Biomedical subjects

Brigitte Gaillard-Martinie

Publications and source records attributed to Brigitte Gaillard-Martinie.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

A new device for rapid evaluation of biofilm formation potential by bacteria.

This work describes the implementation of a new assay named the BioFilm Ring Test to evaluate the ability of bacteria to form biofilms. This assay is based on the immobilisation (or not) of magnetic beads embedded by bacterial aggregates or mats (patented concept). It is realised on modified polystyrene 96-wells microtiter plates with individual 8-wells slides. The kinetic of biofilm formation of four bacterial species, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus was evaluated with this new device by comparison with the standard crystal violet staining method of sessile cells. In parallel, the biofilm growth was visualized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations. The BioFilm Ring Test gave similar but faster results than the crystal violet method. Moreover, the new assay was easier to implement, more reproducible and allowed high throughput screenings due to limited manipulations (no washing and staining steps) and rapid and accurate measurements of magnetic bead immobilisation by sessile bacterial cells.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2006

Growth arrest and decrease of alpha-SMA and type I collagen expression by palmitic acid in the rat hepatic stellate cell line PAV-1.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by an activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC). During primary culture HSC evolve from a quiescent into an activated phenotype which is characterized by alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) up-regulation, increase in cell growth, and extracellular matrix secretion. HSC culture with trans-resveratrol can lead to deactivation of myofibroblast-like HSC. We used an HSC line, PAV-1, to check the role of retinol and palmitic acid in the deactivation process of HSC. Using mass and metabolic-based methods, Western blot and immunocytochemistry assays, we demonstrated that treatment with palmitic acid (75 muM) alone or in combination with retinol (2 muM) significantly decreased cell proliferation and alpha-SMA expression. We also established that the association of both compounds strongly decreased collagen type I expression. Our results suggest the potential use of palmitic acid alone or in combination with retinol to induce HSC deactivation.

Actins↗

PubMed2005

Interaction between H2-producing and non-H2-producing cellulolytic bacteria from the human colon.

The cellulose-degrading species recently isolated from the human colon showed diverse ability to degrade and ferment cellulose. In the present study, the nature of the inter-relation existing between one H(2)-producing cellulolytic isolate (Ruminococcus sp. nov.) and one non-H(2)-producing cellulose-degrading species (Bacteroides sp. nov.) was investigated in vitro. Coculture experiments revealed synergism in cellulose degradation between these two cellulolytic species. An increase in total bacterial population was measured in the coculture, Bacteroides sp. being the predominant organism. As a result, a large decrease in H(2) production from cellulose fermentation was observed. Predominance of Bacteroides sp. might thus contribute to limit gas produced from fibre fermentation in the gut.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed2005

The Ruminococcus albus pilA1-pilA2 locus: expression and putative role of two adjacent pil genes in pilus formation and bacterial adhesion to cellulose.

Ruminococcus albus produces fimbria-like structures that are involved with the bacterium's adhesion to cellulose. The subunit protein has been identified in strain 8 (CbpC) and strain 20 (GP25) and both are type IV fimbrial (Pil) proteins. The presence of a pil locus that is organized similarly in both strains is reported here together with the results of an initial examination of a second Pil protein. Downstream of the cbpC/gp25 gene (hereafter referred to as pilA1) is a second pilin gene (pilA2). Northern blot analysis of pilA1 and pilA2 transcripts showed that the pilA1 transcript is much more abundant in R. albus 8, and real-time PCR was used to measure pilA1 and pilA2 transcript abundance in R. albus 20 and its adhesion-defective mutant D5. Similar to the findings with R. albus 8, the relative expression of pilA1 in the wild-type strain was 73-fold higher than that of pilA2 following growth with cellobiose, and there were only slight differences between the wild-type and mutant strain in pilA1 and pilA2 transcript abundances, indicating that neither pilA1 nor pilA2 transcription is adversely affected in the mutant strain. Western immunoblots showed that the PilA2 protein is localized primarily to the membrane fraction, and the anti-PilA2 antiserum does not inhibit bacterial adhesion to cellulose. These results suggest that the PilA2 protein plays a role in the synthesis and assembly of type IV fimbriae-like structures by R. albus, but its role is restricted to cell-associated functions, rather than as part of the externalized fimbrial structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Antimicrobial effects of sanitizers against planktonic and sessile Listeria monocytogenes cells according to the growth phase.

This study was designed to investigate the individual or combined effects of sanitizers on survival of planktonic or sessile Listeria monocytogenes cells at different phase of growth. The sanitizers tested included: (i) acetic acid (pH 5.0), (ii) NaOH (pH 12.0), (iii) 10% Na2SO4, (iv) 10% Na2SO4 and acetic acid (pH 5.0), (v) 10% Na2SO4 and NaOH (pH 12.0), (vi) a quaternary ammonium (20 ppm) and (vii) glyceryl monolaurate (75 ppm). Results revealed a great efficacy of alkaline treatments on both sessile and planktonic cells with a slightly higher resistance of 6 h biofilms. Quaternary ammonium appeared very effective in killing more than 98% of cells, but a resistance of 7 days biofilm was observed. Other sanitizers did not succeed in inhibiting totally the pathogen but acted in a similar way on both sessile and planktonic cells. Renewing the medium or not do not seem to be the major cause of a resistance emergence.

Acetic Acid↗

PubMed2002

Adhesion to cellulose of the Gram-positive bacterium Ruminococcus albus involves type IV pili.

This study was aimed at characterizing a cell-surface 25 kDa glycoprotein (GP25) that was previously shown to be underproduced by a spontaneous adhesion-defective mutant D5 of Ruminococcus albus 20. An antiserum against wild-type strain 20 was adsorbed with the mutant D5 to enrich it in antibodies 'specific' to adhesion structures of R. albus 20. The resulting antiserum, called anti-Adh serum, blocked adhesion of R. albus 20 and reacted mainly with GP25 in bacterial and extracellular protein fractions of R. albus 20. The N-terminal sequence of purified GP25 was identical to that of CbpC, a 21 kDa cellulose-binding protein (CBP) of R. albus 8. The nucleotide sequence of the gp25 gene was determined by PCR and genomic walking procedures. The gp25 gene encoded a protein of 165 aa with a calculated molecular mass of 16940 Da that showed 72.9% identity with CbpC and presented homologies with type IV pilins of Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Negative-staining electron microscopy revealed fine and flexible pili surrounding R. albus 20 cells while mutant cells were not piliated. In addition, immunoelectron microscopy showed that the anti-Adh serum probing mainly GP25, completely decorated the pili surrounding R. albus 20, thereby showing that GP25 was a major pilus subunit. This study shows for the first time the presence of pili at the surface of R. albus and identifies GP25 as their major protein subunit. Though GP25 was not identified as a CBP, isolated pili were shown to bind cellulose. In conclusion, these pili, which belong to the family of type IV pili, mediate adhesion of R. albus 20 to cellulose.

Amino Acid Sequence↗