Increased Proteolytic Activity of Serratia marcescens Clinical Isolate HU1848 Is Associated with Higher eepR Expression

Serratia marcescens is a global opportunistic pathogen. In vitro cytotoxicity of this bacterium is mainly related to metalloprotease serralysin (PrtS) activity. Proteolytic capability varies among the different isolates. Here, we characterized protease production and transcriptional regulators at 37°C of two S. marcescens isolates from bronchial expectorations, HU1848 and SmUNAM836. As a reference strain the insect pathogen S. marcescens Db10 was included. Zymography of supernatant cultures revealed a single (SmUNAM836) or double proteolytic zones (HU1848 and Db10). Mass spectrometry confirmed the identity of PrtS and the serralysin-like protease SlpB from supernatant samples. Elevated proteolytic activity and prtS expression were evidenced in the HU1848 strain through azocasein degradation and qRT-PCR, respectively. Evaluation of transcriptional regulators revealed higher eepR expression in HU1848, whereas cpxR and hexS transcriptional levels were similar between studied strains. Higher eepR expression in HU1848 was further confirmed through an in vivo transcriptional assay. Moreover, two putative CpxR binding motifs were identified within the eepR regulatory region. EMSA validated the interaction of CpxR with both motifs. The evaluation of eepR transcription in a cpxR deletion strain indicated that CpxR negatively regulates eepR. Sequence conservation suggests that regulation of eepR by CpxR is common along S. marcescens species. Overall, our data incorporates CpxR to the complex regulatory mechanisms governing eepR expression and associates the increased proteolytic activity of the HU1848 strain with higher eepR transcription. Based on the global impact of EepR in secondary metabolites production, our work contributes to understanding virulence factors variances across S. marcescens isolates.

Yeast diversity in the oral microbiota of subjects with periodontitis: Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis colonize the periodontal pockets

The term periodontitis encompasses several polymicrobial infectious diseases, of multifactorial etiology, with chronic and aggressive forms. In spite of the etiopathogenic differences between these two forms of the disease, few studies have analyzed the subgingival colonization by yeast. The objective of this investigation was to analyze the composition of the yeast microbiota present in the mucosa and subgingival sites of healthy individuals and patients with aggressive and chronic periodontitis. For this, samples were recovered from these two locations and the yeast recovered identified by phenotypic and genotypic methods. Patients with chronic periodontitis showed significant differences in relation to the other groups with respect to carrier status (69.2% versus 35.7% of healthy individuals; [chi(i)(2) test; p=0.014]), the total number of isolated colony forming units or CFU (mean and ranges 281.6 (0-6048) [K-W(2)=6.998; p=0.03]), the Simpson diversity index (I) in site b (I(b)=0.344 versus healthy subjet and aggresive periodontitis where I=0 [multiple t-test comparisons with the Bonferronni correction, p<0.05]), and the species profile. Interestingly, in spite of the varied profiles of the species present in the mucosa of the three groups analyzed we noted that only C. albicans and C. dubliniensis were capable of colonizing the periodontal pockets in patients with chronic periodontitis, while only C. albicans was identified in the subgingiva of healthy individuals and patients with aggressive periodontitis.

Expression of the carotenoid biosynthesis genes in Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous

In the yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous the genes idi, crtE, crtYB, crtl and ast are involved in the biosynthesis of astaxanthin from isopentenyl pyrophosphate. The carotenoid production and the kinetics of mRNA expression of structural genes controlling the carotenogenesis in a wild-type ATCC 24230 and in carotenoid overproducer deregulated atxS2 strains were studied. The biosynthesis of carotenoid was induced at the late exponential growth phase in both strains. However, the cellular carotenoid concentration was four times higher in atxS2 than in the wild-type strain in the exponential growth phase, suggesting that carotenogenesis was deregulated in atxS2 at the beginning of growth. In addition, the maximum expression of the carotenogenesis genes at the mRNA level was observed during the induction period of carotenoid biosynthesis in the wild-type strain. The mRNA level of the crtYB, crtl, ast genes and to a lesser extent the idi gene, decayed at the end of the exponential growth phase. The mRNA levels of the crtE gene remained high along the whole growth curve of the yeast. In the atxS2 strain the mRNA levels of crtE gene were about two times higher than the wild-type strain in the early phase of the growth cycle.

Alternative splicing of transcripts from crtI and crtYB genes of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous

Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous is one of the relevant sources of the carotenoid astaxanthin. In this paper, we describe for the first time cloning of unexpected cDNAs obtained from the crtI and crtYB genes of X. dendrorhous strain UCD 67-385. The cDNA of the crtI gene conserves 80 bp of the first intron, while the cDNA of the crtYB gene conserves 55 bp of the first intron and lacks 111 bp of the second exon. The crtI and crtYB RNAs could be spliced in alternative splice sites, which produced alternative transcripts which could not be translated to active CRTI and CRTYB proteins since they had numerous stop codons in their sequences. The ratio of mature mRNA to alternative mRNA for the crtI gene decreased as a function of the age of the culture, while the cellular content of carotenoids increased. It is possible that splicing to mature or alternative transcripts could regulate the cellular concentrations of phytoene desaturase and phytoene synthase-lycopene cyclase proteins, depending on the physiological or environmental conditions.

[Nutritional features of elders living in poor communities of the Metropolitan Region of Chile]

BACKGROUND

The higher life expectancy of the Chilean population has required a greater concern about health and nutrition of elderly people.

AIM

To assess the alimentation of people over 65 years old, living in communities of the Metropolitan Region with high social vulnerability.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A random and representative sample of 257 elders living in the poorest communities of santiago was studied. They were interviewed in their homes about feeding patterns, the alimentation of the day before and their nutritional status. Mean energy and nutrient consumption and their fitting to FAO/WHO energy and National Research Council micronutrient recommendations were calculated. A feeding quality index, that considers the adequacy of consumption of all nutrients, was calculated.

RESULTS

Except for bread, median consumption of all groups of foods was below recommendations. Median energy and protein consumption was 1438 Kcal and 53.9 g in men and 1118 Kcal and 37.7 g in women. Adequacy of consumption of all nutrients was low and the intake of energy, protein, calcium, iron and folate was significantly lower in women than in men. The factors associated with feeding quality in these subjects were a last meal of the day before different from supper, more than 15 hours of morning fasting and sex.

CONCLUSIONS

Alimentation of elders living in poor communities of Santiago is severely deficient. Focalized intervention models to improve this situation should be devised.