Bacterial strains integrated with surfactin molecules of Bacillus subtilis MTCC441 enrich nematocidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita

Bacteria secrete lipopeptide (surfactin) molecules, which are known to act as natural antibiotics. Recently, research on lipopeptide molecules has grown because of their role in increasing resistance to plant pathogens. Isolated surfactin molecules at several concentrations, viz. 35, 25, 15 and 5 ppm, were used in an in vitro study for analysis of egg hatching inhibition and second-stage juvenile (J2) mortality of the nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Cell suspensions (1.2 × 10⁸  cfu·ml^-1 ) of both Bacillus subtilis (MTCC-441) and Pseudomonas putida (MTCC-102) were used in J2 inoculated tomato plants. Root-dip treatment of tomato seedlings with the crude lipopeptide (35 ppm) was also performed to analyse biocontrol potential. MALDI-TOF MS analysis was conducted to determine specific lipopeptide molecules. Data showed nematode egg mortality of 85% in the 35 ppm surfactin concentration 96 h after exposure. The maximum ovicidal activity was 83.97% after incubation with 35 ppm surfactin for the same exposure period. Plant growth attributes and biochemical parameters were significantly improved when bacterial cultures were applied before J2 inoculation of tomato seedlings. We also recorded a reduction in egg masses, nematode population and root galling. The J2 penetration into tomato roots was effective in the root-dip experiments. Surfactin mass peak was determined at m/z 1058 [M+Na]⁺ using MALDI-TOF MS. These results indicate that bacterial cell suspensions can be used as a potent and versatile source to deal with nematode infection and provide a rich source of bioactive compounds with antinematode activity.

Salford alcohol assertive outreach team: a new model for reducing alcohol-related admissions

OBJECTIVE

Alcohol-related admissions are increasing. A significant number of these admissions are attributable to a small number of complex patients with other comorbidities who do not engage well with mainstream services. Assertive outreach teams have been used in the field of psychiatry to engage patients who are poorly compliant. This study examines whether an alcohol assertive outreach team (AAOT) can engage with this group and reduce hospital admissions.

DESIGN

The AAOT is a multidisciplinary team with medical, psychiatric, substance misuse, psychology, nursing and social work specialists. The team worked with patients with the highest number of alcohol-related admissions and case managed in a community setting for 6 months. The admission and emergency department attendances of the cohort were compared for the 3-month period before and after the intervention. Christo inventory for substance misuse services (CISS) scores were determined pre and post the intervention period.

RESULTS

54 patients were case managed. The total number of admissions in 3 months fell from 151 prior to the intervention period to 50 following the intervention. Emergency department attendances also fell from 360 in 3 months to 146 following the intervention period. CISS scores fell from 11 preintervention to eight postintervention.

CONCLUSIONS

An AAOT model appears to reduce hospital admissions and emergency department attendances in a complex group of patients that display high alcohol-related admissions.

A genetic association study of chromosome 11q22-24 in two different samples implicates the FXYD6 gene, encoding phosphohippolin, in susceptibility to schizophrenia

Previous linkage analyses of families with multiple cases of schizophrenia by us and others have confirmed the involvement of the chromosome 11q22-24 region in the etiology of schizophrenia, with LOD scores of 3.4 and 3.1. We now report fine mapping of a susceptibility gene in the 11q22-24 region, determined on the basis of a University College London (UCL) sample of 496 cases and 488 supernormal controls. Confirmation was then performed by the study of an Aberdeen sample consisting of 858 cases and 591 controls (for a total of 2,433 individuals: 1,354 with schizophrenia and 1,079 controls). Seven microsatellite or single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers localized within or near the FXYD6 gene showed empirically significant allelic associations with schizophrenia in the UCL sample (for D11S1998, P=.021; for rs3168238, P=.009; for TTTC20.2, P=.048; for rs1815774, P=.049; for rs4938445, P=.010; for rs4938446, P=.025; for rs497768, P=.023). Several haplotypes were also found to be associated with schizophrenia; for example, haplotype Hap-F21 comprising markers rs10790212-rs4938445-rs497768 was found to be associated with schizophrenia, by a global permutation test (P=.002). Positive markers in the UCL sample were then genotyped in the Aberdeen sample. Two of these SNPs were found to be associated with schizophrenia in the Scottish sample (for rs4938445, P=.044; for rs497768, P=.037). The Hap-F21 haplotype also showed significant association with schizophrenia in the Aberdeen sample, with the same alleles being associated (P=.013). The FXYD6 gene encodes a protein called "phosphohippolin" that is highly expressed in regions of the brain thought to be involved in schizophrenia. The protein functions by modulating the kinetic properties of Na,K-ATPase to the specific physiological requirements of the tissue. Etiological base-pair changes in FXYD6 or in associated promoter/control regions are likely to cause abnormal function or expression of phosphohippolin and to increase genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia.

Failure to confirm allelic association between markers at the CAPON gene locus and schizophrenia in a British sample

BACKGROUND

Linkage studies have confirmed that chromosome 1q23.3 is a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia. It was then claimed that markers at the carboxyl-terminal PDZ ligand of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (CAPON) gene showed allelic association with schizophrenia in Canadian families. A second Chinese study found a base pair polymorphism at the CAPON gene also associated with schizophrenia.

METHODS

We attempted replication using eight markers from the Canadian study in a UK based sample of 450 cases and 450 supernormal controls.

RESULTS

We found no evidence for allelic or haplotypic association with schizophrenia for any of the markers found to be associated in the Canadian sample.

CONCLUSIONS

The negative results might reflect genetic heterogeneity between the Canadian, Chinese and UK samples or be due to methodological problems. The present finding weakens the evidence that mutations or variation in the CAPON gene are causing genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia in European populations.