Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted descending) Filter |
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| humidity control can compensate for the damage induced in protein crystals by alien solutions. | the use of relative humidity control of protein crystals to overcome some of the shortcomings of soaking ligands (i.e. inhibitors, substrate analogs, weak ligands) into pre-grown apoprotein crystals has been explored. crystals of pure (ec 4.1.1.21), an enzyme from the purine-biosynthesis pathway of bacillus anthracis, were used as a test case. the findings can be summarized as follows: (i) using humidity control, it is possible to improve/optimize the diffraction quality of crystals soaked in so ... | 2011 | 22102052 |
| Application of nanoparticles for the detection and sorting of pathogenic bacteria by flow-cytometry. | In this paper we will describe a new developed contribution of fluorescence nano-crystal (q-dots) as a fluorescence label for detecting pathogenic bacteria by flow cytometry (FCM) and the use of nano-magnetic particles to improve bacterial sorting by Flow cytometry cell sorting (FACS).FCM or FACS systems are based upon single cell detection by light scatter and Immunofluorescence labeling signals. The common FACS systems are based upon single or dual excitation as excitation source both for ligh ... | 2012 | 22101709 |
| cAMP signaling by anthrax edema toxin induces transendothelial cell tunnels, which are resealed by MIM via Arp2/3-driven actin polymerization. | RhoA-inhibitory bacterial toxins, such as Staphylococcus aureus EDIN toxin, induce large transendothelial cell macroaperture (TEM) tunnels that rupture the host endothelium barrier and promote bacterial dissemination. Host cells repair these tunnels by extending actin-rich membrane waves from the TEM edges. We reveal that cyclic-AMP signaling produced by Bacillus anthracis edema toxin (ET) also induces TEM formation, which correlates with increased vascular permeability. We show that ET-induced ... | 2011 | 22100162 |
| [changing the protective properties of the receptor domain of protective antigen anthrax exotoxin, depending on the orientation of the presentation on nanoparticles]. | polysterene particles bearing on its surface recombinant protein receptor domain of protective antigen anthrax exotoxin, exposed in different orientations have been constructed. particles with exposed cooh region of receptor domain induced the highest protective immunity in mice anthrax model (95%). we revealed that immunization with these particles causes a specific induction of th1-response, characterized by increased levels ofcytokine tnf-alpha and il-2. | 2011 | 22096993 |
| h2s: a universal defense against antibiotics in bacteria. | many prokaryotic species generate hydrogen sulfide (h(2)s) in their natural environments. however, the biochemistry and physiological role of this gas in nonsulfur bacteria remain largely unknown. here we demonstrate that inactivation of putative cystathionine β-synthase, cystathionine γ-lyase, or 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase in bacillus anthracis, pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus aureus, and escherichia coli suppresses h(2)s production, rendering these pathogens highly sensitive t ... | 2011 | 22096201 |
| Anthrax toxin protective antigen-Insights into molecular switching from prepore to pore. | The protective antigen is a key component of the anthrax toxin, as it allows entry of the enzymatic components edema factor and lethal factor into the host cell, through the formation of a membrane spanning pore. This event is absolutely critical for the pathogenesis of anthrax, and although we have yet to understand the mechanism of pore formation, recent developments have provided key insights into how this process may occur. Based on the available data, a model is proposed for the kinetic ste ... | 2012 | 22095644 |
| A Decade of Spore-Forming Bacterial Infections Among European Injecting Drug Users: Pronounced Regional Variation. | The recent anthrax outbreak among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Europe has highlighted an ongoing problem with severe illness resulting from spore-forming bacteria in IDUs. We collated the numbers of cases of 4 bacterial illnesses (botulism, tetanus, Clostridium novyi, and anthrax) in European IDUs for 2000 to 2009 and calculated population rates. Six countries reported 367 cases; rates varied from 0.03 to 7.54 per million people.Most cases (92%) were reported from 3 neighboring countries: Irel ... | 2011 | 22095355 |
| Natural biopolymer for preservation of microorganisms during sampling and storage. | Stability of microbial cultures during sampling and storage is a vital issue in various fields of medicine, biotechnology, food science, and forensics. We have developed a unique bacterial preservation process involving a non-toxic, water-soluble acacia gum polymer that eliminates the need for refrigerated storage of samples. The main goal of this study is to characterize the efficacy of acacia gum polymer for preservation of pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus anthracis and methicillin-resistant Stap ... | 2012 | 22093998 |
| preparation and characterization of cobalt-substituted anthrax lethal factor. | anthrax lethal factor (lf) is a zinc-dependent endopeptidase involved in the cleavage of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases near their n-termini. the current report concerns the preparation of cobalt-substituted lf (colf) and its characterization by electronic spectroscopy. two strategies to produce colf were explored, including (i) a bio-assimilation approach involving the cultivation of lf-expressing bacillus megaterium cells in the presence of cocl(2), and (ii) direct exchange by treatm ... | 2011 | 22093822 |
| anthrax vaccine antigen-adjuvant formulations completely protect new zealand white rabbits against challenge with bacillus anthracis ames strain spores. | in an effort to develop an improved anthrax vaccine that shows high potency, five different anthrax protective antigen (pa)-adjuvant vaccine formulations that were previously found to be efficacious in a nonhuman primate model were evaluated for their efficacy in a rabbit pulmonary challenge model using bacillus anthracis ames strain spores. the vaccine formulations include pa adsorbed to alhydrogel, pa encapsulated in liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid a, stable liposomal pa oil-in-water ... | 2012 | 22089245 |
| effects by anthrax toxins on hematopoiesis: a key role for cytokines as mediators. | an understanding of anthrax toxins on the emerging immune system and blood production are significant to medicine. this study examined the effects of anthrax toxin on hematopoiesis and determined roles for cytokines. anthrax holotoxin toxin is three components: protective antigen (pa) binds to the target cell and mediates the entry of lethal factor (lf) and edema factor (ef). anthrax toxin dramatically inhibits signaling in immune cells. we first identified the cell subsets that interacted with ... | 2012 | 22082805 |
| Serum amyloid A protects murine macrophages from lethal toxin-mediated death. | Lethal toxin, a key virulence factor produced by Bacillus anthracis, induces cell death, in part by disrupting numerous signaling pathways, in mouse macrophages. However, exposure to sublethal doses of lethal toxin allows some cells to survive. Because these pro-survival signaling events occur within a few hours after exposure to sublethal doses, we hypothesized that acute phase proteins might influence macrophage survival. Our data show that serum amyloid A (SAA) is produced in response to leth ... | 2012 | 22082566 |
| characterization of the sortase repertoire in bacillus anthracis. | lpxtg proteins, present in most if not all gram-positive bacteria, are known to be anchored by sortases to the bacterial peptidoglycan. more than one sortase gene is often encoded in a bacterial species, and each sortase is supposed to specifically anchor given lpxtg proteins, depending of the sequence of the c-terminal cell wall sorting signal (cwss), bearing an lpxtg motif or another recognition sequence. b. anthracis possesses three sortase genes. b. anthracis sortase deleted mutant strains a ... | 2011 | 22076158 |
| vaccination and risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus in active component u.s. military, 2002-2008. | to evaluate whether vaccination increases the risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus in active component u.s. military personnel. | 2011 | 22075092 |
| Effects of terbium chelate structure on dipicolinate ligation and the detection of Bacillus spores. | Terbium-sensitized luminescence and its applicability towards the detection of Bacillus spores such as anthrax are of significant interest to research in biodefense and medical diagnostics. Accordingly, we have measured the effects of terbium chelation upon the parameters associated with dipicolinate ligation and spore detection. Namely, the dissociation constants, intrinsic brightness, luminescent lifetimes, and biological stabilities for several Tb(chelate)(dipicolinate)(x) complexes were dete ... | 2011 | 22071082 |
| The potential contributions of lethal and edema toxins to the pathogenesis of anthrax associated shock. | Outbreaks of Bacillus anthracis in the US and Europe over the past 10 years have emphasized the health threat this lethal bacteria poses even for developed parts of the world. In contrast to cutaneous anthrax, inhalational disease in the US during the 2001 outbreaks and the newly identified injectional drug use form of disease in the UK and Germany have been associated with relatively high mortality rates. One notable aspect of these cases has been the difficulty in supporting patients once shoc ... | 2011 | 22069762 |
| monoclonal antibody therapies against anthrax. | anthrax is a highly lethal infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium bacillus anthracis. it not only causes natural infection in humans but also poses a great threat as an emerging bioterror agent. the lethality of anthrax is primarily attributed to the two major virulence factors: toxins and capsule. an extensive effort has been made to generate therapeutically useful monoclonal antibodies to each of the virulence components: protective antigen (pa), lethal factor (lf) and edema ... | 2011 | 22069754 |
| mechanism of lethal toxin neutralization by a human monoclonal antibody specific for the pa(20) region of bacillus anthracis protective antigen. | the primary immunogenic component of the currently approved anthrax vaccine is the protective antigen (pa) unit of the binary toxin system. pa-specific antibodies neutralize anthrax toxins and protect against infection. recent research has determined that in humans, only antibodies specific for particular determinants are capable of effecting toxin neutralization, and that the neutralizing epitopes recognized by these antibodies are distributed throughout the pa monomer. the mechanisms by which ... | 2011 | 22069752 |
| Hemodynamic effects of anthrax toxins in the rabbit model and the cardiac pathology induced by lethal toxin. | Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) and edema toxin (EdTx) have been shown to alter hemodynamics in the rodent model, while LeTx primarily is reported to induce extensive tissue pathology. However, the rodent model has limitations when used for comparison to higher organisms such as humans. The rabbit model, on the other hand, has gained recognition as a useful model for studying anthrax infection and its pathophysiological effects. In this study, we assessed the hemodynamic effects of lethal toxin (LeT ... | 2011 | 22069736 |
| t cell targeting by anthrax toxins: two faces of the same coin. | bacillus anthracis, similar to other bacterial pathogens, has evolved effective immune evasion strategies to prolong its survival in the host, thus ensuring the unchecked spread of the infection. this function is subserved by lethal (lt) and edema (et) toxins, two exotoxins produced by vegetative anthrax bacilli following germination of the spores. the structure of these toxins and the mechanism of cell intoxication are topics covered by other reviews in this issue. here we shall discuss how b. ... | 2011 | 22069732 |
| the effects of anthrax lethal toxin on host barrier function. | the pathological actions of anthrax toxin require the activities of its edema factor (ef) and lethal factor (lf) enzyme components, which gain intracellular access via its receptor-binding component, protective antigen (pa). lf is a metalloproteinase with specificity for selected mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (mkks), but its activity is not directly lethal to many types of primary and transformed cells in vitro. nevertheless, in vivo treatment of several animal species with the combin ... | 2011 | 22069727 |
| mechanism of diphtheria toxin catalytic domain delivery to the eukaryotic cell cytosol and the cellular factors that directly participate in the process. | research on diphtheria and anthrax toxins over the past three decades has culminated in a detailed understanding of their structure function relationships (e.g., catalytic (c), transmembrane (t), and receptor binding (r) domains), as well as the identification of their eukaryotic cell surface receptor, an understanding of the molecular events leading to the receptor-mediated internalization of the toxin into an endosomal compartment, and the ph triggered conformational changes required for pore ... | 2011 | 22069710 |
| anthrax lethal toxin-mediated disruption of endothelial ve-cadherin is attenuated by inhibition of the rho-associated kinase pathway. | systemic anthrax disease is characterized by vascular leakage pathologies. we previously reported that anthrax lethal toxin (lt) induces human endothelial barrier dysfunction in a cell death-independent manner with actin stress fiber formation and disruption of adherens junctions (ajs). in the present study, we further characterize the molecular changes in the aj complex and investigate whether aj structure and barrier function can be preserved by modulating key cytoskeletal signaling pathways. ... | 2011 | 22069696 |
| emergence of anthrax edema toxin as a master manipulator of macrophage and b cell functions. | anthrax edema toxin (et), a powerful adenylyl cyclase, is an important virulence factor of bacillus anthracis. until recently, only a modest amount of research was performed to understand the role this toxin plays in the organism's immune evasion strategy. a new wave of studies have begun to elucidate the effects this toxin has on a variety of host cells. while efforts have been made to illuminate the effect et has on cells of the adaptive immune system, such as t cells, the greatest focus has b ... | 2010 | 22069663 |
| the glucocorticoid receptor: a revisited target for toxins. | the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis activation and glucocorticoid responses are critical for survival from a number of bacterial, viral and toxic insults, demonstrated by the fact that removal of the hpa axis or gr blockade enhances mortality rates. replacement with synthetic glucocorticoids reverses these effects by providing protection against lethal effects. glucocorticoid resistance/insensitivity is a common problem in the treatment of many diseases. much research has focused on th ... | 2010 | 22069642 |
| consequences and utility of the zinc-dependent metalloprotease activity of anthrax lethal toxin. | anthrax is caused by the gram-positive bacterium bacillus anthracis. the pathogenesis of this disease is dependent on the presence of two binary toxins, edema toxin (edtx) and lethal toxin (letx). letx, the major virulence factor contributing to anthrax, contains the effector moiety lethal factor (lf), a zinc-dependent metalloprotease specific for targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases. this review will focus on the protease-specific activity and function of lf, and will include a di ... | 2010 | 22069624 |
| toxin-based therapeutic approaches. | protein toxins confer a defense against predation/grazing or a superior pathogenic competence upon the producing organism. such toxins have been perfected through evolution in poisonous animals/plants and pathogenic bacteria. over the past five decades, a lot of effort has been invested in studying their mechanism of action, the way they contribute to pathogenicity and in the development of antidotes that neutralize their action. in parallel, many research groups turned to explore the pharmaceut ... | 2010 | 22069564 |
| differential effects of linezolid and ciprofloxacin on toxin production by bacillus anthracis in an in vitro pharmacodynamic system. | bacillus anthracis causes anthrax. ciprofloxacin is a gold standard for the treatment of anthrax. previously, using the non-toxin-producing δsterne strain of b. anthracis, we demonstrated that linezolid was equivalent to ciprofloxacin for reducing the total (vegetative and spore) bacterial population. with ciprofloxacin therapy, the total population consisted of spores. with linezolid therapy, the population consisted primarily of vegetative bacteria. linezolid is a protein synthesis inhibitor, ... | 2012 | 22064542 |
| Domain flexibility modulates the heterogeneous assembly mechanism of anthrax toxin protective antigen. | The three protein components of anthrax toxin are nontoxic individually, but they form active holotoxin complexes upon assembly. The role of the protective antigen (PA) component of the toxin is to deliver two other enzyme components, lethal factor and edema factor, across the plasma membrane and into the cytoplasm of target cells. PA is produced as a proprotein, which must be proteolytically activated; generally, cell surface activation is mediated by a furin family protease. Activated PA can t ... | 2012 | 22063095 |
| the bacillus anthracis arylamine n-acetyltransferase ((bacan)nat1) that inactivates sulfamethoxazole, reveals unusual structural features compared with the other nat isoenzymes. | arylamine n-acetyltransferases (nats) are xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes that biotransform arylamine drugs. the bacillus anthracis (bacan)nat1 enzyme affords increased resistance to the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole through its acetylation. we report the structure of (bacan)nat1. unexpectedly, endogenous coenzymea was present in the active site. the structure suggests that, contrary to the other prokaryotic nats, (bacan)nat1 possesses a 14-residue insertion equivalent to the "mammalian insertion" ... | 2011 | 22062153 |
| bioterror research. panel endorses anthrax vaccine study in children. | 2011 | 22053016 | |
| New Developments in Vaccines, Inhibitors of Anthrax Toxins, and Antibiotic Therapeutics for Bacillus anthracis. | Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent responsible for anthrax infections, poses a significant biodefense threat. There is a high mortality rate associated with untreated anthrax infections; specifically, inhalation anthrax is a particularly virulent form of infection with mortality rates close to 100%, even with aggressive treatment. Currently, a vaccine is not available to the general public and few antibiotics have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of inhalation anthrax. With the th ... | 2011 | 22050756 |
| A 45-year-old farmer with an ulcerative rash, shock, and hemorrhagic meningitis. | 2011 | 22049028 | |
| A chelating-bond breaking and re-linking technique for rapid re-immobilization of immune micro-sensors. | With high sensitivity and specificity to antigen, immune micro-sensors can be used in rapid detection of pathogenic microbial. This study proposes and develops a method for rapidly regeneration of antibody on a resonant micro-cantilever sensor. A nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) derivative is synthesized with cystine and bromoacetic acid, then added with 2-mercaptoethanol to prepare a mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on Au (111) surface of the cantilever. Ni(2+) ions are thereafter chelated on th ... | 2011 | 22048777 |
| a novel splice site mutation in antxr2 (cmg2) gene results in systemic hyalinosis. | systemic hyalinosis is a rare autosomal recessive inheritance disease characterized by accumulation of amorphous, unidentified hyaline material in skin and other organs, which leads to papulonodular skin lesions, gingival hypertrophy, flexion contractures of the joints, and large subcutaneous tumors. it is composed of 2 allelic syndromes, infantile systemic hyalinosis and juvenile hyaline fibromatosis. here we describe a patient with juvenile hyaline fibromatosis confirmed by clinical and histop ... | 2011 | 22042284 |
| the munich outbreak of cutaneous cowpox infection: transmission by infected pet rats. | cowpox virus infection of humans is an uncommon, potentially fatal, skin disease. it is largely confined to europe, but is not found in eire, or in the usa, australasia, or the middle or far east. patients having contact with infected cows, cats, or small rodents sporadically contract the disease from these animals. we report here clinical aspects of 8 patients from the munich area who had purchased infected pet rats from a local supplier. pet rats are a novel potential source of local outbreaks ... | 2011 | 22041995 |
| veterinary experiences as a japanese prisoner of war and ex-pow along the burma railroad from 1942 to january 1946. | summary as a prisoner of war the writer was working for nearly three years in different pow camps, and outside them, along the burma railway from thanbyuyzat in southern burma up to kanchanabury in thailand. in the army of the netherlands-indian archipelago (knil) he had the military rank of reserve horse-doctor. in civilian life he was attached to the veterinary institute in buitenzorg (now bogor) as a veterinary bacteriologist. his task as a pow became that of meathygienist and supervisor of ... | 1979 | 22039830 |
| anthrax lethal toxin-induced gene expression changes in mouse lung. | a major virulence factor of bacillus anthracis is the anthrax lethal toxin (letx), a bipartite toxin composed of protective antigen and lethal factor. systemic administration of letx to laboratory animals leads to death associated with vascular leakage and pulmonary edema. in this study, we investigated whether systemic exposure of mice to letx would induce gene expression changes associated with vascular/capillary leakage in lung tissue. we observed enhanced susceptibility of a/j mice to death ... | 2011 | 22039574 |
| Characterization of Type II and III Restriction-Modification Systems from Bacillus cereus Strains ATCC 10987 and ATCC 14579. | The genomes of two Bacillus cereus strains (ATCC 10987 and ATCC 14579) have been sequenced. Here, we report the specificities of type II/III restriction (R) and modification (M) enzymes. Found in the ATCC 10987 strain, BceSI is a restriction endonuclease (REase) with the recognition and cut site CGAAG 24-25/27-28. BceSII is an isoschizomer of AvaII (G/GWCC). BceSIII cleaves at ACGGC 12/14. The BceSIII C terminus resembles the catalytic domains of AlwI, MlyI, and Nt.BstNBI. BceSIV is composed of ... | 2012 | 22037402 |
| anthrax cleanup decisions: statistical confidence or confident response. | 2011 | 22029373 | |
| Optical and electrochemical responses of an anthrax biomarker based on single-walled carbon nanotubes covalently loaded with terbium complexes. | An effective single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) covalently loaded with unsaturated terbium emissive material was designed for specific and rapid (2-3 s) detection of calcium dipicolinate (CaDPA) (detection limit 1 µM). The nanoprobe was successfully assembled onto electrodes and its sensing abilities were investigated through electrochemical measurement. Cyclic voltammetry curves were selectively responsive to calcium dipicolinate compared with benzoic acid, o-phthalic acid and m-phthalic acid ... | 2011 | 22027893 |
| Bioterrorism: lessons learned since the anthrax mailings. | In the fall of 2001, Bacillus anthracis spores were spread through letters mailed in the United States. Twenty-two people are known to have been infected, and five of these individuals died. Together with the September 11 attacks, this resulted in a reevaluation of the risks and benefits of life science research with the potential for misuse. In this editorial, we review some of the results of these discussions and their implications for the future. | 2011 | 22027008 |
| coenzyme a binding to the aminoglycoside acetyltransferase (3)-iiib increases conformational sampling of antibiotic binding site. | nmr spectroscopy experiments and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to describe the dynamic properties of the aminoglycoside acetyltransferase (3)-iiib (aac) in its apo and coenzyme a (coash) bound forms. the (15)n-(1)h hsqc spectra indicate a partial structural change and coupling of the coash binding site with another region in the protein upon the coash titration into the apo enzyme. molecular dynamics simulations indicate a significant structural and dynamic variation of the long ... | 2011 | 22026726 |
| differential role of the interleukin-17 axis and neutrophils in resolution of inhalational anthrax. | the roles of interleukin-17 (il-17) and neutrophils in the lung have been described as those of two intricate but independent players. here we identify neutrophils as the primary il-17-secreting subset of cells in a model of inhalation anthrax using a/j and c57bl/6 mice. with il-17 receptor a knockout (il-17ra(-/-)) mice, we confirmed that il-17a/f signaling is instrumental in the self-recruitment of this population. we also show that the il-17a/f axis is critical for surviving pulmonary infecti ... | 2012 | 22025514 |
| The effect of deletion of the edema factor on Bacillus anthracis pathogenicity in guinea pigs and rabbits. | Bacillus anthracis secretes three major components, which assemble into two bipartite toxins: lethal toxin (LT), composed of lethal factor (LF) and protective antigen (PA) and edema toxin (ET), composed of edema factor (EF) and PA. EF is a potent calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase, which is internalized into the target cell following PA binding. Once inside the cell, EF elevates cAMP levels, interrupting intracellular signaling. Effects of ET were demonstrated on monocytes, neutrophils and T ... | 2012 | 22020310 |
| the mechanism of dna ejection in the bacillus anthracis spore-binding phage 8a revealed by cryo-electron tomography. | the structure of the bacillus anthracis spore-binding phage 8a was determined by cryo-electron tomography. the phage capsid forms a t=16 icosahedron attached to a contractile tail via a head-tail connector protein. the tail consists of a six-start helical sheath surrounding a central tail tube, and a structurally novel baseplate at the distal end of the tail that recognizes and attaches to host cells. the parameters of the icosahedral capsid lattice and the helical tail sheath suggest protein fo ... | 2011 | 22018785 |
| Determination of the glycation sites of Bacillus anthracis neoglycoconjugate vaccine by MALDI-TOF/TOF-CID-MS/MS and LC-ESI-QqTOF-tandem mass spectrometry. | We present herein an efficient mass spectrometric method for the localization of the glycation sites of a model neoglycoconjugate vaccine formed by a construct of the tetrasaccharide side chain of the Bacillus anthracis exosporium and the protein carrier bovine serum albumin. The glycoconjugate was digested with both trypsin and GluC V8 endoproteinases, and the digests were then analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF-CID-MS/MS and nano-LC-ESI-QqTOF-CID-MS/MS. The sequences of the unknown peptides analyzed by ... | 2011 | 22012665 |
| Nine years' review on preseptal and orbital cellulitis and emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococus aureus in a tertiary hospital in India. | Preseptal cellulitis is the commonest orbital disease which frequently needs to be differentiated from orbital cellulitis. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with appropriate antibiotics can prevent vision loss and life-threatening complications of orbital cellulitis. | 2011 | 22011486 |
| Development of artificial neural network based metamodels for inactivation of anthrax spores in ventilated spaces using computational fluid dynamics. | Linear, quadratic, and artificial neural network (ANN)-based metamodels were developed for predicting the extent of anthrax spore inactivation by chlorine dioxide in a ventilated three-dimensional space over time from computational fluid dynamics model (CFD) simulation data. Dimensionless groups were developed to define the design space of the problem scenario. The Hammersley sequence sampling (HSS) method was used to determine the sampling points for the numerical experiments within the design ... | 2011 | 22010381 |
| Antibacterial Role for Natural Killer Cells in Host Defense to Bacillus anthracis. | Natural killer (NK) cells have innate antibacterial activity that could be targeted for clinical interventions for infectious disease caused by naturally occurring or weaponized bacterial pathogens. To determine a potential role for NK cells in immunity to Bacillus anthracis, we utilized primary human and murine NK cells, in vitro assays, and in vivo NK cell depletion in a murine model of inhalational anthrax. Our results demonstrate potent antibacterial activity by human NK cells against B. ant ... | 2012 | 22006566 |
| a is for anthrax. | 2011 | 22003137 | |
| anthrax attacks: lessons learned on the 10th anniversary of the anthrax attacks. | 2011 | 22003133 | |
| Platelets, inflammatory cells, von Willebrand factor, syndecan-1, fibrin, fibronectin, and bacteria co-localize in the liver thrombi of Bacillus anthracis-infected mice. | Vascular dysfunction and thrombosis have been described in association with anthrax infection in humans and animals but the mechanisms of these dysfunctions, as well as the components involved in thrombi formation are poorly understood. Immunofluorescent microscopy was used to define the composition of thrombi in the liver of mice challenged with the Bacillus anthracis Sterne spores. Lethal infection with the toxigenic Sterne strain, in contrast to the non-lethal, non-toxigenic delta-Sterne stra ... | 2012 | 22001909 |
| Characterization of Genetic Diversity of Bacillus anthracis in France by Using High-Resolution Melting Assays and Multilocus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis. | Using high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis, we developed a cost-effective method to genotype a set of 13 phylogenetically informative single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genome of Bacillus anthracis. SNP discrimination assays were performed in monoplex or duplex and applied to 100 B. anthracis isolates collected in France from 1953 to 2009 and a few reference strains. HRM provided a reliable and cheap alternative to subtype B. anthracis into one of the 12 major sublineages or sub ... | 2011 | 21998431 |
| ultrasensitive diagnosis for an anthrax-protective antigen based on a polyvalent directed peptide polymer coupled to zinc oxide nanorods. | a flexible poly-d-lysine polymer conjugated with different target-binding peptides is demonstrated with an ultralow concentration detection limit compared to those of other conventional detection systems. this polyvalent directed peptide polymer (pdpp) exhibits increased binding affinity and detects anthrax protective antigen at low levels using a well-known zinc oxide nanorod detection system. | 2011 | 21997757 |
| [analyze and compare metabolic pathways of bacillus cereus group]. | a large number of data and information was obtained from genome sequencing and high-throughput genomic studies, use of the information to study metabolic networks become a new hotspot in biological research. this article compared different methods to reconstruct metabolic networks and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of each methods, and then introduced some researches about carbohydrate metabolism pathways, amino acid metabolic pathways, and energy metabolism pathways of 9 strains of b ... | 2011 | 21993280 |
| Persistent inhibition of oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization by anthrax lethal toxin. | Purpose. To evaluate the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) signaling in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) that mimics retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods. Postnatal day 7 mice were exposed to elevated oxygen for 5 days to induce retinopathy. Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx), an MKK inhibitor, was injected into the vitreous after restoration to normoxia, and its effects on vascular growth were analyzed by whole mount immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy ... | 2011 | 21989728 |
| ten years on from anthrax scare, analysis lags behind sequencing. | 2011 | 21988965 | |
| optimizing acidified bleach solutions to improve sporicidal efficacy on building materials. | we evaluated whether lowering ph (with acetic acid) and raising free available chlorine (fac) levels in bleach solutions would improve efficacy in inactivating bacillus spores on different materials. we also determined how varying ph and fac levels affected bleach stability. | 2011 | 21981715 |
| behavioural factors associated with cutaneous anthrax in musadzi area of gokwe north, zimbabwe. | to determine behaviour factors for contracting human cutaneous anthrax among residents of musadzi area. | 2009 | 21977844 |
| an in vitro survey on the apoptotic effects of uvb ray in bacillus anthracis. | objectives: bacillus anthracis as the bacterial agent of anthrax, is spread in different geographical zones around the world.the purpose of this survey was to observe eventual apoptotic reactions in total genomic dna of uvb irradiated colonies of bacillus anthracis.materials and methods: the colonies of bacillus anthracis were exposed to uvb ray for 10 minutes; then, the dna molecules of control and irradiated colonies were extracted. finally, the dna samples mixed in loading dye, were run in 1% ... | 2011 | 21977187 |
| phase i study evaluating the safety and pharmacokinetics of mdx-1303, a fully human monoclonal antibody against bacillus anthracis protective antigen, in healthy volunteers. | mdx-1303 (valortim) is a fully human monoclonal antibody (hmab) with a high affinity for bacillus anthracis protective antigen (pa). mdx-1303 binds to pa and interferes with the activity of the anthrax toxin; it was selected based on its superior functional activity in the toxin neutralization activity (tna) assay. mdx-1303 has demonstrated efficacy in the postexposure and therapeutic settings in new zealand white rabbits, cynomolgus monkeys, and african green monkeys. this phase i study sought ... | 2011 | 21976227 |
| laboratory contributions to public health. | 2011 | 21976158 | |
| in vitro antimicrobial studies of silver carbene complexes: activity of free and nanoparticle carbene formulations against clinical isolates of pathogenic bacteria. | silver carbenes may represent novel, broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents that have low toxicity while providing varying chemistry for targeted applications. here, the bactericidal activity of four silver carbene complexes (sccs) with different formulations, including nanoparticles (nps) and micelles, was tested against a panel of clinical strains of bacteria and fungi that are the causative agents of many skin and soft tissue, respiratory, wound, blood, and nosocomial infections. | 2012 | 21972270 |
| The anthrax attacks 10 years later. | Ten years ago, just weeks after the September 11 attacks, the United States experienced a deliberate act of bioterrorism. Through use of the postal service, anthrax spores were widely disseminated, including to homes, the Senate, and major newsrooms, resulting in morbidity and mortality and effectively disrupting our way of life and revealing our vulnerability. Even though such attacks had been the subject of much writing and had been planned for, detection of and the appropriate response to an ... | 2011 | 21969275 |
| national validation study of a cellulose sponge wipe-processing method for use after sampling bacillus anthracis spores from surfaces. | this work was initiated to address the gaps identified by congress regarding validated biothreat environmental sampling and processing methods. nine laboratory response network-affiliated laboratories participated in a validation study of a cellulose sponge wipe-processing protocol for the recovery, detection, and quantification of viable bacillus anthracis sterne spores from steel surfaces. steel coupons (645.16 cm(2)) were inoculated with 1 to 4 log(10) spores and then sampled with cellulose s ... | 2011 | 21965403 |
| Anthrax sub-unit vaccine: The structural consequences of binding rPA83 to Alhydrogel®. | An anthrax sub-unit vaccine, comprising recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA83) and aluminium hydroxide adjuvant (Alhydrogel®) is currently being developed. Here, a series of biophysical techniques have been applied to free and adjuvant bound antigen. Limited proteolysis and fluorescence identified no changes in rPA83 tertiary structure following binding to Alhydrogel and the bound rPA83 retained two structurally important calcium ions. For adsorbed rPA83, differential scanning calorimetry reveal ... | 2012 | 21964315 |
| determination of post-culture processing with carbohydrates by maldi-ms and tms derivatization gc-ms. | biological materials generally require stabilization to retain activity or viability in a dry form. a number of industrial products, such as vaccines, probiotics and biopesticides have been produced as dry preparations. the same methods and materials used for stabilizing commercial microbial products may be applicable to preserving biothreat pathogens in a dry form. this is a likely step that may be encountered when looking at samples from terrorism attempts since only spores, such as those from ... | 2011 | 21962653 |
| An attenuated strain of Bacillus anthracis (CDC 684) has a large chromosomal inversion and altered growth kinetics. | An isolate originally labeled Bacillus megaterium CDC 684 was found to contain both pXO1 and pXO2, was non-hemolytic, sensitive to gamma-phage, and produced both the protective antigen and the poly-D-glutamic acid capsule. These phenotypes prompted Ezzell et al., (J. Clin. Microbiol. 28:223) to reclassify this isolate to Bacillus anthracis in 1990. | 2011 | 21962024 |
| Sensitive detection of Bacillus anthracis spores by immunocapture and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. | Bacillus anthracis is one of the most dangerous agents of the bioterrorism threat. We present here a sensitive immuno-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (immuno-LC-MS/MS) approach to spore detection in complex environmental samples. It is based on the combined specificity and sensitivity of two techniques: immunocapture and targeted mass spectrometry. The immunocapture step, realized directly on the intact spores, is essential for their selective isolation and concentration from com ... | 2011 | 21961787 |
| Transient co-expression of post-transcriptional gene silencing suppressors for increased in planta expression of a recombinant anthrax receptor fusion protein. | Potential epidemics of infectious diseases and the constant threat of bioterrorism demand rapid, scalable, and cost-efficient manufacturing of therapeutic proteins. Molecular farming of tobacco plants provides an alternative for the recombinant production of therapeutics. We have developed a transient production platform that uses Agrobacterium infiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants to express a novel anthrax receptor decoy protein (immunoadhesin), CMG2-Fc. This chimeric fusion protein, de ... | 2011 | 21954339 |
| Structure determination and interception of biosynthetic intermediates for the plantazolicin class of highly discriminating antibiotics. | The soil-dwelling, plant growth-promoting bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is a prolific producer of complex natural products. Recently, a new FZB42 metabolite, plantazolicin (PZN), has been described as a member of the growing thiazole/oxazole-modified microcin (TOMM) family. TOMMs are biosynthesized from inactive, ribosomal peptides and undergo a series of cyclodehydrations, dehydrogenations, and other modifications to become bioactive natural products. Using high-resolution mass spe ... | 2011 | 21950656 |
| identification of the bacterial protein ftsx as a unique target of chemokine-mediated antimicrobial activity against bacillus anthracis. | chemokines are a family of chemotactic cytokines that function in host defense by orchestrating cellular movement during infection. in addition to this function, many chemokines have also been found to mediate the direct killing of a range of pathogenic microorganisms through an as-yet-undefined mechanism. as an understanding of the molecular mechanism and microbial targets of chemokine-mediated antimicrobial activity is likely to lead to the identification of unique, broad-spectrum therapeutic ... | 2011 | 21949405 |
| ultrasensitive detection of protein translocated through toxin pores in droplet-interface bilayers. | many bacterial toxins form proteinaceous pores that facilitate the translocation of soluble effector proteins across cellular membranes. with anthrax toxin this process may be monitored in real time by electrophysiology, where fluctuations in ionic current through these pores inserted in model membranes are used to infer the translocation of individual protein molecules. however, detecting the minute quantities of translocated proteins has been a challenge. here, we describe use of the droplet-i ... | 2011 | 21949363 |
| inhibition of the adenylyl cyclase toxin, edema factor, from bacillus anthracis by a series of 18 mono- and bis-(m)ant-substituted nucleoside 5'-triphosphates. | bacillus anthracis causes anthrax disease and exerts its deleterious effects by the release of three exotoxins, i.e. lethal factor, protective antigen and edema factor (ef), a highly active calmodulin-dependent adenylyl cyclase (ac). conventional antibiotic treatment is ineffective against either toxaemia or antibiotic-resistant strains. thus, more effective drugs for anthrax treatment are needed. our previous studies showed that ef is differentially inhibited by various purine and pyrimidine nu ... | 2011 | 21947230 |
| Optical microchip array biosensor for multiplexed detection of bio-hazardous agents. | An optical waveguide array biosensor suitable for rapid detection of multiple bio-hazardous agents is presented. SpectroSens™ optical microchip sensors contain multiple spatially-separated waveguide channels with integral high-precision Bragg gratings sensitive to changes in refractive-index; selective surface-functionalisation of discrete sensing channels with different antibodies as bio-recognition elements enables selective multi-analyte biological detection. Interactions between target antig ... | 2011 | 21944924 |
| the role of bacillus anthracis recd2 helicase in dna mismatch repair. | dna mismatch repair (mmr) systems can be classified as either muth-dependent or muth-independent. in bacteria, extensive studies have been conducted with the muth-dependent mmr in escherichia coli and its close relatives. the picture of muth-independent mmr in other bacteria is less clear, as mmr components other than muts and mutl have not been identified in the majority of bacteria. bacillus anthracis is one of the muth-less gram(+) bacteria in the phylum of firmicutes. we used papillation as ... | 2011 | 21940221 |
| an active-site guanine participates in glms ribozyme catalysis in its protonated state. | active-site guanines that occupy similar positions have been proposed to serve as general base catalysts in hammerhead, hairpin, and glms ribozymes, but no specific roles for these guanines have been demonstrated conclusively. structural studies place g33(n1) of the glms ribozyme of bacillus anthracis within hydrogen-bonding distance of the 2'-oh nucleophile. apparent pk(a) values determined from the ph dependence of cleavage kinetics for wild-type and mutant glms ribozymes do not support a role ... | 2011 | 21936556 |
| structure of n5-carboxyaminoimidazole ribonucleotide synthase (purk) from bacillus anthracis. | the apo structure of n5-carboxyaminoimidazole ribonucleotide synthase (purk) from bacillus anthracis (bapurk) with mg2+ in the active site is reported at 1.96 å resolution. purk is an enzyme in the purine-biosynthetic pathway, unique to prokaryotes, that converts 5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide to n5-carboxyaminoimidazole ribonucleotide and has been suggested as a potential antimicrobial drug target. two interesting features of bapurk are a flexible b-loop (residues 149/150-157) that is in close ... | 2011 | 21931218 |
| new insights into the biological effects of anthrax toxins: linking cellular to organismal responses. | the anthrax toxins lethal toxin (lt) and edema toxin (et) are essential virulence factors produced by bacillus anthracis. these toxins act during two distinct phases of anthrax infection. during the first, prodromal phase, which is often asymptomatic, anthrax toxins act on cells of the immune system to help the pathogen establish infection. then, during the rapidly progressing (or fulminant) stage of the disease bacteria disseminate via a hematological route to various target tissues and organs, ... | 2011 | 21930233 |
| Biocidal activity of plasma modified electrospun polysulfone mats functionalized with polyethyleneimine-capped silver nanoparticles. | The incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into polymeric nanofibers has attracted a great deal of attention due to the strong antimicrobial activity that the resulting fibers exhibit. However, bactericidal efficacy of AgNP-coated electrospun fibrous mats has not yet been demonstrated. In this study, polysulfone (PSf) fibers were electrospun and surface-modified using an oxygen plasma treatment, which allowed for facile irreversible deposition of cationically charged polyethyleneimine (PE ... | 2011 | 21928790 |
| persistence of bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki in urban environments following spraying. | bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki is applied extensively in north america to control the gypsy moth, lymantria dispar. since b. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki shares many physical and biological properties with bacillus anthracis, it is a reasonable surrogate for biodefense studies. a key question in biodefense is how long a biothreat agent will persist in the environment. there is some information in the literature on the persistence of bacillus anthracis in laboratories and historical test ... | 2011 | 21926205 |
| bacillus anthracis virulence regulator atxa: oligomeric state, function and co(2) -signalling. | atxa, a unique regulatory protein of unknown molecular function, positively controls expression of the major virulence genes of bacillus anthracis. the 475 amino acid sequence of atxa reveals dna binding motifs and regions similar to proteins associated with the phosphoenolpyruvate: carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (pts). we used strains producing native and functional epitope-tagged atxa proteins to examine protein-protein interactions in cell lysates and in solutions of purified protein. ... | 2011 | 21923765 |
| AOAC SMPR 2010.004. Standard method performance requirements for immunological-based handheld assays (HHAs) for detection of Bacillus anthracis spores in visible powders. | 2011 | 21919368 | |
| aoac smpr 2010.003. standard method performance requirements for polymerase chain reaction (pcr) methods for detection of bacillus anthracis in aerosol collection filters and/or liquids. | 2011 | 21919367 | |
| CodY regulation is required for full virulence and heme iron acquisition in Bacillus anthracis. | Capsule and toxin are the major virulence factors of Bacillus anthracis. The B. anthracis pleiotropic regulator CodY activates toxin gene expression by post-translationally regulating the accumulation of the global regulator AtxA. However, the role of CodY on B. anthracis capsulation and virulence of encapsulated strains has been unknown. The role of CodY in B. anthracis virulence was studied in mouse and guinea pig models. Spore outgrowth and dissemination of the vegetative cells was followed i ... | 2011 | 21911592 |
| Mouse monoclonal antibodies to anthrax edema factor protect against infection. | Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax, and the tripartite anthrax toxin is an essential element of its pathogenesis. Edema factor (EF), a potent adenylyl cyclase, is one of the toxin components. In this work, anti-EF monoclonal antibodies (MAb) were produced following immunization of mice, and four of the antibodies were fully characterized. MAb 3F2 has an affinity of 388 pM, was most effective for EF detection, and appears to be the first antibody reported to neutralize EF by bin ... | 2011 | 21911463 |
| Lethal factor toxemia and anti-protective antigen antibody activity in naturally acquired cutaneous anthrax. | Cutaneous anthrax outbreaks occurred in Bangladesh from August to October 2009. As part of the epidemiological response and to confirm anthrax diagnoses, serum samples were collected from suspected case patients with observed cutaneous lesions. Anthrax lethal factor (LF), anti-protective antigen (anti-PA) immunoglobulin G (IgG), and anthrax lethal toxin neutralization activity (TNA) levels were determined in acute and convalescent serum of 26 case patients with suspected cutaneous anthrax from t ... | 2011 | 21908727 |
| transcutaneous dna immunization following waxing-based hair depilation. | transcutaneous dna immunization is an attractive immunization approach. previously, we reported that transcutaneous immunization by applying plasmid dna onto a skin area wherein the hair follicles had been induced into growth stage by 'cold' waxing-based hair plucking significantly enhanced the resultant immune responses. in the present study, using a plasmid that encodes the bacillus anthracis protective antigen (pa63) gene fragment, it was shown that the anti-pa63 antibody responses induced by ... | 2011 | 21907253 |
| identification of a bacillus anthracis specific indel in the yeac gene and development of a rapid pyrosequencing assay for distinguishing b. anthracis from the b. cereus group. | bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a potential source of bioterrorism. the existing assays for its identification lack specificity due to the close genetic relationship it exhibits to other members of the b. cereus group. our comparative analyses of protein sequences from bacillus species have identified a 24 amino acid deletion in a conserved region of the yeac protein that is uniquely present in b. anthracis. pcr primers based on conserved regions flanking this indel in the ... | 2011 | 21907250 |
| use of high-resolution melting and melting temperature-shift assays for specific detection and identification of bacillus anthracis based on single nucleotide discrimination. | single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) are important diagnostic markers for the detection and differentiation of bacillus anthracis. high-resolution melting (hrm) and melting temperature (tm)-shift methods are two approaches that enable snp detection without the need for expensive labeled probes. we evaluated the potential diagnostic capability of those methods to discriminate b. anthracis from the other members of the b. cereus group. two assays targeting b. anthracis-specific snps in the plcr ... | 2011 | 21906635 |
| stable dry powder formulation for nasal delivery of anthrax vaccine. | there is a current biodefense interest in protection against anthrax. here, we developed a new generation of stable and effective anthrax vaccine. we studied the immune response elicited by recombinant protective antigen (rpa) delivered intranasally with a novel mucosal adjuvant, a mast cell activator compound 48/80 (c48/80). the vaccine formulation was prepared in a powder form by spray-freeze-drying (sfd) under optimized conditions to produce particles with a target size of d(50) = 25 μm, suit ... | 2011 | 21905034 |
| probing biomolecular interaction forces using an anharmonic acoustic technique for selective detection of bacterial spores. | receptor-based detection of pathogens often suffers from non-specific interactions, and as most detection techniques cannot distinguish between affinities of interactions, false positive responses remain a plaguing reality. here, we report an anharmonic acoustic based method of detection that addresses the inherent weakness of current ligand dependant assays. spores of bacillus subtilis (bacillus anthracis simulant) were immobilized on a thickness-shear mode at-cut quartz crystal functionalized ... | 2011 | 21900001 |
| [Preparation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to Bacillus anthracis protective antigen]. | Anthrax is the widespread acute infection disease, affecting animals and humans, refers to the bioterrorist threat agents of category A, because of the high resistance of Bacillus anthracis spores to adverse environmental factors and the ease of receiving them. We obtain a representative panel of 20 monoclonal antibodies against the key component of pathogenic exotoxins, anthrax protective antigen. Quantitative sandwich-ELISA for protective antigen with antibody obtained was developed. Six pairs ... | 2011 | 21899050 |
| surface architecture of endospores of the bacillus cereus/anthracis/thuringiensis family at the subnanometer scale. | bacteria of the bacillus cereus family form highly resistant spores, which in the case of the pathogen b. anthracis act as the agents of infection. the outermost layer, the exosporium, enveloping spores of the b. cereus family as well as a number of clostridia, plays roles in spore adhesion, dissemination, targeting, and germination control. we have analyzed two naturally crystalline layers associated with the exosporium, one representing the "basal" layer to which the outermost spore layer ("ha ... | 2011 | 21896762 |
| Use of microwells to investigate the effect of quorum sensing on growth and antigen production in Bacillus anthracis Sterne 34F2. | The aim of this study was to investigate the role of quorum sensing in Bacillus anthracis growth and toxin production. | 2011 | 21895896 |
| Fluorescent europium-modified polymer nanoparticles for rapid and sensitive anthrax sensors. | Novel fluorescent polyacrylonitrile nanoparticles were synthesized by microemulsion polymerization and Schiff base modification. By further modification with europium, the polyacrylonitrile nanoparticles could be used as a highly sensitive and rapid sensor for Bacillus anthracis spore detection in aqueous solution. The europium-modified polyacrylonitrile nanoparticles were readily combined with dipicolinic acid as a unique biomarker of B. anthracis, leading to high fluorescence emission. These n ... | 2011 | 21893406 |
| Adverse health consequences of US Government responses to the 2001 terrorist attacks. | In response to the attacks on Sept 11, 2001 (9/11), and the related security concerns, the USA and its coalition partners began a war in Afghanistan and subsequently invaded Iraq. The wars caused many deaths of non-combatant civilians, further damaged the health-supporting infrastructure and the environment (already adversely affected by previous wars), forced many people to migrate, led to violations of human rights, and diverted resources away from important health needs. After 9/11 and the an ... | 2011 | 21890059 |
| tailored ß-cyclodextrin blocks the translocation pores of binary exotoxins from c. botulinum and c. perfringens and protects cells from intoxication. | clostridium botulinum c2 toxin and clostridium perfringens iota toxin are binary exotoxins, which adp-ribosylate actin in the cytosol of mammalian cells and thereby destroy the cytoskeleton. c2 and iota toxin consists of two individual proteins, an enzymatic active (a-) component and a separate receptor binding and translocation (b-) component. the latter forms a complex with the a-component on the surface of target cells and after receptor-mediated endocytosis, it mediates the translocation of ... | 2011 | 21887348 |
| biodefense: 10 years after. reinventing project bioshield. | 2011 | 21885752 |