Project description:The current study deals to decipher the antibacterial mechanism of lysozyme coated silver nanoparticles (L-Ag NPs) (coated with lysozyme) against a Gram negative modal organism Escherichia coli K12 (MTCC 1302). Hence, the whole transcriptome profiling of E. coli K12 was done by exposing it to the MIC75 concentration of L-Ag NPs for 5 and 30 min., by RNA sequencing (RNAseq) analysis. The obtained results were utilized to understand all the metabolic pathways, signaling and molecular functions in bacterial cells under the stress of L-Ag NPs. RNAseq showed a high number of total reads along with significant ratio of high-quality reads, which confirmed the excellent quality and quantity of the obtained RNAseq data. Controlled release of ions from the surface of L-Ag NPs allowed the bacterial cells to function normally till the accumulation of threshold amount of silver ions which triggered the action of defence system, thus, reducing the chances of resistance development in bacteria. In long term, such treatment may force the bacterial machinery to induce changes in their genome to counteract the situation and develop resistance against silver ions, similar to the well-known antibiotic resistance problem. The obtained results advocate that L-Ag NPs can be used as effective antibacterial agent.
Project description:Infections associated with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria now represent a significant threat to human health using conventional therapy, necessitating the development of alternate and more effective antibacterial compounds. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been proposed as potential antimicrobial agents to combat infections. A complete understanding of their antimicrobial activity is required before these molecules can be used in therapy. Lysozyme coated Ag NPs were synthesized and characterized by TEMEDS, XRD, UV-vis, FTIR spectroscopy, zeta potential, and oxidative potential assay. Biochemical assays and deep level transcriptional analysis using RNA sequencing were used to decipher how Ag NPs exert their antibacterial action against multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae MGH78578. RNAseq data revealed that Ag NPs induced a triclosan-like bactericidal mechanism responsible for the inhibition of the type II fatty acid biosynthesis. Additionally, released AgC generated oxidative stress both extra and intracellularly in K. pneumoniae. The data showed that triclosan-like activity and oxidative stress cumulatively underpinned the antibacterial activity of Ag NPs. This result was confirmed by the analysis of the bactericidal effect of Ag NPs against the isogenic K. pneumoniae MGH78578 1soxS mutant, which exhibits a compromised oxidative stress response compared to the wild type. Silver nanoparticles induce a triclosan like antibacterial action mechanism in multi-drug resistant K. pneumoniae. This study extends our understanding of anti-Klebsiella mechanisms associated with exposure to Ag NPs. This allowed us to model how bacteria might develop resistance against silver nanoparticles, should the latter be used in therapy.
Project description:We generated draft genome assemblies of three Escherichia coli and seven Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates that harbor the FOX-5 β-lactamase-encoding gene.
Project description:The dissemination of carbapenem resistance in Escherichia coli has major implications for the management of common infections. bla KPC, encoding a transmissible carbapenemase (KPC), has historically largely been associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae, a predominant plasmid (pKpQIL), and a specific transposable element (Tn4401, ~10 kb). Here we characterize the genetic features of bla KPC emergence in global E. coli, 2008-2013, using both long- and short-read whole-genome sequencing. Amongst 43/45 successfully sequenced bla KPC-E. coli strains, we identified substantial strain diversity (n = 21 sequence types, 18% of annotated genes in the core genome); substantial plasmid diversity (≥9 replicon types); and substantial bla KPC-associated, mobile genetic element (MGE) diversity (50% not within complete Tn4401 elements). We also found evidence of inter-species, regional and international plasmid spread. In several cases bla KPC was found on high copy number, small Col-like plasmids, previously associated with horizontal transmission of resistance genes in the absence of antimicrobial selection pressures. E. coli is a common human pathogen, but also a commensal in multiple environmental and animal reservoirs, and easily transmissible. The association of bla KPC with a range of MGEs previously linked to the successful spread of widely endemic resistance mechanisms (e.g. bla TEM, bla CTX-M) suggests that it may become similarly prevalent.
Project description:Pure ZnO and Neodymium (Nd) doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The synthesized nanoparticles retained the wurtzite hexagonal structure. From FESEM studies, ZnO and Nd doped ZnO NPs showed nanorod and nanoflower like morphology respectively. The FT-IR spectra confirmed the Zn-O stretching bands at 422 and 451 cm(-1) for ZnO and Nd doped ZnO NPs respectively. From the UV-VIS spectroscopic measurement, the excitonic peaks were found around 373 nm and 380 nm for the respective samples. The photoluminescence measurements revealed that the broad emission was composed of ten different bands due to zinc vacancies, oxygen vacancies and surface defects. The antibacterial studies performed against extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed that the Nd doped ZnO NPs possessed a greater antibacterial effect than the pure ZnO NPs. From confocal laser scanning microscopic (CLSM) analysis, the apoptotic nature of the cells was confirmed by the cell shrinkage, disorganization of cell wall and cell membrane and dead cell of the bacteria. SEM analysis revealed the existence of bacterial loss of viability due to an impairment of cell membrane integrity, which was highly consistent with the damage of cell walls.
Project description:BackgroundEngineered strains of Escherichia coli have been used to produce bioconjugate vaccines using Protein Glycan Coupling Technology (PGCT). Nanovaccines have also entered the vaccine development arena with advances in nanotechnology and have been significantly developed, but chassis cells for conjugate nanovaccines have not been reported.ResultsTo facilitate nanovaccine preparation, a generic recombinant protein (SpyCather4573) was used as the acceptor protein for O-linked glycosyltransferase PglL, and a glycol-engineered Escherichia coli strain with these two key components (SC4573 and PglL) integrated in its genome was developed in this study. The targeted glycoproteins with antigenic polysaccharides produced by our bacterial chassis can be spontaneously bound to proteinous nanocarriers with surface exposed SpyTag in vitro to form conjugate nanovaccines. To improve the yields of the targeted glycoprotein, a series of gene cluster deletion experiments was carried out, and the results showed that the deletion of the yfdGHI gene cluster increased the expression of glycoproteins. Using the updated system, to the best of our knowledge, we report for the first time the successful preparation of an effective Klebsiella pneumoniae O1 conjugate nanovaccine (KPO1-VLP), with antibody titers between 4 and 5 (Log10) after triple immunization and up to 100% protection against virulent strain challenge.ConclusionsOur results define a convenient and reliable framework for bacterial glycoprotein vaccine preparation that is flexible and versatile, and the genomic stability of the engineered chassis cells promises a wide range of applications for biosynthetic glycobiology research.