A5055484596- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- bioluminescence and chemiluminescence research
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Gut microbiota and health
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Molecular Communication and Nanonetworks
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry
- Dental materials and restorations
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Inflammasome and immune disorders
- Nanoparticles: synthesis and applications
University of Salento
2016-2025
Food Research Institute
2008
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Lecce
2004-2007
While much data exist in the literature about how Neisseria meningitidis adheres to and invades human cells, its behavior inside host cell is largely unknown. One of essential meningococcal attributes for pathogenesis polysaccharide capsule, which has been shown be important bacterial survival extracellular fluids. To investigate role capsule intracellular survival, we used B1940, a serogroup B strain, isogenic derivatives, lack either or both lipooligosaccharide outer core, infect...
Summary Vetiver is the only grass cultivated worldwide for root essential oil, which a mixture of sesquiterpene alcohols and hydrocarbons, used extensively in perfumery cosmetics. Light transmission electron microscopy demonstrated presence bacteria cortical parenchymatous oil‐producing cells lysigen lacunae close association with oil. This finding evidence that axenic produces vitro trace amounts oil strikingly different composition compared oils from vivo plants stimulated hypothesis an...
Tidally-influenced subterranean settings represent natural geomicrobiological laboratories, relatively unexplored, that facilitate the investigation of new biomineralization processes. The unusual water chemistry Zinzulùsa Cave and its oligotrophic aphotic conditions have allowed development a unique ecosystem in which complex bacterial activities induce rare A diversified microbial community develops on centimeter-thick crusts form submerged part cave. are formed Ca-phosphate minerals,...
There is evidence from previous works that bacterial secondary metabolism may be stimulated by genetic manipulation of RNA polymerase (RNAP). In this study we have used rifampicin selection as a strategy to genetically improve the erythromycin producer Saccharopolyspora erythraea.Spontaneous rifampicin-resistant (rif) mutants were isolated parental strain NRRL2338 and two rif mutations mapping within rpoB, S444F Q426R, characterized. With respect strain, exhibited higher respiratory...
Abstract Background The molecular mechanisms altered by the traditional mutation and screening approach during improvement of antibiotic-producing microorganisms are still poorly understood although this information is essential to design rational strategies for industrial strain improvement. In study, we applied comparative genomics identify all genetic changes occurring development an erythromycin overproducer obtained using mutate-and- screen method. Results Compared with parental...
Abstract In contrast to the widely accepted consensus of existence a single RNA polymerase in bacteria, several actinomycetes have been recently shown possess two forms polymerases due co-existence rpoB paralogs their genome. However, biological significance duplication is obscure. this study we determined genome sequence lipoglycopeptide antibiotic A40926 producer Nonomuraea gerenzanensis ATCC 39727, an actinomycete with large and genes, i.e. rpoB(S) (the wild-type gene) rpoB(R) mutant-type...
Over the last few decades, computational genomics has tremendously contributed to decipher biology from genome sequences and related data. Considerable effort been devoted prediction of transcription promoter terminator sites that represent essential "punctuation marks" for DNA transcription. Computational promoters in prokaryotes is a problem whose solution far being determined genomics. The majority published bacterial tools are based on consensus-sequences search they were designed...
There is accumulating evidence that the ability of actinomycetes to produce antibiotics and other bioactive secondary metabolites has been underestimated due presence cryptic gene clusters. The activation dormant genes therefore one most important areas experimental research for discovery drugs in these organisms. recent observation several possess two RNA polymerase beta-chain (rpoB) opened up possibility, explored this study, developing a new strategy activate expression bacteria. Two rpoB...
In this study we used HeLa cells to investigate the role of HrpB–HrpA two-partner secretion (TPS) system in meningococcal infection cycle. Although there is evidence that several pathogenic microorganisms may use TPS systems colonize epithelial surfaces, was not primarily involved adhesion or invasion cells. Instead, essential for intracellular survival and escape from infected Gentamicin protection assays, immunofluorescence transmission electron microscopy analyses demonstrated that,...
Summary Meningococcal gdhA , encoding the NADP‐specific l ‐glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP‐GDH), is essential for systemic infection in an infant rat model. In this paper, a limited transcriptional analysis detected differences expression among clinical isolates. strains expressing high levels of mRNA, two promoters, P1 and P2, initiated transcription . contrast, low mRNA levels, P2 was not active because weak gdhR associated regulatory gene. Gene knock‐out complementation ‐defective mutant...
Strain SPC-1 T was isolated from the phyllosphere of Cynara cardunculus L. var. sylvestris (Lamk) Fiori (wild cardoon), a Mediterranean native plant considered to be wild ancestor globe artichoke and cultivated cardoon. This Gram-stain-negative, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped non-motile strain secreted copious amounts an exopolysaccharide, formed slimy, viscous, orange-pigmented colonies grew optimally at around pH 6.0–6.5 26–30 °C in presence 0–0.5 %...
ABSTRACT GdhR is a meningococcal transcriptional regulator that was previously shown to positively control the expression of gdhA , encoding NADP-specific l -glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH), in response growth phase and/or carbon source. In this study we used reverse transcriptase-PCR-differential display (to identify additional GdhR-regulated genes. The results indicated GdhR, addition NADP-GDH, controls number genes involved glucose catabolism by Entner-Doudoroff pathway and import an...
Summary Polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes (PMNs) are a critical part of innate immune defence against bacterial pathogens, and only limited subset microbes can escape killing by these phagocytic cells. Here we show that Neisseria meningitidis , leading cause septicaemia meningitis, avoid PMNs this is dependent on the ability bacterium to acquire l ‐glutamate through its GltT uptake system. We demonstrate available promotes N. evasion PMN reactive oxygen species produced oxidative...
Abstract Maculinea (= Phengaris ) are endangered butterflies that characterized by a very complex biological cycle. larvae behave as obligate parasites whose survival is strictly dependent on both particular food plants and species-specific Myrmica ants. In this interaction, caterpillars induce workers to retrieve rear them in the nest chemical acoustic deception. Social insect symbiotic microorganisms play key role intraspecific interspecific communication; therefore, it possible...
Experimental animal models of bacterial meningitis are useful to study the host-pathogen interactions occurring at cerebral level and analyze pathogenetic mechanisms behind this life-threatening disease. In study, we have developed a mouse model meningococcal based on intracisternal inoculation bacteria. Experiments were performed with mouse-passaged serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis. Survival clinical parameters infected mice microbiological histological analysis brain demonstrated...
ABSTRACT Rifampin chemoprophylaxis against Neisseria meningitidis infections led to the onset of rifampin resistance in clinical isolates harboring point mutations rpoB gene, coding for RNA polymerase β chain. These resistant strains are rare medical practice, suggesting their decreased fitness human host. In this study, we isolated rifampin-resistant mutants from hypervirulent serogroup C strain 93/4286 and analyzed different properties, including ability grow/survive culture media...