genetics
- Genetics and Molecular BiologyCreation of Universal Primers Targeting Nonconserved, Horizontally Mobile Genes: Lessons and Considerations
Increasing use of molecular detection methods, specifically PCR and quantitative PCR (qPCR), requires utmost confidence in the results while minimizing false positives and negatives due to poor primer designs. Frequently, these detection methods are focused on conserved core genes, which limits their applications.
- Genetics and Molecular BiologyAntibacterial Activity of Bacillus inaquosorum Strain T1 against pirABVp-Bearing Vibrio parahaemolyticus: Genetic and Physiological Characterization
The shrimp aquaculture industry has been significantly impacted by acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), resulting in significant financial losses annually. AHPND is caused by strains of the bacterial pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and treatment of AHPND involves the use of antibiotics, which leads to a rise in the number of antibiotic-resistant strains...
- Genetics and Molecular BiologyGenetic Determinants of Salmonella Resistance to the Biofilm-Inhibitory Effects of a Synthetic 4-Oxazolidinone Analog
Biofilms are resistant to killing by disinfectants and antimicrobials. S. enterica biofilms facilitate long-term host colonization and persistence in food processing environments. Synthetic analogs of 4-oxazolidinone natural products show promise as antibiofilm agents. Here, we show that a synthetic 4-oxazolidinone analog inhibits Salmonella biofilm through...
- Plant Microbiology | SpotlightStable Transformation of the Actinobacteria Frankia spp.
The absence of genetic tools for Frankia research has been a major hindrance to the associated field of actinorhizal symbiosis and the use of the nitrogen-fixing actinobacteria. This study reports on the introduction of plasmids into Frankia spp. and their functional expression of green fluorescent protein and a cloned gene. As the first step in developing genetic tools, this technique opens up the field to a wide...
- Biodegradation | SpotlightRapid, Parallel Identification of Catabolism Pathways of Lignin-Derived Aromatic Compounds in Novosphingobium aromaticivorans
The identification of the genes involved in specific biochemical transformations is a key step in predicting microbial function from nucleic acid sequences and in engineering microbes to endow them with new functions. We have shown that new techniques for transposon mutagenesis can dramatically simplify this process and enable the rapid identification of genes in uncharacterized pathways. These techniques provide the necessary scale to...
- Environmental MicrobiologyArsenic Detoxification by Geobacter Species