Article
Microbiology
Gregory S. Canfield, Anushila Chatterjee, Juliel Espinosa, Mihnea R. Mangalea, Emma K. Sheriff, Micah Keidan, Sara W. McBride, Bruce D. McCollister, Howard C. Hang, Breck A. Duerkop
Summary: Enterococcus faecium, a commensal of the human intestine, has evolved into a hospital-adapted, multidrug-resistant pathogen. Bacteriophages, natural predators of bacteria, show potential as therapeutics against MDR E. faecium infections, despite the unknown molecular events governing their interactions. While phage resistance may emerge, it is shown that lytic phages could effectively synergize with antibiotics to slow or inhibit E. faecium growth.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Virology
S. Rigvava, I Kusradze, I. Tchgkonia, N. Karumidze, T. Dvalidze, M. Goderdzishvili
Summary: Enterococcus spp. is a common commensal microorganism, but some strains can cause opportunistic infections in humans. The spread of multi-resistant bacterial strains has renewed interest in phage therapy as a potential treatment for Enterococcus faecium infections.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Katherine Lev, Ashlan J. Kunz Coyne, Razieh Kebriaei, Taylor Morrisette, Kyle Stamper, Dana J. Holger, Gregory S. Canfield, Breck A. Duerkop, Cesar A. Arias, Michael J. Rybak
Summary: This study examined the synergy between lytic bacteriophages and antibiotics in treating multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecium. The results showed that combinations of bacteriophages with daptomycin and other antibiotics had synergistic and bactericidal effects, while also preventing the emergence of resistance.
Article
Virology
Ines Pradal, Angel Casado, Beatriz del Rio, Carlos Rodriguez-Lucas, Maria Fernandez, Miguel A. Alvarez, Victor Ladero
Summary: The rise of AMR bacteria, especially VRE Enterococcus faecium, is a major health concern. Phage therapy has emerged as a novel alternative for AMR infections, but it requires a large collection of phages. This study explored human feces as a source of new E. faecium-infecting phages and isolated and characterized vB_EfaH_163 phage. It has a dsDNA genome, infects a wide range of E. faecium and E. faecalis strains, including some linezolid-resistant ones, and can control the growth of VRE isolates in culture and in an animal model, demonstrating its potential therapeutic application.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarunas Paskevicius, Viktorija Dapkute, Audrius Misiunas, Modestas Balzaris, Pia Thommes, Abdul Sattar, Yuri Gleba, Ausra Razanskiene
Summary: This study explores alternative antimicrobial agents to combat multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The researchers have found that domain swapping of Pseudomonas bacteriocins can generate highly active molecules with broader spectrum of activity, effectively controlling Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ge Huang, Yizheng Zhou, Hai Cheng, Tao Lv, Lisi Zheng, Chengbin Li, Yunbo Chen
Summary: Through genomic and transcriptomic analysis, we found differences in carbon metabolism and amino acids between endogenously infected and only-colonized Enterococcus faecium, suggesting metabolic diversity as a strategy for endogenous infection.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Ashlan J. Kunz Coyne, Kyle Stamper, Razieh Kebriaei, Dana J. Holger, Amer El Ghali, Taylor Morrisette, Biswajit Biswas, Melanie Wilson, Michael Deschenes, Gregory S. Canfield, Breck A. Duerkop, Cesar A. Arias, Michael J. Rybak
Summary: This study evaluated eight MDR E. faecium strains for biofilm production and phage susceptibility against nine phages. The use of DAP + AMP combined with 3- and 4-phage cocktails effectively eradicated biofilm-embedded MDR E. faecium clinical blood isolates.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Weiyi Shen, Rong Zhang, Jiachang Cai
Summary: This study investigates the molecular characteristics and transferability of plasmid-borne linezolid resistance genes optrA, cfr, poxtA2, and cfr(D) in linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis DM86 from retail meat. The presence of known linezolid resistance genes was detected using PCR analysis. Conjugation experiments were conducted to evaluate the transferability of these resistance genes. The complete genome of DM86 was obtained, and four linezolid resistance genes were identified on three plasmids.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yating Du, Shiqi Luo, Xin Zhou
Summary: This study presents the first complete genome sequence of Enterococcus faecium isolated from honey bee gut, and investigates the interactions between E. faecium and honey bees through transcriptome and miRNA analysis. It was found that colonization of E. faecium increased honey bee gut weight, with up-regulation of developmental genes and enrichment of down-regulated miRNAs in developmental pathways. The study adds insights on how E. faecium affects honey bee gut weight at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, as well as the role of miRNAs in mediating host and bacteria interactions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Li Wang, Lin Qiao, Aike Li, Lixian Chen, Beibei He, Gang Liu, Weiwei Wang, Jun Fang
Summary: A high-temperature-resistant strain RS047-wl of Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) was obtained through continuous heat-adaptation test. Multi-omics analysis revealed the involvement of 98 differentially expressed genes and 115 differential metabolites in regulating heat resistance, including the changes in AgrB, AgrC, and AgrA gene expressions in QS system pathways, accumulation of highly soluble osmotic substances, and down-regulation of organic acids metabolism and purine metabolism. These findings provide target genes for genetic modification and clues for screening heat-resistant bacteria to improve the heat resistance ability of E. faecium for production.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Desire Otsaghe Ekore, Richard Onanga, Pierre Phillipe Mbehang Nguema, Chloe Lozano, Brice Serge Kumulungui
Summary: The study investigated the antibiotics used in livestock and their impact on resistance in Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus hirae on farms in Gabon. Tetracycline was the most commonly used antibiotic family and the Enterococcus isolates showed high resistance to tetracycline and rifampicin, with the tet(M) gene widely present in tetracycline-resistant isolates, especially in chickens. Antibiotic consumption in animals in Gabon was found to contribute to the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
Article
Microbiology
Li Deng, Wendong Zhen, Jing Wang, Dachuan Lin
Summary: In this study, a strain of Enterococcus faecium SZ21B15 was isolated from a bile sample of a patient with choledocholith in Shenzhen, China in 2021. The strain carried the oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA and showed intermediate resistance to linezolid. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that E. faecium SZ21B15 belonged to ST533 within the clonal complex 17. The optrA gene and two additional resistance genes fexA and erm(A) were located within a 25,777-bp multiresistance region, which was inserted into the chromosomal radC gene.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hengyu Xi, Yao Fu, Chong Chen, Xin Feng, Wenyu Han, Jingmin Gu, Yalu Ji
Summary: In this study, the Aerococcus viridans phage lysin (AVPL) was found to exhibit efficient bactericidal and lytic activity against multiple serotypes of Streptococcus suis. AVPL also effectively inhibited biofilm formation and disrupted preformed biofilms. In a mouse model, AVPL protected 100% of mice from infection, reduced bacterial load in different organs, and alleviated inflammation and histopathological damage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Mina Nasiri, Shahram Hanifian
Summary: The study assessed the prevalence of enterococci in pasteurized milk samples from retail stores in Northwest Iran, finding that most isolates were identified as E. faecalis or E. faecium, carrying various virulence genes and showing high resistance to most antibiotics tested. Additionally, the isolates were able to produce biofilm, suggesting that pasteurized milk could potentially transmit multidrug-resistant virulent enterococci strains to humans.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Zhaofei Wang, Yibing Xue, Ya Gao, Mengting Guo, Yuanping Liu, Xinwei Zou, Yuqiang Cheng, Jingjiao Ma, Hengan Wang, Jianhe Sun, Yaxian Yan
Summary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative pathogen causing various infections, has become multidrug resistant due to misuse of antibiotics. A lytic phage named PAJD-1 was isolated from dairy farm sewage, showing strong lytic ability against MDR P. aeruginosa. The phage also exhibited potential as a therapeutic agent against infections caused by MDR P. aeruginosa.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Naiqing Xu, Xinen Tang, Xin Wang, Miao Cai, Xiaowen Liu, Xiaolong Lu, Shunlin Hu, Min Gu, Jiao Hu, Ruyi Gao, Kaituo Liu, Yu Chen, Xiufan Liu, Xiaoquan Wang
Summary: This study found that the H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus has a high airborne transmissibility, while the H7N9 virus does not. The Hemagglutinin protein of the H9N2 virus was found to play a key role in replication, stability, and airborne transmission.
Article
Virology
Samar S. Ewies, Sabry M. Tamam, Ahmed S. Abdel-Moneim, Sherin R. Rouby
Summary: Contagious ecthyma (CE) is a highly contagious viral disease of sheep and goats worldwide. The study provided a clinical description of CE and screened for genetic variation in the B2L gene. Infected sheep exhibited anorexia and oral lesions, while inoculated chicken embryos showed pock lesions. The B2L gene was successfully amplified and found to be highly conserved.
Article
Virology
Yigal Farnoushi, Dan Heller, Avishai Lublin
Summary: In recent years, new variants of avian reovirus (ARV) have caused a variety of symptoms in chickens worldwide, including viral arthritis/tenosynovitis. This study analyzed emerging ARV variants in Israel and found significant genetic diversity. Most ARV isolates in Israel belonged to genotypic cluster 5 (GC5). The study suggests that Israel has not experienced the emergence of new ARV variants since the introduction of the live vaccine (ISR-7585), but ongoing monitoring is needed due to the continuous emergence of ARV variants.
Article
Virology
Shigeru Tajima, Michiyo Kataoka, Yuki Takamatsu, Hideki Ebihara, Chang-Kweng Lim
Summary: Yokose virus (YOKV), a bat-associated flavivirus, was found to replicate at a slower rate in mosquito cells compared to other mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Specific nucleotide mutations in the virus were identified to enhance its proliferation ability in mosquito cells.
Article
Virology
Alejandra Borjabad, Baojun Dong, Wei Chao, David J. Volsky, Mary Jane Potash
Summary: This study investigated HIV brain disease using a mouse model, and found that poly I:C can reverse associated cognitive impairment and reduce virus burden. The results also revealed transcriptional changes related to neuronal function and innate immune responses.
Article
Virology
Ching-Hung Lin, Feng-Cheng Hsieh, Meilin Wang, Chieh Hsu, Hsuan-Wei Hsu, Chun-Chun Yang, Cheng-Yao Yang, Hung-Yi Wu
Summary: This study demonstrates that the synthesis of coronavirus subgenomic mRNA is not solely determined by the sequence homology between the leader TRS and TRS-B, but also by the disassociation of the coronavirus polymerase from the viral genome. This finding provides a new insight into the transcription mechanism of coronaviruses.
Article
Virology
Nicholas S. Kron, Benjamin W. Neuman, Sathish Kumar, Patricia L. Blackwelder, Dayana Vidal, Delphina Z. Walker-Phelan, Patrick D. I. Gibbs, Lynne A. Fieber, Michael C. Schmale
Summary: Two recent studies documented the genome of a novel virus in marine animals, finding that the virus is widespread in apparently healthy animals but not highly expressed in neurons. The studies also identified viral replication factories and high levels of defective genomes in chronically infected animals.
Article
Virology
Andrew M. Ramey, Laura C. Scott, Christina A. Ahlstrom, Evan J. Buck, Alison R. Williams, Mia Kim Torchetti, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson
Summary: We successfully detected and characterized highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in hunter-harvested wild waterfowl samples from western Alaska. Genomic analysis revealed three independent viral introductions into Alaska. Our findings demonstrate the utility and potential limitations of using molecular processing approaches directly on original swab samples for viral research and monitoring.
Article
Virology
Ting Gong, Dongdong Wu, Yongzhi Feng, Xing Liu, Qi Gao, Xiaoyu Zheng, Zebu Song, Heng Wang, Guihong Zhang, Lang Gong
Summary: This study discovered that quercetin can inhibit PEDV replication both in vivo and in vitro, and alleviate the clinical symptoms and intestinal injury caused by the virus. This provides a new direction for the development of PED antiviral drugs.
Article
Virology
Min Zhu, Hao Zeng, Jianqiao He, Yaohui Zhu, Pingping Wang, Jianing Guo, Jinfan Guo, Huabo Zhou, Yifeng Qin, Kang Ouyang, Zuzhang Wei, Weijian Huang, Ying Chen
Summary: The reassortment between avian H9N2 and Eurasian avian-like (EA) H1N1 viruses may have potentially changed from avian-to-mammals adaptation. This study found that the introduction of EA H1N1 internal genes into H9N2 virus restored the replication capability and resulted in extreme virulence in some cases. This raises new concerns for public health due to the possible coexistence of H9N2 and EA H1N1 viruses in dogs.