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the redox regulator fnr is required for fermentative growth and enterotoxin synthesis in bacillus cereus f4430/73.glucose-grown cells of bacillus cereus respond to anaerobiosis and low extracellular oxidoreduction potentials (orp), notably by enhancing enterotoxin production. this response involves the resde two-component system. we searched the b. cereus genome for other redox response regulators potentially involved in this adaptive process, and we identified one gene encoding a protein predicted to have an amino acid sequence 58% identical (80% similar) to that of the bacillus subtilis fnr redox regulato ...200717259311
diagnostic real-time pcr assays for the detection of emetic bacillus cereus strains in foods and recent food-borne outbreaks.cereulide-producing bacillus cereus can cause an emetic type of food-borne disease that mimics the symptoms provoked by staphylococcus aureus. based on the recently discovered genetic background for cereulide formation, a novel 5' nuclease (taqman) real-time pcr assay was developed to provide a rapid and sensitive method for the specific detection of emetic b. cereus in food. the taqman assay includes an internal amplification control and primers and a probe designed to target a highly specific ...200717259359
of spore opsonization and passive protection against anthrax. 200717259600
method of measuring bacillus anthracis spores in the presence of copious amounts of bacillus thuringiensis and bacillus cereus.a sensitive and reliable method for the detection of bacillus anthracis (ba; sterne strain 7702) spores in presence of large amounts of bacillus thuringiensis (bt) and bacillus cereus (bc) is presented based on a novel pzt-anchored piezoelectric excited millimeter-sized cantilever (papemc) sensor with a sensing area of 1.5 mm2. antibody (anti-ba) specific to ba spores was immobilized on the sensing area and exposed to various samples of ba, bt, and bc containing the same concentration of ba at 3 ...200717263347
role of bacterial and host factors in infectious endophthalmitis.endophthalmitis is a frequent blinding complication of globe-penetrating injury and ocular surgery. the outcome of this intraocular infection depends both on the organism involved and management of the ensuing inflammation. the role of various toxins and bacterial factors in the pathogenesis of this infection is beginning to be delineated, but appears to be organism specific. because of the immune-privileged environment of the eye, principles important in the resolution of infection at extraocul ...200717264502
titanium dioxide/uv photocatalytic disinfection in fresh carrots.increased occurrences of fresh produce-related outbreaks of foodborne illness have focused attention on effective washing processes for fruits and vegetables. a titanium dioxide (tio2) photocatalytic reaction under uv radiation provides a high rate of disinfection. the photo-killing effects of tio2 on bacteria in liquid cultures under experimental conditions have been widely studied. however, the disinfection effects of the tio2 photocatalytic reaction on fresh vegetables during a washing proces ...200717265866
use of high-affinity cell wall-binding domains of bacteriophage endolysins for immobilization and separation of bacterial cells.immobilization and magnetic separation for specific enrichment of microbial cells, such as the pathogen listeria monocytogenes, depends on the availability of suitable affinity molecules. we report here a novel concept for the immobilization and separation of bacterial cells by replacing antibodies with cell wall-binding domains (cbds) of bacteriophage-encoded peptidoglycan hydrolases (endolysins). these polypeptide modules very specifically recognize and bind to ligands on the gram-positive cel ...200717277212
structural studies of thymidine kinases from bacillus anthracis and bacillus cereus provide insights into quaternary structure and conformational changes upon substrate binding.thymidine kinase (tk) is the key enzyme in salvaging thymidine to produce thymidine monophosphate. owing to its ability to phosphorylate nucleoside analogue prodrugs, tk has gained attention as a rate-limiting drug activator. we describe the structures of two bacterial tks, one from the pathogen bacillus anthracis in complex with the substrate dt, and the second from the food-poison-associated bacillus cereus in complex with the feedback inhibitor dttp. interestingly, in contrast with previous s ...200717288553
food poisoning potential of bacillus cereus strains from norwegian dairies.characteristics concerning diarrhoeal potential were investigated in b. cereus dairy strains. the thirty-nine strains, isolated from whipping cream, were tested for cytotoxicity after culturing at human body temperature as well as 25 degrees c and 32 degrees c. at 37 degrees c, none of the strains were highly cytotoxic. this observation suggests that those strains should be considered to pose a minor risk with regard to diarrhoeal food poisoning. however, some strains were moderately or highly c ...200717292990
degradation of n-acyl-l-homoserine lactones by bacillus cereus in culture media and pork extract.degradation of the quorum-sensing signal molecule n-acyl-l-homoserine lactone (ahl) in cocultures was verified with bacillus cereus and yersinia enterocolitica in culture medium and in pork extract. results showed evidence of microbial interaction when the ahl-degrading bacterium and ahl-producing bacterium were cocultured in a food-simulating condition.200717293532
changes in numbers and kinds of bacteria during a chickpea submerged fermentation used as a leavening agent for bread production.the microflora developed during a submerged fermentation of coarsely ground chickpea (cicer arietinum l.) in water (primary starter) and during raising a dough from wheat flour (adapted starter) was studied. in the fermenting liquid, only populations of bacillus and clostridium developed. bacilli increased their loads significantly (p<0.05) during fermentation for 8-12 h and then remained constant. clostridia developed (p<0.05) subsequently to levels of 10(7) cfu/ml at 18 h, when the ph of the f ...200717300848
group ii intron in bacillus cereus has an unusual 3' extension and splices 56 nucleotides downstream of the predicted site.all group ii introns known to date fold into six functional domains. however, we recently identified an intron in bacillus cereus atcc 10987, b.c.i4, that splices 56 nt downstream of the expected 3' splice site in vivo (tourasse et al. 2005, j. bacteriol., 187, 5437-5451). in this study, we confirmed by ribonuclease protection assay that the 56-bp segment is part of the intron rna molecule, and computational prediction suggests that it might form a stable stem-loop structure downstream of domain ...200717301069
effect of environmental parameters on growth kinetics of bacillus cereus (atcc 7004) after mild heat treatment.the influence of temperature (10 to 50 degrees c), initial ph (4.0 to 6.0) and sodium chloride concentration (0.5 to 3.0%) on the growth in nutrient broth and in meat extract of bacillus cereus after mild heat treatment (90 degrees c--10 min) was determined. b. cereus spores survived after heating and they were able to germinate and grow in both media when post-treatment conditions were favourable. heated b. cereus did not grow at 10 and 50 degrees c or in a medium with ph 4.0. decreasing ph val ...200716978725
antifungal activity and enhancement of plant growth by bacillus cereus grown on shellfish chitin wastes.bacillus cereus qq308 produced antifungal hydrolytic enzymes, comprising chitinase, chitosanase and protease, when grown in a medium containing shrimp and crab shell powder (scsp) produced from marine waste. the growth of the plant-pathogenic fungi fusarium oxysporum, fusarium solani, and pythium ultimum were considerably affected by the presence of the qq308 culture supernatant. the supernatant inhibited spore germination and germ tube elongation of f. oxysporum, f. solani, and p. ultimum. the ...200716797180
prevalence of bacillus cereus in dried milk products used by chilean school feeding program.the prevalence of bacillus cereus, in a total of 381 samples of dried milk products (milk with rice, milk substitute, milk powder, milk-cereal-rice, pudding milk, flan, and mousse) used by the chilean school feeding program, was investigated. the potential of 94 selected isolates of b. cereus to produce diarrhoeal enterotoxin (by the bcet-rpla test) in bhi culture, as well as the ability of enterotoxigenic-strains to grow at psychrotrophic temperatures were also verified. b. cereus was found in ...200716943088
polyhydroxyalkanoate (pha) biosynthesis from structurally unrelated carbon sources by a newly characterized bacillus spp.a newly acquired polyhydroxyalkanoate (pha) producing bacillus spp. was identified to be a strain of bacillus cereus using a range of microbiological and molecular techniques. this strain, named b. cereus spv, was found to be capable of using a wide range of carbon sources including glucose, fructose, sucrose, various fatty acids and gluconate for the production of phas, an advantage for the commercial production of the polymers. the media used for the polymer production was novel in the context ...200716956686
the activity of the dinuclear cobalt-beta-lactamase from bacillus cereus in catalysing the hydrolysis of beta-lactams.metallo-beta-lactamases are native zinc enzymes that catalyse the hydrolysis of beta-lactam antibiotics, but are also able to function with cobalt(ii) and require one or two metal-ions for catalytic activity. the hydrolysis of cefoxitin, cephaloridine and benzylpenicillin catalysed by cobcii (cobalt-substituted beta-lactamase from bacillus cereus) has been studied at different phs and metal-ion concentrations. an enzyme group of pk(a) 6.52+/-0.1 is found to be required in its deprotonated form f ...200716961465
decontamination of gum arabic with gamma-rays or electron beams and effects of these treatments on the material.samples of gum arabic were irradiated to 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 kgy with gamma-rays and electrons for a comparison of the relative effectiveness of these two treatments and for investigation of the effects of these doses of radiation on the material. the initial raw samples were contaminated with various strains of bacteria, including fungi and spore-forming bacteria (such as enteroccus faecalis, bacillus cereus and closstridum perfringens). the samples were completely decontaminated by irradiation t ...200716904901
biodegradation of corrosion inhibitors and their influence on petroleum product pipeline.the present study enlightens the role of bacillus cereus ace4 on biodegradation of commercial corrosion inhibitors (cci) and the corrosion process on api 5lx steel. bacillus cereus ace4, a dominant facultative aerobic species was identified by 16s rdna sequence analysis, which was isolated from the corrosion products of refined diesel-transporting pipeline in north west india. the effect of cci on the growth of bacterium and its corrosion inhibition efficiency were investigated. corrosion inhibi ...200716580829
induction of pullulanase production in bacillus cereus fdta-13.studies were carried out on the production of pullulanase by a newly isolated strain bacillus cereus fdta-13. high titres of the enzyme were obtained in a medium containing branched polysaccharides. to further enhance the yield, induction of pullulanase using conventional inducers were studied. maltooligosaccharides (maltose to maltotetraose) when added in the medium individually, or in a 1:1 combination of maltotriose and maltotetraose resulted different levels of pullulanase compared to contro ...200716697182
specific electrochemical phage sensing for bacillus cereus and mycobacterium smegmatis.the rapid and reliable detection of pathogenic microorganisms is an important issue for the safety and security of our society. here we describe the use of a sensitive, inexpensive, amperometric, phage-based biosensor for the detection of extremely low concentrations of bacillus cereus and mycobacterium smegmatis as models for bacillus anthracis (the causative agent of anthrax) and for mycobacterium tuberculosis (the causative agent of tuberculosis), respectively. the detection procedure develop ...200716725377
production and partial characterization of dehairing protease from bacillus cereus mcm b-326.bacillus cereus mcm b-326, isolated from buffalo hide, produced an extracellular protease. maximum protease production occurred (126.87+/-1.32 u ml(-1)) in starch soybean meal medium of ph 9.0, at 30 degrees c, under shake culture condition, with 2.8 x 10(8) cells ml(-1) as initial inoculum density, at 36 h. ammonium sulphate precipitate of the enzyme was stable over a temperature range of 25-65 degrees c and ph 6-12, with maximum activity at 55 degrees c and ph 9.0. the enzyme required ca(2+) i ...200716782331
probable occupational endophthalmitis from bacillus cereus.endophthalmitis is a severe infection produced by the introduction of microorganisms into the eye after penetrating injury, surgery, or hematogenous spread from a distant primary site of infection. the case presented is a 44-year-old man who worked as a machine operator with exposure to substantial metalworking fluid aerosols from a high-speed grinder generating fine particles.200718400656
the effect of silver ions and chlorine on the survival of staphylococcus aureus and bacillus cereus in dishwater.this paper investigates the effect of chlorine and silver ion solutions on the survival of bacillus cereus (vegetative phase) and staphylococcus aureus in batch cultures, representing dishwater. dishwater contains organic matter and bacteria and bacterial activities are partly reduced by high ph (11-12) and temperature (55-65 degrees c) in professional and domestic dishwashers. in manual dishwashing, temperature and ph are kept lower (45 degrees c and ph 7), which is less sufficient for the redu ...200718341151
two new members of streptothricin class antibiotics from streptomyces qinlingensis sp. nov.four streptothricin-group antibiotics (1~4) were isolated from the fermentation broth of streptomyces qinlingensis sp. nov. along with the known antibiotics streptothricins f (1) and d (3), two new members of this class (2, 4) were identified as 12-carbamoyl derivatives of 1 and 3, respectively, mainly by analysis of the ir, hr-ms and nmr spectral data. the antibacterial activities of 1~4 against escherichia coli (mics 3.1, 25.0, 3.1 and 12.5 microg/ml), bacillus subtilis (mics 6.3, 25.0, 3.1 an ...200718276997
[influence of chemical analogue of extracellular microbial autoregulators on antilysozyme activity of bacteria].modifying action of c7-alkyloxybenzol (methylresorcin) on the antilysozyme activity (ala) of opportunistic microorganisms (bacillus cereus, klebsiella pneumoniae, and escherichia coli) was studied. c7-alkyloxybenzol (c7-aob, methylrezorcin), which was used as chemical analogue of microbial autoregulators, was added to growth medium containing microorganisms, which were cultivated until entered stationary phase. isolation of clones was performed by seeding of 24-hours broth culture on solid growt ...200718283730
detection of bacillus cereus virulence factors in commercial products of bacillus thuringiensis and expression of diarrheal enterotoxins in a target insect.we examined isolates from 4 commercial bioinsecticides based on different strains of bacillus thuringiensis subspecies (kurstaki, israelensis, aizawai, and tenebrionis) for the presence of genes encoding proteins with known enterotoxigenicity (nhe, hbl, cytk, ces) and various other putative virulence genes (piplc, sph, bcet, entfm, ents, entt). the piplc and bcet sequences were present in all the isolates; sph was found in aizawai and israelensis; entfm only in israelensis; and ents in kurstaki, ...200718059560
biological activity of phenylpropionic acid isolated from a terrestrial streptomycetes.the strain anu 6277 was isolated from laterite soil and identified as streptomyces sp. closely related to streptomyces albidoflavus cluster by 16s rrna analysis. the cultural, morphological and physiological characters of the strain were recorded. the strain exhibited resistance to chloramphenicol, penicillin and streptomycin. it had the ability to produce enzymes such as amylase and chitinase. a bioactive compound was isolated from the strain at stationary phase of culture and identified as 3-p ...200718062653
[characteristics and identification of an antagonistic xjul-6 against cotton verticillium wilt].in order to probe into the antagonistic mechanism of bacteria against verticillium dahliae kleb., twelve endophytic bacterial strains were isolated from the urtica cannabina l. in xinjiang. through antagonistic experiments, the antagonistic charts of the twelve endophytic bacterial strains against eleven crop diseases have been obtained, respectively, and the xjul-6 which has higher antagonistic activity against verticillium dahliae kleb. was screened from the endophytes with the joan-board diff ...200718271269
chromate-tolerant bacteria for enhanced metal uptake by eichhornia crassipes (mart.).a total of 85 chromate-resistant bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of water hyacinth grown in mariout lake, egypt, as well as the sediment and water of this habitat. only 4 (11%), 2 (8%), and 2 (8%) of isolates from each of the environments, respectively, were able to tolerate 200 mg cr (vi) l(-1). when these eight isolates were tested for their ability to tolerate other metals or to reduce chromate, they were shown to also be resistant to zn, mn, and pb, and to display different degre ...200718246718
[emergence of beta-lactam-dependent bacillus cereus associated with prolonged treatment with cefepime in a neutropenic patient].antibiotic dependence in clinical isolates has been reported, albeit rarely, such as vancomycin-dependent enterococcus and beta-lactam-dependent staphylococcus saprophyticus. we report herein a clinical isolate of beta-lactam-dependent bacillus cereus. a 16-yr-old female was admitted on 8 september 2005 with neutropenic fever during chemotherapy following surgical removal of peripheral neuroectodermal tumor. she had had an indwelling chemoport since august 2004 and experienced b. cereus bacterem ...200718094579
development of rapid real-time pcr and most-probable-number real-time pcr assays to quantify enterotoxigenic strains of the species in the bacillus cereus group.members of the bacillus cereus group may produce diarrheal enterotoxins and could be potential hazards if they enter the food chain. therefore, a method capable of detecting all the species in the b. cereus group rather than b. cereus alone is important. we selected nhe as the target and developed a real-time pcr assay to quantify enterotoxigenic strains of the b. cereus group. the real-time pcr assay was evaluated with 60 b. cereus group strains and 28 others. the assay was also used to constru ...200718095430
isolation and characterization of a psychrotolerant toxin producer, bacillus weihenstephanensis, in liquid egg products.a psychrotolerant bacteria of the bacillus cereus group was found responsible for the spoilage of whole liquid egg products. by sequencing a 16s rrna region and performing a pcr amplification of specific 16s rrna and cspa signatures, a bacillus weihenstephanensis was identified. characterization of this strain shows its ability to grow in defined medium as well as in whole liquid egg at refrigerated temperatures. the strain isolated possesses genes encoding for hemolysin bl, nonhemolytic enterot ...200718095431
bacterial contamination of sago starch in papua new guinea.sago starch is an important food in lowland papua new guinea. extraction of the starch from the palm and storage were performed by way of traditional methods that have been used for thousands of years. currently, very little is known about the microbiology of sago starch. sago samples were collected from areas of high starch utilization and analyzed for the presence of bacterial pathogens and indicator organisms. storage methods and duration were recorded at the time of collection, and ph and wa ...200718095446
cleaning and handling implements as potential reservoirs for bacterial contamination of some ready-to-eat foods in retail delicatessen environments.this study assessed the association of bacteria with cleaning tools, such as floor mops (n = 25) and cleaning cloths (n = 39), and handling devices, such as disposable plastic gloves (n = 20), used during filled baguette and assorted salad preparation in four selected retail delicatessens in johannesburg, south africa. samples of each cleaning or handling tool were prepared for aerobic (apc), coliform (cc), escherichia coli (ec), bacillus cereus (bcc), and staphylococcus aureus (sac) counts, as ...200718095448
[bacillus cereus is a microbial decomposer of 2,4-dichlorophenol].a microorganism degrading 2,4-dichlorophenol isolated from an aeration pond of the baikal pulp and paper mill was identified as bacillus cereus bip507 based on morphological and physiological characters as well as 16s rdna sequencing. this microorganism proved able to degrade high 2,4-dichlorophenol concentrations (up to 560 microm).200718038618
antibacterial activity of guava (psidium guajava l.) and neem (azadirachta indica a. juss.) extracts against foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria.the antibacterial activity of guava (psidium guajava) and neem (azadirachta indica) extracts against 21 strains of foodborne pathogens were determined--listeria monocytogenes (five strains), staphylococcus aureus (four strains), escherichia coli o157:h7 (six strains), salmonella enteritidis (four strains), vibrio parahaemolyticus, and bacillus cereus, and five food spoilage bacteria: pseudomonas aeroginosa, p. putida, alcaligenes faecalis, and aeromonas hydrophila (two strains). guava and neem e ...200718041957
inhibition of bacillus cereus in milk fermented with kefir grains.the effects of kefir-fermented milk were tested against a toxigenic strain of bacillus cereus. the incubation of milk with b. cereus spores plus 5% kefir grains prevented spore germination and growth of vegetative forms. in contrast, when 1% kefir grains was used, no effects were observed. the presence of metabolically active kefir grains diminished titers of nonhemolytic enterotoxin a, as assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. during fermentation, kefir microorganisms produce extracellu ...200718044443
characterization of peptide deformylase2 from b. cereus.peptide deformylase (pdf) is a metalloenzyme that removes the n-terminal formyl groups from newly synthesized proteins. it is essential for bacterial survival, and is therefore-considered as a potential target for antimicrobial chemotherapy. however, some bacteria including medically relevant pathogens possess two or more def-like genes. here we have examined two pdfs from bacillus cereus. the two share only 32% sequence identity and the crystal structures show overall similarity with pdf2 havin ...200718047803
generation of a specific marker to discriminate gacillus anthracis from other bacteria of the bacillus cereus group.bacillus anthracis is a soil pathogen capable of causing anthrax that is closely related to several environmental species, including b. cereus, b. mycoides, and b. thuringiensis. dna homology studies showed that b. anthracis, b. cereus, b. mycoides, and b. thuringiensis are closely related, with a high sequence homology. to establish a method to specifically detect b. anthracis in situations such as environmental contamination, we initially performed rapd-pcr with a 10-mer random primer and conf ...200718051303
simultaneous detection and identification of bacillus cereus group bacteria using multiplex pcr.bacillus cereus group bacteria share a significant degree of genetic similarity. thus, to differentiate and identify the bacillus cereus group efficiently, a multiplex pcr method using the gyrb and groel genes as diagnostic markers is suggested for simultaneous detection. the assay yielded a 400 bp amplicon for the groel gene from all the b. cereus group bacteria, and a 253 bp amplicon from b. anthracis, 475 bp amplicon from b. cereus, 299 bp amplicon from b. thuringiensis, and 604 bp amplicon f ...200718051330
crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction analysis of bcomt2 from bacillus cereus: a family of o-methyltransferase.o-methyltransferases (omts), one of the ubiquitous enzymes in plants, bacteria, and humans, catalyze a methyl-transfer reaction using s-adenosylmethionine and a wide range of phenolics as a methyl donor and acceptor, respectively. substrates for most bacterial omts have largely remained elusive, but recent investigation using bcomt2, an omt from bacillus cereus, suggested that ortho-dihydroxyflavonoids could serve as substrates. to elucidate the functional and structural features of bcomt2, we e ...200718051771
identification and expression of gh-8 family chitosanases from several bacillus thuringiensis subspecies.the gram-positive spore-forming bacterium, bacillus thuringiensis, a member of the bacillus cereus group, produces chitosanases that catalyze the hydrolysis of chitosan to chitosan-oligosaccharides (cos). although fungal and bacterial chitosanases belonging to other glycoside hydrolase (gh) families have been characterized in a variety of microorganisms, knowledge on the genetics and phylogeny of the gh-8 chitosanases remains limited. nine genes encoding chitosanases were cloned from 29 differen ...200718031332
asp-120 locates zn2 for optimal metallo-beta-lactamase activity.metallo-beta-lactamases are zinc-dependent hydrolases that inactivate beta-lactam antibiotics, rendering bacteria resistant to them. asp-120 is fully conserved in all metallo-beta-lactamases and is central to catalysis. several roles have been proposed for asp-120, but so far there is no agreed consensus. we generated four site-specifically substituted variants of the enzyme bcii from bacillus cereus as follows: d120n, d120e, d120q, and d120s. replacement of asp-120 by other residues with very d ...200717426028
multiplexed identification of blood-borne bacterial pathogens by use of a novel 16s rrna gene pcr-ligase detection reaction-capillary electrophoresis assay.we have developed a novel high-throughput pcr-ligase detection reaction-capillary electrophoresis (pcr-ldr-ce) assay for the multiplexed identification of 20 blood-borne pathogens (staphylococcus epidermidis, staphylococcus aureus, bacillus cereus, enterococcus faecalis, enterococcus faecium, listeria monocytogenes, streptococcus pneumoniae, streptococcus pyogenes, streptococcus agalactiae, escherichia coli, klebsiella pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae, pseudomonas aeruginosa, acinetobacter bau ...200717428930
[investigation of a foodborne intoxication in a high-density penitentiary center].on september 25 2005, more than 100 inmates (almost 5% of the 1,800 prison population) experienced sudden onset gastroenteritis. this outbreak was the largest foodborne outbreak described in a prison population in spain. our objective was to confirm the outbreak, identify risk factors, implement control measures, and provide recommendations.200718001657
bacillus cereus in free-stall bedding.to increase the understanding of how different factors affect the bacterial growth in deep sawdust beds for dairy cattle, the microbiological status of bacillus cereus and coliforms in deep sawdust-bedded free stalls was investigated over two 14-d periods on one farm. high counts of b. cereus and coliforms were found in the entire beds. on average, 4.1 log(10) b. cereus spores, 5.5 log(10) b. cereus, and 6.7 log(10) coliforms per gram of bedding could be found in the upper layers of the sawdust ...200718024738
production of nisin z by lactococcus lactis isolated from dahi.lactococcus lactis cm1, an isolate from homemade "dahi," a traditional fermented milk from india, used maltose as carbon source to produce a high level of bacteriocin. the bacterial cell mass and the bacteriocin production correlated with the initial ph of the medium and were highest when the initial ph was 11.0. the level of bacteriocin reached its peak at the late log phase with concomitant reduction of culture ph to 4.2, regardless of the initial ph of the medium. a combination of maltose and ...200718025595
cgas: a comparative genome annotation system.recent advances in genome sequencing technology and algorithms have made it possible to determine the sequence of a whole genome quickly in a cost-effective manner. as a result, there are more than 200 completely sequenced genomes. however, annotation of a genome is still a challenging task. one of the most effective methods to annotate a newly sequenced genome is to compare it with well-annotated and closely related genomes using computational tools and databases. comparing genomes requires use ...200717993671
development of a microbial population within a hot-drinks vending machine and the microbial load of vended hot chocolate drink.in order to understand the development of the microbial population within a hot-drinks vending machine a new machine was placed in a staff area of a university campus vending only hot chocolate. the machine was cleaned weekly using a detergent based protocol. samples from the mixing bowl, dispense area, and drink were taken over a 19-wk period and enumerated using plate count agar. bacillus cereus was identified using biochemical methods. vended drinks were sampled at 0, 3, 6, and 9 min after ve ...200717995650
recipes for antimicrobial wine marinades against bacillus cereus, escherichia coli o157:h7, listeria monocytogenes, and salmonella enterica.we have evaluated bactericidal activities against bacillus cereus, escherichia coli o157:h7, listeria monocytogenes, and salmonella enterica of several antimicrobial wine recipes, each consisting of red or white wine extracts of oregano leaves with added garlic juice and oregano oil. dose-response plots were used to determine the percentage of the recipes that resulted in a 50% decrease in colony-forming units (cfu) at 60 min (ba(50)). studies designed to optimize antibacterial activities of the ...200717995688
genetic distribution of 295 bacillus cereus group members based on adk-screening in combination with mlst (multilocus sequence typing) used for validating a primer targeting a chromosomal locus in b. anthracis.the genetic distribution of 295 bacillus cereus group members has been investigated by using a modified multilocus sequence typing method (mlst). by comparing the nucleic acid sequence of the adk gene fragment, isolates of b. cereus group members most related to b. anthracis may be easily identified. the genetic distribution, with focus on the b. anthracis close neighbours, was used to evaluate a new primer set for specific identification of b. anthracis. this primer set, ba5510-1/2, targeted th ...200717997177
structure of plcr: insights into virulence regulation and evolution of quorum sensing in gram-positive bacteria.gram-positive bacteria use a wealth of extracellular signaling peptides, so-called autoinducers, to regulate gene expression according to population densities. these "quorum sensing" systems control vital processes such as virulence, sporulation, and gene transfer. using x-ray analysis, we determined the structure of plcr, the major virulence regulator of the bacillus cereus group, and obtained mechanistic insights into the effects of autoinducer binding. our structural and phylogenetic analysis ...200717998541
[effects of rhamnolipid on the biodegradation of n-hexadecane by microorganism and the cell surface hydrophobicity].the experiments were made in laboratory to analyze the effects of rhamnolipid on the biodegradation of n-hexadecane and the cell surface hydrophobicity using the microorganism ( bacillus cereus dq01 and bacillus sp. dq02). the results show that the optimal concentrations range of rhamnolipid were 0.4 mmol/l and 0.2 mmol/l, respectively, which can obviously enhance bath(bacterial adherence to hydrocarbon). the degradation of n-hexadecane by bacillus cereus dq01 and bacillus sp. dq02 were increase ...200717990568
metabolic capacity of bacillus cereus strains atcc 14579 and atcc 10987 interlinked with comparative genomics.bacillus cereus is an important food-borne pathogen and spoilage organism. in this study, numerous phenotypes and the genomes of b. cereus strains atcc 14579 and atcc 10987 were analysed to compare their metabolic capacity and stress resistance potential. the growth performance of the two strains was assessed for nearly 2000 phenotypes, including use of nutrient sources, performance in acid and basic environments, osmo-tolerance and antibiotic resistance. several food-relevant phenotypic differe ...200717991024
detection, isolation, and identification of cadmium-resistant bacteria based on pcr-dgge.this study focused on the screening of cadmium-resistant bacterial strains from pb-zn tailing. we investigated the diversity of microbial community inhabiting dong-san-cha pb-zn tailing in beijing, china, by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (dgge) of 16s rrna gene of bacterial strain, and found two dominant strains in the dgge profile. using special culture media, we isolated two strong cadmium-resistant bacterial strains. on the basis of morphological, physiolog ...200717966518
central venous catheter infection with bacillus pumilus in an immunocompetent child: a case report.bacillus organisms are common laboratory contaminants. the majority of bacillus bacteraemias are transient and not clinically significant. clinically significant infection due to bacillus species is rare and mostly due to bacillus cereus infections in immuno-compromised hosts.200717967173
efficacy of enterocin as-48 against bacilli in ready-to-eat vegetable soups and purees.the broad-spectrum bacteriocin enterocin as-48 was tested for biopreservation of ready-to-eat vegetable foods (soups and purees) against aerobic mesophilic endospore-forming bacteria. by adding as-48 (10 microg/ml), bacillus cereus lwl1 was completely inhibited in all six vegetable products tested (natural vegetable cream, asparagus cream, traditional soup, homemade-style traditional soup, vegetable soup, and vichyssoise) for up to 30 days at 6, 15, and 22 degrees c. a collection of strains isol ...200717969616
occurrence of bacillus cereus spores with a damaged exosporium: consequences on the spore adhesion on surfaces of food processing lines.this study was designed to evaluate the occurrence of bacillus cereus spores with a damaged exosporium and the consequences of such damages on spore adhesion. the analysis of nine strains sporulated under optimal conditions (spo8-agar, 30 degrees c) revealed that damaged exosporia were systematically found in one strain (b. cereus d17) and occasionally in two others (b. cereus atcc 14579t and b. cereus d6). the prevalence of spores with damaged exosporia increased when sporulation occurred under ...200717969617
[bacillus cereus pore-forming toxins hemolysin ii and cytotoxin k: polymorphism and distribution of genes among representatives of the cereus group].abstract-phylogenetic interrelation between 40 strains of the bacillus cereus group has been established using bcrep fingerprinting. the pcr method has shown that the frequency of occurrence of the genes of cytotoxin k (cytk) and hemolysin ii (hlyii) is 61% and 56%, respectively, and the gene of the hemolysin ii regulator (hlyiir) occurs together with hlyii. comparison of the results of fingerprinting, pcr, and rflp of the toxin genes showed that bacteria with the hlyii+ and cytk+ genotypes did ...200717974202
exploring the evolution of the bacillus cereus group repeat element bcr1 by comparative genome analysis of closely related strains.bcr1 is a chromosomal approximately 155 bp repeated element found uniquely and ubiquitously in the bacillus cereus group of gram-positive bacteria; it exhibits several features characteristic of mobile elements, including a variable distribution pattern between strains. here, highly similar bcr1 elements in non-conserved genomic loci are identified in a set of closely related b. cereus and bacillus thuringiensis strains near the bacillus anthracis phylogenetic cluster. it is also shown that bcr1 ...200717975097
tentacle probes: differentiation of difficult single-nucleotide polymorphisms and deletions by presence or absence of a signal in real-time pcr.false-positive results are a common problem in real-time pcr identification of dna sequences that differ from near neighbors by a single-nucleotide polymorphism (snp) or deletion. because of a lack of sufficient probe specificity, post-pcr analysis, such as a melting curve, is often required for mutation differentiation.200717932130
proposal of a simplified technique for staining bacterial spores without applying heat--successful modification of moeller's method.as the bacterial spores are difficult to stain, a number of staining techniques including their modifications have been proposed to date. most of the conventional staining procedures unexceptionally contain the step of staining with steamed dye reagent in order to increase the stainability of the spores. we made an attempt to improve the conventional moeller's methods for staining bacterial spores.200717933713
cloning, expression and characterization of a fast self-sufficient p450: cyp102a5 from bacillus cereus.cyp102s represent a family of natural self-sufficient fusions of cytochrome p450 and cytochrome p450 reductase found in some bacteria. one member of this family, named cyp102a1 or more traditionally p450bm-3, has been widely studied as a model of human p450 cytochromes. remarkable detail of p450 structure and function has been revealed using this highly efficient enzyme. the recent rapid expansion of microbial genome sequences has revealed many relatives of cyp102a1, but to date only two from ba ...200717945181
effects of low electric current (lec) treatment on pure bacterial cultures.this research focused on the effects of low electric current (lec) on the cell viability and metabolic activity of escherichia coli and bacillus cereus.200717953548
isolation and selection of bacillus spp. as potential biological agents for enhancement of water quality in culture of ornamental fish.to isolate, select and evaluate bacillus spp. as potential biological agents for enhancement of water quality in culture of ornamental fish.200717953558
effects of porcine bile on survival of bacillus cereus vegetative cells and haemolysin bl enterotoxin production in reconstituted human small intestine media.to determine the effects of porcine bile (pb) on bacillus cereus vegetative cells and haemolysin bl (hbl) enterotoxin production in reconstituted small intestine media (im).200717953568
characterization, n-terminal sequencing and classification of cerein mrx1, a novel bacteriocin purified from a newly isolated bacterium: bacillus cereus mrx1.to purify and characterize the bacteriocin produced by strain mrx1.200717953573
microwave-accelerated metal-enhanced fluorescence: application to detection of genomic and exosporium anthrax dna in <30 seconds.we describe the ultra-fast and sensitive detection of the gene encoding the protective antigen of bacillus anthracis the causative agent of anthrax. our approach employs a highly novel platform technology, microwave-accelerated metal-enhanced fluorescence (mamef), which combines the use of metal-enhanced fluorescence to enhance assay sensitivity and focused microwave heating to spatially and kinetically accelerate dna hybridization. genomic and exosporium target dna of bacillus anthracis spores ...200717955147
pseudochromhidrosis: blue discolouration of the head and neck.a 57-year-old man is presented with blue pseudochromhidrosis affecting the face and neck following combination treatment with lansoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, and ranitidine, a type two histamine receptor antagonist. the diagnosis was made on the basis of clinico-histological features and growth of malassezia furfur, and bacillus species, not bacillus cereus, in the absence of lipofuscin. the pseudochromhidrosis resolved on stopping both medications and did not recur on restarting only the ...200717956484
culture-based bacterial detection systems for platelets: the effect of time prior to sampling and duration of incubation required for detection with aerobic culture.bacterial contamination of platelet (plt) products occurs at low concentrations requiring a period of incubation for growth to minimize sampling error. culture-based detection methods also need sufficient incubation time; together these periods may limit the useful life of plts. this study characterizes the impact of sampling and detection times with two commercially available bacteria detection products.200717958533
the identification of antibacterial compounds for the development of enhanced media for the detection of foodborne fungi.in an effort to identify a more suitable antibiotic for utilization in mycological media, 12 food borne fungal species from various genera including alternaria alternata, aspergillus flavus, a. niger, eurotium chevalieri, fusarium moniliforme, penicillium sp., rhizopus stolonifer, saccharomyces cerevisiae, candida tropicalis, geotrichum candidum, rhodotorula glutinis and kluyveromyces thermotolerans along with 21 chloramphenicol-resistant bacterial isolates from fresh produce and atcc cultures o ...200717574697
flagellin (flic) protein sequence diversity among bacillus thuringiensis does not correlate with h serotype diversity.in escherichia coli, the flic gene encodes flagellin, the protein responsible for eliciting the immunological reaction in h serotyping. here, the presence of the flagellin flic gene was studied in 86 bacillus thuringiensis strains encompassing 67 h serotypes. nineteen strains from four additional species in the b. cereus sensu lato group, b. cereus, b. anthracis, b. mycoides, and b. weihenstephanensis, were added for comparison purposes. the flic genes were amplified, cloned and their nucleotide ...200717578675
minimizing the level of bacillus cereus spores in farm tank milk.in a year-long survey on 24 dutch farms, bacillus cereus spore concentrations were measured in farm tank milk (ftm), feces, bedding material, mixed grass and corn silage, and soil from the pasture. the aim of this study was to determine, in practice, factors affecting the concentration of b. cereus spores in ftm throughout the year. in addition, the results of the survey were used in combination with a previously published modeling study to determine requirements for a strategy to control b. cer ...200717582113
antimicrobial activities of indian berberis species.the antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic extracts of four berberis species viz. berberis aristata, berberis asiatica, berberis chitria and berberis lycium were tested against eleven bacterial and eight fungal strains. b. aristata root extract gave low mics values against bacillus cereus, escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus and aspergillus flavus while stem extract against b. cereus and streptococcus pneumoniae.200717583443
postoperative endophthalmitis caused by bacillus cereus and chlamydia trachomatis.to describe the clinical manifestations and outcomes in 4 patients with endophthalmitis caused by bacillus cereus and chlamydia trachomatis.200717586388
susceptibility of bacillus anthracis, bacillus cereus, bacillus mycoides, bacillus pseudomycoides and bacillus thuringiensis to 24 antimicrobials using sensititre automated microbroth dilution and etest agar gradient diffusion methods.to examine susceptibilities of bacillus anthracis and related species to 24 antimicrobials using and concurrently comparing two methods.200717586563
the 2.2 a resolution crystal structure of bacillus cereus nif3-family protein yqfo reveals a conserved dimetal-binding motif and a regulatory domain.yqfo of bacillus cereus is a member of the widespread nif3 family of proteins, which has been highlighted as an important target for structural genomics. the n- and c-terminal domains are conserved across the family and contain a dimetal-binding motif in a putative active site. yqfo contains an insert in the middle of the protein, present in a minority of bacterial family members. the structure of yqfo was determined at a resolution of 2.2 a and reveals conservation of the putative active site. ...200717586767
bacterial, fungal and yeast contamination in six brands of irreversible hydrocolloid impression materials.this study assessed the level of contamination of six commercially available irreversible hydrocolloids (two containing chlorhexidine) and identified the contamination present in the materials. petri dishes containing selective and enriched culture media were inoculated with alginate powder (0.06 g), in triplicate. after incubation (37 degrees c/7 days), the colony-forming units (cfu) were counted and gram stained. biochemical identification of the different morphotypes was also performed. the c ...200717589644
epsilon-poly-l-lysine and nisin a act synergistically against gram-positive food-borne pathogens bacillus cereus and listeria monocytogenes.to test epsilon-poly-l-lysine and nisin a for possible synergistic activity against selected food-borne pathogens and food spoilage organisms.200717594454
microbial production of 4-hydroxybenzylidene acetone, the direct precursor of raspberry ketone.to investigate the enzymatic aldol reaction between acetone as a donor and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde as a receptor to generate 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-but-3-ene-2-one or 4-hydroxybenzylidene acetone, the direct precursor of 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-butan-2-one or raspberry ketone, using different species of filamentous fungi and bacteria.200717594457
marine algae: screening for a potent antibacterial agent.this study was done to investigate the antimicrobial potentiality of the marine algae collected from different coastal regions of gujarat and screened for the same. twenty-six marine algae belonging to rhodophyceae, chlorophyceae and phaeophyceae were screened for their potential antibacterial activity against five clinically important bacterial strains, namely bacillus cereus, micrococcus flavus, citrobacter freundii, klebsiella pneumoniae and pseudomonas testosterone. acetone and methanol were ...200717594989
synthesis and antibacterial activity of bis[2-amino-4-phenyl-5-thiazolyl] disulfides.different dimeric disulfides, having the basic skeleton of bis[2-amino-4-phenyl-5-thiazolyl] disulfides were synthesized in a straightforward manner from acetophenones. 2-amino-4-phenyl-1,3-thiazoles were prepared by the reaction of thiourea with substituted acetophenones in the presence of iodine which were then converted to the title compounds. all the compounds were subjected to preliminary evaluation for their biological activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. some of the ...200717603192
prediction and assignment of function for a divergent n-succinyl amino acid racemase.the protein databases contain many proteins with unknown function. a computational approach for predicting ligand specificity that requires only the sequence of the unknown protein would be valuable for directing experiment-based assignment of function. we focused on a family of unknown proteins in the mechanistically diverse enolase superfamily and used two approaches to assign function: (i) enzymatic assays using libraries of potential substrates, and (ii) in silico docking of the same librari ...200717603539
survival, isolation and characterization of a psychrotrophic bacillus cereus strain from a mayonnaise-based ready-to-eat vegetable salad.incidence and population levels of bacillus cereus in american salad, an industrially manufactured, packaged and refrigerated deli salad containing vegetables and mustard, were determined. of 12 ready-to-eat samples examined, one (8.3%) was positive for b. cereus at less than 5 x 10(3)cfu g(-1). according to the iso confirmation procedure, a strain was isolated and further characterized and identified as b. cereus epso-35as by api 50ch/20e phenotypic system, combined with additional tests of mot ...200717613363
nucleoside analogues are activated by bacterial deoxyribonucleoside kinases in a species-specific manner.to investigate the bactericidal activity of antiviral and anticancer nucleoside analogues against a variety of pathogenic bacteria and characterize the activating enzymes, deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dnks).200717615154
screening and evaluation of probiotics as a biocontrol agent against pathogenic vibrios in marine aquaculture.the present work aims at finding potential probionts from marine sources as a biocontrol agent against pathogenic vibrio species in shrimp larval culture.200717651222
the initial surface composition and topography modulate sphingomyelinase-driven sphingomyelin to ceramide conversion in lipid monolayers.changes of the initial composition and topography of mixed monolayers of sphingomyelin and ceramide modulate the degradation of sphingomyelin by bacillus cereus sphingomyelinase. the presence of initial lateral phase boundary due to coexisting condensed and expanded phase domains favors the precatalytic steps of the reaction. the amount and quality of the domain lateral interface, defined by the type of boundary undulation, appears as a modulatory supramolecular code which regulates the catalyti ...200717652769
[second derivative ftir spectroscopic study of bacillus cereus].some particular cell components of intact bacillus cereus could be detected and identified by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ftir). ftir were collected directly, then the ftir spectra of the samples were converted into second derivative spectra. typical marker bands were used to identify these bacterial cell components such as capsules, endospores or storage materials. capsules were detected in cell by a strong amide band near 1654 cm(-1) typical for alpha-helical structures and by str ...200717655100
a novel vector element providing multicopy vector integration in arxula adeninivorans.an arxula adeninivorans vector element has been identified that provides multicopy integration in an atrp1 host strain. the element consists of the atrp1 selection marker fused to a newly generated truncated aleu2 promoter of 53 bp. in the described example eight copies of an amya expression vector encoding heterologous alpha-amylase from bacillus amyloliquefaciens are integrated in the genome of the recombinant strain instead of a single copy observed when using the atrp1 element with the compl ...200717655689
flhf, a signal recognition particle-like gtpase, is involved in the regulation of flagellar arrangement, motility behaviour and protein secretion in bacillus cereus.flagellar arrangement is a highly conserved feature within bacterial species. however, only a few genes regulating cell flagellation have been described in polar flagellate bacteria. this report demonstrates that the arrangement of flagella in the peritrichous flagellate bacillus cereus is controlled by flhf. disruption of flhf in b. cereus led to a reduction in the number of flagella from 10-12 to 1-3 filaments per cell in the insertion mutant mp06. moreover, compared to the parental strain, mp ...200717660418
substrate analysis of homoserine acyltransferase from bacillus cereus.substrate specificity within the family of enzymes designated as homoserine transsuccinylases is variable, with some organisms utilizing succinyl-coa and other organisms utilizing acetyl-coa. in this study it is shown that the enzyme from bacillus cereus uses acetyl-coa as its acyl donor, but its catalytic rate is significantly lower than other hts family members. bchts is inactivated by both iodoacetamide and diethyl pyrocarbonate and the enzyme can be partially protected from inactivation by t ...200717662245
inhibition of bacterial cell division protein ftsz by cinnamaldehyde.cinnamaldehyde is a natural product from spices that inhibits cell separation in bacillus cereus. cell division is regulated by ftsz, a prokaryotic homolog of tubulin. ftsz assembles into the z-ring at the site of cell division. here, we report the effect of cinnamaldehyde on ftsz and hence on the cell division apparatus. cinnamaldehyde decreases the in vitro assembly reaction and bundling of ftsz. it is found that cinnamaldehyde perturbs the z-ring morphology in vivo and reduces the frequency o ...200717662960
biology and taxonomy of bacillus cereus, bacillus anthracis, and bacillus thuringiensis.three species of the bacillus cereus group (bacillus cereus, bacillus anthracis, and bacillus thuringiensis) have a marked impact on human activity. bacillus cereus and b. anthracis are important pathogens of mammals, including humans, and b. thuringiensis is extensively used in the biological control of insects. the microbiological, biochemical, and genetic characteristics of these three species are reviewed, together with a discussion of several genomic studies conducted on strains of b. cereu ...200717668027
characterization of bacillus and pseudomonas strains with suppressive traits isolated from tomato hydroponic-slow filtration unit.bacillus and pseudomonas spp. are known to be involved in plant pathogenic fungi elimination during the slow filtration process used in tomato soilless cultures. we isolated 6-8 strains of both bacillus and pseudomonas from the top, middle, and bottom sections of filters and identified them after 16s rdna sequencing. four pseudomonas strains were identified as pseudomonas fulva, 5 as pseudomonas plecoglossicida, and 12 as pseudomonas putida. the use of specific oligonucleotide polymerase chain r ...200717668039
risk factors for post-traumatic endophthalmitis in patients with positive intraocular cultures.to determine the risk factors for post-traumatic endophthalmitis in patients with positive intraocular culture.200717671943
[detection of some toxin genes related to pathogenicity in bacillus cereus group strains].bacillus thuringiensis is a member of the b. cereus group, which also contains b. cereus, b. mycoides, b. pseudomycoides , b. anthracis and b. weihenstephanensis. among them, b. thuringiensis and b. cereus share a high level chromosomal similarity and are phenotypically similar except that b. thuringiensis has insecticidal plasmid encoding crystal proteins. twenty-six b. cereus group strains were surveyed in this study for the presence of enterotoxin genes and other toxin genes related to pathog ...200717672293
bacterial degradation and corrosion of naphtha in transporting pipeline.five naphtha hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria including representative strains of the two classified species (serratia marcescensar1, bacillus pumilusar2, bacillus carboniphilus ar3, bacillus megaterium ar4, and bacillus cereus ar5) were identified by 16s rdna gene sequence in a naphtha-transporting pipeline. the naphtha-degrading strains were able to be involved in the corrosion process of api 5lx steel and also utilized the naphtha as the sole carbon source. the biodegradation of naphtha by the ...200717680305
broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of the reactive compounds generated in vitro by manduca sexta phenoloxidase.although quinone production and melanin formation are widely recognized as an integral part of the insect defense system, experimental evidence is lacking that the proteolytic activation of prophenoloxidase participates in the direct killing of invading microbes-active phenoloxidase generates quinones that polymerize to form melanin. here, we report the antimicrobial effect of reactive intermediates produced in phenoloxidase-catalyzed reactions. after being treated with manduca sexta phenoloxida ...200717681234
purification and identification of a novel leucine aminopeptidase from bacillus thuringiensis israelensis.a novel leucine aminopeptidase was purified from a bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (bti) culture. the purification stages included heating the concentrated supernatant to 65 degrees c for 90 min, anion-exchange chromatography by deae cellulose, and hydrophobic chromatography by phenyl sepharose. the specific activity of leucine aminopeptidase after the hydrophobic chromatography increased by 215.5-fold and the yield was 16%. the molecular weight of the active enzyme was 59 kda. mass spectrome ...200717682820
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