Article
Veterinary Sciences
April A. Estrada, Marcelo Gottschalk, Connie J. Gebhart, Douglas G. Marthaler
Summary: Pan-genome analysis of Streptococcus suis identified novel candidate virulence-associated genes (VAGs) and proposed a genotyping scheme for predicting pathogenicity. Mobile genetic elements carrying antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) were also identified.
VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Alice Wegener, Els M. Broens, Linda van der Graaf-van Bloois, Aldert L. Zomer, Caroline E. Visser, Jan van Zeijl, Coby van der Meer, Johannes G. Kusters, Alex W. Friedrich, Greetje A. Kampinga, Gregorius J. Sips, Leonard Smeets, Manfred E. J. van Kerckhoven, Arjen J. Timmerman, Jaap A. Wagenaar, Birgitta Duim
Summary: This study compared the genetic relatedness and antimicrobial resistance genes of canine and human S. pseudintermedius isolates. The high genetic diversity in MSSP isolates from both hosts and the importance of multidrug resistance were highlighted, with CC241 being a prevalent multidrug resistance genotype. No host-specific genes were significantly associated with either human or canine isolates in this genomic analysis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessio Iannucci, Andrea Benazzo, Chiara Natali, Evy Ayu Arida, Moch Samsul Arifin Zein, Tim S. Jessop, Giorgio Bertorelle, Claudio Ciofi
Summary: Population and conservation genetics studies of the Komodo dragon using whole-genome sequencing of 24 individuals revealed three main genomic groups, with populations on Komodo Island and the northern coast of Flores identified as distinct conservation units. The genomic divergence among island populations was interpreted as related to changes in sea level affecting connectivity. Demographic inference indicated a steep population decline in Komodo dragons over the last million years, reaching a stable N-e during the Saalian glacial cycle before a rapid decrease. Genomic diversity of Komodo dragons was similar to that of endangered or extinct reptile species, highlighting the importance of whole-genome analysis in defining population structure and demographic dynamics for conservation efforts.
Article
Ecology
Natalia C. Garcia, Leonardo Campagna, Andrew C. Rush, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Irby J. Lovette
Summary: Comparing the genomes of closely related suboscine flycatchers and their hybrids, researchers identified six regions of high genomic differentiation that may be associated with variation in nonlearned songs. These regions contain a total of 67 described genes, three of which have been linked to language impairment and dyslexia in humans, and 18 are known to be differentially expressed in the avian song nuclei regions. This study provides insights into the genetic basis of innate vocal signals and can guide further research on vocal differences in various bird lineages.
Article
Microbiology
Shirin Strohmeier, Fatima Amanat, Xueyong Zhu, Meagan McMahon, Meagan E. Deming, Marcela F. Pasetti, Kathleen M. Neuzil, Ian A. Wilson, Florian Krammer
Summary: Current seasonal influenza virus vaccines lack the ability to induce robust immune responses to neuraminidase due to various factors, but by designing stabilized recombinant versions of neuraminidase, a promising vaccine antigen may enhance and broaden protection against seasonal influenza viruses, providing broader coverage and stronger protective immune responses.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lijuan Hou, Jin Xie, Yaoyao Wu, Jiaojiao Wang, Anqi Duan, Yaqi Ao, Xuejiao Liu, Xinmei Yu, Hui Yan, Jonathan Perreault, Sanshu Li
Summary: The researchers established a pipeline called CM-line to identify 11 classes of structured ncRNA candidates with significant covariations in the human genome. Functional analysis suggested that these ncRNAs may have variable functions, such as regulating circadian clock genes or the T-cell receptor signaling pathway. The pipeline can be applied to analyze structured ncRNAs and their functions in other large genomes as well.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Prasanna Mutusamy, Kirnpal Kaur Banga Singh, Lee Su Yin, Bent Petersen, Thomas Sicheritz-Ponten, Martha R. J. Clokie, Stella Loke, Andrew Millard, Sivachandran Parimannan, Heera Rajandas
Summary: Salmonella infections are becoming harder to control due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Researchers have found new Salmonella-specific phages from a rainforest, which have potential as an alternative treatment for these infections. The phages show differences in their lytic spectrum and pH stability, possibly due to nucleotide sequence variations in certain proteins. This study highlights the diversity of novel Salmonella phages in rainforest regions and their potential as antimicrobial agents against multidrug-resistant strains.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Hongxia Niu, Qianqian Cao, Tingting Zhang, Yunjie Du, Pu He, Lei Jiao, Bingxiang Wang, Bingdong Zhu, Lina Hu, Ying Zhang
Summary: A novel multi-antigen fusion protein vaccine was developed and combined with another vaccine, showing promising results in mice infected with tuberculosis.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xiangying Xiong, Ruifang Chen, Junxiang Lai
Summary: In this study, the differences between two genotypes of Streptococcus iniae, BH15-2 and BH16-24, were compared. The results showed that BH16-24 exhibited faster growth, greater drug resistance, and enhanced virulence compared to BH15-2. Comparative genome analysis revealed a large-scale genomic inversion fragment in BH16-24, which resulted in differential expression of drug resistance and virulence genes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shingo Akita, Christophe Vieira, Takeaki Hanyuda, Florence Rousseau, Corinne Cruaud, Arnaud Couloux, Svenja Heesch, J. Mark Cock, Hiroshi Kawai
Summary: Analyses of nuclear protein-coding sequences in 39 Phaeophycean species belonging to eight orders provide significant support for resolving phylogenetic relationships within the studied taxa, confirming relationships seen in other sequences such as nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial. This suggests that nuclear protein coding sequences may be a powerful approach to fully resolve interordinal relationships with increased taxon sampling.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Esmaeil Roohparvar Basmenj, Habib Izadkhah, Maryam Hosseinpour, Ehsan Saburi, Marjan Abhaji Ezabadi, Iraj Alipourfard
Summary: This study introduces a novel in silico vaccine candidate to effectively counter B. pertussis. Through computational screening methodology, a highly immunogenic antigen was identified and used to construct a potential vaccine candidate. Comprehensive evaluation through various computational tests demonstrates the efficacy of the vaccine.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Peng-Cheng Yu, Mo Dan, Ying He, Sheng-Li Meng, Han-Yu Yang, Xiaoye Su, Ya-Juan Wang, Lu Lv, Yu-Fei Sun, Xiao-Yan Tao, Qian Liu, Shu-qing Liu, Sheng-Li Bi, Wu-Yang Zhu
Summary: Rabies, a fatal zoonotic disease, is a major public health problem worldwide. The existing vaccines for human rabies are tedious and costly. This study evaluated a new mRNA rabies vaccine, SYS6008, and found that it induced sufficient levels of neutralising antibodies and provided better protection against rabies virus challenge compared to commercial vaccines.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Anne Brown, David Grant, Rex T. Nelson
Summary: QTL play a key role in studying seed quality traits and breeding, but identifying the specific genes behind each QTL would greatly enhance our understanding of the genetic mechanisms.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tehniyat Rida, Sajjad Ahmad, Asad Ullah, Saba Ismail, Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar, Zobia Afsheen, Muhammad Khurram, Muhammad Saqib Ishaq, Ali G. Alkhathami, Eid A. Alatawi, Faris Alrumaihi, Khaled S. Allemailem
Summary: The study applied bacterial pan-genome analysis to identify potential vaccine candidates against P. gingivalis. Three proteins were shortlisted and used for epitope prediction. A multi-epitopes vaccine construct was designed and validated through molecular dynamics simulation, showing potential for generating protective immune responses.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Nuha Amin Mahmoud, Abdelmajeed M. Elshafei, Yassir A. Almofti
Summary: A novel multi-epitopes vaccine against Jaagsiekte retrovirus, the causative agent of sheep pulmonary adenocarcinoma, was constructed using immunoinformatics tools. Through computational validation, structure prediction and simulation, the study demonstrated the stability and potential protective effect of the vaccine. This research could contribute to the control and eradication of sheep pulmonary adenocarcinoma.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Karina P. De Sousa, Jeremy Potriquet, Jason Mulvenna, Javier Sotillo, Penny L. Groves, Alex Loukas, Simon H. Apte, Denise L. Doolan
Summary: This study identified the protein cargo of sEVs in the plasma of P. yoelii-infected mice. The identified proteins include vaccine candidates, potential targets of T cell immunoreactivity, and proteins involved in metabolic processes, regulation, homeostasis, and immunity. These findings enhance our understanding of the host-parasite interactions and provide potential targets for malaria vaccination.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anna E. Coghill, Jianwen Fang, Zhiwei Liu, Chien-Jen Chen, Ruth F. Jarrett, Henrik Hjalgrim, Carla Proietti, Kelly J. Yu, Wan-Lun Hsu, Pei-Jen Lou, Chen-Ping Wang, Yingdong Zhao, Denise L. Doolan, Allan Hildesheim
Summary: This study examined the IgG antibody responses against 115 EBV peptide sequences in 316 cancer-free adults and identified eight EBV peptide sequences that appear to play a role in immunogenicity. This finding is important for understanding the role of EBV in B-cell immunity in humans.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Yide Wong, Michael T. Meehan, Scott R. Burrows, Denise L. Doolan, John J. Miles
Summary: More than 90% of the adult population globally is chronically infected by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is associated with various malignancies. This review focuses on six cancers with a relatively large EBV-related case burden and estimates the new cases and deaths in 2020. The findings highlight the significant global impact of EBV-related cancers and suggest potential for EBV-specific therapeutic interventions.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tzushan S. Yang, Mason Reichard, Henry S. Marr, Leah A. Cohn, Laura Nafe, Nathan Whitehurst, Adam J. Birkenheuer
Summary: This study aimed to infect Amblyomma americanum ticks with C. felis by injecting infected feline erythrocytes, but found that the parasites in the ticks were unable to progress to the infective sporozoite stage. The study demonstrated the potential of using ticks as an alternative model to study C. felis.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Amali Karunathilaka, Samuel Halstrom, Patricia Price, Michael Holt, Viviana P. Lutzky, Denise L. Doolan, Andreas Kupz, Scott C. Bell, Rachel M. Thomson, John J. Miles, Champa N. Ratnatunga
Summary: Gamma delta T cells are a versatile immune lineage involved in host defense and homeostasis. Using various techniques, we identified novel subsets of gamma delta T cells defined by CD161 expression levels. In the elderly population, V delta 1(-) subset cells exhibited an early memory phenotype, while V delta 1(+) subset cells showed a terminal differentiation phenotype. The clustering of gamma delta T cells was mainly determined by CD161 expression, with limited expression of CD4 and CD8 in specific subpopulations. Comparison between healthy elderly individuals and patients with bronchiectasis revealed elevated levels of V delta 1(+) terminally differentiated effector memory cells in patients, potentially linking this population with chronic proinflammatory disease.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Anthony J. Cerreta, Tzushan S. Yang, Edward C. Ramsay, Adam J. Birkenheuer, Dane Rahoi, Barbara Qurollo, James Wilson, Andrew C. Cushing
Summary: This study investigates the occurrence of vector-borne infections in managed non-domestic felids in the southeastern United States. The results suggest that tigers are more susceptible to tick-borne diseases compared to lions. This finding emphasizes the importance of ectoparasite control in managed care.
JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Kayla Garrett, Ashlyn Halseth, Mark G. Ruder, James Beasley, Barbara Shock, Adam J. Birkenheuer, Mourad Gabriel, Christine Fiorello, M. Melanie Haire, Colleen Olfenbuttel, M. Kevin Keel, Michael J. Yabsley
Summary: This article reports a potential pathogen, Babesia sp., in North American river otters and its wide distribution in otter populations in the eastern United States.
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Denise Doolan, Shan Lu, Ted Ross, Manon Cox
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yomani D. Sarathkumara, Daniel J. Browne, Ashton M. Kelly, David J. Pattinson, Catherine M. Rush, Jeffrey Warner, Carla Proietti, Denise L. Doolan
Summary: This study compared the performance of two widely used whole-blood RNA collection systems, PAXgene and Tempus, in laboratory and suboptimal tropical field conditions. Tempus tubes maintained higher RNA quantity and integrity compared to PAXgene under suboptimal conditions and also showed better stability of mRNA transcripts for reference genes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tzushan S. Yang, Mason Reichard, Jennifer E. Thomas, Laura S. Miller, Henry S. Marr, Michael Karounos, Aaron J. Bell, Adam J. Birkenheuer
Summary: This study provides the first direct visualization of any developing stage of Cytauxzoon felis in ticks using a combination of molecular and microscopic techniques. It lays the foundation for further investigations into the life cycle of C. felis.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Shivshankar Thanigaimani, Vikram Iyer, John Bingley, Daniel Browne, James Phie, Denise Doolan, Jonathan Golledge
Summary: This study examined the association between serum microRNAs (miRNAs) and diagnosis and growth of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and tested their diagnostic and prognostic value. The expression levels of 800 miRNA tags were assessed in AAA patients, healthy controls, and patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The miRNAs let-7b-5p and miR-548n improved the ability to diagnose AAA, but none of the miRNAs had independent prognostic value in predicting AAA growth.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Pabasara Weerarathne, Rebekah Maker, Chaoqun Huang, Brianne Taylor, Shannon R. Cowan, Julia Hyatt, Miruthula Tamil Selvan, Shoroq Shatnawi, Jennifer E. Thomas, James H. Meinkoth, Ruth Scimeca, Adam Birkenheuer, Lin Liu, Mason V. Reichard, Craig A. Miller
Summary: Cytauxzoonosis is a disease caused by C. felis, a parasite transmitted by ticks, that can cause severe illness in domestic cats in the United States. Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent this deadly disease due to difficulties in culturing the parasite in vitro.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Kylie Grady, Eli Ernst, Patricia L. Secoura, Josh Price, Adam Birkenheuer, Shelly L. Vaden, Jonathan Lidbury, Emily Gould, Jeorg M. Steiner, M. Katherine Tolbert
Summary: This study compared gastric pH and serum gastrin concentrations in dogs with CKD to healthy dogs and found no significant differences between the two groups. These results suggest that prophylactic gastric acid suppression is not necessary in dogs with CKD unless there are other clinical indications.
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Tzushan S. Yang, Mason Reichard, Jennifer E. Thomas, Henry S. Marr, Michael Karounos, Julia Hyatt, Craig Miller, Adam J. Birkenheuer
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine if C. felis sporozoites collected from the salivary glands of Amblyomma americanum ticks could induce cytauxzoonosis in naive cats. The results showed that the inoculums produced by stimulation-fed ticks were capable of causing cytauxzoonosis, validating the feasibility of collecting infectious sporozoites from C. felis-infected ticks.
PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tzushan S. Yang, Elise E. B. LaDouceur, Wes A. Baumgartner, Henry S. Marr, Michael Karounos, James Robertson, Nathan Whitehurst, Laura S. Miller, Adam J. Birkenheuer
Summary: This study aims to provide a feasible protocol for preparing high quality paraffin-embedded whole tick histology sections. Two common fixatives, 10% neutral-buffered formalin (NBF) and Bouin's solution, were compared and Bouin's solution showed significantly higher scores in terms of the quality of whole tick sections. The feasibility of using Bouin's solution for producing high quality whole tick sections for other tick species was also demonstrated.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)