Biomedical subjects

L Bodrossy

Publications and source records attributed to L Bodrossy.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

MLST-v, multilocus sequence typing based on virulence genes, for molecular typing of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovars.

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica is one of the main causative agents of food-borne disease in man, and can also be the cause of serious systemic illness. Organisms belonging to this genus have traditionally been classified on the basis of the antigenic properties of the cell-surface lipopolysaccharide and of the phase 1 and phase 2 flagellar proteins. Primary isolation, biochemical identification, and serotyping are laborious and time consuming. Molecular identification based on suitable marker genes could be an attractive alternative to conventional bacteriological and serological methods. We have assessed the applicability of two housekeeping genes, gyrB, atpD, in combination with the flagellin genes fliC and fljB in multilocus sequence typing of Salmonella. Sequencing and comparative analysis of sequence data was performed on multiple strains from Austria, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, representing all subspecies and 22 of the more prevalent non-typhoid S. enterica subsp. enterica serovars. A combination of these four marker genes allowed for a clear differentiation of all the strains analysed, indicating their applicability in molecular typing. The term MLST-v, for multilocus sequence typing based on virulence genes, is proposed to distinguish this approach from MLST based solely on housekeeping genes. An assortative recombination of the fliC gene was found in seven of the analysed serovars indicating multiple phylogenetic origin of these serovars.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2006

Diagnostic microbial microarrays in soil ecology.

Soil microbial communities are responsible for important physiological and metabolic processes. In the last decade soil microorganisms have been frequently analysed by cultivation-independent techniques because only a minority of the natural microbial communities are accessible by cultivation. Cultivation-independent community analyses have revolutionized our understanding of soil microbial diversity and population dynamics. Nevertheless, many methods are still laborious and time-consuming, and high-throughput methods have to be applied in order to understand population shifts at a finer level and to be better able to link microbial diversity with ecosystems functioning. Microbial diagnostic microarrays (MDMs) represent a powerful tool for the parallel, high-throughput identification of many microorganisms. Three categories of MDMs have been defined based on the nature of the probe and target molecules used: phylogenetic oligonucleotide microarrays with short oligonucleotides against a phylogenetic marker gene; functional gene arrays containing probes targeting genes encoding specific functions; and community genome arrays employing whole genomes as probes. In this review, important methodological developments relevant to the application of the different types of diagnostic microarrays in soil ecology will be addressed and new approaches, needs and future directions will be identified, which might lead to a better insight into the functional activities of soil microbial communities.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2001

Molecular characterization of structural genes coding for a membrane bound hydrogenase in Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath).

The first gene cluster encoding for a membrane bound [NiFe] hydrogenase from a methanotroph, Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath), was cloned and sequenced. The cluster consisted of the structural genes hupS and hupL and accessory genes hupE, hupC and hupD. A DeltahupSL deletion mutant of Mc. capsulatus was constructed by marker exchange mutagenesis. Membrane associated hydrogenase activity disappeared. The membrane associated hydrogenase appeared to have a hydrogen uptake function in vivo.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2000

Bacterial triterpenoids of the hopane series from the methanotrophic bacteria Methylocaldum spp.: phylogenetic implications and first evidence for an unsaturated aminobacteriohopanepolyol.

The hopanoid content of the two methanotrophic bacteria Methylocaldum szegediense and Methylocaldum tepidum was investigated. 35-Aminobacteriohopane-30R,31R,32R,33S, 34S-pentol and its 3beta-methyl homologue were present in both strains. In M. tepidum, they were accompanied by 35-aminobacteriohopane-31R,32R,33S, 34S-tetrol and its 3beta-methyl homologue. The side chain structure was identical to those previously reported from two other obligate methanotrophs, Methylococcus capsulatus and Methylomonas methanica. The two Methylocaldum species shared with the Methylococcus species the presence of 3beta-methylhopanoid as well as of a hopanoid releasing adiantol upon H(5)IO(6)/NaBH(4) treatment. A rare feature was in addition found in M. szegediense. The saturated hopanoids were accompanied by an unsaturated aminobacteriohopanepentol with a Delta(11) double bond. Comparison of the hopanoid fingerprints was in accordance with the close phylogenetic relationship of Methylococcus and Methylocaldum. The major difference was the absence of sterols in Methylocaldum which were always detected in the Methylococcus species.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMed2000

Recent advances in biohydrogen research.

A fundamental and principal difficulty of the future energy supply is that the formation of fossil fuels is much slower than the rate of their exploitation. Therefore the reserves which can be recovered in an energetically feasible manner are shrinking parallel with an increasing world-wide energy demand. Among the alternative energy carriers, hydrogen is preferred because it is easy to transport and store and it burns to environmentally friendly water vapour when utilized. Hydrogen can be produced in biological systems, however, our understanding of the molecular details is just emerging.

Biotechnology↗

PubMed1997

Analysis of 16S rRNA and methane monooxygenase gene sequences reveals a novel group of thermotolerant and thermophilic methanotrophs, Methylocaldum gen. nov.

Two methanotrophic bacteria with optimum growth temperatures above 40 degrees C were isolated. Thermotolerant strain LK6 was isolated from agricultural soil, and the moderately thermophilic strain OR2 was isolated from the effluent of an underground hot spring. When compared to the described thermophilic methanotrophs Methylococcus capsulatus and Methylococcus thermophilus, these strains are phenotypically similar to Methylococcus thermophilus. However, their 16S rRNA gene sequences are markedly different from the sequence of Methylococcus thermophilus ( approximately 8% divergence) and, together with Methylomonas gracilis, they form a distinct, new genus within the gamma-subgroup of the Proteobacteria related to extant Type I methanotrophs. Further phenotypic characterisation showed that the isolates possess particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) but do not contain soluble methane monooxygenase. The nucleotide sequence of a gene encoding pMMO (pmoA) was determined for both isolates and for Methylomonas gracilis. PmoA sequence comparisons confirmed the monophyletic nature of this newly recognised group of thermophilic methanotrophs and their relationship to previously described Type I methanotrophs. We propose that strains OR2 and LK6, together with the misclassified thermophilic strains Methylomonas gracilis VKM-14LT and Methylococcus thermophilus IMV-B3122, comprise a new genus of thermophilic methanotrophs, Methylocaldum gen. nov., containing three new species: Methylocaldum szegediense, Methylocaldum tepidum and Methylocaldum gracile.

Genes, Bacterial↗

PubMed1995

Heat-tolerant methanotrophic bacteria from the hot water effluent of a natural gas field.

Methanotrophic bacteria were isolated from a natural environment potentially favorable to heat-tolerant methanotrophs. An improved colony plate assay was developed and used to identify putative methanotrophic colonies with high confidence. Fourteen new isolates were purified and partially characterized. These new isolates exhibit a DNA sequence homology of up to 97% with the conserved regions in the mmoX and mmoC genes of the soluble methane monooxygenase (MMO)-coding gene cluster of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath. The copper regulation of soluble MMO expression in the same isolates, however, differs from that of M. capsulatus Bath, as the new isolates can tolerate up to 0.8 microM copper without loss of MMO activity while a drastic reduction of MMO activity occurs already at 0.1 microM copper in M. capsulatus Bath. The isolates can be cultivated and utilized at elevated temperatures, and their copper- and heat-tolerant MMO activity makes these bacteria ideal candidates for future biotechnological use.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Methane utilizing bacteria and their biotechnological applications.

Methanotroph microorganisms oxidize methane in four steps, producing methanol, formaldehyde, formate intermediers and eventually degrade methane to carbon dioxide and water. It is possible to separate the pathway into four steps in the cell free extract or after partial purification of the various enzymes. The key enzyme is a metalloenzyme, methane monooxygenase (MMO) which catalyses the oxidation of methane to methanol. MMO is also capable of biodegrading exceptionally harmful and stable chlorinated hydrocarbons. Produced by various industrial activities, most chlorinated hydrocarbons are toxic, potential and/or proven carcinogens and their decomposition challenges water treatment technologies.

Biotechnology↗