genomics
- Public and Environmental Health MicrobiologyPhylogenetic and Biogeographic Patterns of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains from North America Inferred from Whole-Genome Sequence Data
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the most common cause of seafood-borne illness reported in the United States and is frequently associated with shellfish consumption. This study contributes to our knowledge of the biogeography and functional genomics of this species around North America.
- PhysiologyKey Enzymes for Anaerobic Lactate Metabolism in Geobacter sulfurreducens
Lactate is a microbial fermentation product as well as a source of carbon and electrons for microorganisms in the environment. Furthermore, lactate is a common amendment for stimulation of microbial growth in environmental biotechnology applications. However, anaerobic metabolism of lactate has been poorly studied for environmentally relevant microorganisms. Geobacter species are found in various environments and environmental...
- Genetics and Molecular BiologyIdentification of Natural Mutations Responsible for Altered Infection Phenotypes of Salmonella enterica Clinical Isolates by Using Cell Line Infection Screens
Salmonella is a foodborne pathogen affecting over 200 million people and resulting in over 200,000 fatal cases per year. Its adhesion to and invasion into intestinal epithelial cells represent one of the first and key steps in the pathogenesis of salmonellosis. Still, around 35 to 40% of bacterial genes have no experimentally validated function, and their contribution to bacterial virulence, including adhesion and invasion,...
- Environmental MicrobiologyGenome-Wide Identification of Host-Segregating Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms for Source Attribution of Clinical Campylobacter coli Isolates
Genome-wide and source attribution studies based on Campylobacter species have shown their importance for the understanding of foodborne infections. Although the use of multilocus sequence typing based on 7 genes from C. jejuni is a powerful method to structure populations, when applied to C. coli...
- Evolutionary and Genomic MicrobiologyMutant and Recombinant Phages Selected from In Vitro Coevolution Conditions Overcome Phage-Resistant Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria monocytogenes is a life-threatening bacterial foodborne pathogen that can persist in food processing facilities for years. Phages can be used to control L. monocytogenes in food production, but phage-resistant bacterial subpopulations can regrow in phage-treated environments. Coevolution...
- Environmental MicrobiologyGenetic and Phenotypic Factors Associated with Persistent Shedding of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli by Beef Cattle
Food animal reservoirs contribute to Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) evolution via the acquisition of horizontally acquired elements like Shiga toxin bacteriophages that enhance pathogenicity. In cattle, persistent fecal shedding of STEC contributes to contamination of beef and dairy products and to crops being exposed to contaminated water systems....
- Environmental MicrobiologyMapping the Efficacy and Mode of Action of Ethylzingerone [4-(3-Ethoxy-4-Hydroxyphenyl) Butan-2-One] as an Active Agent against Burkholderia Bacteria
Burkholderia bacteria are opportunistic pathogens that can overcome preservatives used in the manufacture of nonsterile industrial products and occasionally cause contamination. Consequently, new preservatives to prevent the growth of key risk Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria in nonfood industrial products are urgently required. Here, we show that...
- Environmental MicrobiologyGenomic Landscape of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale in Commercial Turkey Production in the United States
The whole-genome approach enhances our understanding of evolutionary relationships between clinical Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale isolates from different commercial turkey producers and allows for identification of genes associated with virulence, antimicrobial resistance, or mobile genetic elements that are often excluded using traditional typing methods....
- Biodegradation | SpotlightOxidative Catabolism of (+)-Pinoresinol Is Initiated by an Unusual Flavocytochrome Encoded by Translationally Coupled Genes within a Cluster of (+)-Pinoresinol-Coinduced Genes in Pseudomonas sp. Strain SG-MS2
(+)-Pinoresinol is an important plant defense compound, a major food lignan for humans and some other animals, and the model compound used to study degradation of the β-β′ linkages in lignin. We report a gene cluster, in one strain each of Pseudomonas and Burkholderia, that is involved in the oxidative catabolism of (+)-pinoresinol. The flavoprotein component of the α-hydroxylase which heads the pathway belongs to the...
- Evolutionary and Genomic MicrobiologyDissemination of Quinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli in the Norwegian Broiler and Pig Production Chains and Possible Persistence in the Broiler Production Environment
Since antimicrobial usage is low in Norwegian animal husbandry, Norway is an ideal country to study antimicrobial resistance in the absence of selective pressure from antimicrobial usage. In particular, the usage of quinolones is very low, which makes it possible to investigate the spread and development of quinolone resistance in natural environments. Comparison of quinolone-resistant...