Publications

rapid detection and identification of bacterial strains by fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy.	the use of fourier transform near-infrared (ft-nir) spectroscopy and multivariate pattern recognition techniques for the rapid detection and identification of bacterial contamination in liquids was evaluated. the complex biochemical composition of bacteria yields ft-nir vibrational transitions (overtone and combination bands) that can be used for classification and identification. bacterial suspensions (escherichia coli hb101, e. coli atcc 43888, e. coli 1224, bacillus amyloliquifaciens, pseudom ...	2001	11261995
molecular characterization of bacillus anthracis using multiplex pcr, eric-pcr and rapd.	to investigate the molecular characterization of bacillus anthracis strains by multiplex pcr, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-pcr (eric-pcr) and random amplification of polymorphic dna (rapd).	2001	11264741
purification and characterization of a bacillus cereus exochitinase.	five extracellular chitinases of bacillus cereus 6e1 were detected by a novel in-gel chitinase assay using carboxymethyl-chitin-remazol brilliant violet 5r (cm-chitin-rbv) as a substrate. the major chitinase activity was associated with a 36-kda (chi36) gel band. chi36 was purified by a one-step, native gel purification procedure derived from the new in-gel chitinase assay. the purified chi36 has optimal activity at ph 5.8 and retains some enzymatic activity between ph 2.5-8. the temperature opt ...	2001	11267643
identification of genes regulated by prolonged acid exposure in helicobacter pylori.	to investigate the influence of prolonged acid exposure on the gene expression, transcripts of helicobacter pylori, grown under ph 5.5 and ph 7.4 for five successive passages, were analysed by differential display pcr. eight genes were regulated by prolonged acid exposure. these genes included topa, tufb, ureb, flaa, atoe in the h. pylori genome and a cdna fragment with 54% identity of the predicted amino acid sequence to a bacillus cereus ykow protein. the remaining two cdna fragments had no si ...	2001	11267787
identification of catalytic and substrate-binding site residues in bacillus cereus atcc7064 oligo-1,6-glucosidase.	three active site residues (asp199, glu255, asp329) and two substrate-binding site residues (his103, his328) of oligo-1,6-glucosidase (ec 3.2.1.10) from bacillus cereus atcc7064 were identified by site-directed mutagenesis. these residues were deduced from the x-ray crystallographic analysis and the comparison of the primary structure of the oligo-1,6-glucosidase with those of saccharomyces carlsbergensis alpha-glucosidase, aspergillus oryzae alpha-amylase and pig pancreatic alpha-amylase which ...	2001	11676021
activation of the jak/stat pathway by ceramide in cultured human fibroblasts.	endogenous ceramide (cer) was generated by treatment of cultured fibroblasts with sphingomyelinase (smase) from bacillus cereus. a 30 min treatment with 0.1-0.3 u/ml smase induced a dose-dependent increase in the intracellular level of cer. the activation of the transcription factors signal transducer and activator of transcription (stat) 1 and stat3 by smase was investigated by determination of the phosphorylation state by immunoblot, and of dna binding activity by electrophoretic mobility shif ...	2001	11684091
[effect of introduced microorganisms on copper and cobalt mobility in soil].	the paper deals with the change of copper and cobalt mobility in contaminated soil when activating microbiological processes by introduction of sources of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, metal-resistant microorganisms. when bacillus cereus bkm 4368 growing in soil fertilized with glucose one can observe a 5-fold increase of cocentration of heavy-metal mobile forms as compared with sterile soil. the use of acetate as a carbon source and alcaligenes euthrophus ch 34 culture as inoculum will provide ...	2001	11692680
evaluation of a spray-dried lacticin 3147 powder for the control of listeria monocytogenes and bacillus cereus in a range of food systems.	the potential of a powdered preparation of the bacteriocin, lacticin 3147, was investigated for the inhibition of listeria monocytogenes and bacillus cereus.	2001	11696102
crystal structure of the anthrax lethal factor.	lethal factor (lf) is a protein (relative molecular mass 90,000) that is critical in the pathogenesis of anthrax. it is a highly specific protease that cleaves members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (mapkk) family near to their amino termini, leading to the inhibition of one or more signalling pathways. here we describe the crystal structure of lf and its complex with the n terminus of mapkk-2. lf comprises four domains: domain i binds the membrane-translocating component of anth ...	2001	11700563
evaluation of the bact/alert automated blood culture system for detecting bacteria and measuring their growth kinetics in leucodepleted and non-leucodepleted platelet concentrates.	to evaluate the bact/alert automated blood culture system for the detection of bacteria in platelet concentrates, and to determine bacterial growth kinetics in leucodepleted and non-leucodepleted units.	2001	11703857
cloning and sequencing of two genes encoding chitinases a and b from bacillus cereus ch.	two genes encoding chitinases a and b (chia and chib) from bacillus cereus ch were cloned into escherichia coli xl1-blue mrf', by using pbluescript ii sk+, and their nucleotide sequences were determined. open reading frames of the chia and chib genes encoded distinct polypeptide chains consisting of 360 and 674 amino acid residues, respectively, with calculated molecular sizes of 39,470 and 74,261 da, respectively. comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences with those of other bacterial chit ...	2001	11718542
optimization of an oligonucleotide microchip for microbial identification studies: a non-equilibrium dissociation approach.	the utility of a high-density oligonucleotide microarray (microchip) for identifying strains of five closely related bacilli (bacillus anthracis, bacillus cereus, bacillus mycoides, bacillus medusa and bacillus subtilis) was demonstrated using an approach that compares the non-equilibrium dissociation rates ('melting curves') of all probe-target duplexes simultaneously. for this study, a hierarchical set of 30 oligonucleotide probes targeting the 16s ribosomal rna of these bacilli at multiple le ...	2001	11722542
characterization of spore appendages from bacillus cereus strains.	further characterization and comparison of spore appendages from bacillus cereus strains.	2001	11722661
contamination of pasteurized milk by bacillus cereus in the filling machine.	the contamination of pasteurized milk by bacillus cereus during the filling process was studied in two dairy plants. samples of pasteurized milk were taken at four different sites along the production line. the samples were stored at 7 degrees c for 7 d, or at 10 degrees c for 5 d, before plate counting and random selection of b. cereus isolates. isolates of b. cereus were typed by the polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based method randomly amplified polymorphic dna (rapd). samples taken at three ...	2001	11504383
bacillus cereus brain abscesses occurring in a severely neutropenic patient: successful treatment with antimicrobial agents, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and surgical drainage.	multiple brain and liver abscesses developed immediately after bacillus cereus bacteremia in a neutropenic patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. after even 8 weeks of antimicrobial chemotherapy together with administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, every infectious process disappeared but the patient's headache has still persisted. because the wall of one brain abscess became thin and was in danger of rupturing into the ventricle, surgical drainage was performed, resulting i ...	2001	11506311
isolation, screening and identification of bacterial strains for degradation of predigested distillery wastewater.	three bacterial isolates from the activated sludge of a distillery wastewater treatment plant identified as xanthomonas fragariae, bacillus megaterium and bacillus cereus were found to remove cod and colour from anaerobically digested distillery wastewater in the range of 55 to 68% and 38 to 58% respectively.	2001	11510138
calorimetric analysis of cephalosporins using an immobilized tem-1 beta-lactamase on ni2+ chelating sepharose fast flow.	two beta-lactamases, penicillinase type i from bacillus cereus and tem-1 beta-lactamase from haemophilus ducreyi, were immobilized on a chelating sepharose fast flow column loaded with ni2+ in an active form. flow-injection analysis of beta-lactams was performed by using an enzyme column reactor fitted into the enzyme thermistor. with both enzymes it was possible to monitor both penicillins and cephalosporins. moreover, michaelis constants of the tem-1 beta-lactamase were markedly increased upon ...	2001	11520032
bces1, a new addition to the type iii restriction and modification family.	the nucleotide sequence of an 11-kb chromosomal bglii fragment from bacillus cereus american type culture collection (atcc) 10987 strain revealed two closely adjacent open reading frames organized in an operon, of which the deduced amino acids showed identity to the type iii restriction and modification (r/m) subunits described in gram-negative bacteria. an enhanced transcription level was revealed when the culture was grown in the presence of foreign dna. a cell-free extract from this culture r ...	2001	11520613
polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of bacillus cereus group cells.	recent investigations have shown that members of the bacillus cereus group carry genes which have the potential to cause gastrointestinal and somatic diseases. although most cases of diseases caused by the b. cereus group bacteria are relatively mild, it is desirable to be able to detect members of the b. cereus group in food and in the environment. using 16s rdna as target, a pcr assay for the detection of b. cereus group cells has been developed. primers specific for the 16s rdna of the b. cer ...	2001	11520616
putative virulence factor expression by clinical and food isolates of bacillus spp. after growth in reconstituted infant milk formulae.	forty-seven strains representing 14 different bacillus species isolated from clinical and food samples were grown in reconstituted infant milk formulae (imf) and subsequently assessed for adherence to, invasion of, and cytotoxicity toward hep-2 and caco-2 cells. cell-free supernatant fluids from 38 strains (81%) were shown to be cytotoxic, 43 strains (91%) adhered to the test cell lines, and 23 strains (49%) demonstrated various levels of invasion. of the 21 bacillus cereus strains examined, 5 ( ...	2001	11525980
antibacterial activity of traditional australian medicinal plants.	fifty-six ethanolic extracts of various parts of 39 plants used in traditional australian aboriginal medicine were investigated for their antibacterial activities against four gram-positive (bacillus cereus, enterococcus faecalis, staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pyogenes) and four gram-negative (escherichia coli, klebsiella pneumoniae, pseudomonas aeruginosa and salmonella typhimurium) bacterial species. in a plate-hole diffusion assay, 12 extracts inhibited the growth of one or more of ...	2001	11535358
anthrax.	bacillus anthracis was shown to be the etiological agent of anthrax by r. koch and l. pasteur at the end of the nineteenth century. the concepts on which medical microbiology are based arose from their work on this bacterium. the link between plasmids and major virulence factors of b. anthracis was not discovered until the 1980s. the three toxin components are organized in two a-b type toxins, and the bacilli are covered by an antiphagocytic polyglutamic capsule. structure-function analysis of t ...	2001	11544370
nontypical bacillus cereus outbreak.		2001	11544846
combined effect of nisin and carvacrol at different ph and temperature levels on the viability of different strains of bacillus cereus.	the influence of ph and temperature on the bactericidal action of nisin and carvacrol on vegetative cells of different bacillus cereus strains was studied. the five strains tested showed significant differences in sensitivity towards nisin, at ph 7.0 and 30 degrees c. carvacrol concentrations of 0.3 mmol l(-1) had no effect on viability of b. cereus cells. when the same carvacrol concentration was combined with nisin, however, it resulted in a greater loss of viability of cells than when nisin w ...	2001	11545214
evaluation of microbiological quality of medicinal plants used in natural infusions.	consumption of preparations of medicinal plants has been increasing during the last decades in occidental societies. however, there are no effective sanitary controls of these products. to evaluate the nature and content of microbiological contamination, 62 samples of seven medicinal plants (chamomile, leaves of orange tree, flowers of linden, corn silk, marine alga, pennyroyal mint and garden sage) were studied, using conventional microbiological methods. practically all samples (96.8%) were co ...	2001	11545215
metal ion binding and coordination geometry for wild type and mutants of metallo-beta -lactamase from bacillus cereus 569/h/9 (bcii): a combined thermodynamic, kinetic, and spectroscopic approach.	one high affinity (nm) and one low affinity (microm) macroscopic dissociation constant for the binding of metal ions were found for the wild-type metallo-beta-lactamase from bacillus cereus as well as six single-site mutants in which all ligands in the two metal binding sites were altered. surprisingly, the mutations did not cause a specific alteration of the affinity of metal ions for the sole modified binding site as determined by extended x-ray absorption fine structure (exafs) and perturbed ...	2001	11551939
detection of anthrax spores from the air by real-time pcr.	to detect and isolate bacillus anthracis from the air by a simple and rapid procedure.	2001	11555211
a simple and sensitive detection system for bacillus anthracis in meat and tissue.	to detect and isolate bacillus anthracis from meat and tissue by rapid and simple procedures.	2001	11556906
a simple modified membrane filtration medium for the enumeration of aerobic spore-bearing bacilli in water.	aerobic spore-bearing bacilli have been proposed as a surrogate indicator for the removal of cryptosporidium by drinking water treatment processes. pasteurisation of samples followed by culture on non-selective media is the method of choice. using white membranes for filtration of water samples makes colony counting difficult. vital dyes such as neutral red or trypan blue can help when added to the growth medium but these dyes tend to colour the membrane and reduce the contrast between the colon ...	2001	11561641
thiomandelic acid, a broad spectrum inhibitor of zinc beta-lactamases: kinetic and spectroscopic studies.	resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics mediated by metallo-beta-lactamases is an increasingly worrying clinical problem. candidate inhibitors include mercaptocarboxylic acids, and we report studies of a simple such compound, thiomandelic acid. a series of 35 analogues were synthesized and examined as metallo-beta-lactamase inhibitors. the k(i) values (bacillus cereus enzyme) are 0.09 microm for r-thiomandelic acid and 1.28 microm for the s-isomer. structure-activity relationships show that the th ...	2001	11564740
the cell envelope-bound metalloprotease (camelysin) from bacillus cereus is a possible pathogenic factor.	a novel membrane proteinase of the nosocomial important bacteria species bacillus cereus (synonyms: camelysin, ccmp) was purified up to homogeneity as was shown by mass spectrometry in its amphiphilic form. camelysin is a neutral metalloprotease with a molecular mass of 19 kda. its unique n-terminus phe-phe-ser-asp-lys-glu-val-ser-asn-asn-thr-phe-ala-ala-gly-thr-leu-asp-leu-thr-leu-asn-pro-lys-thr-leu-val-asp-(ile-lys-asp)- was not detected in the protein data bases during blast searches, but in ...	2001	11566257
gern, an endospore germination protein of bacillus cereus, is an na(+)/h(+)-k(+) antiporter.	gern, a bacillus cereus spore germination protein, exhibits homology to a widely distributed group of putative cation transporters or channel proteins. gern complemented the na(+)-sensitive phenotype of an escherichia coli mutant that is deficient in na(+)/h(+) antiport activity (strain knabc). gern also reduced the concentration of k(+) required to support growth of an e. coli mutant deficient in k(+) uptake (strain tk2420). in a fluorescence-based assay of everted e. coli knabc membrane vesicl ...	2001	11566988
fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of norwegian bacillus cereus and bacillus thuringiensis soil isolates.	we examined 154 norwegian b. cereus and b. thuringiensis soil isolates (collected from five different locations), 8 b. cereus and 2 b. thuringiensis reference strains, and 2 bacillus anthracis strains by using fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (aflp). we employed a novel fragment identification approach based on a hierarchical agglomerative clustering routine that identifies fragments in an automated fashion. no method is free of error, and we identified the major sources so tha ...	2001	11571195
isolation of bacillus thuringiensis from intertidal brackish sediments in mangroves.	intertidal brackish sediments in mangroves were examined for isolation of bacillus thuringiensis strains with novel toxicity spectra. a total of 18 b. thuringiensis isolates were recovered from eight sediment samples (36.4%) out of 22 samples tested. the frequency of b. thuringiensis was 1.3% among the colonies of bacillus cereus/b. thuringiensis group. while five isolates were allocated to the four h serogroups, the majority of the isolates were serologically untypable or untestable. two isolat ...	2001	11572461
novel immuno-fret assay method for bacillus spores and escherichia coli o157:h7.	novel immunofluorescence resonance energy transfer (immuno-fret) assays for both bacillus cereus spores and escherichia coli o157:h7 are reported. both assays involve the use of dual (qsy-7 and oregon green 514-antibody)-labeled spores or vegetative bacteria, such that oregon green 514-labeled antibodies are quenched by proximal qsy-7 molecules that are covalently bound to the dual (oregon green 514 and qsy-7)-labeled cells. upon introduction of unlabeled bacteria or spores, in the respective as ...	2001	11573946
challenge testing of the lactoperoxidase system in pasteurized milk.	to determine the role of lactoperoxidase (lp) in inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms in pasteurised milk.	2001	11576311
effects of amino acids on the amidation of polyaromatic carboxylic acids by bacillus cereus.	the soil bacterium bacillus cereus tim-r01 efficiently transformed polyaromatic carboxylic acids (paca) such as 4-biphenylcarboxylic acid (4-bpca), 4-biphenylacetic acid, and 4-phenoxybenzoic acid into their corresponding amides. the amidation activity was expressed at 37 degrees c (ph 7-8) in the presence of grown cells in nutrients under an aerobic atmosphere. other strains of b. cereus, ifo 3001 and iam 1229, also gave the amide from 4-bpca. in phosphate-buffered saline (pbs), the addition of ...	2001	11577715
inexplicable suppression of hepatic uptake of gallium-67, a case report.	we describe here a case report of a patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia in whom hepatic gallium-67 (ga-67) uptake was suppressed. the patient was hospitalized with increasing dyspnea. in ga-67 scintigraphy, there was no hepatic uptake, although other physiological uptake was clearly observed. in addition, the scintigraphy showed increased accumulation in the right lung consistent with infection. we considered possible reasons for these findings. the patient had no history of chemotherapy or ...	2001	11577765
distribution of s-layers on the surface of bacillus cereus strains: phylogenetic origin and ecological pressure.	bacillus anthracis, bacillus cereus and bacillus thuringiensis have been described as members of the bacillus cereus group but are, in fact, one species. b. anthracis is a mammal pathogen, b. thuringiensis an entomopathogen and b. cereus a ubiquitous soil bacterium and an occasional human pathogen. in two clinical isolates of b. cereus, in some b. thuringiensis strains and in b. anthracis, an s-layer has been described. we investigated how the s-layer is distributed in b. cereus, and whether phy ...	2001	11578310
bacillus cereus keratitis associated with contact lens wear.	we report the first case of contact lens-related bacillus cereus keratitis and ulcer associated with b. cereus contamination of the contact lens case. this is also the first study to investigate and establish the genetic identity of an organism isolated from the cornea and contact lens case in a patient with contact lens-associated keratitis.	2001	11581057
a catalytic diad involved in substrate-assisted catalysis: nmr study of hydrogen bonding and dynamics at the active site of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase c.	phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase cs (pi-plcs, ec 3.1.4.10) are ubiquitous enzymes that cleave phosphatidylinositol or phosphorylated derivatives, generating second messengers in eukaryotic cells. a catalytic diad at the active site of bacillus cereus pi-plc composed of aspartate-274 and histidine-32 was postulated from the crystal structure to form a catalytic triad with the 2-oh group of the substrate [heinz, d. w., et al. (1995) embo j. 14, 3855-3863]. this catalytic diad has been o ...	2001	11583175
molecular dynamics simulations of the mononuclear zinc-beta-lactamase from bacillus cereus complexed with benzylpenicillin and a quantum chemical study of the reaction mechanism.	herein, we present results from md simulations of the michaelis complex formed between the b. cereus zinc-beta-lactamase enzyme and benzylpenicillin. the structural and dynamical effects induced by substrate-binding, the specific role of the conserved residues, and the near attack conformers of the michaelis complex are discussed. quantum chemical methods (hf/6-31g* and b3lyp/6-31g*) are also applied to study the hydrolysis reaction of n-methylazetidinone catalyzed by a monozinc system consistin ...	2001	11583551
molecular characterization of a phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipase c.	while searching for a phospholipase c (plc) specific for phosphatidylcholine in mammalian tissues, we came across such an activity originating from a contamination of pseudomonas fluorescens. this psychrophilic bacterium was found to contaminate placental extracts upon processing in the cold. the secreted phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing plc was purified by a combination of chromatographic procedures. as substrates, the enzyme preferred dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine and 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidono ...	2001	11589699
mode of action of beta-barrel pore-forming toxins of the staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin family.	staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin is the prototype of a family of bacterial exotoxins with membrane-damaging function, which share sequence and structure homology. these toxins are secreted in a soluble form which finally converts into a transmembrane pore by assembling an oligomeric beta-barrel, with hydrophobic residues facing the lipids and hydrophilic residues facing the lumen of the channel. besides alpha-hemolysin the family includes other single chain toxins forming homo-oligomers, e.g. beta ...	2001	11595629
effect of bacillus cereus exocellular factors on human intestinal epithelial cells.	to gain insight on the biological effects of the exocellular factors produced by bacillus cereus, culture filtrate supernatants of different strains were coincubated with differentiated caco-2 cells. exocellular factors were able to detach enterocyte-like cells from the substratum after 1 h of incubation. in addition, microvilli effacing and dramatic changes on the cellular surface of enterocytes were found after incubation periods as short as 20 min. since cell detachment was not inhibited by f ...	2001	11601702
inhibitory activity of honey against foodborne pathogens as influenced by the presence of hydrogen peroxide and level of antioxidant power.	antimicrobial activity of honey has been attributed to hydrogen peroxide, which is produced by naturally occurring glucose oxidase, and phenolic compounds, although lethality of and inhibition by these and other components against microorganisms vary greatly, depending on the floral source of nectar. this study was undertaken to compare honeys from six floral sources for their inhibitory activity against escherichia coli o157:h7, salmonella typhimurium, shigella sonnei, listeria monocytogenes, s ...	2001	11603859
growth and toxin profiles of bacillus cereus isolated from different food sources.	eleven strains of bacillus cereus isolated from milk and meat products have been used to study growth and sporulation profiles in detail. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) using primers detecting cold shock protein a gene signatures (cspa), showed that none of the strains were the newly suggested species in the b. cereus group, b. weihenstephanensis, comprising psychrotolerant cereus strains, although one of the strains grew at 4 degrees c, two at 6 degrees c and seven grew at 7 degrees c. one of ...	2001	11603861
dynamics of mononuclear cadmium beta-lactamase revealed by the combination of nmr and pac spectroscopy.	the two metal sites in cadmium substituted beta-lactamase from bacillus cereus 569/h/9 have been studied by nmr spectroscopy ((1)h, (15)n, and (113)cd) and pac spectroscopy ((111m)cd). distinct nmr signals from the backbone amides are identified for the apoenzyme and the mononuclear and binuclear cadmium enzymes. for the binuclear cadmium enzyme, two (113)cd nmr signals (142 and 262 ppm) and two (111m)cd pac nuclear quadrupole interactions are observed. two nuclear quadrupole interactions are al ...	2001	11603983
the ddca gene from streptomyces fradiae encodes an extracellular beta-lactamase with penicillinase and cephalosporinase activities.	the ddca gene from streptomyces fradiae, which is located adjacent to the left edge of the tylosin biosynthetic cluster, has been cloned and sequenced. dna sequence analysis revealed an orf of 1194 bp that encodes a product of 42.6 kda. this protein showed significant similarity to the extracellular endopeptidase with beta-lactamase activity encoded by the adp gene from bacillus cereus and to pbps (dd-carboxypeptidases and dd-endopeptidases) and beta-lactamases. moreover, it contains three chara ...	2001	11090684
spore-formers in foods and the food processing chain.		2001	15954647
treatment of hypersaline-containing wastewater with salt-tolerant microorganisms.	two salt-tolerant bacteria were isolated from soil samples to treat a high-salt-content wastewater from a pickled plum production plant. the strains, which were identified as staphylococcus sp. and bacillus cereus, grew well in a medium containing 0 to 15% nacl. when wastewater in a flask was treated with the strains for 72 h, the cod removal was about 70%, and this was increased to about 90% when they were used in a pilot plant (working volume 1 m3) in a batch culture carried out for 7 d. the s ...	2001	16232979
characterization of the nadh-linked acetylacetoin reductase/2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase gene from bacillus cereus yuf-4.	a 1.4-kbp dna fragment, including the nadh-linked acetylacetoin reductase/2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (aacrii/bdh) gene from the chromosomal dna of bacillus cereus yuf-4, was cloned in escherichia coli dh5alpha after its insertion into puc119, and the resulting plasmid was named paacrii119. the aacrii/bdh gene had an open reading frame consisting of 1047 bp encoding 349 amino acids. the enzyme exhibited not only aacr activity, but also bdh activity. however, the gene was not located in a 2,3-bu ...	2001	16233036
molecular cloning and structural analysis of the gene encoding bacillus cereus exochitinase chi36.	the chi36 gene encoding exochitinase chi36 was cloned from a bacillus cereus 6e1 subgenomic library. the chi36 open reading frame is 1080 bp long encoding a chi36 precursor protein of 360 amino acids, consisting of a 27 amino acid n-terminal signal peptide and a 333 amino acid sequence found in the mature chi36 protein of 36.346 kda. chi36 shows significant amino acid sequence similarity to many bacterial chitinases, but has highest similarity to b. circulans wl-12 chitinase d. chi36 belongs to ...	2001	16233059
isolation of bacterial strains colonizable in mosquito larval guts as novel host cells for mosquito control.	we screened for microorganisms that can be utilized as new host cells for mosquito larvicides. as long persistence in the environment is required of host cells, we examined the bacterial populations in the guts of mosquito larvae collected from natural breeding habitats. larvae of aedes aegypti and culex quinquefasciatus were examined, and bacillus species, particularly bacillus cereus, were found to be the dominant bacterial species in their guts. to investigate the relationship between these b ...	2001	16233108
presensitization of microorganisms by acid treatments to low dose gamma irradiation with special reference to bacillus cereus.	effect of acid presensitization to low dose gamma irradiation on bacillus cereus in sheep/goat meat stored at refrigeration temperature was assessed. food grade organic acids (viz. propionic, lactic and acetic acids) were used as presensitizers followed by treatment with 1, 2 and 3 kgy irradiation doses (co(60)). two percent acetic acid plus 3 kgy irradiation elicited most effective to lower the total viable count and b. cereus count. combination of treatments availed to reduce the dose required ...	2001	22062253
nanoscale powders and formulations with biocidal activity toward spores and vegetative cells of bacillus species, viruses, and toxins.	certain formulations of nanoscale powders possess antimicrobial properties. these formulations are made of simple, nontoxic metal oxides such as magnesium oxide (mgo) and calcium oxide (cao, lime) in nanocrystalline form, carrying active forms of halogens, for example, mgo. cl2 and mgo. br2. when these ultrafine powders contact vegetative cells of escherichia coli, bacillus cereus, or bacillus globigii, over 90% are killed within a few minutes. likewise, spore forms of the bacillus species are d ...	2002	11727041
bacillus anthracis pxo1 plasmid sequence conservation among closely related bacterial species.	the complete sequencing and annotation of the 181.7-kb bacillus anthracis virulence plasmid pxo1 predicted 143 genes but could only assign putative functions to 45. hybridization assays, pcr amplification, and dna sequencing were used to determine whether pxo1 open reading frame (orf) sequences were present in other bacilli and more distantly related bacterial genera. eighteen bacillus species isolates and four other bacterial species were tested for the presence of 106 pxo1 orfs. three orfs wer ...	2002	11741853
the enzymes with benzil reductase activity conserved from bacteria to mammals.	the diketone compound, benzil is reduced to (s)-benzoin with living bacillus cereus cells. recently, we isolated a gene responsible for benzil reduction, and escherichia coli cells in which this gene was overexpressed transformed benzil to (s)-benzoin. although this benzil reductase showed high identity to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (sdr) family, enzymological features were unknown. here, we demonstrated that many b. cereus strains had benzil reductase activity in vivo, and that the ...	2002	11796169
molecular analysis of rifampin resistance in bacillus anthracis and bacillus cereus.	rifampin-resistant mutants were selected from uv-light-treated bacillus cereus (20 mutants) and attenuated b. anthracis (23 mutants). in addition, spontaneous rifampin-resistant mutants were also isolated in attenuated b. anthracis (22 mutants). the rifampin resistance clusters of the rpob gene were sequenced for all 65 mutants. mutations associated with resistance were consistent with those from other bacteria, though two novel changes were observed. the spontaneous rate of resistance was estim ...	2002	11796364
membrane restructuring via ceramide results in enhanced solute efflux.	the capacity of ceramides to modify the permeability barrier of cell membranes has been explored. membrane efflux induced either by in situ generated ceramides (through enzymatic cleavage of sphingomyelin) or by addition of ceramides to preformed membranes has been studied. large unilamellar vesicles composed of different phospholipids and cholesterol, and containing entrapped fluorescent molecules, have been used as a system to assay ceramide-dependent efflux. small proportions of ceramide (10 ...	2002	11796726
effects of antibacterial dishwashing liquid on foodborne pathogens and competitive microorganisms in kitchen sponges.	in response to increasing concern about home hygiene, the use of antibacterial products to reduce microorganisms in kitchen sponges and cleaning cloths is strongly promoted by some producers of detergent for domestic use. the effects of an antibacterial dishwashing liquid on escherichia coli, salmonella enteritidis, staphylococcus aureus, and bacillus cereus were investigated in a modified suspension test and in used sponges with and without food residues under laboratory conditions. a limited s ...	2002	11811157
effects of gamma ray and electron-beam irradiations on survival of anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria.	an extension of the approval for food irradiation is desired due to the increase in the incidence of food poisoning in the world. one anaerobic (clostridium perfringens) and four facultatively anaerobic (bacillus cereus, escherichia coli o157:h7, listeria monocytogenes, and salmonella enteritidis) bacteria irradiated with gamma ray or electron beam (e-beam) were tested in terms of survival on agar under packaging atmosphere. using pouch pack, effects of two irradiations on survival of anaerobic ...	2002	12638185
characterization of an algae-lytic substance secreted by bacillus cereus, an indigenous bacterial isolate from lake kasumigaura.	in order to develop a practical biological strategy for water bloom-control in lake kasumigaura, indigenous algae-lytic bacteria targeting microcystis spp. (the dominant cyanobacteria), was first carried out. some basic lytic characteristics of the isolates concerning the biological and physico-chemical factors in actual water environments were then investigated. fifteen algae-lytic bacteria were successfully isolated using the double layer method. the isolate showing the highest lytic activity ...	2002	12523763
cytotoxic potential of industrial strains of bacillus sp.	the cytotoxic potential of selected strains of bacillus licheniformis, bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and bacillus subtilis, used in the production of industrial enzyme products, has been assessed. cytotoxicity was determined in chinese hamster ovary (cho-k1) cells by measuring total cellular metabolic activity using the tetrazolium salt 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (mtt). initially the mtt assay was validated against toxigenic strains of bacillus cereus, to define t ...	2002	12460750
vitreous penetration of orally administered gatifloxacin in humans.	to investigate the penetration of gatifloxacin, a novel extended-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic, into the vitreous humor after oral administration.	2002	12545689
degradation of predigested distillery effluent by isolated bacterial strains.	batch studies were conducted on degradation of anaerobically digested distillery wastewater by three bacterial strains, viz. xanthomonas fragariae, bacillus megaterium and bacillus cereus in free and immobilized form, isolated from the activated sludge of a distillery wastewater treatment plant. the removal of cod and colour with all the three strains increased with time up to 48 hr and only marginal increase in cod and colour removal efficiency was observed beyond this period up to 72 hr. after ...	2002	12561978
microbiological quality of take-away cooked rice and chicken sandwiches: effectiveness of food hygiene training of the management.	during august 2001 a microbiological study of ready-to-eat cooked rice from take-aways and of chicken sandwiches made on the premises from sandwich bars was undertaken. the intention was to identify risk factors in the production, storage and handling of cooked rice and sandwiches, and to establish their effect on microbiological quality. examination of cooked rice revealed that the majority of samples (87%; 442 of 508) were of satisfactory/acceptable microbiological quality; 50 (10%) were unsat ...	2002	12564243
active-site mutants of class b beta-lactamases: substrate binding and mechanistic study.	increased resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics is mainly due to beta-lactamases. x-ray structures of zinc beta-lactamases unraveled the coordination of the metal ions, but their mode of action remains unclear. recently, enzymes in which one of the zinc ligands was mutated have been characterized and their catalytic activity against several beta-lactam antibiotics measured. a molecular modeling study of these enzymes was performed here to explain the catalytic activity of the mutants. coordinati ...	2002	12568339
activity of phospholipase c in two-phase systems.	although phospholipase c (plc) is known to be activated by water-insoluble organic solvents, most activity assays have been designed to work in an aqueous milieu. here a sensitive method is described for the determination of plc activity in two-phase systems. the assay is based on the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (pc) in chloroform/buffer. the initial rates of the reaction are determined by densitometric quantification of the product 1,2-diacylglycerol after its separation by high-performan ...	2002	12069425
processive interfacial catalytic turnover by bacillus cereus sphingomyelinase on sphingomyelin vesicles.	sphingomyelinase (smase), a water-soluble enzyme from bacillus cereus, is shown to bind with high affinity to vesicles of sphingomyelin (sm) but not to vesicles of phosphatidylcholine (pc). the reaction progress by smase bound to sm vesicles occurs in the scooting mode with virtually infinite processivity of the successive interfacial turnover cycles. three conditions for the microscopic steady state during the reaction progress at the interface are satisfied: the bound smase does not leave the ...	2002	12069857
properties of bacillus cereus hemolysin ii: a heptameric transmembrane pore.	the gene encoding hemolysin ii (hlyii) was amplified from bacillus cereus genomic dna and a truncated mutant, hlyii(deltact), was constructed lacking the 94 amino acid extension at the c terminus. the proteins were produced in an e. coli cell-free in vitro transcription and translation system, and were shown to assemble into sds-stable oligomers on rabbit erythrocyte membranes and liposomes. the hemolytic activity of hlyii was measured with rabbit erythrocytes yielding an hc(50) value of 1.64 ng ...	2002	12070333
biochemical identification of a neutral sphingomyelinase 1 (nsm1)-like enzyme as the major nsm activity in the dt40 b-cell line: absence of a role in the apoptotic response to endoplasmic reticulum stress.	dt40 cells have approx. 10-fold higher mg2+-dependent neutral sphingomyelinase (nsm) activity in comparison with other b-cell lines and contain very low acidic sphingomyelinase activity. purification of this activity from dt40 cell membranes suggested the presence of one major nsm isoform. although complete purification of this isoform could not be achieved, partially purified fractions were examined further with regard to the known characteristics of previously partially purified nsms and the t ...	2002	12071841
purification, characterization and cloning of a chitinase from bacillus sp. nctu2.	a chitin-degrading bacillus strain, designated as nctu2, was screened from soil and identified. an extracellular chitinase was purified to >90% homogeneity from the culture filtrate. the purification involved hydrophobic-interaction and gel-filtration chromatographic separations with a yield of 58%. the purified enzyme (chinctu2) is a monomeric protein with an estimated molecular mass of 36.5 kda and a pi of 6.3. it is thermally stable at 60 degrees c and ph 6-8 for more than 3 h. the optimal ac ...	2002	12074700
inactivation and removal of bacillus cereus by sanitizer and detergent.	this study was conducted to compare the susceptibility of planktonic cells, attached single cells and biofilm cells of bacillus cereus to sodium hypochlorite and spartec, a quaternary ammonium compound (qac). removal of b. cereus biofilm by simulating clean-in-place (cip) procedures employing 1.5% spec-tak 1000, an alkaline detergent; 0.65% dilac, an acid detergent and 1.5% diverform plus, a sodium hypochlorite containing alkaline detergent was also examined. the results show that b. cereus cell ...	2002	12076028
empirical model building based on weibull distribution to describe the joint effect of ph and temperature on the thermal resistance of bacillus cereus in vegetable substrate.	a mathematical model based on weibull parameters was built to describe the joint effect of temperature and ph on thermal inactivation of bacillus cereus spores (strain inra tz415). the effect of these factors on weibull model parameters (beta, 1/alpha) was also studied. heat inactivation tests were carried out in acidified carrot broth as vegetable substrate, following a full factorial design at four levels for temperature (80, 85, 90 and 95 degrees c) and ph (6.2, 5.8, 5.2 and 4.7). the weibull ...	2002	12076032
identification of proteins involved in the heat stress response of bacillus cereus atcc 14579.	to monitor the ability of the food-borne opportunistic pathogen bacillus cereus to survive during minimal processing of food products, we determined its heat-adaptive response. during pre-exposure to 42 degrees c, b. cereus atcc 14579 adapts to heat exposure at the lethal temperature of 50 degrees c (maximum protection occurs after 15 min to 1 h of pre-exposure to 42 degrees c). for this heat-adaptive response, de novo protein synthesis is required. by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, ...	2002	12089032
rutin-enhanced antibacterial activities of flavonoids against bacillus cereus and salmonella enteritidis.	the antibacterial activities of flavonoids were found by the paper disk method to be enhanced by combining or mixing them. the combinations of quercetin and quercitrin, quercetin and morin, and quercetin and rutin were much more active than either flavonoid alone. although rutin did not show activity in itself, the antibacterial activities of quercetin and morin were enhanced in the presence of rutin. the antibacterial activities of flavonoids, in combination with morin and rutin, were evaluated ...	2002	12092809
synthesis of sphingomyelin carbon analogues as sphingomyelinase inhibitors.	the highly efficient and stereocontrolled syntheses of sphingomyelin carbon analogues 1 and 2 were achieved by effectively utilizing hofmann rearrangement of enantiomerically pure beta-hydroxyamide 7, which was prepared by an asymmetric hydrogenation of alpha-acyl-gamma-butyrolactone 9 and ring opening with nh(3). intermediary isocyanate 6 was selectively trapped with the vicinal hydroxy group in an intramolecular fashion to produce an oxazolidinone derivative, 5. in the synthesis of a quite pol ...	2002	12098296
germination of bacillus cereus spores in response to l-alanine and to inosine: the roles of gerl and gerq operons.	bacillus cereus 569 (atcc 10876) endospores germinate in response to inosine or l-alanine, the most rapid germination response being elicited by a combination of these germinants. the geri operon has already been characterized as a homologue of the gera spore-germination receptor family of operons found in all bacillus spp. examined; the primary defect in geri mutant spores is in the inosine germination response, although spores were also slower to germinate in l-alanine. additional transposon-i ...	2002	12101297
two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis of the extracellular proteome of bacillus cereus reveals the importance of the plcr regulon.	many virulence factors are secreted by the gram-positive, spore forming bacterium bacillus cereus. most of them are regulated by the transcriptional activator, plcr, which is maximally expressed at the beginning of the stationary phase. we used a proteomic approach to study the impact of the plcr regulon on the secreted proteins of b. cereus, by comparing the extracellular proteomes of strains atcc 14579 and atcc 14579 delta plcr, in which plcr has been disrupted. our study indicated that, quant ...	2002	12112862
prevalence of and resistance to anti-microbial drugs in selected microbial species isolated from bulk milk samples.	the prevalence of strains of staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative (cn) staphylococci, listeria monocytogenes, escherichia coli, enterococcus faecalis, e. faecium and bacillus cereus, was investigated in 111 bulk milk samples. staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 38 samples, cn staphylococci from 63 samples, e. coli from 49 samples, e. faecalis or e. faecium from 107 samples, and l. monocytogenes from two samples. bacillus cereus was not found in any of the samples and three samples were ...	2002	12121041
n-arylsulfonyl hydrazones as inhibitors of imp-1 metallo-beta-lactamase.	members of a family of n-arylsulfonyl hydrazones have been identified as novel inhibitors of imp-1, a metallo-beta-lactamase of increasing prevalence. structure-activity relationship studies have indicated a requirement for bulky aromatic substituents on each side of the sulfonyl hydrazone backbone for these compounds to serve as efficient inhibitors of imp-1. molecular modeling has provided insight into the structural basis for the anti-metallo-beta-lactamase activity exhibited by this class of ...	2002	12121917
macroscopic consequences of the action of phospholipase c on giant unilamellar liposomes.	macroscopic consequences of the formation of diacylglycerol by phospholipase c (pc-plc) in giant 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (sopc) unilamellar vesicles (guvs, diameter 10-100 microm) were studied by phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy. pc-plc caused a series of fast stepwise shrinkages of fluid sopc guvs, continuing until the vesicle disappeared beyond the optical resolution of the microscope. the presence of n-palmitoyl-sphingomyelin (mole fraction x = 0.25) in the g ...	2002	12124275
extremely high frequency of common flagellar antigens between bacillus thuringiensis and bacillus cereus.	bacillus cereus isolates, recovered from natural environments of japan, were examined for their flagellar (h) antigenicities with the reference h antisera against bacillus thuringiensis serotypes h1-h55. of 236 b. cereus isolates tested, 165 (70%) were agglutinated with the reference antisera available. the frequencies of seropositive isolates were: 77% in soils, 68% on phylloplanes, and 60% in animal fecal populations. among the 45 h serogroups detected, the serovar shandongiensis (h22) was the ...	2002	12127494
c-fos is a surface pressure-dependent diverter of phospholipase activity.	c-fos, a transcription factor, associates to endoplasmic reticulum and modulates phospholipid biosynthesis. its surface thermodynamic properties allow it to differentially interact with phospholipid monolayers with a selective dependence on the lipid polar head group and the lateral surface pressure. we explored the c-fos ability to modulate phospholipid degradation by phospholipases (pppla2, bacillus cereus plc, and sphingomyelinase) using the monolayer technique. experiments conducted under co ...	2002	12127989
antimicrobial activity of the marine alkaloids haminol and pulo'upone and related compounds.	the marine alkaloids haminol a, haminol b and pulo'upone as well as 17 related compounds (twelve 2-substituted pyridine derivatives, four 3-substituted ones and one analogue of the bicyclic terminus of pulo'upone) were tested for antimicrobial activity against a panel of six microbes (bacillus cereus, escherichia coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus epidermidis, candida albicans and saccharomyces cerevisiae) using the paper disc agar diffusion method. six compounds were tested also again ...	2002	12132700
detection of bacterial dna in latin american patients with reactive arthritis by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis.	bacteria and/or their antigens are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of reactive arthritis (rea). polymerase chain reaction (pcr) using the 16s ribosomal rna-pcr method was used to identify bacterial dna in synovial fluid (sf) and tissue (st) in a well defined group of patients with chronic rea. in addition, species found were identified by means of sequence analysis.	2002	12136901
a trimer of phenoxymethyl penicillin sulphone: synthesis of a new beta-lactam podand.		2002	12139024
cutaneous bacillus cereus infection in an immunocompetent patient.		2002	12140490
isolation of s-n-butylcysteine sulfoxide and six n-butyl-containing thiosulfinates from allium siculum.	isolation and identification of (s(s)r(c))-s-n-butylcysteine sulfoxide (1) from the bulbs of allium siculum is reported. this compound was found in all parts of the plant (bulbs, stem, leaves, and flowers) along with known compounds (s(s)r(c))-s-methyl- and (r(s)r(c))-(e)-s-(1-propenyl)cysteine sulfoxides (2 and 3, respectively). in addition, six n-butyl-containing thiosulfinates (4-9) have been found in a ch2cl2 extract of the bulbs. structures were determined by a combination of spectral metho ...	2002	12141853
evaluation of a new generation of culture bottle using an automated bacterial culture system for detecting nine common contaminating organisms found in platelet components.	an automated bacterial culture system (bact/alert 3d, biomérieux) has been previously validated with a variety of bacteria in platelets. the recovery of bacteria in platelets using a new generation of culture bottles that do not require venting and that use a liquid emulsion sensor was studied.	2002	12147032
large-scale screening of nasal swabs for bacillus anthracis: descriptive summary and discussion of the national institutes of health's experience.	in october 2001, a letter containing a large number of anthrax spores was sent through the brentwood post office in washington, d.c., to a united states senate office on capitol hill, resulting in contamination in both places. several thousand people who worked at these sites were screened for spore exposure by collecting nasal swab samples. we describe here a screening protocol which we, as a level a laboratory, used on very short notice to process a large number of specimens (3,936 swabs) in o ...	2002	12149367
enterotoxigenic profiles of food-poisoning and food-borne bacillus cereus strains.	the enterotoxigenic profiles of 51 b. cereus food-related strains were compared to those of 37 b. cereus food-poisoning strains. cytk and association of hbl-nhe-cytk enterotoxin genes were more frequent among diarrheal strains (73 and 63%) than among food-borne strains (37 and 33%). unlike diarrheal strains, food-borne strains showed frequent nhe and hbl gene polymorphisms and were often low toxin producers.	2002	12149378
street foods in accra, ghana: how safe are they?	to investigate the microbial quality of foods sold on streets of accra and factors predisposing to their contamination.	2002	12163918
antimutagenicity of some edible thai plants, and a bioactive carbazole alkaloid, mahanine, isolated from micromelum minutum.	the antimutagenic activity against trp-p-1 of methanolic extracts of 118 samples (108 species) of edible thai plants was examined by the ames test. the activity was evaluated by the amount of plant extracts which suppressed 90% of the mutagenesis (ed90). five plants, micromelum minutum, oroxylum indicum, cuscuta chinensis, azadirachta indica, and litsea petiolata, exhibited significant activity with antimutagenic ed90 values lower than 5 microl/plate (0.1 mg of dry plant material equivalent). th ...	2002	12166962
screening of some siberian medicinal plants for antimicrobial activity.	the antimicrobial activity of crude ethanolic extracts of 16 siberian medicinal plants was tested against five species of microorganisms: bacillus cereus, escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and candida albicans. of the 16 plants tested, 12 showed antimicrobial activity against one or more species of microorganisms. the most active antimicrobial plants were bergenia crassifolia, chelidonium majus, rhaponticum carthamoides, sanguisorba officinalis, and tussilago farfa ...	2002	12169406
characterization of a repetitive element polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction chromosomal marker that discriminates bacillus anthracis from related species.	to identify a chromosomal marker with signature nucleotides specific for bacillus anthracis.	2002	12174044
characterization of a bacteriocin produced by a newly isolated bacillus sp. strain 8 a.	the aim of this research was to investigate the production of bacteriocins by bacillus spp. isolated from native soils of south of brazil.	2002	12174052
detection of enterotoxin genes in mosquito-larvicidal bacillus species.	the presence of the b component of hemolysin bl (hbla), enterotoxin bcet (bcet), and enterotoxin s (ents) genes in mosquito-larvicidal bacillus sp., including 25 b. sphaericus and 4 b. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis strains, has been analyzed by multiplex pcr in this study. the results showed that all four b. thuringiensis strains contain the hbla gene and the sequences of bcet and ents genes. however, none of the enterotoxin gene sequences were detected in the b. sphaericus strains. the enter ...	2002	12177746
sludge bed development in denitrifying reactors using different inocula-performance and microbiological aspects.	aerobic and methanogenic consortia were evaluated as inocula for laboratory scale denitrifying reactors, fed with a synthetic wastewater with acetate as the main electron donor. the denitrifying microflora of inocula and reactors was evaluated by specific denitrifying activity, enumeration and isolation of denitrifiers, which were screened by amplified ribosomal dna restriction analysis. reactor performance was monitored by cod and nitrate removal efficiencies and granule size. the aerobic sludg ...	2002	12188572