A5050398766- Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus
- Mesoporous Materials and Catalysis
- Neonatal and Maternal Infections
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Peptidase Inhibition and Analysis
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Biochemical and Structural Characterization
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
- Diatoms and Algae Research
- Electrochemical sensors and biosensors
- Infective Endocarditis Diagnosis and Management
- Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine Chemistry
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
- Enzyme Structure and Function
- Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Enzyme Production and Characterization
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Gut microbiota and health
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
University of Limerick
2009-2023
Institute of Environmental Science and Research
2012
Ara Institute of Canterbury
2012
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
2000
Massey University
2000
Baylor College of Medicine
2000
University of Auckland
2000
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
2000
National Institutes of Health
2000
University of Victoria
1997
Abstract Lactobacilli are a diverse group of species that occupy nutrient-rich niches associated with humans, animals, plants and food. They used widely in biotechnology food preservation, being explored as therapeutics. Exploiting lactobacilli has been complicated by metabolic diversity, unclear identity uncertain relationships between them other commercially important lactic acid bacteria. The capacity for biotransformations catalysed is an untapped resource. Here we report the genome...
Probiotics have a range of proposed health benefits for the consumer, which may include modulating levels beneficial elements in microbiota. Recent investigations using molecular approaches revealed human intestinal microbiota comprising over 1000 phylotypes. Mechanisms whereby probiotics impact on competition substrates, direct antagonism by inhibitory substances, competitive exclusion, and potentially host-mediated effects such as improved barrier function altered immune response. We now...
Cytochrome c and xylanase were adsorbed onto two mesoporous materials, SBA-15 (a pure silicate) MSE (an organosilicate), with very similar physical properties but differing chemical compositions. A methodical order was developed whereby the influences of surface area, pore size, extent order, particle potentials, isoelectric points, pH, ionic strength on immobilization explored. In silico studies cytochrome conducted before any experiments carried out in to select compatible materials probe...
M1 protein and Protein H are surface proteins simultaneously present at the of certain strains Streptococcus pyogenes, important pathogenic bacteria in humans. The study concerns structure, protein-binding properties relationship between these two molecules. gene encoding (emm1) was found immediately upstream (sph). Both genes were preceded by a promoter region. Comparison sequences revealed high degree similarity signal peptides, C repeats located central parts molecules C-terminal...
A truncated derivative of the phage endolysin LysK containing only CHAP (cysteine- and histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase) domain exhibited lytic activity against live clinical staphylococcal isolates, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This is first known report a lysin which retains high cells.
Pathogenic bacteria secrete protein toxins that weaken or disable their host, and thereby act as virulence factors. We have determined the crystal structure of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (SpeB), a cysteine protease is major factor human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes participates in invasive disease episodes, including necrotizing fasciitis. The structure, for 40-kDa precursor form SpeB at 1.6-Å resolution, reveals distant homologue papain superfamily includes mammalian cathepsins...
Six mesoporous materials functionalized with amine groups were developed and screened as potential supports for chloroperoxidase (CPO). A periodic organosilane (PMO PA-40) pore entrances large enough to allow the enzyme entry inside pores was found be best support. When CPO immobilized onto this material, it could reused 20 times retention of activity. On little structure and/or too narrow channels, rapidly lost activity upon reuse. Similarly, postsynthetic amino functionalization a pure...
The Staphylococcus aureus gamma-hemolysin comprises two polypeptides, whereas the locus (hlg) contains three open reading frames. hlgA and hlgB genes encode gamma 1 2 components, respectively. HlgB protein (gamma 2) has 27% residue identity with S. alpha-toxin. Surprisingly, hlgC are 98.5 99.1% identical to lukF lukS genes, respectively, encoding F S components of Panton-Valentine leukocidin.
Commensal lactobacilli frequently produce bile salt hydrolase (Bsh) enzymes whose roles in intestinal survival are unclear. Twenty-six Lactobacillus salivarius strains from different sources all harbored a bsh1 allele on their respective megaplasmids. This was related to the plasmid-borne gene of probiotic strain UCC118. A second locus (bsh2) found chromosomes two that had higher resistance levels. Four Bsh1-encoding groups were identified, defined by truncations or deletions involving...
Summary Protein H, a molecule expressed at the surface of some strains Streptococcus pyogenes , has affinity for constant (lgGFc) region immunoglobulin (lg) G. In absorption experiments with human plasma, protein H–sepharose could absorb not only lgG but also albumin from plasma. The reaction between and H was 7.8 × 10 9 M −1 which is higher than (K = 1.6 ). Fragments were generated deletion plasmids polymerase chain (PCR) technology. Using these fragments in various protein–protein...
M proteins are major virulence factors of group A streptococci which enable the bacteria to resist phagocytic attack. Their binding capacity for different plasma seems be one reason antiphagocytic activity protein. In present study we demonstrate that M3 protein, isolated from streptococcal culture supernatant strain 4/55, and recombinant form (rM3), purified an E. coli lysate after cloning in phage lambda-EMBL3, show a multiple fibrinogen, albumin fibronectin Western blot dot assays....
Abstract Mesoporöse Silicate (MPS) haben eine geordnete Porenstruktur mit ähnlichen Abmessungen wie viele biologische Moleküle. Sie sind als Trägermaterialien für Proteine und Enzyme in biokatalytischen Anwendungen eingehend untersucht worden. Seit ihrer Entdeckung ist es gelungen, durch neue Syntheseverfahren die Größe Struktur der Poren, Teilchengröße chemische Zusammensetzung Stabilität genau vorzugeben, sodass nun Adsorption einer breiten Vielfalt biologischer Makromoleküle, z. B....
Many bacterial pathogens interfere with the contact system (kallikrein-kinin system) in human plasma. Activation of this has two consequences: cleavage high-molecular-mass kininogen (HK) resulting release potent proinflammatory peptide bradykinin, and initiation intrinsic pathway coagulation. In study, species Gram-negative anaerobic commensal organism Bacteroides, namely Bacteroides fragilis thetaiotaomicron, were found to bind HK fibrinogen, major clotting protein, from plasma as shown by...
The specific immobilisation of a histidine-tagged protein, Spi, onto mono-anchored nickel(II)-cyclam functionalised SBA-15 is reported.
The marketplace for probiotic foods is burgeoning, measured in billions of euro per annum. It imperative, however, that all bacterial strains are fully assessed human safety. ability to bind fibrinogen considered a potential pathogenicity trait can lead platelet aggregation, serious medical complications, and some instances, death. Here we examined from species frequently used as probiotics their fibrinogen. Only one strain (CCUG 47825), Lactobacillus salivarius isolate case septicaemia, was...
Summary This study presents evidence for a novel protease–protease inhibitor couple, SpeB–Spi, in the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes . The gene Spi is located directly downstream of streptococcal cysteine protease SpeB. 37% identical and 70% similar to sequence SpeB propeptide, suggesting that propeptide might bind an analogous manner. Secondary structure predictions molecular modelling suggested would adopt propeptide. spi was co‐transcribed with speB on 1.7 knt 2.2 transcripts...
Abstract Background: The Helicobacter pylori protein HorB (encoded by HP0127) is a member of paralogous family that includes the adhesins BabA, AlpA, AlpB, and HopZ, which contribute to adhesion gastric epithelial cells. Of verified H. porins, sequence most similar HopE, but function unknown. aim our study was investigate role in cell adhesion. Materials methods: We disrupted horB gene measured cells (AGS cells). then assessed effect disruption had on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O‐chain...