scholarly journals Identification of Phytoplasmas Representing Multiple New Genetic Lineages from Phloem-Feeding Leafhoppers Highlights the Diversity of Phytoplasmas and Their Potential Vectors

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 352
Author(s):  
Wei Wei ◽  
Valeria Trivellone ◽  
Christopher H. Dietrich ◽  
Yan Zhao ◽  
Kristi D. Bottner-Parker ◽  
...  

Phytoplasmas are obligate transkingdom bacterial parasites that infect a variety of plant species and replicate in phloem-feeding insects in the order Hemiptera, mainly leafhoppers (Cicadellidae). The insect capacity in acquisition, transmission, survival, and host range directly determines the epidemiology of phytoplasmas. However, due to the difficulty of insect sampling and the lack of follow-up transmission trials, the confirmed phytoplasma insect hosts are still limited compared with the identified plant hosts. Recently, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based quick screening of 227 leafhoppers collected in natural habitats unveiled the presence of previously unknown phytoplasmas in six samples. In the present study, 76 leafhoppers, including the six prescreened positive samples, were further examined to identify and characterize the phytoplasma strains by semi-nested PCR. A total of ten phytoplasma strains were identified in leafhoppers from four countries including South Africa, Kyrgyzstan, Australia, and China. Based on virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, these ten phytoplasma strains were classified into four distinct ribosomal (16Sr) groups (16SrI, 16SrIII, 16SrXIV, and 16SrXV), representing five new subgroups (16SrI-AO, 16SrXIV-D, 16SrXIV-E, 16SrXIV-F, and 16SrXV-C). The results strongly suggest that the newly identified phytoplasma strains not only represent new genetic subgroup lineages, but also extend previously undiscovered geographical distributions. In addition, ten phytoplasma-harboring leafhoppers belonged to seven known leafhopper species, none of which were previously reported insect vectors of phytoplasmas. The findings from this study provide fresh insight into genetic diversity, geographical distribution, and insect host range of phytoplasmas. Further transmission trials and screening of new potential host plants and weed reservoirs in areas adjacent to collection sites of phytoplasma harboring leafhoppers will contribute to a better understanding of phytoplasma transmission and epidemiology.

2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 1081-1085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Carla Liberto ◽  
Giovanni Matera ◽  
Angelo G. Lamberti ◽  
Angela Quirino ◽  
Giorgio S. Barreca ◽  
...  

Systemic Bartonella henselae infections are unusual in immunocompetent adults. However, here we report one such case of bartonellosis in a 34-year-old patient, who presented with fever and multinodular splenomegaly. We also describe a novel method of identifying Bartonella henselae by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of amplified products. This could prevent splenic bartonellosis being mistaken for lymphoma and thereby avert unnecessary splenectomy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. e0007147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel R. Barbieri ◽  
Fernanda S. N. Manta ◽  
Suelen J. M. Moreira ◽  
Anna M. Sales ◽  
José A. C. Nery ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Broadrup ◽  
Christopher Mayack ◽  
Sassicaia J. Schick ◽  
Elizabeth J. Eppley ◽  
Helen K. White ◽  
...  

AbstractA pilot study was conducted to determine if exposome profiles of honey bees(Apis mellifera)are associated withNosema ceranaeinfection and whether xenobiotic exposures effect changes in known biological pathways of bees. Thirty stationary hives were selected from seven apiaries representing urban and suburban geographies. Foraging bees were harvested during the summer of 2015 and analyzed forNosema ceranaeinfection via semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (sq-PCR) and discovery-based exposome analysis via gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF). The resulting datasets were divided into case and control groups based on the prevalence ofN. ceranaeinfection. Xenobiotic burden was determined to be associated withN. ceranaeinfection, and co-variate analysis determined differentially expressed biological chemicals and naturally occurring chemicals in the bee exposomes. Biological pathways analyses putatively identified 10 dysregulated pathways as well as the presence of the P450 oxidative metabolism of naphthalene for detoxification. Based on these results, it is evident that the integration of genetic disease screening with discovery-based exposomics provides a promising multi-omic platform to identify adverse biological effects to bees occurring from exposures to chemicals and parasites. In addition, this approach will generate new hypotheses for targeted follow-up studies to examine bee health.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangeetha Ananda Baskaran ◽  
Kumar Venkitanarayanan

This study investigated the effect of subinhibitory concentrations (SIC) of five plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs), namely, trans cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, carvacrol, thymol, andβ-resorcylic acid, onE. coliO157:H7 (EHEC) attachment and invasion of cultured bovine colonic (CO) and rectoanal junction (RAJ) epithelial cells. In addition, PDAs’ effect on EHEC genes critical for colonization of cattle gastrointestinal tract (CGIT) was determined in bovine rumen fluid (RF) and intestinal contents (BICs). Primary bovine CO and RAJ epithelial cells were established and were separately inoculated with three EHEC strains with or without (control) SIC of each PDA. Following incubation, EHEC that attached and invaded the cells were determined. Furthermore, the expression of EHEC genes critical for colonization in cattle was investigated using real-time, quantitative polymerase chain reaction in RF and BICs. All the PDAs decreased EHEC invasion of CO and RAJ epithelial cells (P<0.05). The PDAs also downregulated (P<0.05) the expression of EHEC genes critical for colonization in CGIT. Results suggest that the PDAs could potentially be used to control EHEC colonization in cattle; however follow-upin vivostudies in cattle are warranted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Xu ◽  
Juan Lu ◽  
Fan Wang ◽  
Xiong Liu ◽  
Xiaohong Peng ◽  
...  

Although circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have already proven to be useful as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the potential of these molecules to monitor patients over time has been less explored. This study aimed to analyze dynamic changes in plasma miRNAs before and after treatment and explore their clinical significance in monitoring recurrence and metastasis of NPC. Candidate miRNAs were screened by microarray analysis and validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In the follow-up cohort including 102 patients, blood samples (plasma) were collected before the treatment initiation, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after treatments, and at the time of any recurrence or metastasis. Among these plasma miRNAs, miR-9-3p, miR-124-3p, miR-892b, and miR-3676-3p were significantly upregulated (P = 0.018, P = 0.039, P = 0.001, and P = 0.01, resp.) after treatment compared with pretreatment, and the four plasma miRNAs were downregulated again at recurrence or metastasis (P < 0.001, P = 0.015, P = 0.003, and P = 0.026, resp.). The dynamic changes in plasma miRNAs after treatment reflect the outcome of the disease and have the potential to monitor recurrence and metastasis in patients with NPC.


2019 ◽  
Vol 143 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jew Win Kuan ◽  
Anselm Ting Su ◽  
Chooi Fun Leong ◽  
Motomi Osato ◽  
Goro Sashida

The treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) requires quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to monitor BCR-ABL1 in International Scale (IS). Some normal subjects were found to harbour BCR-ABL1. We performed a systematic review on normal subjects harbouring BCR-ABL1. A literature search was done on July 16, 2017 using EBSCOhost Research Databases interface and Western Pacific Region Index Medicus. Two authors selected the studies, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality of studies using the modified Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies independently. The outcomes were prevalence, level of BCR-ABL1IS, proportion, and time of progression to CML. The initial search returned 4,770 studies. Eleven studies, all having used convenient sampling, were included, with total of 1,360 subjects. Ten studies used qualitative PCR and one used qPCR (not IS). The mean prevalence of M-BCR was 5.9, 15.5, and 15.9% in cord blood/newborns/infants (CB/NB/I) (n = 170), children (n = 90), and adults (n = 454), respectively, while m-BCR was 15, 26.9, and 23.1% in CB/NB/I (n = 786), children (n = 67), and adults (n = 208), respectively. No study reported the proportion and time of progression to CML. Nine studies were graded as moderate quality, one study as poor quality, and one study as unacceptable. The result of the studies could neither be inferred to the general normal population nor compared. Follow-up data were scarce.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keita Osumi ◽  
Kenichi Suga ◽  
Akemi Ono ◽  
Aya Goji ◽  
Tatsuo Mori ◽  
...  

AbstractA 1-month-old Japanese infant with cardiac rhabdomyoma was diagnosed with TSC2/PKD1 contiguous gene syndrome by targeted panel sequencing with subsequent quantitative polymerase chain reaction that revealed gross monoallelic deletion, including parts of two genes: exons 19–42 of TSC2 and exons 2–46 of PKD1. Early molecular diagnosis can help to detect bilateral renal cyst formation and multidisciplinary follow-up of this multisystem disease.


Author(s):  
Nadia El Menshawy ◽  
Shaimaa El Ashwah ◽  
Mohamed A. Ebrahim

Background: A trigger for initiation the clonal hematopoietic stem cells disorders could be short telomere length, probably due to chromosomal instability. The relationship between relative telomere length (RTL) and the two linked hematological stem cell disorders, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), is still unclear. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the role of RTL in MDS (n=96) and AML (n=130) at the time of diagnosis using a real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. The median value of RTL (1) was set as the cutoff for statistical comparison. Overall survival (OS) is defined as the time from diagnosis to death or last follow-up. Results: RTL was significantly longer in both MDS and AML cases versus control (p<0.0001) and was significantly longer in MDS versus AML cases (p =0.03). RTL correlated negatively with age in MDS (p <0.0001) but not in AML cases. RTL was also significantly shorter in MDS cases with pancytopenia and poor risk cytogenetics (p < 0.0001 for each) and short RTL was significantly associated with inferior survival (p = 0.007), while RTL showed no significant impact on OS in AML cases. Moreover, short RTL retained independent prognostic value in multivariate analysis (HR= 3.42 [95% CI, 8.97-19.35], p = 0.004). Conclusion: RTL showed an association with both AML and MDS; however, short RTL was an independent poor prognostic factor in MDS patients only.


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