scholarly journals Incidence of virulence determinants in clinical Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis isolates collected in Sardinia (Italy)

2003 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 491-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Duprè ◽  
S. Zanetti ◽  
A. M. Schito ◽  
G. Fadda ◽  
L. A. Sechi
Keyword(s):  
Enterococcus Faecalis ◽  
Enterococcus Faecium ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Protein Gene ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Virulence Determinants ◽  
Colonization Factor ◽  
Aggregation Substance ◽  
Epithelial Cell Lines ◽  
Surface Protein Gene

Enterococci are widely distributed in the environment; within the human body, they are normal commensals of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. In recent years, enterococci have become one of the most frequent causes of acquired nosocomial infections worldwide. The molecular mechanism of virulence of these bacteria is still not completely understood. The aims of this work were to characterize phenotypically 47 isolates of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium collected in Sardinia (Italy) by their abilities to adhere to different epithelial cell lines (Vero and Caco-2 cells) and to associate their phenotypes with the presence of known virulence genes detected within their genomes by PCR. The following genes were amplified: AS (aggregation substance), esp (surface protein gene), ace (accessory colonization factor), efaA (E. faecalis endocarditis antigen) and gelE (gelatinase). The virulence genes were detected in E. faecalis isolates only, with the exception of esp, which was found in both species. The phenotypic and genotypic results were also compared with the susceptibility of isolates to various antibiotics.

scholarly journals Enterococcal Surface Protein Esp Is Important for Biofilm Formation of Enterococcus faecium E1162

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (22) ◽  
pp. 8233-8240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Heikens ◽  
Marc J. M. Bonten ◽  
Rob J. L. Willems
Keyword(s):  
Enterococcus Faecium ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Protein Gene ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Essential Factor ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Surface Protein Gene ◽  
Multiple Antibiotics

ABSTRACT Enterococci have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens with resistance to multiple antibiotics. Adhesion to abiotic materials and biofilm formation on medical devices are considered important virulence properties. A single clonal lineage of Enterococcus faecium, complex 17 (CC17), appears to be a successful nosocomial pathogen, and most CC17 isolates harbor the enterococcal surface protein gene, esp. In this study, we constructed an esp insertion-deletion mutant in a clinical E. faecium CC17 isolate. In addition, initial adherence and biofilm assays were performed. Compared to the wild-type strain, the esp insertion-deletion mutant no longer produced Esp on the cell surface and had significantly lower initial adherence to polystyrene and significantly less biofilm formation, resulting in levels of biofilm comparable to those of an esp-negative isolate. Capacities for initial adherence and biofilm formation were restored in the insertion-deletion mutant by in trans complementation with esp. These results identify Esp as the first documented determinant in E. faecium CC17 with an important role in biofilm formation, which is an essential factor in infection pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Ecology of Antibiotic Resistance Genes: Characterization of Enterococci from Houseflies Collected in Food Settings

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 4028-4035 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilia Macovei ◽  
Ludek Zurek
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Protein Gene ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Tetracycline Resistance ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Aggregation Substance ◽  
Surface Protein Gene

ABSTRACT In this project, enterococci from the digestive tracts of 260 houseflies (Musca domestica L.) collected from five restaurants were characterized. Houseflies frequently (97% of the flies were positive) carried enterococci (mean, 3.1 � 103 CFU/fly). Using multiplex PCR, 205 of 355 randomly selected enterococcal isolates were identified and characterized. The majority of these isolates were Enterococcus faecalis (88.2%); in addition, 6.8% were E. faecium, and 4.9% were E. casseliflavus. E. faecalis isolates were phenotypically resistant to tetracycline (66.3%), erythromycin (23.8%), streptomycin (11.6%), ciprofloxacin (9.9%), and kanamycin (8.3%). Tetracycline resistance in E. faecalis was encoded by tet(M) (65.8%), tet(O) (1.7%), and tet(W) (0.8%). The majority (78.3%) of the erythromycin-resistant E. faecalis isolates carried erm(B). The conjugative transposon Tn916 and members of the Tn916/Tn1545 family were detected in 30.2% and 34.6% of the identified isolates, respectively. E. faecalis carried virulence genes, including a gelatinase gene (gelE; 70.7%), an aggregation substance gene (asa1; 33.2%), an enterococcus surface protein gene (esp; 8.8%), and a cytolysin gene (cylA; 8.8%). Phenotypic assays showed that 91.4% of the isolates with the gelE gene were gelatinolytic and that 46.7% of the isolates with the asa1 gene aggregated. All isolates with the cylA gene were hemolytic on human blood. This study showed that houseflies in food-handling and -serving facilities carry antibiotic-resistant and potentially virulent enterococci that have the capacity for horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes to other bacteria.

Three strains of Wolbachia pipientis and high rates of infection in Iranian sandfly species

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bordbar ◽  
S. Soleimani ◽  
F. Fardid ◽  
M.R. Zolfaghari ◽  
P. Parvizi
Keyword(s):  
Protein Gene ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Wolbachia Pipientis ◽  
Major Surface Protein ◽  
Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Surface Protein Gene ◽  
Major Surface ◽  
Zoonotic Visceral Leishmaniasis

AbstractIndividual wild-caught sandflies from Iran were examined for infections of Wolbachia pipientis by targeting the major surface protein gene wsp of this intracellular α-proteobacterium. In total, 638 male and female sandflies were screened, of which 241 were found to be positive for one of three wsp haplotypes. Regardless of geographical origins and habitats, Phlebotomus (Phlebotomus) papatasi and other sandfly species were found to be infected with one common, widespread strain of A-group W. pipientis (Turk 54, GenBank accession EU780683; AY288297). In addition, a new A-group haplotype (Turk07, GenBank accession KC576916) was isolated from Phlebotomus (Paraphlebotomus) mongolensis and Phlebotomus (Pa.) caucasicus, and a new B-group haplotype (AZ2331, GenBank accession JX488735) was isolated from Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perfiliewi. Therefore, Wolbachia was found to occur in at least three of the incriminated vectors of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis and zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in different geographical regions of Iran. It may provide a new tool for the future control of leishmaniasis.

Reproducible and variable rearrangements of a Tetrahymena thermophila surface protein gene family occur during macronuclear development

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 5043-5046
Author(s):  
J P Kile ◽  
H D Love ◽  
C A Hubach ◽  
G A Bannon
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Regulation ◽  
Cdna Clone ◽  
Multigene Family ◽  
Protein Gene ◽  
Tetrahymena Thermophila ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Hybridization Probe ◽  
Macronuclear Development ◽  
Surface Protein Gene

The expression of Tetrahymena surface proteins serotype H3 (SerH3) and serotype T (SerT) is under environmental regulation. SerH3 is expressed when cells are incubated between the temperatures of 20 and 35 degrees C, while SerT is expressed when cells are grown at temperatures above 35 degrees C. Using a SerH3 cDNA clone as a hybridization probe, we determined that (i) the SerH3 gene is a member of a multigene family; (ii) most members of this multigene family are variably rearranged during macronuclear development; and (iii) the gene which produces the SerH3 mRNA is reproducibly rearranged during macronuclear development.

scholarly journals Antigenic diversity ofTheileriamajor piroplasm surface protein gene in Jeju black cattle

2008 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myung-Soon Ko ◽  
Kyoung-Kap Lee ◽  
Kyu-Kye Hwang ◽  
Byung-Sun Kim ◽  
Gui-Cheol Choi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Gene ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Antigenic Diversity ◽  
Surface Protein Gene ◽  
Jeju Black Cattle
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