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report: seroprevalence of corynebacterium diphtheriae among vaccinated population of rawalpindi/islamabad, pakistan.diphtheria is a communicable disease of global significance, and its outbreaks have to be reported to the world community under the international health regulations (ihr). a pilot seroepidemiological survey was conducted to assess immunity status of diphtheria among healthy individuals of rawalpindi/islamabad (pakistan), who had been administered at least one dose of the vaccine against the disease, as part of childhood vaccination. the study group comprised of 128 healthy subjects, grouped acco ...201323625444
the art of blocking adp-ribosyltransferases (arts): nanobodies as experimental and therapeutic tools to block mammalian and toxin arts.in 1901, the first nobel prize in physiology or medicine was awarded to emil von behring for his ground-breaking discovery of serum therapy: serum from horses vaccinated with toxin-containing culture medium of corynebacterium diphtheriae contained life-saving 'antitoxins'. the molecular nature of the adp-ribosylating toxin and the neutralizing antibodies were unraveled only 50 years later. today, von behring's antibody therapy is being refined with a new generation of recombinant antibodies and ...201323627412
cell envelope of corynebacteria: structure and influence on pathogenicity.to date the genus corynebacterium comprises 88 species. more than half of these are connected to human and animal infections, with the most prominent member of the pathogenic species being corynebacterium diphtheriae, which is also the type species of the genus. corynebacterium species are characterized by a complex cell wall architecture: the plasma membrane of these bacteria is followed by a peptidoglycan layer, which itself is covalently linked to a polymer of arabinogalactan. bound to this, ...201323724339
pilus gene pool variation and the virulence of corynebacterium diphtheriae clinical isolates during infection of a nematode.toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae strains cause diphtheria in humans. the toxigenic c. diphtheriae isolate nctc13129 produces three distinct heterotrimeric pili that contain spaa, spad, and spah, making up the shaft structure. the spaa pili are known to mediate bacterial adherence to pharyngeal epithelial cells. however, to date little is known about the expression of different pili in various clinical isolates and their importance in bacterial pathogenesis. here, we characterized a large co ...201323772071
multiplex polymerase chain reaction to identify and determine the toxigenicity of corynebacterium spp with zoonotic potential and an overview of human and animal infections.corynebacterium diphtheriae, corynebacterium ulcerans and corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis constitute a group of potentially toxigenic microorganisms that are related to different infectious processes in animal and human hosts. currently, there is a lack of information on the prevalence of disease caused by these pathogens, which is partially due to a reduction in the frequency of routine laboratory testing. in this study, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mpcr) assay that can simultaneou ...201323778659
caspase activation as a versatile assay platform for detection of cytotoxic bacterial toxins.pathogenic bacteria produce several virulence factors that help them establish infection in permissive hosts. bacterial toxins are a major class of virulence factors and hence are attractive therapeutic targets for vaccine development. here, we describe the development of a rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput assay that can be used as a versatile platform to measure the activities of bacterial toxins. we have exploited the ability of these toxins to cause cell death via apoptosis of sensitive ...201323824772
identification of a mycoloyl transferase selectively involved in o-acylation of polypeptides in corynebacteriales.we have previously described the posttranslational modification of pore-forming small proteins of corynebacterium by mycolic acid, a very-long-chain α-alkyl and β-hydroxy fatty acid. using a combination of chemical analyses and mass spectrometry, we identified the mycoloyl transferase (myt) that catalyzes the transfer of the fatty acid residue to yield o-acylated polypeptides. inactivation of corynomycoloyl transferase c (cg0413 [corynebacterium glutamicum mytc {cgmytc}]), one of the six cgmyt g ...201323852866
novel configurations of type i and ii crispr-cas systems in corynebacterium diphtheriae.clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (crisprs) are major barriers to recombination through recognition of invading nucleic acids, such as phage and plasmids, and promoting their degredation through the action of crispr associated (cas) proteins. the genomic comparison of 17 corynebacterium diphtheriae strains led to the identification of three novel crispr-cas system variants, based on the type ii (type ii-c) or type i-e systems. the type ii-c system was the most common (11/ ...201323904149
bacterial flagellin and diphtheria toxin co-stimulate il-17-producing thymocytes.il-17-producing thymocytes have been recently described and are believed to play a role as an immune cell population which is able to react against microbial components rapidly. for this reason, we here investigated the ability of two microbial stimulants, bacterial flagellin (a ligand for tlr5) and diphtheria toxin from corynebacterium diphtheriae, to activate or co-activate (together with α-cd3 stimulation) thymocyte cytokine production. we find that both bacterial molecules do not induce cyto ...201323932883
identification of a human monoclonal antibody to replace equine diphtheria antitoxin for treatment of diphtheria intoxication.diphtheria antitoxin (dat) has been the cornerstone of the treatment of corynebacterium diphtheriae infection for more than 100 years. although the global incidence of diphtheria has declined steadily over the last quarter of the 20th century, the disease remains endemic in many parts of the world, and significant outbreaks still occur. dat is an equine polyclonal antibody that is not commercially available in the united states and is in short supply globally. a safer, more readily available alt ...201323940209
efficient preparation and metal specificity of the regulatory protein tror from the human pathogen treponema pallidum.tror is a putative metal-dependent regulatory protein that has been linked to the virulence of the human pathogen treponema pallidum. it shares high homology with the well-known iron-dependent regulatory protein dtxr from corynebacterium diphtheriae, as well as the manganese-dependent mntr from bacillus subtilis. however, it has been uncertain whether manganese or zinc is the natural cofactor of tror to date. herein, we established an efficient method named "double-fusion tagging" to obtain solu ...201323945957
detection of diphtheritic polyneuropathy by acute flaccid paralysis surveillance, india.diphtheritic polyneuropathy is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by exotoxin-producing strains of corynebacterium diphtheriae. we present a retrospective convenience case series of 15 children (6 girls)<15 years of age (mean age 5.2 years, case-fatality rate 53%, and 1 additional case-patient who was ventilator dependent at the time of last follow-up; median follow-up period 60 days) with signs and symptoms suggestive of diphtheritic polyneuropathy. all cases were identified through national ...201323965520
the trojan horse of the microbiological arms race: phage-encoded toxins as a defence against eukaryotic predators.phage-encoded shiga toxin (stx) acts as a bacterial defence against the eukaryotic predator tetrahymena. to function as an effective bacterial anti-predator defence, stx must kill a broad spectrum of predators. consistent with that assertion, we show here that bacterially encoded stx efficiently kills the bacteriovore acanthamoeba castellanii in co-culture. we also show that, in addition to stx, the phage-encoded exotoxin, diphtheria toxin (dtx) expressed by corynebacterium diphtheriae also can ...201423981100
[genotypic differences between corynebacterium diphtheriae biovar gravis and mitis strains].study structure ofa genetic determinant of amylase activity (amygene) in corynebacterium diphtheriae biovar gravis and mitis strains.201324000590
culture-negative prosthetic valve endocarditis with concomitant septicemia due to a nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype gravis isolate in a patient with multiple risk factors.a 54-year-old female with a prosthetic mitral valve presented with a 3-day history of dizziness, subjective fever, and chills. blood cultures were positive for a pleomorphic gram-positive rod. initial phenotypic testing could only support the identification of a corynebacterium species. nucleic acid sequencing (16s rrna) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (maldi-tof ms) were conclusive for corynebacterium diphtheriae. definitive phenotypic testing cl ...201324006007
snippets from the past: the evolution of wade hampton frost's epidemiology as viewed from the american journal of hygiene/epidemiology.wade hampton frost, who was a professor of epidemiology at johns hopkins university from 1919 to 1938, spurred the development of epidemiologic methods. his 6 publications in the american journal of hygiene, which later became the american journal of epidemiology, comprise a 1928 cutter lecture on a theory of epidemics, a survey-based study of tonsillectomy and immunity to corynebacterium diphtheriae (1931), 2 papers from a longitudinal study of the incidence of minor respiratory diseases (1933 ...201324022889
structures of the substrate-free and product-bound forms of hmuo, a heme oxygenase from corynebacterium diphtheriae: x-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics investigation.heme oxygenase catalyzes the degradation of heme to biliverdin, iron, and carbon monoxide. here, we present crystal structures of the substrate-free, fe(3+)-biliverdin-bound, and biliverdin-bound forms of hmuo, a heme oxygenase from corynebacterium diphtheriae, refined to 1.80, 1.90, and 1.85 å resolution, respectively. in the substrate-free structure, the proximal and distal helices, which tightly bracket the substrate heme in the substrate-bound heme complex, move apart, and the proximal helix ...201324106279
characterization of c-s lyase from c. diphtheriae: a possible target for new antimicrobial drugs.the emergence of antibiotic resistance in microbial pathogens requires the identification of new antibacterial drugs. the biosynthesis of methionine is an attractive target because of its central importance in cellular metabolism. moreover, most of the steps in methionine biosynthesis pathway are absent in mammals, lowering the probability of unwanted side effects. herein, detailed biochemical characterization of one enzyme required for methionine biosynthesis, a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (plp-) de ...201324106714
a lack of genetic basis for biovar differentiation in clinically important corynebacterium diphtheriae from whole genome sequencing.the differentiation of clinically important corynebacterium diphtheriae into specific biovars is complex and phylogenetically unclear. comparative genomic analyses of 17 strains indicate that the division of c. diphtheriae into different biovars does not correlate with the variation in the gene content in the relevant metabolic categories that are potentially involved in the biovar discrimination. the biochemical separation is also not supported by phylogenetic analyses, suggesting molecular met ...201424200588
nontoxigenic highly pathogenic clone of corynebacterium diphtheriae, poland, 2004-2012.twenty-five cases of nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae infection were recorded in poland during 2004-2012, of which 18 were invasive. alcoholism, homelessness, hepatic cirrhosis, and dental caries were predisposing factors for infection. however, for 17% of cases, no concomitant diseases or predisposing factors were found.201324209492
new diphtheria toxin repressor types depicted in a romanian collection of corynebacterium diphtheriae isolates.corynebacterium diphtheriae is the etiological agent of diphtheria, a potential fatal disease caused by a corynephage toxin. the expression of this diphtheria toxin is controlled via an iron-dependent repressor with various functions (dtxr). some mutations in the dtxr gene are associated with diminished activity or even with total loss of dtxr function. we conducted a molecular study to characterize the dtxr alleles harbored by 34 isolates of c. diphtheriae recovered from romanian patients betwe ...201424293345
a fatal case of urosepsis due to corynebacterium riegelii.corynebacterium species other than corynebacterium diphtheriae rarely cause infections in human but rather reside in flora, however they have been reported to cause opportunistic infections in both immunocompromised and immunecompetent patients. here we report for the first time a case of an elderly female patient presenting with a fatal urosepsis caused by a recently defined pathogen, corynebacterium riegelii, identified on second day after patient hospitalization leading to a progressive worse ...201324294241
diphtheria in andhra pradesh-a clinical-epidemiological study.clinical diphtheria is on the increase worldwide, mainly affecting developing countries. we sought to understand its presentation among patients at sir ronald ross institute of tropical and communicable diseases in hyderabad, andhra pradesh, india.201424295558
[multilocus sequencing of corynebacterium diphtheriae strains isolated in russia in 2002 - 2012].characterization of contemporary c. diphtheriae strains isolated in russia by using multilocus dna sequencing (mlst).201324341210
invasion of endothelial cells and arthritogenic potential of endocarditis-associated corynebacterium diphtheriae.although infection by corynebacterium diphtheriae is a model of extracellular mucosal pathogenesis, different clones have been also associated with invasive infections such as sepsis, endocarditis, septic arthritis and osteomyelitis. the mechanisms that promote c. diphtheriae infection and haematogenic dissemination need further investigation. in this study we evaluated the association and invasion mechanisms with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (huvecs) and experimental arthritis in mice ...201424344208
a mutated cytosine deaminase gene, coda (d314a), as an efficient negative selection marker for gene targeting in rice.gene targeting (gt) is a powerful tool manipulating a gene of interest in a given genome specifically and precisely. to achieve efficient gt in higher plants, both positive and negative selection markers are required. in particular, a strong negative selection system is needed for enrichment of cells to eliminate those cells in which random integration of the introduced dna has occurred in gt experiments. currently, non-conditional negative selection marker genes are used for gt experiments in r ...201424371307
ipsa, a novel laci-type regulator, is required for inositol-derived lipid formation in corynebacteria and mycobacteria.the development of new drugs against tuberculosis and diphtheria is focused on disrupting the biogenesis of the cell wall, the unique architecture of which confers resistance against current therapies. the enzymatic pathways involved in the synthesis of the cell wall by these pathogens are well understood, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms are largely unknown.201324377418
infective endocarditis in new zealand children 1994-2012.new zealand is a developed country with high incidence of bacterial infections and postinfectious sequelae including rheumatic heart disease. we sought to describe the clinical and microbiology features of children with infective endocarditis (ie) between 1994 and 2012.201424378941
corynebacterium diphtheriae and the returned tropical traveler.in western countries, nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae is known to cause skin and soft tissue infections (ssis), upper respiratory tract infections, and occasionally invasive disease. its role as a skin pathogen in returned travelers from tropical destinations where the organism is endemic is often forgotten. a retrospective analysis of a large australian private pathology laboratory's experience with c. diphtheriae was performed to identify how frequently overseas travel was associated ...201424383653
characterization of production processes for tetanus and diphtheria anatoxins.tetanus and diphtheria are diseases that still cause significant morbidity and mortality. clostridium tetani produces the tetanus toxin, a 150-kda protein. the diphtheria toxin is synthesized by corynebacterium diphtheriae as a protein of 58 kda. the objective of this study was to carry out a chemical characterization of the tetanus and diphtheria toxin forms in the several production process stages, and thus to establish an affordable alternative in vitro quality control to aggregate to the cla ...201424477182
an antibiotic which inhibits corynebacterium diphtheriae produced by the s form of streptomyces thermophilus. 195124541110
[miracle bacteria as a bacterial antagonist in diphtheria transmission]. 195124541726
[effect of antibiotics on toxin formation by corynebacterium diphtheriae]. 201624544855
the utility of the pcr melting profile technique for typing corynebacterium diphtheriae isolates.selection of appropriate typing method depends on a number of factors, including the scale of the investigation, the rapidity required of the results and the financial and technical resources available. several typing methods have been applied to corynebacterium diphtheriae genotyping, but most are laborious and time-consuming or require expensive equipment. we report an evaluation of the utility of the pcr melting profile technique for simple and easy-to-perform genotyping of c. diphtheriae. we ...201424749659
a slow-forming isopeptide bond in the structure of the major pilin spad from corynebacterium diphtheriae has implications for pilus assembly.the gram-positive organism corynebacterium diphtheriae, the cause of diphtheria in humans, expresses pili on its surface which it uses for adhesion and colonization of its host. these pili are covalent protein polymers composed of three types of pilin subunit that are assembled by specific sortase enzymes. a structural analysis of the major pilin spad, which forms the polymeric backbone of one of the three types of pilus expressed by c. diphtheriae, is reported. mass-spectral and crystallographi ...201424816089
heme utilization by pathogenic bacteria: not all pathways lead to biliverdin.the eukaryotic heme oxygenases (hos) (e.c. 1.14.99.3) convert heme to biliverdin, iron, and carbon monoxide (co) in three successive oxygenation steps. pathogenic bacteria require iron for survival and infection. extracellular heme uptake from the host plays a critical role in iron acquisition and virulence. in the past decade, several hos required for the release of iron from extracellular heme have been identified in pathogenic bacteria, including corynebacterium diphtheriae, neisseriae mening ...201424873177
emergence and molecular characterisation of non-toxigenic tox gene-bearing corynebacterium diphtheriae biovar mitis in the united kingdom, 2003-2012.non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae have become increasingly recognised as emerging pathogens across europe causing severe invasive disease. a subset of non-toxigenic c. diphtheriae are ‘non-toxigenic tox gene-bearing’ (nttb) strains; these strains are genotypically toxpositive, but do not express the protein. the circulation of nttb strains was first observed during the 1990s upsurge of diphtheria in eastern europe but has not been reported in other european countries. circulation of nttb ...201424925458
tyrosine oxidation in heme oxygenase: examination of long-range proton-coupled electron transfer.heme oxygenase is responsible for the degradation of a histidine-ligated ferric protoporphyrin ix (por) to biliverdin, co, and the free ferrous ion. described here are studies of tyrosyl radical formation reactions that occur after oxidizing fe(iii)(por) to fe(iv)=o(por(·+)) in human heme oxygenase isoform-1 (hho-1) and the structurally homologous protein from corynebacterium diphtheriae (cdho). site-directed mutagenesis on hho-1 probes the reduction of fe(iv)=o(por(·+)) by tyrosine residues wit ...201425023856
non-toxigenic penicillin-resistant cutaneous c. diphtheriae infection: a case report and review of the literature.here, we report a case of non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae in a previously healthy 14-year-old girl that was acquired in ethiopia and presented locally. this is the first clinical case of penicillin-resistant c. diphtheriae in the uk. this is significant finding because penicillin is the recommended first-line agent for the prophylaxis against and treatment of c. diphtheriae in patients who are not allergic to penicillin.201625027172
[mechanisms of formation of post-vaccinal immune response in children immunized with apdt and adt-m preparations].study the mechanisms of formation of cell and humoral immunity against pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus in children immunized with immunobiological preparations (apdt vaccine and adt anatoxin).201425051700
structural and antigenic features of the synthetic sf23 peptide corresponding to the receptor binding fragment of diphtheria toxin.the sf23 peptide corresponding to the receptor binding fragment of diphtheria toxin (residues 508-530) has been synthesized. this fragment forming a protruding beta hairpin has been chosen because it is the less mutable b-cell epitope. affine chromatography and elisa show that antibodies from the sera of persons infected by toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae and those immunized by diphtheria toxoid are able to bind the synthetic sf23 peptide. there are antibodies recognizing the sf23 peptide ...201525062832
the antimicrobial activity of fruits from some cultivar varieties of rubus idaeus and rubus occidentalis.raspberries, derived from different cultivar varieties, are a popular ingredient of everyday diet, and their biological activity is a point of interest for researchers. the ethanol-water extracts from four varieties of red (rubus idaeus'ljulin', 'veten', 'poranna rosa') and black (rubus occidentalis'litacz') raspberries were evaluated in the range of their antimicrobial properties as well as phenolic content - sanguiin h-6, free ellagic acid and anthocyanins. the antimicrobial assay was performe ...201425131001
[comparison of corynebacterium diphtheriae susceptibility testing to antibiotics by the broth dilution and diffusion (e-test and disk) methods]. 201425149268
corynebacterium diphtheriae endocarditis with multifocal septic emboli: can prompt diagnosis help avoid surgery?male, 23.201425153519
structure of a dsbf homologue from corynebacterium diphtheriae.disulfide-bond formation, mediated by the dsb family of proteins, is important in the correct folding of secreted or extracellular proteins in bacteria. in gram-negative bacteria, disulfide bonds are introduced into the folding proteins in the periplasm by dsba. dsbe from escherichia coli has been implicated in the reduction of disulfide bonds in the maturation of cytochrome c. the gram-positive bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis encodes dsbe and its homologue dsbf, the structures of which hav ...201425195886
engineered coryneform bacteria as a bio-tool for arsenic remediation.despite current remediation efforts, arsenic contamination in water sources is still a major health problem, highlighting the need for new approaches. in this work, strains of the nonpathogenic and highly arsenic-resistant bacterium corynebacterium glutamicum were used as inexpensive tools to accumulate inorganic arsenic, either as arsenate (as(v)) or arsenite (as(iii)) species. the assays made use of "resting cells" from these strains, which were assessed under well-established conditions and c ...201425208910
[sensitivity of corynebacterium diphtheriae strains to antibacterial preparations].study the prevalence and mechanisms of resistance in circulating c. diphtheriae strains.201425286521
[adhesion of corynebacterium diphtheriae: the role of surface structures and formation mechanism].the paper is devoted to the study of surface structures including pili (fimbriae) 67-72p surface protein, dip 1281 surface protein, lipoarabinomannan cdilam and their role in the adhesion and colonization of the mucous membrane of the throat by corynebacterium diphtheriae. a description is offered for the main stages in the adhesion process of diphtheria causative agent and the ability of its adhesins to stimulate the effect of innate and acquired immunity factors. the paper stresses prospective ...201425286540
multilocus sequence typing of corynebacterium ulcerans provides evidence for zoonotic transmission and for increased prevalence of certain sequence types among toxigenic strains.human-to-human-transmitted corynebacterium diphtheriae was historically the main pathogen causing diphtheria and has therefore been studied extensively in the past. more recently, diphtheria caused by toxigenic corynebacterium ulcerans is an emerging disease in several industrial countries, including the united kingdom, the united states, france, and germany. however, toxigenic c. ulcerans has so far been almost neglected in the development of epidemiologic tools. one of the most important tools ...201425320226
[the sensitivity to antibiotics of biofilm cultures of toxigenic strains corynebacterium diphtheriae].the article presents analysis of sensitivity to antibacterial preparations of typical and biofilm culture of museum strain of corynebacterium diphtheriae gravis tox+ sv-665. the strain was obtained from the l.a. tarasevitch state research institute of standardization and control of medical biological preparations. the second strain c. diphtheriaecirculates gravis tox+ circulates in population of the rostov oblast and it was recovered from patient with diagnosis of "localized form of diphtheria" ...201425335402
role of active-site residues tyr55 and tyr114 in catalysis and substrate specificity of corynebacterium diphtheriae c-s lyase.in recent years, there has been increased interest in bacterial methionine biosynthesis enzymes as antimicrobial targets because of their pivotal role in cell metabolism. c-s lyase from corynebacterium diphtheriae is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme in the transsulfuration pathway that catalyzes the α,β-elimination of sulfur-containing amino acids, such as l-cystathionine, to generate ammonia, pyruvate, and homocysteine, the immediate precursor of l-methionine. in order to gain deeper i ...201525354840
toxigenic corynebacterium ulcerans in human and non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae in cat.corynebacterium diphtheriae and corynebacterium ulcerans are rarely isolated from clinical samples in belgium. a case of toxigenic c. ulcerans in a woman is described, which confirms that this pathogen is still present. during investigation of the patient's cats, only a non-toxigenic toxin-bearing c. diphtheriae strain was detected.201325356320
three-dimensional structure of a protozoal double-stranded rna virus that infects the enteric pathogen giardia lamblia.giardia lamblia virus (glv) is a small, nonenveloped, nonsegmented double-stranded rna (dsrna) virus infecting giardia lamblia, the most common protozoan pathogen of the human intestine and a major agent of waterborne diarrheal disease worldwide. glv (genus giardiavirus) is a member of family totiviridae, along with several other groups of protozoal or fungal viruses, including leishmania rna viruses and trichomonas vaginalis viruses. interestingly, glv is more closely related than other totivir ...201425378500
utilization of host iron sources by corynebacterium diphtheriae: multiple hemoglobin-binding proteins are essential for the use of iron from the hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex.the use of hemin iron by corynebacterium diphtheriae requires the dtxr- and iron-regulated abc hemin transporter hmutuv and the secreted hb-binding protein htaa. we recently described two surface anchored proteins, chta and chtc, which also bind hemin and hb. chta and chtc share structural similarities to htaa; however, a function for chta and chtc was not determined. in this study, we identified additional host iron sources that are utilized by c. diphtheriae. we show that several c. diphtheria ...201425404705
acetylation of trehalose mycolates is required for efficient mmpl-mediated membrane transport in corynebacterineae.pathogenic species of mycobacteria and corynebacteria, including mycobacterium tuberculosis and corynebacterium diphtheriae, synthesize complex cell walls that are rich in very long-chain mycolic acids. these fatty acids are synthesized on the inner leaflet of the cell membrane and are subsequently transported to the periplasmic space as trehalose monomycolates (tmm), where they are conjugated to other cell wall components and to tmm to form trehalose dimycolates (tdm). mycobacterial tmm, and th ...201525427102
chemical composition and biological activity of rubus idaeus shoots--a traditional herbal remedy of eastern europe.the young shoots of rubus idaeus are traditionally used as a herbal remedy in common cold, fever and flu-like infections yet there is no research concerning this plant material. the aim of the study was to evaluate the chemical composition and biological properties of raspberry shoots from 11 cultivar varieties.201425496130
molecular and epidemiological review of toxigenic diphtheria infections in england between 2007 and 2013.human infections caused by toxigenic corynebacteria occur sporadically across europe. in this report, we undertook the epidemiological and molecular characterization of all toxigenic corynebacterium strains isolated in england between january 2007 and december 2013. epidemiological aspects include case demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome. molecular characterization was performed using multilocus sequence typing (mlst) alongside traditional phenotypic methods ...201525502525
pocket analysis of the full-length cholix toxin. an assessment of the structure-dynamics of the apo catalytic domain.cholix toxin from vibrio cholerae is the third member of the diphtheria toxin (dt) group of mono-adp-ribosyltransferase (mart) bacterial toxins. it shares structural and functional properties with pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin a and corynebacterium diphtheriae dt. cholix toxin is an important model for the development of antivirulence approaches and therapeutics against these toxins from pathogenic bacteria. herein, we have used the high-resolution x-ray structure of full-length cholix complex ...201525559625
toxigenic cutaneous diphtheria in a returned traveller.diphtheria is rarely reported in australia. a case of cutaneous diphtheria was reported to the south australian department for health and ageing in april 2013 in an australian-born 18-year-old female following travel in india. the case presented with a skin ulcer on her toe. toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae was isolated from a swab of the lesion. the case was treated with antibiotics. the public health response included infection control advice, assessing the case and household contacts for ...201425631591
characterization of dip0733, a multi-functional virulence factor of corynebacterium diphtheriae.corynebacterium diphtheriae is typically recognized as an extracellular pathogen. however, a number of studies revealed its ability to invade epithelial cells, indicating a more complex pathogen-host interaction. the molecular mechanisms controlling and facilitating internalization of cor. diphtheriae are poorly understood. in this study, we investigated the role of dip0733 as virulence factor to elucidate how it contributes to the process of pathogen-host cell interaction. based on in vitro exp ...201525635272
diphtheria outbreak in maranhão, brazil: microbiological, clinical and epidemiological aspects.we describe microbiological, clinical and epidemiological aspects of a diphtheria outbreak that occurred in maranhão, brazil. the majority of the 27 confirmed cases occurred in partially (n = 16) or completely (n = 10) immunized children (n = 26). clinical signs and characteristic symptoms of diphtheria such as cervical lymphadenopathy and pseudomembrane formation were absent in 48% and 7% of the cases, respectively. complications such as paralysis of lower limbs were observed. three cases resul ...201525703400
corynebacterium diphtheriae methionine sulfoxide reductase a exploits a unique mycothiol redox relay mechanism.methionine sulfoxide reductases are conserved enzymes that reduce oxidized methionines in proteins and play a pivotal role in cellular redox signaling. we have unraveled the redox relay mechanisms of methionine sulfoxide reductase a of the pathogen corynebacterium diphtheriae (cd-msra) and shown that this enzyme is coupled to two independent redox relay pathways. steady-state kinetics combined with mass spectrometry of cd-msra mutants give a view of the essential cysteine residues for catalysis. ...201525752606
a comparative structure-function analysis of active-site inhibitors of vibrio cholerae cholix toxin.cholix toxin from vibrio cholerae is a novel mono-adp-ribosyltransferase (mart) toxin that shares structural and functional properties with pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin a and corynebacterium diphtheriae diphtheria toxin. herein, we have used the high-resolution x-ray structure of full-length cholix toxin in the apo form, nad(+) bound, and 10 structures of the cholix catalytic domain (c-domain) complexed with several strong inhibitors of toxin enzyme activity (nap, pj34, and the p-series) to s ...201525756608
recent developments in understanding the iron acquisition strategies of gram positive pathogens.iron is a versatile redox-active catalyst and a required cofactor within a diverse array of biological processes. to almost all organisms, iron is both essential and potentially toxic, where homeostatic concentrations must be stringently maintained. within the iron-restricted host, the survival and proliferation of microbial invaders is contingent upon exploiting the host iron pool. bacteria express a multitude of complex, and often redundant means of acquiring iron, including surface-associated ...201525862688
[recombinant fluorescent models for studying of diphtheria toxin].diphtheria toxin is the main pathogenicity factor of causative agent of diphtheria corynebacterium diphtheriae. due to the small molecule size, it is of considerable interestfor the development of synthetic protein molecules with transporting function, e.g. immunotoxins. expression and characterization of nontoxic recombinant fluorescent derivates of diphtheria toxin and its nontoxic mutant crm 197 were described in this article. obtained proteins may be applied in studies of receptor-binding an ...201525898753
[features of biofilm morphology, formed by corynebacterium diphtheriae gravis tox+ strains].study the structure of homogenous microbial communities of corynebacterium diphtheriae gravis tox+ strains during formation of biofilms in vitro.201526016345
a case of necrotizing epiglottitis due to nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae.diphtheria is a rare cause of infection in highly vaccinated populations and may not be recognized by modern clinicians. infections by nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae are emerging. we report the first case of necrotizing epiglottitis secondary to nontoxigenic c diphtheriae. a fully vaccinated child developed fever, poor oral intake, and sore throat and was found to have necrotizing epiglottitis. necrotizing epiglottitis predominantly occurs in the immunocompromised host. laboratory eval ...201526055849
crystal structure of dsba from corynebacterium diphtheriae and its functional implications for cuep in gram-positive bacteria.in gram-negative bacteria in the periplasmic space, the dimeric thioredoxin-fold protein dsbc isomerizes and reduces incorrect disulfide bonds of unfolded proteins, while the monomeric thioredoxin-fold protein dsba introduces disulfide bonds in folding proteins. in the gram-negative bacteria salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium, the reduced form of cuep scavenges the production of hydroxyl radicals in the copper-mediated fenton reaction, and dsbc is responsible for keeping cuep in the reduced ...201526082031
history and practice: antibodies in infectious diseases.antibodies and passive antibody therapy in the treatment of infectious diseases is the story of a treatment concept which dates back more than 120 years, to the 1890s, when the use of serum from immunized animals provided the first effective treatment options against infections with clostridium tetani and corynebacterium diphtheriae. however, after the discovery of penicillin by fleming in 1928, and the subsequent introduction of the much cheaper and safer antibiotics in the 1930s, serum therapy ...201526104697
corynebacterium diphtheriae putative tellurite-resistance protein (cdce8392_0813) contributes to the intracellular survival in human epithelial cells and lethality of caenorhabditis elegans.corynebacterium diphtheriae, the aetiologic agent of diphtheria, also represents a global medical challenge because of the existence of invasive strains as causative agents of systemic infections. although tellurite (teo32-) is toxic to most microorganisms, teo32--resistant bacteria, including c. diphtheriae, exist in nature. the presence of teo32--resistance (ter) determinants in pathogenic bacteria might provide selective advantages in the natural environment. in the present study, we investig ...201526107188
urinary tract infection with corynebacterium aurimucosum after urethroplasty stricture of the urethra: a case report.corynebacteria have an important place among the commensal flora of the skin and mucous membranes. except for corynebacterium diphtheriae, they were once considered contaminants of mucosa. recent publications in medical bacteriology have highlighted the importance of several species, such as c. aurimucosum. to the best of our knowledge, we report the first isolation of this strain from urine.201526155836
a disulfide bond-forming machine is linked to the sortase-mediated pilus assembly pathway in the gram-positive bacterium actinomyces oris.export of cell surface pilins in gram-positive bacteria likely occurs by the translocation of unfolded precursor polypeptides; however, how the unfolded pilins gain their native conformation is presently unknown. here, we present physiological studies to demonstrate that the fima pilin of actinomyces oris contains two disulfide bonds. alanine substitution of cysteine residues forming the c-terminal disulfide bridge abrogates pilus assembly, in turn eliminating biofilm formation and polymicrobial ...201526170452
seroprevalence and determinants of immunity to diphtheria for children living in two districts of contrasting incidence during an outbreak in east java, indonesia.in 2012, an ongoing outbreak of diphtheria in indonesia was focused in the province of east java. there was a need to assess vaccine coverage and immunity gaps in children.201526226444
virulence factor genes detected in the complete genome sequence of corynebacterium uterequi dsm 45634, isolated from the uterus of a maiden mare.the complete genome sequence of the type strain corynebacterium uterequi dsm 45634 from an equine urogenital tract specimen comprises 2,419,437 bp and 2,163 protein-coding genes. candidate virulence factors are homologs of dip0733, dip1281, and dip1621 from corynebacterium diphtheriae and of sialidase precursors from trueperella pyogenes and chlamydia trachomatis.201526227590
structure of the response regulator chra in the haem-sensing two-component system of corynebacterium diphtheriae.chra is a response regulator (rr) in the two-component system involved in regulating the degradation and transport of haem (fe-porphyrin) in the pathogen corynebacterium diphtheriae. here, the crystal structure of full-length chra is described at a resolution of 1.8 å. chra consists of an n-terminal regulatory domain, a long linker region and a c-terminal dna-binding domain. a structural comparison of chra with other rrs revealed substantial differences in the relative orientation of the two dom ...201526249683
a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase of the gram-positive pathogen corynebacterium diphtheriae is essential for viability, pilus assembly, toxin production and virulence.the gram-positive pathogen corynebacterium diphtheriae exports through the sec apparatus many extracellular proteins that include the key virulence factors diphtheria toxin and the adhesive pili. how these proteins attain their native conformations after translocation as unfolded precursors remains elusive. the fact that the majority of these exported proteins contain multiple cysteine residues and that several membrane-bound oxidoreductases are encoded in the corynebacterial genome suggests the ...201526294390
late-onset prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by nontoxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae.in developed countries, corynebacterium diphtheriae infection is rare due to efficient immunization programs. however, cases of nontoxigenic strains of c. diphtheriae infections, including endocarditis, have been reported recently. although the incidence remains low, these infections are associated with high morbidity and mortality. this report describes the first and atypical case of bacteremia and endocarditis caused by nontoxigenic c. diphtheriae var. gravis after introduction of immunization ...201526322885
smooth and rough biotypes of arcanobacterium haemolyticum can be genetically distinguished at the arcanolysin locus.arcanobacterium haemolyticum is a gram-positive, β-hemolytic emerging human pathogen that is classified into smooth or rough biotypes. this bacterial species is also a rare pathogen of animals. smooth biotypes possess smooth colony edges, are moderate to strong in β-hemolysis, and predominately cause wound infections. in contrast, rough biotypes possess rough and irregular colony edges, have weak to no β-hemolytic activity, and predominately cause pharyngitis. using horse erythrocytes we confirm ...201526382754
corynebacterium diphtheriae in a free-roaming red fox: case report and historical review on diphtheria in animals.corynebacterium diphtheriae, the classical causative agent of diphtheria, is considered to be nearly restricted to humans. here we report the first finding of a non-toxigenic c. diphtheriae biovar belfanti strain in a free-roaming wild animal.201626424684
adherence and invasive properties of corynebacterium diphtheriae strains correlates with the predicted membrane-associated and secreted proteome.non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae strains are emerging as a major cause of severe pharyngitis and tonsillitis as well as invasive diseases such as endocarditis, septic arthritis, splenic abscesses and osteomyelitis. c. diphtheriae strains have been reported to vary in their ability to adhere and invade different cell lines. to identify the genetic basis of variation in the degrees of pathogenicity, we sequenced the genomes of four strains of c. diphtheriae (iss 3319, iss 4060, iss 4746 a ...201526452736
cutaneous ulcers in a returning traveller: a rare case of imported diphtheria in the uk.we describe a case of cutaneous diphtheria in the uk, presenting as lower leg ulcers in a returning traveller, and discuss the epidemiology, significance and public health implications of this disease and the therapeutic options available. a 65-year-old woman presented with a 6-week history of multiple ulcers appearing on her legs following a holiday in kenya. culture of biopsy tissue grew corynebacterium diphtheriae. a cascade of therapeutic and public health interventions followed, many of whi ...201626455435
tellurite resistance: a putative pitfall in corynebacterium diphtheriae diagnosis?corynebacterium diphtheriae strains continue to circulate worldwide causing diphtheria and invasive diseases, such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia and catheter-related infections. presumptive c. diphtheriae infections diagnosis in a clinical microbiology laboratory requires a primary isolation consisting of a bacterial culture on blood agar and agar containing tellurite (teo3(2-)). in this study, nine genome sequenced and four unsequenced strains of c. diphtheriae from different source ...201526459339
heme binding by corynebacterium diphtheriae hmut: function and heme environment.the heme uptake pathway (hmu) of corynebacterium diphtheriae utilizes multiple proteins to bind and transport heme into the cell. one of these proteins, hmut, delivers heme to the abc transporter hmuuv. in this study, the axial ligation of the heme in ferric hmut is probed by examination of wild-type (wt) hmut and a series of conserved heme pocket residue mutants, h136a, y235a, and m292a. characterization by uv-visible, resonance raman, and magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopies indicates th ...201526478504
caenorhabditis elegans star formation and negative chemotaxis induced by infection with corynebacteria.caenorhabditis elegans is one of the major model systems in biology based on advantageous properties such as short life span, transparency, genetic tractability and ease of culture using an escherichia coli diet. in its natural habitat, compost and rotting plant material, this nematode lives on bacteria. however, c. elegans is a predator of bacteria, but can also be infected by nematopathogenic coryneform bacteria such microbacterium and leucobacter species, which display intriguing and diverse ...201626490043
genomic analysis of a nontoxigenic, invasive corynebacterium diphtheriae strain from brazil.we report the complete genome sequence and analysis of an invasive corynebacterium diphtheriae strain that caused endocarditis in rio de janeiro, brazil. it was selected for sequencing on the basis of the current relevance of nontoxigenic strains for public health. the genomic information was explored in the context of diversity, plasticity and genetic relatedness with other contemporary strains.201526517665
corynebacterium diphtheriae infections currently and in the past.along with the introduction of common obligatory vaccinations against diphtheria, the disease has been limited in developed countries. however, diphtheria is still endemic in developing countries. due to a growing popularity of visiting these countries, there is a risk of importation of the disease to europe. studies revealed that over 60% of persons aged >40 years in the polish population do not have a protective level of antibodies against diphtheria. furthermore, an access to diphtheria antit ...201526519837
[cutaneous diphtheria after a minor injury in sri lanka].cutaneous dipththeria is an infectious bacterial disease endemic in tropical regions, but rarely diagnosed in germany. following travel in sri lanka, a 60-year-old german presented to our dermatological clinic with a skin ulcer and extensive erythematous erosive edema of his left foot. corynebacterium diphtheriae was isolated from a swab of the lesion. there were no clinical signs of toxic diphtheria. the patient was treated with penicillin g and erythromycin, followed by a slow healing of the l ...201626525966
opposite nucleotide usage biases in different parts of the corynebacterium diphtheriae spac gene.in this work we described a bacterial open reading frame with two different directions of nucleotide usage biases in its two parts. the level of gc-content in third codon positions (3gc) is equal to 40.17 ± 0.22% during the most of the length of corynebacterium diphtheriae spac gene. however, in the 3'-end of the same gene (from codon #1600 to codon #1873) 3gc level is equal to 64.61 ± 0.91%. using original methodology ('vvtak sliding window' and 'vvtak varinvar') we approved that there is an on ...201526561319
a novel experimental platform for toxigenic and non-toxigenic corynebacterium ulcerans infection in mice.corynebacterium ulcerans is a zoonotic pathogen that can produce diphtheria toxin and causes an illness categorized as diphtheria in the european union because its clinical appearance is similar to that of diphtheria caused by corynebacterium diphtheriae. despite the importance of the pathogen in public health, the organism's mechanism of infection has not been extensively studied, especially in experimental animal models. therefore in the present study we constructed an intranasal infection sys ...201626607400
persistence of corynebacterium diphtheriae in delhi & national capital region (ncr).despite the introduction of mass immunization, diphtheria continues to play a major role as a potentially lethal infectious disease in many countries. delay in the specific therapy of diphtheria may result in death and, therefore, accurate diagnosis of diphtheria is imperative. this study was carried out at national centre for disease control (ncdc), delhi, india, on samples of suspected diphtheria cases referred from various government hospitals of delhi and neighbouring areas during 2012-2014. ...201526609038
non-toxigenic penicillin and cephalosporin-resistant corynebacterium diphtheriae endocarditis in a child: a case report and review of the literature.reports of invasive disease caused by non-toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae are increasing; however, medical management has not been extensively studied. we describe what we believe is the first documented case of penicillin and cephalosporin-resistant c diphtheriae endocarditis in a child successfully treated with vancomycin, meropenem, and valvular replacement surgery.201426625388
synergistic hemolysins of coagulase-negative staphylococci (cons).a total of 104 coagulase negative staphylococci, belonging to s. capitis, s. hominis, s. haemolyticus and s. warneri, originating from the collection of the department of pharmaceutical microbiology (zmf), medical university of lodz, poland, were tested for their synergistic hemolytic activity. 83% of strains produced δ-hemolysin, however, the percentage of positive strains of s. haemolyticus, s. warneri, s. capitis and s. hominis was different - 98%, 78%, 75% and 68%, respectively. highly pure ...201526634231
disulfide-bond-forming pathways in gram-positive bacteria.disulfide bonds are important for the stability and function of many secreted proteins. in gram-negative bacteria, these linkages are catalyzed by thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases (dsb) in the periplasm. protein oxidation has been well studied in these organisms, but it has not fully been explored in gram-positive bacteria, which lack traditional periplasmic compartments. recent bioinformatics analyses have suggested that the high-gc-content bacteria (i.e., actinobacteria) rely on disulfide-bond- ...201626644434
bacterial colony: first report of donut colony morphology among diphtheroids isolated in blood.isolation of diphtheroids in human clinical specimens is not uncommon. several studies have highlighted the significance of these bacteria in human infection, which morphologically resemble corynebacterium diphtheriae. previous studies have noted that occurrence of these bacteria in specimens like the blood should not be ignored as they can result in serious infections like endocarditis and sepsis among debilitated individuals, including the neonates. we report isolation of diphtheroid bacterium ...201526677424
colonisation with toxigenic corynebacterium diphtheriae in a scottish burns patient, june 2015.on 12 june 2015, corynebacterium diphtheriae was identified in a skin swab from a burns patient in scotland. the isolate was confirmed to be genotypically and phenotypically toxigenic. multilocus sequence typing of three patient isolates yielded sequence type st 125. the patient was clinically well. we summarise findings of this case, and results of close contact identification and screening: 12 family and close contacts and 32 hospital staff have been found negative for c. diphtheriae.201526691231
respiratory diphtheria in an asylum seeker from afghanistan arriving to finland via sweden, december 2015.in december 2015, an asylum seeker originating from afghanistan was diagnosed with respiratory diphtheria in finland. he arrived in finland from sweden where he had already been clinically suspected and tested for diphtheria. corynebacterium diphtheriae was confirmed in sweden and shown to be genotypically and phenotypically toxigenic. the event highlights the importance of early case detection, rapid communication within the country and internationally as well as preparedness plans of diphtheri ...201626840007
a case of pharyngeal diphtheria in germany, june 2015.in june 2015, a 45-year-old man suffering from acute necrotic tonsillitis and throat phlegmon was hospitalized in nuremberg, germany. after emergency surgery the patient was initially treated with antibiotics.201626883545
cnaa domains in bacterial pili are efficient dissipaters of large mechanical shocks.pathogenic bacteria adhere despite severe mechanical perturbations induced by the host, such as coughing. in gram-positive bacteria, extracellular protein appendages termed pili are necessary for adherence under mechanical stress. however, little is known about the behavior of gram-positive pili under force. here, we demonstrate a mechanism by which gram-positive pili are able to dissipate mechanical energy through mechanical unfolding and refolding of isopeptide bond-delimited polypeptide loops ...201626884173
immunological characterization of diphtheria toxin recovered from corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis.diphtheria toxin (dt) is a potent toxin produced by the so-called diphtheria group which includes corynebacterium diphtheriae (c. diphtheriae), corynebacterium ulcerans (c. ulcerans), and corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (c. pseudotuberculosis). the present investigation is aimed to study in detail the production of dt by c. pseudotuberculosis. twenty isolates were obtained from sheep diseased with caseous lymphadenitis (cla) and twenty-six isolates were obtained from 26 buffaloes diseased wit ...201626981011
toxigenic corynebacterium ulcerans isolated from a wild bird (ural owl) and its feed (shrew-moles): comparison of molecular types with human isolates.corynebacterium ulcerans is a pathogen causing diphtheria-like illness to humans. in contrast to diphtheria by corynebacterium diphtheriae circulating mostly among humans, c. ulcerans infection is zoonotic. the present study aimed to clarify how a zoonotic pathogen c. ulcerans circulates among wild birds and animals.201627000873
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