Kocuria rhizophila is a ubiquitous bacterium which is well known for its industrial value. Here, we present the draft genome of Kocuria rhizophila strain TPW45 which was isolated from Sungai Gabai, Selangor, Malaysia. The assembled genome comprised of 46 contigs and the estimated genome size is 2.7 Mb. Based on the RAST annotation, a gene cluster responsible for aromatic compound degradation was identified in this strain.
We performed whole genome sequencing on a clinical multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strain 223/14. Investigation into its draft genome revealed the presence of KPC-6 variant, suggesting carbapenemase is present in this isolate. We found a plasmid-borne KPC gene (882 bp) inserted between two transposase genes in the genome of K. pneumoniae 223/14.
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and the increasing reports of multidrug-resistant gonococcal isolates are a global public health care concern. Herein, we report the genome sequence of N. gonorrhoeae strain NG_869 isolated from Malaysia which may provide insights into the drug resistance determinants in gonococcal bacteria.
A novel actinobacterial strain, MUSC 78T, was isolated from a mangrove soil collected from Peninsular Malaysia. The taxonomic status of this strain was determined using a polyphasic approach. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain MUSC 78T represented a novel lineage within the class Actinobacteria. Strain MUSC 78T formed a distinct clade in the family Intrasporangiaceae and was related most closely to members of the genera Terrabacter (98.3-96.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Intrasporangium (98.2-96.8 %), Humibacillus (97.2 %), Janibacter (97.0-95.3 %), Terracoccus (96.8 %), Kribbia (96.6 %), Phycicoccus (96.2-94.7 %), Knoellia (96.1-94.8 %), Tetrasphaera (96.0-94.9 %) and Lapillicoccus (95.9 %). Cells were irregular rod-shaped or cocci and stained Gram-positive. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was A3γ, with ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The main cell-wall sugar was mannose and lower amounts of galactose and rhamnose were present. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphoglycolipid. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 73.1 mol%. Based on this polyphasic study, MUSC 78T exhibited phylogenetic and phenotypic differences from members of the genera of the family Intrasporangiaceae, and therefore a novel species of a new genus, Monashia flava gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain of Monashia flava is MUSC 78T ( = DSM 29621T = MCCC 1K00454T = NBRC 110749T).
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infectious diseases of humans, with Escherichia coli responsible for >80% of all cases. One extreme of UTI is asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU), which occurs as an asymptomatic carrier state that resembles commensalism. To understand the evolution and molecular mechanisms that underpin ABU, the genome of the ABU E. coli strain VR50 was sequenced. Analysis of the complete genome indicated that it most resembles E. coli K-12, with the addition of a 94-kb genomic island (GI-VR50-pheV), eight prophages, and multiple plasmids. GI-VR50-pheV has a mosaic structure and contains genes encoding a number of UTI-associated virulence factors, namely, Afa (afimbrial adhesin), two autotransporter proteins (Ag43 and Sat), and aerobactin. We demonstrated that the presence of this island in VR50 confers its ability to colonize the murine bladder, as a VR50 mutant with GI-VR50-pheV deleted was attenuated in a mouse model of UTI in vivo. We established that Afa is the island-encoded factor responsible for this phenotype using two independent deletion (Afa operon and AfaE adhesin) mutants. E. coli VR50afa and VR50afaE displayed significantly decreased ability to adhere to human bladder epithelial cells. In the mouse model of UTI, VR50afa and VR50afaE displayed reduced bladder colonization compared to wild-type VR50, similar to the colonization level of the GI-VR50-pheV mutant. Our study suggests that E. coli VR50 is a commensal-like strain that has acquired fitness factors that facilitate colonization of the human bladder.
Breast cancer spheroids have been widely used as in vitro models of cancer stem cells (CSCs), yet little is known about their phenotypic characteristics and microRNAs (miRNAs) expression profiles. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the phenotypic characteristics of MDA-MB-231 spheroid-enriched cells for their CSCs properties and also to determine their miRNAs expression profile. Similar to our previously published MCF-7 spheroid, MDA-MB-231 spheroid also showed typical CSCs characteristics namely self-renewability, expression of putative CSCs-related surface markers and enhancement of drug resistance. From the miRNA profile, miR-15b, miR-34a, miR-148a, miR-628 and miR-196b were shown to be involved in CSCs-associated signalling pathways in both models of spheroids, which highlights the involvement of these miRNAs in maintaining the CSCs features. In addition, unique clusters of miRNAs namely miR-205, miR-181a and miR-204 were found in basal-like spheroid whereas miR-125, miR-760, miR-30c and miR-136 were identified in luminal-like spheroid. Our results highlight the roles of miRNAs as well as novel perspectives of the relevant pathways underlying spheroid-enriched CSCs in breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide as most patients often suffer cancer relapse. The reason is often attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Recent studies revealed that dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) are closely linked to breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. However, no specific study has comprehensively characterised the CSC characteristic and miRNA transcriptome in spheroid-enriched breast cells. This study described the generation of spheroid MCF-7 cell in serum-free condition and the comprehensive characterisation for their CSC properties. Subsequently, miRNA expression differences between the spheroid-enriched CSC cells and their parental cells were evaluated using next generation sequencing (NGS). Our results showed that the MCF-7 spheroid cells were enriched with CSCs properties, indicated by the ability to self-renew, increased expression of CSCs markers, and increased resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Additionally, spheroid-enriched CSCs possessed greater cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and wound healing ability. A total of 134 significantly (p<0.05) differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between spheroids and parental cells using miRNA-NGS. MiRNA-NGS analysis revealed 25 up-regulated and 109 down-regulated miRNAs which includes some miRNAs previously reported in the regulation of breast CSCs. A number of miRNAs (miR-4492, miR-4532, miR-381, miR-4508, miR-4448, miR-1296, and miR-365a) which have not been previously reported in breast cancer were found to show potential association with breast cancer chemoresistance and self-renewal capability. The gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that the predicted genes were enriched in the regulation of metabolic processes, gene expression, DNA binding, and hormone receptor binding. The corresponding pathway analyses inferred from the GO results were closely related to the function of signalling pathway, self-renewability, chemoresistance, tumorigenesis, cytoskeletal proteins, and metastasis in breast cancer. Based on these results, we proposed that certain miRNAs identified in this study could be used as new potential biomarkers for breast cancer stem cell diagnosis and targeted therapy.
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ZBG7B was isolated from vineyard soil of Zellenberg, France. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of this bacterial strain, which has facilitated the prediction of function for several genes encoding biotechnologically important enzymes, such as xylosidase, xylanase, laccase, and chitinase.
Pluralibacter gergoviae FB2, a bacterial strain isolated from packed food, has been found to exhibit quorum-quenching properties. Hence, we report the first, complete genome of P. gergoviae sequenced using the Pacific Biosciences single-molecule, real-time (SMRT) platform.
Here, we present the draft genome sequence of Aeromonas caviae strain L12, which shows quorum-sensing activity. The availability of this genome sequence is important to the research of the quorum-sensing regulatory system in this isolate.
Burkholderia spp. rely on N-acyl homoserine lactone as quorum-sensing signal molecules which coordinate their phenotype at the population level. In this work, we present the whole genome of Burkholderia sp. strain A9, which enables the discovery of its N-acyl homoserine lactone synthase gene.
We report here the complete genome sequence of C. neteri SSMD04, a strain isolated from pickled mackerel sashimi, sequenced by third-generation sequencing technology. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation that reports the complete genome of Cedecea neteri.
Aeromonas hydrophila has emerged worldwide as a human pathogen. Here, we report the draft whole-genome sequence of a freshwater isolate from Malaysia, A. hydrophila strain M062, and its N-acylhomoserine lactone genes are also reported here.
Many Proteobacteria communicate via production followed by response of quorum sensing molecules, namely, N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). These molecules consist of a lactone moiety with N-acyl side chain with various chain lengths and degrees of saturation at C-3 position. AHL-dependent QS is often associated with regulation of diverse bacterial phenotypes including the expression of virulence factors. With the use of biosensor and high resolution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, the AHL production of clinical isolate A. baumannii 4KT was studied. Production of short chain AHL, namely, N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) and N-octanoyl-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL), was detected.
Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain YL84, which was isolated from compost. This strain was found to be a chitinase-producing quorum-sensing bacterium.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa has a broad range of habitation, from aquatic environments to human lungs. The coexistence of quorum-sensing and quorum-quenching activities occurs in P. aeruginosa strain MW3a. In this work, we present the draft genome sequence of P. aeruginosa MW3a, an interesting bacterium isolated from a marine environment.
Pandoraea pnomenusa strain 3kgm has been identified as a quorum-sensing strain isolated from soil. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of P. pnomenusa strain 3kgm by using the Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time (PacBio RS SMRT) sequencer high-resolution technology.
Bacterial quorum sensing signal molecules called N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) controls the expression of virulence determinants in many Gram-negative bacteria. We determined AHL production in 22 Aeromonas strains isolated from various infected sites from patients (bile, blood, peritoneal fluid, pus, stool and urine). All isolates produced the two principal AHLs, N-butanoylhomoserine lactone (C4-HSL) and N-hexanoyl homoserine lactone (C6-HSL). Ten isolates also produced additional AHLs. This report is the first documentation of Aeromonas sobria producing C6-HSL and two additional AHLs with N-acyl side chain longer than C(6). Our data provides a better understanding of the mechanism(s) of this environmental bacterium emerging as a human pathogen.
A bacterial strain, KM1S, was isolated from a Malaysian rainforest soil sample by using a defined enrichment medium that specifically facilitates selection of quorum quenching bacteria. KM1S was clustered closely to Bacillus cereus by 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis. It degraded N-3-oxo-hexanoyl homoserine lactone and N-3-oxo-octanoyl homoserine lactone in vitro rapidly at 4.98 and 6.56 microg AHL h(-1) per 10(9) CFU/ml, respectively, as determined by the Rapid Resolution Liquid Chromatography. The aiiA homologue, encoding an autoinducer inactivation enzyme catalyzing the degradation of N-acylhomoserine lactones, of KM1S was amplified and cloned. Sequence analysis indicated the presence of the motif (106)HXDH-59 amino acids-H(169)-21 amino acids-D(191) for N-acylhomoserine lactone lactonases.