opinions about safety.

Methods: Data were from two samples of U.S. respondents: 1,442 respondents in 2021 and 3,125 respondents in 2022. Survey respondents provided their opinions about the safety of gene editing in the agricultural and medical fields and answered questions about the number …

The Human Vaginal Microbiota: From Clinical Medicine To Models To Mechanisms, Samantha Ottinger, Clare M Robertson, Holly Branthoover, Kathryn A Patras

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The composition of the vaginal microbiota is linked to numerous reproductive health problems, including increased susceptibility to infection, pregnancy complications, and impaired vaginal tissue repair; however, the mechanisms contributing to these adverse outcomes are not yet fully defined. In this review, we highlight recent clinical advancements associating vaginal microbiome composition and function with health outcomes. Subsequently, we provide a summary of emerging models employed to identify microbe-microbe interactions contributing to vaginal health, including metagenomic sequencing, multi-omics approaches, and advances in vaginal microbiota cultivation. Last, we review new in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models, such as organoids and humanized …

Respiratory Viral Detection In The Plasma And Cerebrospinal Fluid (Csf) Of Young Febrile Infants, Erin G Nicholson, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Leila C Sahni, Laura Ferlic-Stark, Lauren Maurer, Julie A Boom, Pedro A Piedra

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Respiratory viral infections are common in febrile infants ≤90 days. However, the detection of viruses other than enterovirus in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of young infants is not well defined. We sought to quantify the occurrence of respiratory viruses in the blood and CSF of febrile infants ≤90 days.

METHODS: We conducted a nested cohort study examining plasma and CSF samples from febrile infants 15-90 days via rtPCR. The samples were tested for respiratory viruses (respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, enterovirus, parechovirus, adenovirus, bocavirus). Clinical and laboratory data were also collected to determine the presence of serious bacterial …

Finding Gene Candidates That Interact With Mara To Control Hila Expression In Salmonella Enterica, Kylee Hempel

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Salmonella is a well-known pathogen that is linked to food born illnesses common around the world. This pathogen can cause symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, and chills in the host. One of the mechanisms Salmonella uses to infect its host’s epithelial cells deals with the S. typhimurium pathogenicity island 1 (SPI-1). Expression of SPI-1 is activated in response to environmental signals that correlate with the ileum of the small intestine (low oxygen, high osmolarity, and neutral pH). HilA is the central activator of the SPI-1 complex, and when the transcription factor, MarA, is over-expressed in Salmonella, hilA transcription is …

Phosphomolybdic Acid-Doped Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Hybrid: Nanostructured Material With Synergistic Antibacterial Effect, Mariam Mohammad Abdelkhalek

Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial infections represent a major global health concern, causing millions of deaths and significant economic burdens. The development of nanostructured surfaces with antibacterial activity can revolutionize infection control practices. In this study, a hybrid material of Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) doped with phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) was synthesized and characterized by FESEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, and N2 sorption isotherm. The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli as a model organism was tested by colony forming unit (CFU) reduction assay, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and time-kill curve. PMA@ZIF-8 performance as an antibacterial agent was superior to its individual constituents, suggesting synergistic effect of …

Antibacterial And Anticancer Activities Of A Fosmid Clone From Atlantis Ii Red Sea Brine Pool., Marina Nabil

Theses and Dissertations

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and cancer are among the top global human health issues requiring urgent control practices. AMR caused 5 million death cases around the world in 2019. This number is expected to reach 10 million deaths by 2050. Cancer deaths reached 10 million in 2020. Additionally, anticancer drug resistance is a common cause of death among cancer patients. Screening for novel compounds is one of the strategies recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to control drug resistance in microbial and cancer cells. Marine natural products (MNPs) are characterized by chemically diverse structures with various bioactivities, especially in extreme …

A Survey Of Fusarium Oxysporum In Georgia Hemp Farms And Vegetable Gardens, Christopher D. Burt

Georgia Journal of Science

Recent changes in U.S. federal law have recognized the genetic and chemical differences between hemp and marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.), resulting in the legalization of hemp in the United States. The barriers to this plant’s growth in the state of Georgia are not well understood due to its prohibition for the past 80 years. Among the many possible obstacles is fungal disease. Fusarium oxysporum (Schlecht. emend. Snyder & Hansen) is a fungus that damages various crops and was previously researched as a biocontrol agent for C. sativa. Thus, this study surveyed hemp farms in Georgia to determine the prevalence …

Multivalent Epigraph Hemagglutinin Vaccine Protects Against Influenza B Virus In Mice, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Brigette Corder Kampfe, Amber Gadeken, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Influenza B virus is a respiratory pathogen that contributes to seasonal epidemics, accounts for approximately 25% of global influenza infections, and can induce severe disease in young children. While vaccination is the most commonly used method of preventing influenza infections, current vaccines only induce strain-specific responses and have suboptimal efficacy when mismatched from circulating strains. Further, two influenza B virus lineages have been described, B/Yamagatalike and B/Victoria-like, and the limited cross-reactivity between the two lineages provides an additional barrier in developing a universal influenza B virus vaccine. Here, we report a novel multivalent vaccine using computationally designed Epigraph hemagglutinin proteins …

Extracellular Carriers Control Lipid-Dependent Secretion, Delivery, And Activity Of Wnt Morphogens, Taciani De Almeida Magalhaes, Jingjing Liu, Charlene Chan, Kleiton Silva Borges, Jiuchun Zhang, Andrew J Kane, Bradley M Wierbowski, Yunhui Ge, Zhiwen Liu, Prabhath Mannam, Daniel Zeve, Ron Weiss, David T Breault, Pengxiang Huang, Adrian Salic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

WNT morphogens trigger signaling pathways fundamental for embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer. WNTs are modified with palmitoleate, which is critical for binding Frizzled (FZD) receptors and activating signaling. However, it is unknown how WNTs are released and spread from cells, given their strong lipid-dependent membrane attachment. We demonstrate that secreted FZD-related proteins and WNT inhibitory factor 1 are WNT carriers, potently releasing lipidated WNTs and forming active soluble complexes. WNT release occurs by direct handoff from the membrane protein WNTLESS to the carriers. In turn, carriers donate WNTs to glypicans and FZDs involved in WNT reception and to the NOTUM hydrolase, …

Current Status And Applications Of Microbial Chassis Strains For Chinese Biomanufacturing Industry, Guoqiang Chen, Fuqing Wu, Shuang Zheng, Jun Ding, Junting Sheng

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Biomanufacturing is an important component of new quality productive forces, representing the commanding height of the new round of technological revolution and serving as a new engine for industrial transformation following information technology. It demonstrates vast application prospects in fields such as renewable energy, advanced materials, biomedicine, green food, and environmental protection. Biomanufacturing utilizes chassis microorganisms similar as “microchip” to produce various bioproducts via processes including chassis design and construction, large-scale cell cultivation, and product purifications. Most chassis microorganisms in biomanufacturing were not domestically identified. This study summarizes the types of common chassis microorganisms both domestically and internationally, as well …