scholarly journals Development of a Phage Cocktail to Target Salmonella Strains Associated with Swine

2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Anisha M. Thanki ◽  
Viviana Clavijo ◽  
Kit Healy ◽  
Rachael C. Wilkinson ◽  
Thomas Sicheritz-Pontén ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prophylactic Treatment ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
Broad Host Range ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Phenotypic Differences ◽  
Phage Cocktail ◽  
Phage Treatment

Infections caused by multidrug resistant Salmonella strains are problematic in swine and are entering human food chains. Bacteriophages (phages) could be used to complement or replace antibiotics to reduce infection within swine. Here, we extensively characterised six broad host range lytic Salmonella phages, with the aim of developing a phage cocktail to prevent or treat infection. Intriguingly, the phages tested differed by one to five single nucleotide polymorphisms. However, there were clear phenotypic differences between them, especially in their heat and pH sensitivity. In vitro killing assays were conducted to determine the efficacy of phages alone and when combined, and three cocktails reduced bacterial numbers by ~2 × 103 CFU/mL within two hours. These cocktails were tested in larvae challenge studies, and prophylactic treatment with phage cocktail SPFM10-SPFM14 was the most efficient. Phage treatment improved larvae survival to 90% after 72 h versus 3% in the infected untreated group. In 65% of the phage-treated larvae, Salmonella counts were below the detection limit, whereas it was isolated from 100% of the infected, untreated larvae group. This study demonstrates that phages effectively reduce Salmonella colonisation in larvae, which supports their ability to similarly protect swine.

scholarly journals Somatic variants for seed and fruit set in grapevine

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Costantini ◽  
Paula Moreno-Sanz ◽  
Chinedu Charles Nwafor ◽  
Silvia Lorenzi ◽  
Annarita Marrano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Wine Industry ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Wine Quality ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Germplasm Collections

Abstract Background Grapevine reproductive development has direct implications on yield. It also impacts on berry and wine quality by affecting traits like seedlessness, berry and bunch size, cluster compactness and berry skin to pulp ratio. Seasonal fluctuations in yield, fruit composition and wine attributes, which are largely driven by climatic factors, are major challenges for worldwide table grape and wine industry. Accordingly, a better understanding of reproductive processes such as gamete development, fertilization, seed and fruit set is of paramount relevance for managing yield and quality. With the aim of providing new insights into this field, we searched for clones with contrasting seed content in two germplasm collections. Results We identified eight variant pairs that seemingly differ only in seed-related characteristics while showing identical genotype when tested with the GrapeReSeq_Illumina_20K_SNP_chip and several microsatellites. We performed multi-year observations on seed and fruit set deriving from different pollination treatments, with special emphasis on the pair composed by Sangiovese and its seedless variant locally named Corinto Nero. The pollen of Corinto Nero failed to germinate in vitro and gave poor berry set when used to pollinate other varieties. Most berries from both open- and cross-pollinated Corinto Nero inflorescences did not contain seeds. The genetic analysis of seedlings derived from occasional Corinto Nero normal seeds revealed that the few Corinto Nero functional gametes are mostly unreduced. Moreover, three genotypes, including Sangiovese and Corinto Nero, were unexpectedly found to develop fruits without pollen contribution and occasionally showed normal-like seeds. Five missense single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified between Corinto Nero and Sangiovese from transcriptomic data. Conclusions Our observations allowed us to attribute a seedlessness type to some variants for which it was not documented in the literature. Interestingly, the VvAGL11 mutation responsible for Sultanina stenospermocarpy was also discovered in a seedless mutant of Gouais Blanc. We suggest that Corinto Nero parthenocarpy is driven by pollen and/or embryo sac defects, and both events likely arise from meiotic anomalies. The single nucleotide polymorphisms identified between Sangiovese and Corinto Nero are suitable for testing as traceability markers for propagated material and as functional candidates for the seedless phenotype.

In-Silico and In-vitro Analysis of Human SOS1 Protein Causing Noonan Syndrome – A Novel Approach to Explore the Molecular Pathways

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinoth Sigamani ◽  
Sheeja Rajasingh ◽  
Narasimman Gurusamy ◽  
Arunima Panda ◽  
Johnson Rajasingh
Keyword(s):  
Noonan Syndrome ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
In Vitro Study ◽  
Human Skin Fibroblast ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Gene Expressions ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Nucleotide Mutation

Aims: Noonan syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder caused by single nucleotide mutation in PTPN11, SOS1, RAF1, and KRAS genes. Background: We hypothesize that in-silico analysis of human SOS1 mutations would be a promising predictor in identifying the pathogenic effect of NS. Methods: Here, we computationally analyzed the SOS1 gene to identify the pathogenic non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) to cause NS. The variant information of SOS1 was collected from the SNP database (dbSNP). The variants were further analyzed by in-silico tools I-Mutant, iPTREE-STAB, and MutPred to elucidate their structural and functional characteristics. Results: We found that 11 nsSNPs of SOS1 were more pathogenic to cause NS. The 3D modeling of the wild-type and the 11 nsSNPs were performed using I-TASSER and validated via ERRAT and RAMPAGE. SOS1 interacting proteins were analysed through STRING, which showed that SOS1 interacted with cardiac proteins GATA4, TNNT2, and ACTN2. During these interactions, GRB2 and HRAS act as an intermediate molecules between SOS1 and cardiac proteins. These in-silico analyses were validated using induced cardiomyocytes (iCMCs) derived from NS patients carrying SOS1 gene variant c.1654A>G (NS-iCMCs) and compared with control human skin fibroblast-derived iCMCs (C-iCMCs). Our in vitro data further confirmed that the SOS1, GRB2 and HRAS gene expressions as well as the activated ERK protein, were significantly decreased in NS-iCMCs compared to C-iCMCs. Conclusion: This is the first in-silico and in vitro study demonstrating that 11 nsSNPs of SOS1 were playing a deleterious pathogenic role in causing NS.

Contribution of boars to reproductive performance and paternity after homospermic and heterospermic artificial insemination

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. R. Ferreira ◽  
D. B. Sávio ◽  
A. C. Guarise ◽  
M. J. Flach ◽  
G. D. A. Gastal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Penetration Rate ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Precise Evaluation ◽  
Umbilical Cords ◽  
Farrowing Rate

Heterospermic AI is commonly used in swine despite preventing precise evaluation of individual boar fertility. The present study compared the contribution of four boars (A, B, C and D) for reproductive performance and for paternity using homospermic and heterospermic (AB, AC, AD, BC, BD and CD) AI (n = 204 for homospermic AI; n = 307 for heterospermic AI). Blood samples from the four boars, from all sows inseminated with heterospermic doses and from the umbilical cords of their piglets, as well as tissue smears from mummified fetuses, were genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Differences among boars were detected for the in vitro oocyte penetration rate and for the number of spermatozoa per oocyte (P < 0.05), but not for sperm motility, mitochondrial functionality and integrity of the membrane, acrosome and DNA (P > 0.05). Homospermic and heterospermic AI resulted in similar (P > 0.05) farrowing rates (90.5% and 89.9%, respectively) and total litter size (12.4 ± 0.4 and 12.7 ± 0.7, respectively). Farrowing rate was lower for Boar B than for Boar C (P < 0.05), but no other differences in reproductive performance among boars were observed with homospermic AI. The SNPs determined the paternity of 94.2% of the piglets sired by heterospermic AI. In the AC pool, paternity contribution per boar was similar (P > 0.05), but differences between boars occurred in all other pools (P < 0.05). Boar D achieved the greatest paternity contribution in all pools and parity categories (nearly 60%), whereas Boar B sired the fewest piglets (at most 40%). Reproductive performance was similar with homospermic and heterospermic AI, but differences in performance among boars undetected with homospermic AI were only evident after genotyping the piglets sired through heterospermic AI.

scholarly journals Single-Nucleotide-Polymorphism-Specific PCR for Quantification and Discrimination of Chlamydia pneumoniae Genotypes by Use of a “Locked” Nucleic Acid

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 3785-3787 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Rupp ◽  
Werner Solbach ◽  
Jens Gieffers
Keyword(s):  
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism ◽  
Chlamydia Pneumoniae ◽  
Locked Nucleic Acid ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphism ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Specific Pcr ◽  
Intraspecies Diversity

ABSTRACT Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are targets to discriminate intraspecies diversity of bacteria and to correlate a genotype with a potential pathotype. Quantification of polygenotypic populations supports this task for in vitro and in vivo applications. We present a novel assay capable of quantifying mixtures of two genotypes differing by only one SNP.

scholarly journals Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms That Cause Structural Changes in the Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein Transcriptional Regulator of the Tuberculosis Vaccine Strain Mycobacterium bovis BCG Alter Global Gene Expression without Attenuating Growth

2008 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 2227-2234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie M. Hunt ◽  
José W. Saldanha ◽  
John F. Brennan ◽  
Pearline Benjamin ◽  
Molly Strom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Hydrogen Bond ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Mycobacterium Bovis ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Receptor Protein ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide

ABSTRACT Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are present in the global transcriptional regulator cyclic AMP (cAMP) receptor protein (CRP) of the attenuated vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis, bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). We have found that these SNPs resulted in small but significant changes in the expression of a number of genes in M. tuberculosis when a deletion of the Rv3676 CRP was complemented by the BCG allele, compared to complementation by the M. tuberculosis allele. We can explain these changes in gene expression by modeling the structure of the mycobacterial protein on the known structure of CRP from Escherichia coli. Thus, the SNP change in the DNA-binding domain, Lys178, is predicted to form a hydrogen bond with the phosphate backbone of the DNA, as does the equivalent residue in E. coli, whereas Glu178 in M. tuberculosis/M. bovis does not, thus explaining the stronger binding reported for CRP of BCG to CRP-binding sites in mycobacterial DNA. In contrast, the SNP change in the nucleotide binding domain (Leu47Pro) is predicted to result in the loss of one hydrogen bond, which is accommodated by the structure, and would not therefore be expected to cause any change in function relating to cAMP binding. The BCG allele fully complemented the growth defect caused by the deletion of the Rv3676 protein in M. tuberculosis, both in vitro and in macrophage and mouse infections, suggesting that these SNPs do not play any role in the attenuation of BCG. However, they may have allowed BCG to grow better under the in vitro-selective conditions used in its derivation from the M. bovis wild type.

scholarly journals Strain and Virulence Diversity in the Mouse Pathogen Chlamydia muridarum

2009 ◽  
Vol 77 (8) ◽  
pp. 3284-3293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle H. Ramsey ◽  
Ira M. Sigar ◽  
Justin H. Schripsema ◽  
Cecele J. Denman ◽  
Anne K. Bowlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Model Organism ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Deletion Mutations ◽  
Chlamydia Muridarum ◽  
Adenocarcinoma Cells ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Virulence Diversity

ABSTRACT The mouse chlamydial pathogen Chlamydia muridarum has been used as a model organism for the study of human Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital and respiratory tract infections. To date, two commonly used C. muridarum isolates have been used interchangeably and are essentially taken to be identical. Herein, we present data that indicate that this is not the case. The C. muridarum Weiss isolate and C. muridarum Nigg isolate varied significantly in their virulences in vivo and possessed different growth characteristics in vitro. Distinct differences were observed in intravaginal 50% infectious doses and in challenge infections, with the Weiss isolate displaying greater virulence. Respiratory infection by the intranasal route also indicated a greater virulence of the Weiss isolate. In vitro, morphometric analysis revealed that the Weiss isolate produced consistently smaller inclusions in human cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa 229) and smaller plaques in monolayers of mouse fibroblasts (L929) than did the Nigg isolate. In addition, the Weiss isolate possessed significantly higher replicative yields in vitro than did the Nigg isolate. In plaque-purified isolates derived from our stocks of these two strains, total genomic sequencing identified several unique nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms and insertion/deletion mutations when our Weiss (n = 4) and Nigg (n = 5) isolates were compared with the published Nigg sequence. In addition, the two isolates shared 11 mutations compared to the published Nigg sequence. These results prove that there is genotypic and virulence diversity among C. muridarum isolates. These findings can be exploited to determine factors related to chlamydial virulence and immunity.

scholarly journals Genetic variants in the p53 pathway influence implantation and pregnancy maintenance in IVF treatments using donor oocytes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo R. Palomares ◽  
Adrián Alberto Castillo-Domínguez ◽  
Maximiliano Ruiz-Galdón ◽  
Kenny A. Rodriguez-Wallberg ◽  
Armando Reyes-Engel
Keyword(s):  
Pregnancy Rates ◽  
Gene Variants ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Genotype Frequencies ◽  
Nested Case Control ◽  
Donor Oocytes

Abstract Purpose Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the p53 pathways have shown to play a role in endometrial receptivity and implantation in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). The present study aimed to assess the influence of these gene variants over pregnancy success through a receptivity model in recipients of egg donation treatments, when factors such as age and quality of the oocytes are standardized. Methods A nested case–control study was performed on 234 female patients undergoing their first fresh IVF treatment as recipients of donor oocytes. Genotyping of TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522), LIF (rs929271), MDM4 (rs1563828), and USP7 (rs1529916) SNPs in the recipients allowed comparison of allele and genotype frequencies and their association with the IVF treatment outcome. Results Grouped by genotypes, patients showed differences in IVF outcomes after the embryo transfer. Arg72Pro (rs1042522) gene variant was associated to changes in implantation and clinical pregnancy rates. The polymorphisms USP7 (rs1529916) and MDM4 (rs1563828) were associated to differential ongoing pregnancy rates and variable miscarriage events, respectively. Conclusions This study highlights the association between gene polymorphisms related to P53 function and their influence over IVF reproductive outcomes. Arg72Pro variant may influence early events, as lower implantation rates were found in homozygous for Pro72 allele. By contrast, MDM4 (rs1563828) and USP7 (rs1529916) gene variants were associated with the later maintenance of pregnancy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document