scholarly journals Regulation of Serratia marcescens ompF and ompC porin genes in response to osmotic stress, salicylate, temperature and pH

Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 485-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanela Begic ◽  
Elizabeth A. Worobec

Serratia marcescens is a Gram-negative enterobacterium that has become an important opportunistic pathogen, largely due to its high degree of natural antibiotic resistance. One factor contributing to this natural antibiotic resistance is reduced outer membrane permeability, which is controlled in part by OmpC and OmpF porin proteins. OmpF expression is regulated by micF, an RNA transcript encoded upstream of the ompC gene, which hybridizes with the ompF transcript to inhibit its translation. Regulation of S. marcescens porin gene expression, as well as that of micF, was investigated using β-galactosidase reporter gene fusions in response to 5, 8 and 10 % sucrose, 1, 5 and 8 mM salicylate, and different pH and temperature values. β-Galactosidase activity assays revealed that a lower growth temperature (28 °C), a more basic pH (pH 8), and an absence of sucrose and salicylate induce the transcription of the ompF gene, whereas the induction of ompC is stimulated at a higher growth temperature (42 °C), acidic pH (pH 6), and maximum concentrations of sucrose (10 %) and salicylate (8 mM). In addition, when multiple conditions were tested, temperature had the predominant effect, followed by pH. In this study, it was found that the MicF regulatory mechanism does not play a role in the osmoregulation of the ompF and ompC genes, whereas MicF does repress OmpF expression in the presence of salicylate and high growth temperature, and under low pH conditions.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Maria Tobaldi ◽  
Valentina Triminì ◽  
Arianna Cretì ◽  
Mauro Lomascolo ◽  
Stefano Dicorato ◽  
...  

Wide band gap semiconductors are very attractive because of their broad applications as electronics and optoelectronics materials − GaN-based materials being by far the most promising. For the production of such nitride-based optical and power devices, metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) is routinely used. However, this has disadvantages, such as the large consumption of ammonia gas, and the need for high growth temperature. To go beyond such a limit, in this study we successfully developed a remote plasma assisted MOCVD (RPA-MOCVD) approach for the epitaxial growth of high-quality GaN/AlGaN heterostructures on 4H-SiC substrates. Our RPA-MOCVD has the advantages of lower growth temperature (750 °C) compared to conventional MOCVD route, and the use of a remote N2/H2 plasma instead of ammonia for nitrides growth, generating in situ the NHx (x = 0−3) species needed for the growth. As assessed by structural, morphological, optical and electrical characterisation, the proposed strategy provides an overall cost-effective and green approach for high-quality GaN/AlGaN heteroepitaxy, suitable for high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) technology.


2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (22) ◽  
pp. 7453-7463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pryce L. Haddix ◽  
Sarah Jones ◽  
Pratik Patel ◽  
Sarah Burnham ◽  
Kaori Knights ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTSerratia marcescensis a gram-negative environmental bacterium and opportunistic pathogen.S. marcescensexpresses prodigiosin, a bright red and cell-associated pigment which has no known biological function for producing cells. We present here a kinetic model relating cell, ATP, and prodigiosin concentration changes forS. marcescensduring cultivation in batch culture. Cells were grown in a variety of complex broth media at temperatures which either promoted or essentially prevented pigmentation. High growth rates were accompanied by large decreases in cellular prodigiosin concentration; low growth rates were associated with rapid pigmentation. Prodigiosin was induced most strongly during limited growth as the population transitioned to stationary phase, suggesting a negative effect of this pigment on biomass production. Mathematically, the combined rate of formation of biomass and bioenergy (as ATP) was shown to be equivalent to the rate of prodigiosin production. Studies with cyanide inhibition of both oxidative phosphorylation and pigment production indicated that rates of biomass and net ATP synthesis were actually higher in the presence of cyanide, further suggesting a negative regulatory role for prodigiosin in cell and energy production under aerobic growth conditions. Considered in the context of the literature, these results suggest that prodigiosin reduces ATP production by a process termed energy spilling. This process may protect the cell by limiting production of reactive oxygen compounds. Other possible functions for prodigiosin as a mediator of cell death at population stationary phase are discussed.


2000 ◽  
Vol 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teruo Izumi ◽  
Natsuro Hobara ◽  
Toru Izumi ◽  
Katsuya Hasegawa ◽  
Masahiko Kai ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTRecent Progress of development for coated conductors by the LPE technique was reviewed. Double layered LPE films were applied to the growth on metal substrates. In both cases of MgO- and NiO- buffers, the constructions were succeeded to grow on Hastelloy and Ni tapes, respectively. In the case of the MgO-buffer, the problem, which is the melting back of the 1st LPE layer during dipping for the growth of the 2nd LPE layer, was found. The problem was solved by means of the selection of the materials for each LPE layer to introduce the difference in the growth temperature for the 1st and the 2nd layers. The lower growth temperature for the 1st LPE layer than that for 2nd one is effective to avoid the problem. On the other hand, the double layered LPE films on Ni tapes revealed Tc of 85K. Concerning the long tape processing, the high growth rate of 1≈ was confirmed even without rotation using the long tape apparatus.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier F. Mariscotti ◽  
Eleonora García Véscovi

Serratia marcescens is an enteric bacterium that can function as an opportunistic pathogen with with increasing incidence in clinical settings. This is mainly due to the ability of express a wide range of virulence factors and the acquisition of antibiotic resistance mechanisms. For these reasons, S. marcescens has been declared by the WHO as a research priority to develop alternative antimicrobial strategies. In this work, we found a PhoP-binding motif in the promoter region of transcriptional regulator RamA of the S. marcescens RM66262. We demonstrated that the expression of ramA is autoregulated and that ramA is also part of the PhoP/PhoQ regulon. We have also shown that PhoP binds directly and specifically to ramA, mgtE1, mgtE2, lpxO1 and lpxO2 promoter regions and that RamA binds to ramA and lpxO1 but not to mgtE1 and lpxO2, suggesting an indirect control for these latter genes. Finally, we have demonstrated that, in S. marcescens, the RamA overexpression induces the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump required to reduce the susceptibility of the bacteria to tetracycline and nalidixic acid. In sum, we herein show the first report describing the regulation of ramA under the PhoP/PhoQ regulon, and the regulatory role of RamA in S. marcescens. Importance We demonstrate that, in S. marcescens, the transcriptional regulator RamA is autoregulated and also controlled by the PhoP/PhoQ signal transduction system. We have shown that PhoP is able to directly and specifically bind to ramA, mgtE1, mgtE2, lpxO1 and lpxO2 promoter regions. In addition, RamA is able to directly interact with the promoter regions of ramA, lpxO1 but indirectly regulates mgtE1 and lpxO2. Finally, we found that, in S. marcescens, RamA overexpression induces the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump required to reduce susceptibility to tetracycline and nalidixic acid. Collectively, these results further our understanding of PhoP/PhoQ regulon in S. marcescens and demonstrate the involvement of RamA in the protection against antibiotic challenges.


1992 ◽  
Vol 280 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Chandra Sekhar ◽  
A. K. Ballal ◽  
L. Salamanca-Riba ◽  
D. L. Partin

ABSTRACTHeteroepitaxial growth of indium arsenide films on indium phosphide substrates is being actively pursued since the electronic properties of these films make them promising materials for optoelectronic and other high speed devices. The various structural aspects of the film that affect their electronic properties are structural defects like dislocations, film-substrate interface roughness and chemical inhomogeneities. In InAs films, electrons accumulate at the film-air interface, making surface morphology an important factor that decides the electronic properties. The InAs films used in this study were grown on InP substrates by metal organic vapor deposition, at different temperatures. A higher growth temperature not only resulted in poor surface morphology of the film, but also created a rough film-substrate interface. However, at all deposition temperatures, the film-substrate interfaces are sharp. At lower growth temperature, the interfaces were flat. Films grown at lower temperatures had good surface morphology and a flat and shaip heterointerface.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamshul Ansari ◽  
Rabindra Dhital ◽  
Sony Shrestha ◽  
Sangita Thapa ◽  
Ram Puri ◽  
...  

Introduction. Pseudomonas aeruginosais the most frequently isolated organism as it acts as the opportunistic pathogen and can cause infections in immunosuppressed patients. The production of different types of beta-lactamases renders this organism resistant to many commonly used antimicrobials. Therefore, the aim of this study was to document the antibiotic resistance rate inPseudomonas aeruginosaisolated from different clinical specimens.Methods. Pseudomonas aeruginosarecovered was identified by standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method following Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines and all the suspected isolates were tested for the production of ESBLs, MBLs, and AmpC.Results.Out of total (178) isolates, 83.1% were recovered from the inpatient department (IPD). Majority of the isolates mediated resistance towards the beta-lactam antibiotics, while nearly half of the isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Most of the aminoglycosides used showed resistance rate up to 75% but amikacin proved to be better option. No resistance to polymyxin was observed. ESBLs, MBLs, and AmpC mediated resistance was seen in 33.1%, 30.9%, and 15.7% isolates, respectively.Conclusions. Antibiotic resistance rate and beta-lactamase mediated resistance were high. Thus, regular surveillance of drug resistance is of utmost importance.


1993 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Hutsul ◽  
Elizabeth Worobec ◽  
Tom R. Parr Jr. ◽  
Gerald W. Becker

Eight Serratia strains and several members of the Enterobacteriaceae family were used in immunoblot and Southern DNA hybridization experiments and probed with antibody and DNA probes specific for the 41-kDa Serratia marcescens porin, to determine the extent of homology between Gram-negative porins. Immunoblot analyses performed using porin-specific rabbit sera and cell envelope preparations from these strains revealed that all strains produced at least one cross-reactive protein in the 41-kDa molecular weight range. Chromosomal DNA from each of the same strains was used in Southern analyses, probed with a 20-base-length oligonucleotide probe deduced from the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 41-kDa Serratia marcescens porin. The probe hybridized to DNA from all of the Serratia species and six of the nine other enteric bacteria. Putative porin proteins from all the Serratia species were subjected to N-terminal amino acid sequencing and porin functional analysis using the black lipid bilayer method. All amino acid sequences were identical, with one exception in which an asparagine was substituted for an aspartic acid in Serratia rubidaea. All porins had very similar porin function (single channel conductance ranging between 1.72 and 2.00 nS). The results from this study revealed that a strong conservation exists among the Serratia porins and those produced by other enteric bacteria.Key words: porins, Serratia marcescens, homology studies.


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