Exoautometabolic regulation of transgenes in microorganisms

Data on the existence of a specific system regulating the growth, size, and structure of enterobacterial populations are first summarized in terms of the chemical ecology concept formulated by S.S. Shvarts. The role of this system in transgene functioning is described using the example of the lux operon integrated into Escherichia coli. A relatively simple test for estimating such interactions is proposed.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 2, 2005, pp. 91–96.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Pshenichnov, Maslennikova, Nikitina.     

紫外线消毒中的光复活作用

近年来，紫外线消毒技术在水处理中得到了越来越广泛的应用，它主要是利用短波紫外对微生物的伤害作用，通过在DNA中形成环丁烷嘧啶二聚体，阻碍基因的正常复制，从而导致细菌失活。但是细菌体内的光裂解酶在远紫外光和可见光作用下能够使失活的细菌重新获得活性，这就是光复活作用。低压消毒设备处理后大肠杆菌表现出了一定的光复活能力，但中压消毒设备能够有效的抑制其光复活作用；而噬肺军团菌在低压和中压设备处理后都表现出了很强的光复活能力。在应用紫外线消毒技术时光复活作用的影响不容忽视。     

载银活性碳纤维对大肠杆菌吸附作用的研究

以大肠杆菌（Ｅｓｃｈｅｒｉｃｈｉａｃｏｌｉ）为对象，通过细菌吸附实验研究了载银活性碳纤维（ＡＣＦ（Ａｇ））对大肠杆菌的吸附特性．借助扫描电子显微镜（ＳＥＭ）进行细菌分布形态的观察和细菌数量的计算．结果表明，大肠杆菌易分布于ＡＣＦ（Ａｇ）表面的沟槽处；ＡＣＦ（Ａｇ）吸附的细菌数量随银含量、比表面积的增加而增大．此外，细菌吸附量还与ＡＣＦ（Ａｇ）表面银颗粒的大小有关．对吸附细菌的动力学亦进行了研究．     

UV/O3复合降解水中2,4-二氯酚的试验研究

以紫外光源为主要依托,变换反应器中的不同工艺条件,分别对紫外光、臭氧和紫外/臭氧三种不同于工艺条件对水中污染物2,4-二氯酚(2 ,4-DCP)的降解规律进行研究.结果表明,UV/O3复合对2,4-DCP的降解较UV、O3单独作用效果好;溶液的酸碱度影响UV/O3对2 ,4-DCP的降解;此外,溶液中含有细菌时,E. coli的杀灭效果仍表现为UV/O3＞O3＞UV.细菌的杀灭和2,4-DCP的降解均消耗羟基自由基,形成竞争反应,从而影响到2,4-DCP的降解效果.     

利用重组大肠杆菌SOS法评价污水厂出水的遗传毒性以及工艺去除效果

SOS/umu测试法被广泛应用于化合物和复杂混合物遗传毒性的评价,由于该技术所用菌种为致病菌且操作步骤繁琐等原因,制约了技术的推广应用。研究建立了基于重组大肠杆菌SOS效应的水质遗传毒性检测方法(专利号:ZL201110022476.1),应用该方法评价了某市4座污水厂出水的直接遗传毒性效应,同时以污水处理一厂为例考察了直接遗传毒性效应的季节变化规律以及不同的工艺对水中直接遗传毒性物质的去除情况。结果显示:各污水厂出水均表现出一定的直接遗传毒性,对应的4-NQO毒性当量浓度范围为0.018~0.514 mg·L-1;一年四季中夏季进出水直接遗传毒性效应最高,现有工艺中生化处理工艺段对直接遗传毒性去除效果最佳,去除率为33.33%。该方法操作便利、检测敏感性较高、操作危险性较低,可用于水中直接遗传毒性效应的测试。     

Bacterial toxicity testing and antibacterial activity of parabens

Parabens are used because of their antimicrobial effects, yet they have multiple adverse effects. The aim of this work was to evaluate the bactericidal activity and bacterial toxicity of the most common parabens: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben and phenylparaben. The bactericidal action was evaluated by means of the dilution-neutralization method against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and the biotest of inhibition of growth of E. coli was applied for the bacterial toxicity assay. Bactericidal concentrations were reached only for propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben. The toxicity study showed methylparaben to be the least toxic, whereas the most toxic one was phenylparaben. It can be concluded that the disinfectant activity of the parabens studied is insignificant against S. aureus and E. coli. Acute toxicity is very low, and the inhibitory effect is weak. Our results provide information about the risk–benefit balance of parabens use.     

Detection of Class I and II integrons for the assessment of antibiotic and multidrug resistance among Escherichia coli isolates from agricultural irrigation waters in Bulacan,Philippines

Contaminated irrigation water may greatly affect not only the quality of produce but also the people exposed to it. In this study, agricultural irrigation waters in Bulacan, Philippines were assessed and found to be contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) ranging from 0.58 to 4.51 log₁₀ CFU/mL. A total of 79 isolates of E. coli were confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifying the uidA gene and were tested for phenotypic resistance using 10 antimicrobials through the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Forty-six isolates (58.22%) were noted to be multidrug resistant (MDR) with high resistance rate to cephalothin, tetracycline, streptomycin, ampicillin, trimethoprim, nalidixic acid, and chloramphenicol. Moreover, this study also examined the prevalence of Class I and II integrons accounting to 67.39% and 17.39%, respectively, of the MDR E. coli strains using multiplex PCR. The results imply that the agricultural water used in Bulacan is contaminated with the fecal material of man or other animals present in the area, and the presence of MDR bacteria, which pose a potential threat to individuals in these areas, is alarming. In addition, detection of integrons could be a good marker for the identification of MDR isolates. Lastly, this study could develop strategies for the proper management of farming sites leading to the detection of food-borne pathogens and prevention of infectious diseases.     

利用PCR-DGGE溯源典型农村塘坝饮用水中的污染

以华南地区典型农村塘坝饮用水为研究对象,采用基于大肠杆菌的两种特异性基因(β-D-葡萄糖苷酶编码基因uidA和膜外周磷通道蛋白编码基因phoE)的群体差异分析(PCR-DGGE),对饮用水中的污染情况进行了溯源研究.结果表明,采用富集培养的混合菌体DNA作为模板扩增大肠杆菌特异性基因更加实用.uidA和phoE的引物均...     

超强静磁场对染料脱色菌Escheriehia coli的acpD基因的影响

将大肠杆菌E.coli ATCC8739置于12.0 T超强静磁场(ultra-strong static magnetic field,SMF)中进行处理,获得了磁场处理0.5、1、2、4和8 h的菌株E.coli-SMFn(n=0.5、1、2、4、8)。在37℃、pH 7、静置的条件下,菌株对偶氮染料AR14(I.C.Acid Red 14)的脱色结果指出,当反应进行到4、6和8 h时,E.coli-SMF8的脱色效率分别为18%、55%和96%,远高于E.coli ATCC8739的3%、19%和50%,表明SMF作用显著地增强了菌株的脱色效率。基因组DNA提取、PCR扩增、分子克隆以及基因测序的实验结果进一步表明,全部6例E.coli ATCC8739菌株的偶氮还原酶基因(acpD)序列均与GenBank中报道的完全一致;而E.coli-SMF8菌株的acpD-SMF8核酸序列中缺失了第99位的胞嘧啶。该缺失突变不仅使acpD-SMF8的核酸序列与acpD的存在显著不同,同时得到了具新活性中心的偶氮还原酶AzoR-SMF8。这个新的活性中心具有更强的黄素(FMN)结合能力,因此使该酶与偶氮染料的亲和力大大增加,促进了脱色效率的提高。     

Effects of feed-supplementation and hide-spray application of two sources of tannins on enteric and hide bacteria of feedlot cattle

Pathogenic bacteria attached to the hide or shed in the feces of cattle at slaughter can contaminate carcasses intended to be processed for human consumption. Therefore, new pre-harvest interventions are needed to prevent the carriage and excretion of foodborne pathogens in cattle presented to the processing plant. The objectives of this study were to examine the antimicrobial effects of hydrolysable tannin-rich chestnut and condensed tannin-rich mimosa extracts on bacterial indicators of foodborne pathogens when applied as a hide-intervention and as a feed additive to feedlot cattle. Water (control) or solutions (3 % wt/vol) of chestnut- and mimosa-extract treatments were sprayed (25 mL) at the left costal side of each animal to a 1000 cm² area, divided in four equal quadrants. Hide-swabs samples obtained at pre-, 2-min, 8-h, and 24-h post-spray application were cultured to enumerate Escherichia coli/total coliforms and total aerobic plate counts. In a second experiment, diets supplemented without (controls) or with (1.5 % of diet dry matter) chestnut- or mimosa-extracts were fed during a 42–day experimental feeding period. Weekly fecal samples starting on day 0, and rumen fluid obtained on days 0, 7, 21 or 42 were cultured to enumerate E.coli/total coliforms and Campylobacter. Tannin spray application showed no effect of treatment or post-application-time (P> 0.05) on measured bacterial populations, averaging 1.7/1.8, 1.5/1.6 and 1.5/1.7 (log₁₀ CFU/cm²) for E. coli/total coliforms, and 4.0, 3.4 and 4.2 (log₁₀CFU/cm²) in total aerobes for control, chestnut and mimosa treatments, respectively. Mean (± SEM) ruminal E. coli and total coliform concentrations (log₁₀ CFU/mL) were reduced (P< 0.01) in steers fed chestnut-tannins (3.6 and 3.8 ± 0.1) in comparison with the controls (4.1 and 4.2 ± 0.1). Fecal E. coli concentrations were affected by treatment (P< 0.01), showing the highest values (log₁₀ CFU/g) in fecal contents from mimosa-fed steers compared to controls (5.9 versus 5.6 ± 0.1 SEM, respectively). Total coliforms (log CFU/g) showed the highest values (P< 0.01) in feces from chestnut- and mimosa-fed steers (6.0 and 6.1 ± 0.1 respectively) in comparison with controls (5.7 ± 0.1). Fecal Campylobacter concentrations (log₁₀CFU/g) were affected by treatment (P< 0.05), day (P< 0.001) and their interaction (P< 0.01) with the controls having lower concentrations than chestnut- and mimosa-fed steers (0.4, 1.0, and 0.8 ± 0.3, respectively). It was concluded that under our research conditions, tannins were not effective in decreasing measured bacterial populations on beef cattle hides. Additionally, chestnut tannin reduced E. coli and total coliforms within the rumen but the antimicrobial effect was not maintained in the lower gastrointestinal tract. Further research is necessary to elucidate the possible antimicrobial effects of tannins at site-specific locations of the gastrointestinal tract in beef cattle fed high-grain and high-forage diets.