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Microorganisms Nov 2023This work investigated the antimicrobial potential of 10.1.1. The culture fluid of the strain was found to contain antimicrobial agents active against , , and . was...
This work investigated the antimicrobial potential of 10.1.1. The culture fluid of the strain was found to contain antimicrobial agents active against , , and . was first shown to be capable of forming outer membrane vesicles, which have a bacteriolytic effect against not only Gram-positive bacteria but also against the Gram-negative pathogen . Transcriptomic analysis revealed the genes of almost all known bacteriolytic enzymes of , as well as the genes of enzymes with putative bacteriolytic activity. Also identified were genes involved in the biosynthesis of a number of secondary metabolites for which antimicrobial activities are known. This research is indicative of the relevance of isolating and studying antimicrobial agents.
PubMed: 38137997
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122853 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023Microbial colonization represents one of the main threats to the conservation of subterranean cultural heritage sites. Recently, the microbial colonization on murals in...
BACKGROUND
Microbial colonization represents one of the main threats to the conservation of subterranean cultural heritage sites. Recently, the microbial colonization on murals in tombs has gradually attracted attention.
METHODS
In this study, a total of 33 samples, including 27 aerosol samples and 6 mural painting samples, were collected from different sites of Xu Xianxiu's Tomb and analyzed using culture-dependent methods. We compared the diversities of culturable bacteria and fungi isolated from the air and murals and explored the potential impacts of microorganisms on the biodeterioration of the murals.
RESULTS
Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the culturable bacteria belonged to Bacillus, Microbacterium, Lysobacter and Arthrobacter. And the most of fungal belonged to the Penicillium, Cladosporium and Aspergillus genera. The composition and structure of airborne bacteria and fungi outside the tomb were both significantly different from that inside the tomb. The variation trends of airborne bacterial and fungal concentrations at different sampling sites were remarkably similar. Bacillus frigoritolerans, Bacillus halotolerans, Bacillus safensis, Exiguobacterium mexicanum, Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum, and Micrococcus yunnanensis were bacterial species commonly isolated from both the mural and air environments. Fungal species commonly isolated from aerosol samples and mural painting samples were Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Penicillium brevicompactum, and Peyronellaea glomerata. The prediction of the ecological functions of the bacteria revealed that chemoheterotrophy or aerobic_chemoheterotrophy accounted for substantial relative proportions in all sample types.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the aerosol circulation between the inside and outside environments of the tomb was weak and that the outside environment had yet to have an impact on the air microbial community inside the tomb. Selective colonization of microorganisms, which is mediated by interaction between microorganisms and special microenvironmental factors, is an important reason for the biodeterioration of murals.
PubMed: 37954248
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1253461 -
Mobile phones in the orthopedic operating room: Microbial colonization and antimicrobial resistance.World Journal of Orthopedics May 2020Surgical site infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality following orthopedic surgery. Recent efforts to identify sources of contamination in the operating... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Surgical site infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality following orthopedic surgery. Recent efforts to identify sources of contamination in the operating rooms have implicated mobile phones.
AIM
To investigate microbial colonization on the mobile phones of health care professionals in the orthopedic operating room.
METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study involving culture and sensitivity analysis of swabs taken from the mobile phones of orthopedic and anesthesia attendings, residents, technicians and nurses working in the orthopedic operating rooms over a period of two months. Demographic and cell phone related factors were recorded using a questionnaire and the factors associated with contamination were analyzed.
RESULTS
Ninety-three of 100 mobile phones were contaminated. Species isolated were (62%), Micrococcus (41%) and Bacillus (26%). The risk of contamination was increased with mobile covers and cracked screens and decreased by cell phone cleaning.
CONCLUSION
Mobile phones belonging to health care workers are frequently contaminated with pathogenic bacteria with the potential of transferring drug resistance to nosocomial pathogens. Studies investigating the relationship to surgical site infections need to be conducted. The concept of "mobile hygiene" involving the change of mobile covers, replacement of cracked screens or even wiping the phone with an alcohol swab could yield the cost-effective balance that contaminated cell phones deserve until they are established as a direct cause of surgical site infections.
PubMed: 32477902
DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v11.i5.252 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2022Termite-associated BYF-112 was found as a potential source for yellow and green pigments, which were stable under the tested temperature, light and metal ions. Eight...
Termite-associated BYF-112 was found as a potential source for yellow and green pigments, which were stable under the tested temperature, light and metal ions. Eight metabolites (-), including four new natural yellow pigments aminophenoxazinones (-), and two rarely iron dependent green pigments viridomycin A and F (-) were isolated from BYF-112 cultured in YMS and YMS treated with FeSO, respectively. The metabolites - displayed a significant safety performance on the normal liver cell line L-02, while the metabolite showed weak cytotoxicity against the L-02 and several cancer cells. Especially, in the filter paper disc tests, the compound possessed strong antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant (MRSA) with the zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 15.3 mm, which was equal to that of referenced levofloxacin (ZOI = 15.2 mm). And the metabolite also showed moderate antibacterial activities against and , with the ZOI values of 15.3 and 17.2 mm. In addition, by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay, the compound 1 displayed potential antibacterial activities against , and MRSA, with the MIC values of 12.5, 12.5, and 25.0 μg/ml, respectively. The present results indicate that BYF-112 may be a promising source for safe and bioactive pigments, which can be used for further development and industrial applications.
PubMed: 36726576
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1110811 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2020Bacteriolytic enzymes are promising antimicrobial agents for developing new-generation drugs. Recently, we have isolated a β-lytic protease (BlpLc) from the culture...
Bacteriolytic enzymes are promising antimicrobial agents for developing new-generation drugs. Recently, we have isolated a β-lytic protease (BlpLc) from the culture liquid of VKM B-2533. This BlpLc possesses a valuable property, not described for β-lytic proteases (Blps) earlier, of hydrolyzing living cells of 55 MRSA clinical isolate. This work phylogenetically characterized the BlpLc and investigated its properties. Analysis revealed a variability of pre-/pro-parts of Blp precursors. The mature BlpLc is the closest to the earlier annotated but not isolated Blp from sp. Root690. The biochemical characterization found conditions for the BlpLc general bacteriolytic activity relative to autoclaved 209P cells to differ from that of earlier isolated Blp. Unexpected was the effect of serine (phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF)) and cysteine (p-chloromercuribenzoate (p-CMB)) protease inhibitors on BlpLc bacteriolytic and proteolytic activities. The specificity of BlpLc proteolytic action relative to hemoglobin, elastin, gelatin, collagen, azofibrin, myoglobin, ovalbumin, and ovamucoid was found. New types of peptide bonds-Gly-X, Ser-X, Lys-X, Ala-X, Val-X, Glu-X, and Phe-X-hydrolyzed by the enzyme in protein substrates were first revealed using MALDI-TOF. Turbidimetrically, the BlpLc was found to lyze living cells of 209P, B1819, and B1236, which is important for expanding the enzyme's applied properties.
PubMed: 33126447
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9110744 -
Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2023Bacterial strains were isolated from soil and aqueous solution samples from the Salar del Hombre Muerto, Argentina. A total of 141 strains were characterized and the...
Bacterial strains were isolated from soil and aqueous solution samples from the Salar del Hombre Muerto, Argentina. A total of 141 strains were characterized and the tolerance to sodium chloride was evaluated. We performed a screening to search for molecules of biotechnological interest: carotenoids (11%), emulsifiers (95%), and exopolysaccharides (6%), and to assess the production of enzymes, including proteolytic (39%), lipolytic (26%), hemolytic (50%), and catalase activities (99%); 25 bacterial strains were selected for further studies. Some of them produced biofilms, but only Bacillus sp. HA120b showed that ability in all the conditions assayed. Although 21 strains were able to form emulsions, the emulsifying index Kocuria sp. M9 and Bacillus sp. V3a cultures were greater than 50% and, emulsions were more stable when the bacteria grew in higher salt concentrations. Only pigmented Kocuria sp. M9 showed lipolytic activity on olive oil medium and was able to produce biofilms when cultured without and with 4 M of NaCl. Yellow pigments, lipase activity, and biosurfactant production were observed for Micrococcus sp. SX120. Summarizing, we found that the selected bacteria produced highly interesting molecules with diverse industrial applications and, many of them are functional in the presence of high salt concentrations.
Topics: Argentina; Emulsions; Bacillus; Bacteria; Biotechnology
PubMed: 36790270
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202320211199 -
Toxins Dec 2021β-defensins are antimicrobial peptides presenting in vertebrate animals. They participate in innate immunity, but little is known about them in reptiles, including...
β-defensins are antimicrobial peptides presenting in vertebrate animals. They participate in innate immunity, but little is known about them in reptiles, including snakes. Although several β-defensin genes were described in Brazilian snakes, their function is still unknown. The peptide sequence from these genes was deduced, and synthetic peptides (with approximately 40 amino acids and derived peptides) were tested against pathogenic bacteria and fungi using microbroth dilution assays. The linear peptides, derived from β-defensins, were designed applying the bioisosterism strategy. The linear β-defensins were more active against , , , and . The derived peptides (7-14 mer) showed antibacterial activity against those bacteria and on . Nonetheless, they did not present activity against , , , and showing that the cysteine substitution to serine is deleterious to antifungal properties. Tryptophan residue showed to be necessary to improve antibacterial activity. Even though the studied snake β-defensins do not have high antimicrobial activity, they proved to be attractive as template molecules for the development of antibiotics.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Infective Agents; Bacteria; Fungi; Reptilian Proteins; Snakes; Species Specificity; beta-Defensins
PubMed: 35050978
DOI: 10.3390/toxins14010001 -
International Journal of Cosmetic... Aug 2022Facial skin is a particularly complex environment made of different skin types such as sebaceous (forehead) and dry (cheeks). The skin microbiota composition on... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Facial skin is a particularly complex environment made of different skin types such as sebaceous (forehead) and dry (cheeks). The skin microbiota composition on different facial sites has not yet been addressed.
METHODS
We conducted a 4-week-long, single-centre, randomized and placebo-controlled clinical study involving 23 Caucasian females. We assessed both bacterial composition on five different facial areas and the microbiome modulatory effects resulting from the topical application of a plant extract (Epilobium fleischeri). Skin microbiome samples were collected before and after 4 weeks of product application. Microbiota profiling was performed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and relative abundance data were used to calculate differentials via a multinomial regression model.
RESULTS
Via 'reference frames', we observed shifts in microbial composition after 4 weeks of twice-daily product application and identify certain microbiota species, which were positively associated with the application of the product containing the Epilobium fleischeri extract. Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Micrococcus yunnanensis appeared to be significantly enriched in the final microbiota composition of the active treatment group.
CONCLUSION
Facial skin was found to be colonized by an heterogenous microbiota, and the Epilobium fleischeri extract had a modulatory effect on commensal bacteria on the different facial sites.
Topics: Bacteria; Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase; Female; Humans; Microbiota; Plant Extracts; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Skin
PubMed: 35499362
DOI: 10.1111/ics.12777 -
Marine Drugs Nov 2021Sunscreen and sunblock are crucial skincare products to prevent photoaging and photocarcinogenesis through the addition of chemical filters to absorb or block...
Sunscreen and sunblock are crucial skincare products to prevent photoaging and photocarcinogenesis through the addition of chemical filters to absorb or block ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, several sunscreen and sunblock ingredients, mostly UV filters, have been associated with human and environmental safety concerns. Therefore, the exploration and discovery of promising novel sources of efficient and safer compounds with photoprotection-related activities are currently required. Marine invertebrates, particularly their associated microbiota, are promising providers of specialized metabolites with valuable biotechnological applications. Nevertheless, despite Actinobacteria members being a well-known source of bioactive metabolites, their photoprotective potential has been poorly explored so far. Hence, a set of methanolic extracts obtained from -derived actinomycetes was screened regarding their antioxidant and UV-absorbing capacities (i.e., photoprotection-related activities). The active extract-producing strains were identified and classified within genera and This is the first report of the isolation of these microorganisms from (an ecologically important Caribbean coral reef-boring sponge). The in vitro cytotoxicity on dermal fibroblasts of oxybenzone and the selected active extracts revealed that oxybenzone exerted a cytotoxic effect, whereas no cytotoxic effect of test extracts was observed. Accordingly, the most active (SPFi > 5, radical scavenging > 50%) and nontoxic (cell viability > 75%) extracts were obtained from strains. Finally, LC-MS-based characterization suggested a broad chemical space within the test strains and agreed with the reported streptomycetes' chemodiversity. The respective metabolite profiling exposed a strain-specific metabolite occurrence, leading to the recognition of potential hits. These findings suggest that marine produce photoprotectants ought to be further explored in skincare applications.
Topics: Actinobacteria; Animals; Antioxidants; Aquatic Organisms; Biphenyl Compounds; Caribbean Region; Coral Reefs; Fibroblasts; Humans; Picrates; Porifera; Sunscreening Agents; Ultraviolet Rays
PubMed: 34940673
DOI: 10.3390/md19120674 -
Dose-response : a Publication of... 2022The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of fruit. Ethanolic extract was prepared and phytochemical screening showed the presence...
The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of fruit. Ethanolic extract was prepared and phytochemical screening showed the presence of a lot of chemical compounds. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra indicated the presence of organic acids, hydroxyl and phenolic compounds, amino groups, aliphatic compounds, and functional groups such as amide, ketone, aldehyde, aromatics, and halogen compounds. Antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of by the DPPH method showed 71.4% inhibition, whereas IC ± SEM (μg/mL) was .406 ± .11. Antibacterial activity was performed against Maximum antibacterial activity was exhibited by , and it was Antifungal activity was performed against Ethanolic extract of showed antifungal activity against ± 1 mm) 4 ± 1 mm) Aspergillus ( ± 1 mm), whereas no activity was exhibited by . Further research is needed in order to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of as well.
PubMed: 36106057
DOI: 10.1177/15593258221126832