Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Nor Dyana Zakaria, Hairul Hisham Hamzah, Ibrahim Luqman Salih, Venugopal Balakrishnan, Khairunisak Abdul Razak
Summary: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) genes are bacteria strains that are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin. They exhibit phenotypic and genotypic variations and pose significant issues for hospitalized patients. This review summarizes methods for detecting VRE strains and explores the potential use of electrochemical DNA biosensors for detecting VRE genes. However, no information was found on the development of electrochemical biosensors for VRE genes, only for vancomycin-susceptible bacteria.
Article
Biology
Kristyna Hricova, Magdalena Roderova, Petr Frycak, Volodymyr Pauk, Ondrej Kurka, Kristyna Mezerova, Tatana Stosova, Jan Bardon, David Milde, Pavla Kucova, Milan Kolar
Summary: Residues of multiple antibiotics were found in wastewater, with vancomycin exceeding permitted levels in a small percentage of samples. VRE were detected in wastewater, but did not show a direct correlation with vancomycin concentrations.
Review
Microbiology
Gee-Hyeun Choi, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov
Summary: It has been almost a century since the discovery of penicillin, and during this time, there has been great enthusiasm and abuse in the development and use of antibiotics. However, the emergence of antibiotic resistance has led to the realization that new types of antimicrobials are needed. Bacteriocins, produced by various types of bacteria and other organisms, have been explored as potential antimicrobials, particularly in the food industry. In recent decades, bacteriocins have shown promise as alternative therapies for treating antibiotic-resistant pathogens. They are highly selective antimicrobials with low cytotoxicity. The application of natural or bioengineered bacteriocins, along with synergistic combinations of bacteriocins and conventional antibiotics, may be the next step in combating drug-resistant pathogens. This overview focuses on the diversity of lactic acid bacteria and their bacteriocins, but also discusses examples from non-lactic acid bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. The therapeutic properties, bioengineering, and combined applications of bacteriocins with conventional antibiotics are evaluated for their potential in human and veterinary medicine.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin Vestergaard, Bolette Skive, Ilona Domraceva, Hanne Ingmer, Henrik Franzyk
Summary: This study identified 11 stable peptide/beta-peptoid hybrids with antibacterial activity against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus strains, and found three analogues with bactericidal effects through membrane disruption. These findings provide promising starting points for further optimization studies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nader S. Abutaleb, Ahmed E. M. Elhassanny, Daniel P. Flaherty, Mohamed N. Seleem
Summary: Dorzolamide demonstrates potent activity against clinical VRE isolates and shows synergistic and additive interactions with gentamicin. In an in vivo mouse model, dorzolamide outperforms linezolid in reducing VRE colonization, suggesting it as a promising treatment option for VRE infections.
Article
Immunology
Lynn El Haddad, Blake M. Hanson, Cesar A. Arias, Shashank S. Ghantoji, Cynthia P. Harb, Mark Stibich, Roy F. Chemaly
Summary: The study successfully identified transmission networks of VRE strains between patients and their rooms using whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. Highly genetically related strains were observed to be transmitted between patients and their rooms in a short period of time. The research found horizontal transmission of highly drug-resistant VRE strains between HCT and LKM patients and their room environments.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jens Thomsen, Najiba M. Abdulrazzak, Hussain AlRand, Godfred Antony Menezes, Carole A. Moubareck, Dean B. Everett, Abiola Senok, Andreas Podbielski
Summary: Enterococci are causing concern due to their increasing resistance to antibiotics in the Middle East and North Africa region, and there is a lack of AMR surveillance data for enterococci in this area.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kendall Kling, Javier Rios, Laura Dirnberger, Wanda Polanco, Kevin Fritz, Michael Malczynski, Teresa Zembower, Chao Qi
Summary: Background Spectra (TM) VRE agar is a chromogenic agar with high sensitivity and specificity for VRE faecium. By optimizing the workflow, dark blue or purple colonies can be used as indicators for VRE faecium, while light blue colonies require additional testing.
ANNALS OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND ANTIMICROBIALS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Carlos L. Correa-Martinez, Annette Jurke, Janne Schmitz, Frieder Schaumburg, Stefanie Kampmeier, Alexander Mellmann
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the molecular epidemiology, demographic aspects, and geographical distribution of vancomycin-resistant enterococci bloodstream infections (VREBI) in the German Federal State of North-Rhine-Westphalia. The study found an increasing trend in VREBI incidence, particularly in male patients aged 50 years and above. VanB emerged as the predominant glycopeptide resistance determinant, detected in close relation with ST117 isolates.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Dusit Promrug, Kanjana Wittayacom, Nantipan Nathapanan, Ha Thanh Dong, Panumart Thongyoo, Sasimanus Unajuk, Onrapak Reamtong, Usa Boonyue, Amornrat Aroonnual, Tatsuo Shioda, Krit Thirapanmethee, Dumrongkiet Arthan
Summary: LAB isolated from red sea bass showed antimicrobial activity against Aeromonas species, and the cocultured Enterococcus faecium induced the highest antimicrobial activity. This finding is important for improving bacteriocin production.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Zining Wang, Sihao Liao, Guanwen Huang, Mengyao Feng, Rui Yin, Lin Teng, Chenghao Jia, Yicheng Yao, Min Yue, Yan Li
Summary: This study evaluated the risk of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in Chinese infant food production chains and online-marketing infant foods. The study found that infant food production environments may serve as potential reservoirs for VRE infections in vulnerable populations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mduduzi P. Mokoena, Cornelius A. Omatola, Ademola O. Olaniran
Summary: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are Gram-positive microorganisms used in fermented food production, producing bacteriocins and acids to control spoilage and pathogens. LAB and their bacteriocins are seen as alternatives to chemical food preservatives, with potential applications in food safety and novel food packaging materials.
Article
Microbiology
Nader S. Abutaleb, Ahmed Elkashif, Daniel P. Flaherty, Mohamed N. Seleem
Summary: Acetazolamide showed promising inhibitory effects against enterococci and outperformed linezolid in VRE mouse models, suggesting it as a potential treatment option for VRE infections.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Diogo Contente, Patricia Diaz-Rosales, Javier Feito, Lara Diaz-Formoso, Felix Docando, Rocio Simon, Juan Borrero, Pablo E. Hernandez, Patricia Poeta, Estefania Munoz-Atienza, Luis M. Cintas, Carolina Tafalla
Summary: Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are frequently used as probiotics in aquaculture and have been shown to positively affect the growth, survival rate, and immunological status of fish. LAB produce antimicrobial peptides called bacteriocins, which have been well-studied for their antimicrobial properties. However, the direct immunomodulatory effects of bacteriocins in fish have not been extensively explored. In this study, the immunomodulatory effects of different bacteriocin-producing LAB strains were compared, and it was found that these strains had varying effects on immune functions, with nisin Z being the most potent immunomodulator.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yamuna Devi Bakthavatchalam, Karthick Vasudevan, Priyanka Babu, Ayyan Raj Neeravi, Vignesh Narasiman, Balaji Veeraraghavan
Summary: This study reports optrA-positive linezolid-resistant E. faecium isolates from India for the first time, highlighting the potential threat for dissemination with a novel plasmid co-carrying vancomycin and linezolid resistance determinants.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Gee-Hyeun Choi, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov
Summary: It has been almost a century since the discovery of penicillin, and during this time, there has been great enthusiasm and abuse in the development and use of antibiotics. However, the emergence of antibiotic resistance has led to the realization that new types of antimicrobials are needed. Bacteriocins, produced by various types of bacteria and other organisms, have been explored as potential antimicrobials, particularly in the food industry. In recent decades, bacteriocins have shown promise as alternative therapies for treating antibiotic-resistant pathogens. They are highly selective antimicrobials with low cytotoxicity. The application of natural or bioengineered bacteriocins, along with synergistic combinations of bacteriocins and conventional antibiotics, may be the next step in combating drug-resistant pathogens. This overview focuses on the diversity of lactic acid bacteria and their bacteriocins, but also discusses examples from non-lactic acid bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. The therapeutic properties, bioengineering, and combined applications of bacteriocins with conventional antibiotics are evaluated for their potential in human and veterinary medicine.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joanna Ivy Irorita Fugaban, Eun Sung Jung, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel
Summary: This study aimed to select and characterize lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with potential antifungal activities. Key metabolites identified were beta-phenyllactic acid, alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 1,3-butanediol, phenethylamine, and benzoic acid. It was found that pH neutralization significantly reduced antifungal activity, and the bioactive compounds were not stable under high temperatures and pressure.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
L. Favaro, S. Campanaro, J. I. I. Fugaban, L. Treu, E. S. Jung, L. D'Ovidio, D. P. de Oliveira, M-T Liong, I. Ivanova, S. D. Todorov
Summary: This study evaluated the bacteriocinogenic potential of Pediococcus pentosaceus strain ST58 isolated from the oral cavity of a healthy volunteer. The strain showed bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity against genetically related bacteria. Additionally, it exhibited antifungal activity and produced key metabolites potentially involved in these properties. This strain has potential biotechnological importance for the development of bio-preservation cultures and health-promoting microbes.
BENEFICIAL MICROBES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Richard Weeks, Igor Popov, Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco, Michael Leonidas Chikindas
Summary: This study focuses on two strains of lactic acid bacteria that produce bacteriocin-like inhibitor substances (BLIS) active against Candida albicans. The BLIS showed antimicrobial activity against both Listeria monocytogenes and C. albicans. It was found that the adsorption levels of BLIS to C. albicans were influenced by factors such as temperature, pH, and the presence of a contraceptive.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel, John Robert Tagg
Summary: Bacterium strain ST182Gu, isolated from fresh guava fruit, was identified as Enterococcus casseliflavus. This study presents the first evidence of this species in guava. The strain was found to produce a bacteriocin with antimicrobial activity against various lactic acid bacteria, Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and different serotypes of Listeria spp.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Giovanna Iosca, Joanna Ivy Irorita Fugaban, Sueleyman oezmerih, Anders Peter Waetjen, Rolf Sommer Kaas, Quoc Ha, Radhakrishna Shetty, Andrea Pulvirenti, Luciana De Vero, Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen
Summary: In this study, a wide range of lactic acid bacteria strains were tested for their inhibitory effects against ropy bread spoilage bacteria. The best candidates were selected through high-throughput and ex vivo screening assays, and their antimicrobial activity and bacteriocin production were further investigated. Moreover, their technological and safety features were evaluated for their potential use as biocontrol agents in clean-label bakery products. The most effective strains were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Leuconostoc citreum, and genomic analysis revealed the presence of bacteriocin operons in some strains.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Azka Ainun Nisaa, Chern-Ein Oon, Sasidharan Sreenivasan, Venugopal Balakrishnan, Deepa Rajendran, Jun-Jie Tan, Fatin Fazrina Roslan, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Woo-Sik Jeong, Feiyan Zhao, Nur Syafiqah Mohamad Nasir, Zakuan Zainy Deris, Heping Zhang, Yong-Ha Park, Guoxia Liu, Min-Tze Liong
Summary: We compared the microbiota profiles of breast milk from women with and without vaginal yeast infection during pregnancy. Breast milk from women with vaginal yeast infection exhibited higher alpha diversity across different taxonomic levels. The composition of breast milk from the two groups showed marginal differences at certain taxonomic levels. Our findings suggest that vaginal infection during pregnancy may affect breast milk composition, but it may not pose a threat to infant growth and development.
PREVENTIVE NUTRITION AND FOOD SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jeemin Ye, Joanna Ivy Irorita Fugaban, Clarizza May Dioso, Jorge Enrique Vazquez Bucheli, Gee-Hyeun Choi, Bobae Kim, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov
Summary: This study aimed to select Bacillus strains with antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus spp. for the formulation of pharmaceutical antimicrobial preparations. Through rep-PCR and 16s rRNA sequencing, Bacillus tequilensis ST1962CD and B. subtilis subsp. stercoris ST2056CD were identified as potential producers of antimicrobials. The evaluation of these strains showed their potential application as beneficial microbial cultures for the treatment of staphylococcal-associated infections.
FOODBORNE PATHOGENS AND DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tais Fernanda Borgonovi, Joanna Ivy Irorita Fugaban, Jorge Enrique Vazquez Bucheli, Sabrina Neves Casarotti, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Ana Lucia Barretto Penna
Summary: In this study, potentially probiotic LAB strains were evaluated for their antimicrobial compounds production, lactic acid and enzyme production, carbohydrate assimilation, and susceptibility to antibiotics. The fermentation of milk formulations produced with LAB strains was assessed for their inhibitory properties against List. monocytogenes and Staph. spp. The combination of Lb. plantarum ST8Sh and Lb. casei SJRP38 and fruit pulps showed potential in providing increased safety and shelf-life for fermented products.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luana Faria Silva, Tassila Nakata Sunakozawa, Diego Alves Monteiro, Tiago Casella, Ana Carolina Conti, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Ana Lucia Barretto Penna
Summary: Lactic acid bacteria play a crucial role in the technological, sensory, and safety aspects of dairy products. The evaluation of cheese-associated LAB strains revealed their diverse metabolic capabilities in terms of acid reduction, acid production, and organic compound production. These capabilities contribute to the desirable aroma, flavor, and safety of dairy products.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Boon-Kiat Lee, Pei Xu, Uma-Mageswary Mageswaran, Woo-Sik Jeong, Engku Ismail Engku-Husna, Kadir Muhammad-Nashriq, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov, Guoxia Liu, Yong-Ha Park, Siti Nurma Hanim Hadie, Min-Tze Liong
Summary: This study suggests that Limosilactobacillus fermentum USM 4189 (LF 4189) exhibits antioxidative properties and may prevent skin aging. Rats administered LF 4189 showed increased antioxidative activity, lipid peroxidation capacity, and skin elasticity compared to untreated aged rats. LF 4189 also prevented telomere length shortening and reduced the expression of antioxidative enzyme genes in old rats.
PREVENTIVE NUTRITION AND FOOD SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ronaldo Rwubuzizi, Hamin Kim, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov
Summary: The role of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as probiotics in promoting human or veterinary health has attracted increasing interest. Screening approaches have been used to identify LAB strains that meet minimal requirements for safety and functionality, including natural antioxidant properties. In this study, several in vitro antioxidant assays were conducted to evaluate the antioxidant properties of different LAB strains, and some showed promising results that could potentially be applied as natural antioxidants in fermented food products.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Gee Hyeun Choi, Joanna Ivy Irorita Fugaban, Clarizza May Dioso, Jorge Enrique Vazquez Bucheli, Wilhelm Heinrich Holzapfel, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov
Summary: Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria. They have broad spectra of inhibition and potential applications in food preservation and pharmaceutical sector. In this study, several promising bacteriocin-producing strains were isolated and evaluated for their stability and adherence properties. The bacteriocins produced by these strains showed antimicrobial effects against Listeria spp. and Staphylococcus spp. The presence of gene mutations that may affect bacteriocin expression was also observed.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2023)