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Megaw J, Skvortsov T, Gori G, Dabai AI, Gilmore BF, Allen CCR. A novel bioinformatic method for the identification of antimicrobial peptides in metagenomes. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae045. [PMID: 38383848 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to develop a new bioinformatic approach for the identification of novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which did not depend on sequence similarity to known AMPs held within databases, but on structural mimicry of another antimicrobial compound, in this case an ultrashort, synthetic, cationic lipopeptide (C12-OOWW-NH2). METHODS AND RESULTS When applied to a collection of metagenomic datasets, our outlined bioinformatic method successfully identified several short (8-10aa) functional AMPs, the activity of which was verified via disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration assays against a panel of 12 bacterial strains. Some peptides had activity comparable to, or in some cases, greater than, those from published studies that identified AMPs using more conventional methods. We also explored the effects of modifications, including extension of the peptides, observing an activity peak at 9-12aa. Additionally, the inclusion of a C-terminal amide enhanced activity in most cases. Our most promising candidate (named PB2-10aa-NH2) was thermally stable, lipid-soluble, and possessed synergistic activity with ethanol but not with a conventional antibiotic (streptomycin). CONCLUSIONS While several bioinformatic methods exist to predict AMPs, the approach outlined here is much simpler and can be used to quickly scan huge datasets. Searching for peptide sequences bearing structural similarity to other antimicrobial compounds may present a further opportunity to identify novel AMPs with clinical relevance, and provide a meaningful contribution to the pressing global issue of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Gori
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Aliyu I Dabai
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher C R Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
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2
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Kelly SA, O'Connell NH, Thompson TP, Dillon L, Wu J, Creevey C, Powell J, Gilmore BF, Dunne CP. A novel characterized multi-drug-resistant Pseudocitrobacter sp. isolated from a patient colonized while admitted to a tertiary teaching hospital. J Hosp Infect 2024; 145:193-202. [PMID: 38215945 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reports of nosocomial infections typically describe recognised microorganisms. Here, a novel bacterial species was isolated, based on rectal swab screening for carbapenemases post-admission, then phenotypically and genetically characterized. METHODS Sensititre, Vitek and API kits, MALDI and Illumina MiSeq were employed before profiles and phylogeny were compared with other related species. FINDINGS Determined to be a possible Enterobacterales, the isolate was found to have 99.7% 16s rRNA identity to Pseudocitrobacter corydidari; an Asian cockroach-associated species. Given the highly conserved/low variability of 16S rRNA genes in Enterobacterales, average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis compared the new isolate's genome with those of 18 Enterobacteriaceae species, including confirmed species of Pseudocitrobacter and unnamed Pseudocitrobacter species in the SILVA database. Of these, Pseudocitrobactercorydidari had the highest ANI at 0.9562. The published genome of the only known isolate of P.corydidari does not include Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARGs), with exception of potential drug efflux transporters. In contrast, our clinical isolate bears recognised antimicrobial resistance genes, including Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase. The associated genome suggests resistance to carbapenems, β-lactams, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, aminoglycosides and cephalosporins. Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance was confirmed. CONCLUSION Evident variations in ARG profiles, human colonization and origin in a clinically relevant niche that is geographically, physically and chemically disparate lend credibility for divergent evolution or, less likely, parallel evolution with P. corydidari. Genome data for this new species have been submitted to GENBANK using the proposed nomenclature Pseudocitrobacter limerickensis. The patient was colonized, rather than infected, and did not require antimicrobial treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - N H O'Connell
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - T P Thompson
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - L Dillon
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - J Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - C Creevey
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - J Powell
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - B F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - C P Dunne
- School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
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3
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Bell S, Thompson TP, Marks N, Fairley D, Kettunen H, Vuorenmaa J, Orte J, Gilmore BF, McGrath JW. Rosin as a Natural Alternative for the effective disinfection of ESKAPE Pathogens and Clostridioides difficile spores. J Appl Microbiol 2024:lxae008. [PMID: 38244225 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
AIM Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) caused by antimicrobial-resistant ESKAPE pathogens are a significant concern for the healthcare industry, with an estimated cost of up to ${\$}$45 billion per year in the US alone. Clostridioides difficile is an additional opportunistic pathogen that also poses a serious threat to immunocompromised patients in hospitals. Infections caused by these pathogens lead to increased hospital stays and repeated readmission, resulting in a significant economic burden. Disinfectants and sporicidals are essential to reduce the risk of these pathogens in hospitals, but commercially available products can have a number of disadvantages including inefficacy, long contact times, short shelf lives, and operator health hazards. In this study we evaluated the effectiveness of Rosin (a natural substance secreted by coniferous trees as a defence mechanism against wounds in tree bark) and its commercial derivative Rosetax-21 as disinfectants and sporicidal against the six ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) and spore preparations from Clostridioides difficile. METHODS AND RESULTS Both Rosin and Rosetax-21 were tested under simulated clean and dirty conditions (with BSA) against the ESKAPE pathogens, and C. difficile spore preparations. In clean conditions, Rosin (5% weight/volume: w/v) demonstrated significant efficacy against five of the ESKAPE pathogens, with A. baumannii and E. faecium being the most susceptible, and K. pneumoniae the most resistant, showing only a one-log reduction after a 5 min treatment. However, in dirty conditions, all pathogens including K. pneumoniae exhibited at least a 3-log reduction to Rosin within 5 min. Rosetax-21 (5% w/v) was found to be less effective than Rosin in clean conditions, a trend that was exacerbated in the presence of BSA. Additionally, both Rosin and Rosetax-21 at 2.5% (w/v) achieved complete eradication of C. difficile spores when combined with 0.5% glutaraldehyde, though their standalone sporicidal activity was limited. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study highlight the potential of Rosin and Rosetax-21 as both bactericidal and sporicidal disinfectants, with their efficacy varying based on the conditions and the pathogens tested. This presents an avenue for the development of novel healthcare disinfection strategies, especially against HAIs caused by antimicrobial-resistant ESKAPE pathogens and C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Nikki Marks
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Derek Fairley
- Regional Virology Unit, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast Trust, Belfast, UK
| | | | | | - Juha Orte
- Forchem Oy, Maanpääntie 3, FI-26820 Rauma
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
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4
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Zhang C, Jahan SA, Zhang J, Bianchi MB, Volpe-Zanutto F, Baviskar SM, Rodriguez-Abetxuko A, Mishra D, Magee E, Gilmore BF, Singh TRR, Donnelly RF, Larrañeta E, Paredes AJ. Curcumin nanocrystals-in-nanofibres as a promising platform for the management of periodontal disease. Int J Pharm 2023; 648:123585. [PMID: 37952560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
It is estimated that nearly a half of the world's population over 30 years old suffer from some kind of periodontal disease (PD). Although preventable, PD can pose a significant health burden to patients, causing from pain and discomfort to disfigurement and death. The management of PD often requires surgical procedures accompanied of systemic antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatments. Curcumin (CUR), a potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial active, has shown great promise in the management of PD; however, its effects are often limited by its low bioavailability. In this work, we report the development of electrospun nanofibres (NFs) loaded with CUR nanocrystals (NCs) for the management of PD. NCs of 100 nm were obtained by media milling and loaded into dissolving polyvinyl alcohol NFs using electrospinning. The resultant NCs-in-NFs dissolved in water spontaneously, releasing NCs with a particle size of ∼120 nm. The physiochemical characterisation of the systems indicated the absence of chemical interactions between drug and polymer, and nanofibres with an amorphous nature. In vitro release profiles demonstrated that the NCs had a significantly higher dissolution rate (∼100 % at day 40) than the control group (approximately 6 % at day 40), which consisted of NFs containing a physical mixture of the drug and stabiliser. Finally, mucosal deposition studies demonstrated a 10-fold higher capacity of the novel NCs-in-NFs system to deposit CUR ex vivo using excised neonatal porcine mucosal tissue, when compared to the control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyang Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Subrin A Jahan
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Jingru Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Maria Beatrice Bianchi
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Fabiana Volpe-Zanutto
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Shubhamkumar M Baviskar
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | | | - Deepakkumar Mishra
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Erin Magee
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Thakur Raghu Raj Singh
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Ryan F Donnelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Eneko Larrañeta
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Alejandro J Paredes
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
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Maybin JA, Thompson TP, Flynn PB, Skvortsov T, Hickok NJ, Freeman TA, Gilmore BF. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma-antibiotic synergy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms is mediated via oxidative stress response. Biofilm 2023; 5:100122. [PMID: 37214348 PMCID: PMC10196807 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma (CAP) has emerged as a potential alternative or adjuvant to conventional antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The potential of sub-lethal CAP exposures to synergise conventional antimicrobials for the eradication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms is investigated in this study. The efficacy of antimicrobials following or in the absence of sub-lethal CAP pre-treatment in P. aeruginosa biofilms was assessed. CAP pre-treatment resulted in an increase in both planktonic and biofilm antimicrobial sensitivity for all three strains tested (PAO1, PA14, and PA10548), with both minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) of individual antimicrobials, being significantly reduced following CAP pre-treatment of the biofilm (512-fold reduction with ciprofloxacin/gentamicin; and a 256-fold reduction with tobramycin). At all concentrations of antimicrobial used, the combination of sub-lethal CAP exposure and antimicrobials was effective at increasing time-to-peak metabolism, as measured by isothermal microcalorimetry, again indicating enhanced susceptibility. CAP is known to damage bacterial cell membranes and DNA by causing oxidative stress through the in situ generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). While the exact mechanism is not clear, oxidative stress on outer membrane proteins is thought to damage/perturb cell membranes, confirmed by ATP and LDH leakage, allowing antimicrobials to penetrate the bacterial cell more effectively, thus increasing bacterial susceptibility. Transcriptomic analysis, reveals that cold-plasma mediated oxidative stress caused upregulation of P. aeruginosa superoxide dismutase, cbb3 oxidases, catalases, and peroxidases, and upregulation in denitrification genes, suggesting that P. aeruginosa uses these enzymes to degrade RONS and mitigate the effects of cold plasma mediated oxidative stress. CAP treatment also led to an increased production of the signalling molecule ppGpp in P. aeruginosa, indicative of a stringent response being established. Although we did not directly measure persister cell formation, this stringent response may potentially be associated with the formation of persister cells in biofilm cultures. The production of ppGpp and polyphosphate may be associated with protein synthesis inhibition and increase efflux pump activity, factors which can result in antimicrobial tolerance. The transcriptomic analysis also showed that by 6 h post-treatment, there was downregulation in ribosome modulation factor, which is involved in the formation of persister cells, suggesting that the cells had begun to resuscitate/recover. In addition, CAP treatment at 4 h post-exposure caused downregulation of the virulence factors pyoverdine and pyocyanin; by 6 h post-exposure, virulence factor production was increasing. Transcriptomic analysis provides valuable insights into the mechanisms by which P. aeruginosa biofilms exhibits enhanced susceptibility to antimicrobials. Overall, these findings suggest, for the first time, that short CAP sub-lethal pre-treatment can be an effective strategy for enhancing the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa biofilms to antimicrobials and provides important mechanistic insights into cold plasma-antimicrobial synergy. Transcriptomic analysis of the response to, and recovery from, sub-lethal cold plasma exposures in P. aeruginosa biofilms improves our current understanding of cold plasma biofilm interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordanne-Amee Maybin
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Padrig B Flynn
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Noreen J Hickok
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Theresa A Freeman
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
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6
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Kelly SA, O'Connell NH, Thompson TP, Dillon L, Wu J, Creevey C, Kiely P, Slevin B, Powell J, Gilmore BF, Dunne CP. Large-scale characterization of hospital wastewater system microbiomes and clinical isolates from infected patients: profiling of multi-drug-resistant microbial species. J Hosp Infect 2023; 141:152-166. [PMID: 37696473 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and infectious agents exhibiting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are challenges globally. Environmental patient-facing wastewater apparatus including handwashing sinks, showers and toilets are increasingly identified as sources of infectious agents and AMR genes. AIM To provide large-scale metagenomics analysis of wastewater systems in a large teaching hospital in the Republic of Ireland experiencing multi-drug-resistant HAI outbreaks. METHODS Wastewater pipe sections (N=20) were removed immediately prior to refurbishment of a medical ward where HAIs had been endemic. These comprised toilet U-bends, and sink and shower drains. Following DNA extraction, each pipe section underwent metagenomic analysis. FINDINGS Diverse taxonomic and resistome profiles were observed, with members of phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria dominating (38.23 ± 5.68% and 15.78 ± 3.53%, respectively). Genomes of five clinical isolates were analysed. These AMR bacterial isolates were from patients >48 h post-admission to the ward. Genomic analysis determined that the isolates bore a high number of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). CONCLUSION Comparison of resistome profiles of isolates and wastewater metagenomes revealed high degrees of similarity, with many identical ARGs shared, suggesting probable acquisition post-admission. The highest numbers of ARGs observed were those encoding resistance to clinically significant and commonly used antibiotic classes. Average nucleotide identity analysis confirmed the presence of highly similar or identical genomes in clinical isolates and wastewater pipes. These unique large-scale analyses reinforce the need for regular cleaning and decontamination of patient-facing hospital wastewater pipes and effective infection control policies to prevent transmission of nosocomial infection and emergence of AMR within potential wastewater reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - N H O'Connell
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (4i), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - T P Thompson
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - L Dillon
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - J Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - C Creevey
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - P Kiely
- School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (4i), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - B Slevin
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - J Powell
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (4i), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - B F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - C P Dunne
- School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (4i), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
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7
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Wielogorska E, Flynn PB, Meneely J, Thompson TP, Graham WG, Gilmore BF, Elliott CT. Assessment of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (CAPP) Treatment for Degradation of Antibiotic Residues in Water. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1115. [PMID: 37508211 PMCID: PMC10376056 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12071115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of antibiotic residues in water is linked to the emergence of antibiotic resistance globally and necessitates novel decontamination strategies to minimize antibiotic residue exposure in both the environment and food. A holistic assessment of cold atmospheric pressure plasma technology (CAPP) for β-lactam antibiotic residue removal is described in this study. CAPP operating parameters including plasma jet voltage, gas composition and treatment time were optimized, with highest β-lactam degradation efficiencies obtained for a helium jet operated at 6 kV. Main by-products detected indicate pH-driven peroxidation as a main mechanism of CAPP-induced decomposition of β-lactams. No in vitro hepatocytotoxicity was observed in HepG2 cells following exposure to treated samples, and E. coli exposed to CAPP-degraded β-lactams did not exhibit resistance development. In surface water, over 50% decrease in antibiotic levels was achieved after only 5 min of treatment. However, high dependence of treatment efficiency on residue concentration, pH and presence of polar macromolecules was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Wielogorska
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Padrig B Flynn
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Julie Meneely
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | | | - William G Graham
- Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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8
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Thompson TP, Busetti A, Gilmore BF. Quorum Sensing in Halorubrum saccharovorum Facilitates Cross-Domain Signaling between Archaea and Bacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1271. [PMID: 37317245 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Quorum Sensing (QS) is a well-studied intercellular communication mechanism in bacteria, regulating collective behaviors such as biofilm formation, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. However, cell-cell signaling in haloarchaea remains largely unexplored. The coexistence of bacteria and archaea in various environments, coupled with the known cell-cell signaling mechanisms in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms and the presence of cell-cell signaling mechanisms in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, suggests a possibility for haloarchaea to possess analogous cell-cell signaling or QS systems. Recently, N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-like compounds were identified in haloarchaea; yet, their precise role-for example, persister cell formation-remains ambiguous. This study investigated the capacity of crude supernatant extract from the haloarchaeon Halorubrum saccharovorum CSM52 to stimulate bacterial AHL-dependent QS phenotypes using bioreporter strains. Our findings reveal that these crude extracts induced several AHL-dependent bioreporters and modulated pyocyanin and pyoverdine production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Importantly, our study suggests cross-domain communication between archaea and bacterial pathogens, providing evidence for archaea potentially influencing bacterial virulence. Using Thin Layer Chromatography overlay assays, lactonolysis, and colorimetric quantification, the bioactive compound was inferred to be a chemically modified AHL-like compound or a diketopiperazine-like molecule, potentially involved in biofilm formation in H. saccharovorum CSM52. This study offers new insights into putative QS mechanisms in haloarchaea and their potential role in interspecies communication and coordination, thereby enriching our understanding of microbial interactions in diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Alessandro Busetti
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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9
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Thompson TP, Gilmore BF. Exploring halophilic environments as a source of new antibiotics. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-30. [PMID: 37079280 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2197491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Microbial natural products from microbes in extreme environments, including haloarchaea, and halophilic bacteria, possess a huge capacity to produce novel antibiotics. Additionally, enhanced isolation techniques and improved tools for genomic mining have expanded the efficiencies in the antibiotic discovery process. This review article provides a detailed overview of known antimicrobial compounds produced by halophiles from all three domains of life. We summarize that while halophilic bacteria, in particular actinomycetes, contribute the vast majority of these compounds the importance of understudied halophiles from other domains of life requires additional consideration. Finally, we conclude by discussing upcoming technologies- enhanced isolation and metagenomic screening, as tools that will be required to overcome the barriers to antimicrobial drug discovery. This review highlights the potential of these microbes from extreme environments, and their importance to the wider scientific community, with the hope of provoking discussion and collaborations within halophile biodiscovery. Importantly, we emphasize the importance of bioprospecting from communities of lesser-studied halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms as sources of novel therapeutically relevant chemical diversity to combat the high rediscovery rates. The complexity of halophiles will necessitate a multitude of scientific disciplines to unravel their potential and therefore this review reflects these research communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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10
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Gilmore BF, McDougald D, Beloin C. Editorial: Insights in biofilms: 2021. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1093692. [PMID: 36506017 PMCID: PMC9727399 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1093692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brendan F. Gilmore
- Queen’s University Belfast, School of Pharmacy, Biofilm Research Group, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Diane McDougald
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christophe Beloin
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 6047, Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Paris, France,*Correspondence: Christophe Beloin,
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11
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Thompson TP, Megaw J, Kelly SA, Hopps J, Gilmore BF. Microbial communities of halite deposits and other hypersaline environments. Adv Appl Microbiol 2022; 120:1-32. [PMID: 36243451 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Large regions of Earth's surface are underlain by salt deposits that evaporated from ancient oceans and are populated by extreme halophilic microbes. While the microbiology of ancient evaporites has been well studied, the ecology of halite deposits and more recently formed NaCl "salticle" stalactite structures (speleothems) in a Triassic halite mine are less well characterized. The microbiome of Kilroot Salt Mine was profiled using conventional and enhanced culturing techniques. From this, 89 halophilic archaeal isolates from six known genera, and 55 halophilic or halotolerant bacterial isolates from 18 genera were obtained. Culture-independent metagenomic approaches also revealed that culturing techniques were inadvertently biased toward specific taxa, and the need for optimized isolation procedures are required to enhance cultivation diversity. Speleothems formed from saturated brines are unique structures that have the potential to entomb haloarchaea cells for thousands of years within fluid inclusions. The presence of such fluid inclusions, alongside the high abundance of genes related to glycerol metabolism, biofilm formation, and persister cell formation is highly suggestive of an environmental niche that could promote longevity and survivability. Finally, previous studies reporting the discovery of novel biocatalysts from the Kilroot mine microbiome, suggests that this environment may be an untapped source of chemical diversity with high biodiscovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast, United Kingdom.
| | - Julianne Megaw
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen A Kelly
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Jason Hopps
- Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Company Ltd., Carrickfergus, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast, United Kingdom
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12
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Iqbal H, Wright CL, Jones S, da Silva GR, McKillen J, Gilmore BF, Kavanagh O, Green BD. Extracts of Sida cordifolia contain polysaccharides possessing immunomodulatory activity and rosmarinic acid compounds with antibacterial activity. BMC Complement Med Ther 2022; 22:27. [PMID: 35086541 PMCID: PMC8793188 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-022-03502-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The overuse of antibiotics has led to increased antimicrobial resistance, but plant-derived biological response modifiers represent a potential alternative to these drugs. This investigation examined the immunomodulatory and antibacterial activities of Sida cordifolia (used in ethnomedicinal systems to treat infectious disease). METHODS Successive extractions were performed from the roots of these plants in hexane, chloroform, methanol and water. Immunomodulatory activity was determined in a series of experiments measuring the responses of splenocytes, macrophages and an in vivo model of innate immunity (Galleria mellonella). Antibacterial activity was assessed by determining minimum inhibitory/bactericidal concentrations (MIC/MBCs) for various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. RESULTS Immunomodulatory activity was confined to the aqueous extract, and further fractionation and biochemical analysis yielded a highly potent polysaccharide-enriched fraction (SCAF5). SCAF5 is a complex mixture of different polysaccharides with multiple immunomodulatory effects including immune cell proliferation, antibody secretion, phagocytosis, nitric oxide production, and increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, Galleria mellonella pre-treated with SCAF5 produced more haemocytes and were more resistant (P < 0.001) to infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with a 98% reduction in bacterial load in pre-treated larvae compared to the negative control. The antibacterial activity of Sida cordifolia was confined to the methanolic fraction. Extensive fractionation identified two compounds, rosmarinic acid and its 4-O-β-d-glucoside derivative, which had potent activity against Gram-positive antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including MRSA. CONCLUSIONS Sida cordifolia counters bacterial infections through a dual mechanism, and immunomodulatory polysaccharides from this plant should be isolated and characterised to realise their potential as anti-infective agents. Such properties could be developed as an antibiotic alternative (1) in the clinic and (2) alternative growth promoter for the agri-food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haroon Iqbal
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK
| | - Claire L Wright
- School of Science, Health & Technology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, UK
| | - Sue Jones
- School of Science, Health & Technology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, UK
| | - Goncalo Rosas da Silva
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK
| | - John McKillen
- Veterinary Science Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3SD, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Owen Kavanagh
- School of Science, Health & Technology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, UK
| | - Brian D Green
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK.
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13
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Rice CJ, Kelly SA, O’Brien SC, Melaugh EM, Ganacias JCB, Chai ZH, Gilmore BF, Skvortsov T. Novel Phage-Derived Depolymerase with Activity against Proteus mirabilis Biofilms. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2172. [PMID: 34683494 PMCID: PMC8539402 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The adherence of Proteus mirabilis to the surface of urinary catheters leads to colonization and eventual blockage of the catheter lumen by unique crystalline biofilms produced by these opportunistic pathogens, making P. mirabilis one of the leading causes of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The Proteus biofilms reduce efficiency of antibiotic-based treatment, which in turn increases the risk of antibiotic resistance development. Bacteriophages and their enzymes have recently become investigated as alternative treatment options. In this study, a novel Proteus bacteriophage (vB_PmiS_PM-CJR) was isolated from an environmental sample and fully characterized. The phage displayed depolymerase activity and the subsequent genome analysis revealed the presence of a pectate lyase domain in its tail spike protein. The protein was heterologously expressed and purified; the ability of the purified tail spike to degrade Proteus biofilms was tested. We showed that the application of the tail spike protein was able to reduce the adherence of bacterial biofilm to plastic pegs in a MBEC (minimum biofilm eradication concentration) assay and improve the survival of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with Proteus mirabilis. Our study is the first to successfully isolate and characterize a biofilm depolymerase from a Proteus phage, demonstrating the potential of this group of enzymes in treatment of Proteus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (C.J.R.); (S.A.K.); (S.C.O.); (E.M.M.); (J.C.B.G.); (Z.H.C.); (B.F.G.)
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14
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Thompson TP, Kelly SA, Skvortsov T, Plunkett G, Ruffell A, Hallsworth JE, Hopps J, Gilmore BF. Microbiology of a
NaCl
stalactite ‘salticle’ in Triassic halite. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:3881-3895. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - Stephen A. Kelly
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - Gill Plunkett
- School of Natural and Built Environment, Department of Archaeology, Geography and Palaeoecology Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT7 1NN UK
| | - Alastair Ruffell
- School of Natural and Built Environment, Department of Archaeology, Geography and Palaeoecology Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT7 1NN UK
| | - John E. Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT9 5DL UK
| | - Jason Hopps
- Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Company Ltd. Carrickfergus BT38 9BT UK
| | - Brendan F. Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT9 5DL UK
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15
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Kelly SA, Nzakizwanayo J, Rodgers AM, Zhao L, Weiser R, Tekko IA, McCarthy HO, Ingram RJ, Jones BV, Donnelly RF, Gilmore BF. Antibiotic Therapy and the Gut Microbiome: Investigating the Effect of Delivery Route on Gut Pathogens. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:1283-1296. [PMID: 33843198 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of the gut microbiome to human health has long been established, with normal gut microbiota conferring protection against invasive pathogens. Antibiotics can disrupt the microbial balance of the gut, resulting in disease and the development of antimicrobial resistance. The effect of antibiotic administration route on gut dysbiosis remains under-studied to date, with conflicting evidence on the differential effects of oral and parenteral delivery. We have profiled the rat gut microbiome following treatment with commonly prescribed antibiotics (amoxicillin and levofloxacin), via either oral or intravenous administration. Fecal pellets were collected over a 13-day period and bacterial populations were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Significant dysbiosis was observed in all treatment groups, regardless of administration route. More profound dysbiotic effects were observed following amoxicillin treatment than those with levofloxacin, with population richness and diversity significantly reduced, regardless of delivery route. The effect on specific taxonomic groups was assessed, revealing significant disruption following treatment with both antibiotics. Enrichment of a number of groups containing known gut pathogens was observed, in particular, with amoxicillin, such as the family Enterobacteriaceae. Depletion of other commensal groups was also observed. The degree of dysbiosis was significantly reduced toward the end of the sampling period, as bacterial populations began to return to pretreatment composition. Richness and diversity levels appeared to return to pretreatment levels more quickly in intravenous groups, suggesting convenient parenteral delivery systems may have a role to play in reducing longer term gut dysbiosis in the treatment of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, U.K., BT9 7BL
| | - Jonathan Nzakizwanayo
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, U.K., BA2 7AX
| | - Aoife M Rodgers
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland, W23 F2K8
| | - Li Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, U.K., BT9 7BL
| | - Rebecca Weiser
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University Cardiff, U.K., CF10 3AX
| | - Ismaiel A Tekko
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, U.K., BT9 7BL
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria
| | - Helen O McCarthy
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, U.K., BT9 7BL
| | - Rebecca J Ingram
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, U.K., BT9 7BL
| | - Brian V Jones
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, U.K., BA2 7AX
| | - Ryan F Donnelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, U.K., BT9 7BL
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, U.K., BT9 7BL
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16
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McLaughlin M, Gilea MA, Earle MJ, Seddon KR, Gilmore BF, Kelly SA. Characterization of ionic liquid cytotoxicity mechanisms in human keratinocytes compared with conventional biocides. Chemosphere 2021; 270:129432. [PMID: 33422997 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The ability to chemically modify ionic liquids (ILs) has led to an expansion in interest in their use in a diversity of applications, not least as antimicrobials and biocides. Relatively little is known about cytotoxicity mechanisms of ILs in comparison to other biocides currently in widespread use, as well as their practical significance for the ecological environment and human health. Using NCTC 2544 and HaCat human keratinocyte cells, this study aimed to characterize cytotoxicity rates and mechanisms of a range of ILs. Using both lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) based cytotoxicity assays, it was confirmed that at biocide-relevant concentrations, ILs with longer alkyl chains exhibited greater biocidal activity than those with shorter alkyl chains, with comparable activity to the commonly used biocides chlorhexidine, benzalkonium chloride and cetylpyridinium chloride, at relevant in-use biocide concentrations. Mode of cell death, measured using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and caspase 3/7 activity, determined necrosis to be the primary cytotoxic mechanism at higher concentrations of the biocides stated above, and with ILs [C14MIM]Cl and [C14quin]Br, with apoptosis observed at borderline necrotic concentrations. Perhaps most interestingly, modification of anion had a significant effect on cytotoxicity. The use of N[SO2CF3] as an anion to [C16MIM] attenuated cytotoxicity 10-fold in comparison to other anions, suggesting cytotoxicity may also be a tuneable property when using ILs as biocides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin McLaughlin
- School of Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK; Institute for Cancer Research, 123 Old Brompton Road, London, SW7 3RP, UK
| | - Manuela A Gilea
- The QUILL Research Centre, School of Chemistry, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK
| | - Martyn J Earle
- The QUILL Research Centre, School of Chemistry, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK
| | - Kenneth R Seddon
- The QUILL Research Centre, School of Chemistry, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Stephen A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
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17
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Abstract
The uncharted nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty globally, resulting in many health care professionals and key-workers being left with supply shortages in medical consumables and personal protective equipment, exacerbated by supply line issues and in some cases delays resulting from governmental policies. 3D printing (3DP) has played an important role in providing essential items to hospitals and the wider communities, such as visors, face masks, and ventilator components. This short-review article covers the potential of antimicrobial materials in the manufacturing of 3DP essential products, as an approach for added protection against pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essyrose Mathew
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | - Eneko Larrañeta
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitrios A. Lamprou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
- Address correspondence to: Dimitrios A. Lamprou, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
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18
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Heslin C, Boehm D, Gilmore BF, Megaw J, Freeman TA, Hickok NJ, Cullen PJ, Bourke P. Biomolecules as Model Indicators of In Vitro and In Vivo Cold Plasma Safety. Front Phys 2021; 8:613046. [PMID: 37124146 PMCID: PMC10136044 DOI: 10.3389/fphy.2020.613046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The potential applications for cold plasma in medicine are extensive, from microbial inactivation and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells to stimulating wound healing and enhancing the blood coagulation cascade. The safe bio-medical application of cold plasma and subsequent effect on complex biological pathways requires precision and a distinct understanding of how physiological redox chemistry is manipulated. Chemical modification of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids treated with cold plasma have been characterized, however, the context of how alterations of these molecules affect cell behavior or in vivo functionality has not been determined. Thus, this study examines the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of plasma-treated molecules in vitro using CHO-K1 cells and in vivo in Galleria mellonella larvae. Specifically, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, and arachidonic acid were chosen as representative biomolecules, with established involvement in diverse bioprocesses including; cellular respiration, intracellular transport, cell signaling or membrane structure. Long- and short-term effects depended strongly on the molecule type and the treatment milieu indicating the impact of chemical and physical modifications on downstream biological pathways. Importantly, absence of short-term toxicity did not always correlate with absence of longer-term effects, indicating the need to comprehensively assess ongoing effects for diverse biological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Heslin
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniela Boehm
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Julianne Megaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Theresa A. Freeman
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Noreen J. Hickok
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - P. J. Cullen
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paula Bourke
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biological Sciences, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
- Plasma Research Group, School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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19
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Marshall H, Meneely JP, Quinn B, Zhao Y, Bourke P, Gilmore BF, Zhang G, Elliott CT. Novel decontamination approaches and their potential application for post-harvest aflatoxin control. Trends Food Sci Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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20
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Kelly SA, Mix S, Moody TS, Gilmore BF. Transaminases for industrial biocatalysis: novel enzyme discovery. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:4781-4794. [PMID: 32300853 PMCID: PMC7228992 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10585-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Transaminases (TAms) are important enzymes for the production of chiral amines for the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. Novel TAms for use in these industries have been discovered using a range of approaches, including activity-guided methods and homologous sequence searches from cultured microorganisms to searches using key motifs and metagenomic mining of environmental DNA libraries. This mini-review focuses on the methods used for TAm discovery over the past two decades, analyzing the changing trends in the field and highlighting the advantages and drawbacks of the respective approaches used. This review will also discuss the role of protein engineering in the development of novel TAms and explore possible directions for future TAm discovery for application in industrial biocatalysis. KEY POINTS: • The past two decades of TAm enzyme discovery approaches are explored. • TAm sequences are phylogenetically analyzed and compared to other discovery methods. • Benefits and drawbacks of discovery approaches for novel biocatalysts are discussed. • The role of protein engineering and future discovery directions is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Stefan Mix
- Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, Almac, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, UK
| | - Thomas S Moody
- Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, Almac, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, UK
- Arran Chemical Company Limited, Unit 1 Monksland Industrial Estate, Athlone, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland.
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21
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Kelly SA, Rodgers AM, O'Brien SC, Donnelly RF, Gilmore BF. Gut Check Time: Antibiotic Delivery Strategies to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 38:447-462. [PMID: 31757410 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has developed into a huge threat to global health, and reducing it is an urgent priority for public health authorities. The importance of a healthy and balanced gut microbiome has been identified as a key protective factor against AMR development, but this can be significantly affected by antibiotic therapy, resulting in dysbiosis and reduction of taxonomic richness. The way in which antibiotics are administered could form an important part of future antimicrobial stewardship strategies, where drug delivery is ideally placed to play a key role in the fight against AMR. This review focuses on drug delivery strategies for antibiotic administration, including avoidance of the gut microbiome and targeted delivery approaches, which may reduce AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Aoife M Rodgers
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Séamus C O'Brien
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Ryan F Donnelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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22
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Domínguez-Robles J, Mancinelli C, Mancuso E, García-Romero I, Gilmore BF, Casettari L, Larrañeta E, Lamprou DA. 3D Printing of Drug-Loaded Thermoplastic Polyurethane Meshes: A Potential Material for Soft Tissue Reinforcement in Vaginal Surgery. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:E63. [PMID: 31941047 PMCID: PMC7023419 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12010063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Current strategies to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI), include the surgical implantation of vaginal meshes. Recently, there have been multiple reports of issues generated by these meshes conventionally made of poly(propylene). This material is not the ideal candidate, due to its mechanical properties leading to complications such as chronic pain and infection. In the present manuscript, we propose the use of an alternative material, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), loaded with an antibiotic in combination with fused deposition modelling (FDM) to prepare safer vaginal meshes. For this purpose, TPU filaments containing levofloxacin (LFX) in various concentrations (e.g., 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1%) were produced by extrusion. These filaments were used to 3D print vaginal meshes. The printed meshes were fully characterized through different tests/analyses such as fracture force studies, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared, thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT), release studies and microbiology testing. The results showed that LFX was uniformly distributed within the TPU matrix, regardless the concentration loaded. The mechanical properties showed that poly(propylene) (PP) is a tougher material with a lower elasticity than TPU, which seemed to be a more suitable material due to its elasticity. In addition, the printed meshes showed a significant bacteriostatic activity on both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli cultures, minimising the risk of infection after implanting them. Therefore, the incorporation of LFX to the TPU matrix can be used to prepare anti-infective vaginal meshes with enhanced mechanical properties compared with current PP vaginal meshes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Domínguez-Robles
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road 97, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (J.D.-R.); (C.M.); (B.F.G.)
| | - Caterina Mancinelli
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road 97, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (J.D.-R.); (C.M.); (B.F.G.)
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Piazza del Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino, Italy;
| | - Elena Mancuso
- Nanotechnology and Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), Ulster University, Jordanstown Campus, Jordanstown BT37 0QB, UK;
| | - Inmaculada García-Romero
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK;
| | - Brendan F. Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road 97, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (J.D.-R.); (C.M.); (B.F.G.)
| | - Luca Casettari
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Piazza del Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino, Italy;
| | - Eneko Larrañeta
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road 97, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (J.D.-R.); (C.M.); (B.F.G.)
| | - Dimitrios A. Lamprou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Lisburn Road 97, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (J.D.-R.); (C.M.); (B.F.G.)
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Tether AL, Laverty G, Puga AV, Seddon KR, Gilmore BF, Kelly SA. High-throughput toxicity screening of novel azepanium and 3-methylpiperidinium ionic liquids. RSC Adv 2020; 10:22864-22870. [PMID: 35520299 PMCID: PMC9054695 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra03107k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Ionic liquids (ILs) have been employed as potentially environmentally friendly replacements for harmful organic solvents, but have also been studied for their use in bioelectrochemical applications, such as in microbial electrochemistry for bioenergy production, or in industrial biocatalysis. For these processes, low microbial toxicity is important and there is a growing need for microbial toxicology studies for novel ILs. In this study, we report initial toxicity data for novel ILs, based on azepanium and 3-methylpiperidinium cations. Agar disc diffusion assays are used, along with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) determinations, to obtain rapid and inexpensive initial toxicity data for these novel ILs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Many of the novel ILs characterised possess low microbial toxicity relative to well-studied ILs, highlighting their potential for further study in applications where this is a desirable property. Ionic liquids have been employed as potentially environmentally friendly replacements for organic solvents, but have also been studied for their use in bioelectrochemical applications, such as bioenergy production, or in industrial biocatalysis.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela L. Tether
- The QUILL Research Centre
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Queen's University Belfast
- UK
| | - Garry Laverty
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group
- School of Pharmacy
- Queen's University Belfast
- UK
| | - Alberto V. Puga
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili
- 43007 Tarragona
- Spain
| | - Kenneth R. Seddon
- The QUILL Research Centre
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Queen's University Belfast
- UK
| | - Brendan F. Gilmore
- The Biofilm Research Group
- School of Pharmacy
- Queen's University Belfast
- UK
| | - Stephen A. Kelly
- The Biofilm Research Group
- School of Pharmacy
- Queen's University Belfast
- UK
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24
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Megaw J, Kelly SA, Thompson TP, Skvortsov T, Gilmore BF. Profiling the microbial community of a Triassic halite deposit in Northern Ireland: an environment with significant potential for biodiscovery. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 366:5645231. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACTKilroot salt mine, a Triassic halite deposit located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is the only permanent hypersaline environment on the island of Ireland. In this study, the microbiome of this unstudied environment was profiled for the first time using conventional and enhanced culturing techniques, and culture independent metagenomic approaches. Using both conventional isolation plates and iChip devices, 89 halophilic archaeal isolates from six known genera, and 55 halophilic or halotolerant bacterial isolates from 18 genera were obtained, based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The archaeal isolates were similar to those previously isolated from other ancient halite deposits, and as expected, numerous genera were identified in the metagenome which were not represented among the culturable isolates. Preliminary screening of a selection of isolates from this environment identified antimicrobial activities against a panel of clinically important bacterial pathogens from 15 of the bacterial isolates and one of the archaea. This, alongside previous studies reporting the discovery of novel biocatalysts from the Kilroot mine microbiome, suggests that this environment may be a new, untapped source of of chemical diversity with high biodiscovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Stephen A Kelly
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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25
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Nguyen L, Lu P, Boehm D, Bourke P, Gilmore BF, Hickok NJ, Freeman TA. Cold atmospheric plasma is a viable solution for treating orthopedic infection: a review. Biol Chem 2019; 400:77-86. [PMID: 30138104 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2018-0235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial infection and antibiotic resistance are major threats to human health and very few solutions are available to combat this eventuality. A growing number of studies indicate that cold (non-thermal) plasma treatment can be used to prevent or eliminate infection from bacteria, bacterial biofilms, fungi and viruses. Mechanistically, a cold plasma discharge is composed of high-energy electrons that generate short-lived reactive oxygen and nitrogen species which further react to form more stable compounds (NO2, H2O2, NH2Cl and others) depending on the gas mixture and plasma parameters. Cold plasma devices are being developed for medical applications including infection, cancer, plastic surgery applications and more. Thus, in this review we explore the potential utility of cold plasma as a non-antibiotic approach for treating post-surgical orthopedic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ly Nguyen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5099, USA
| | - Peng Lu
- College of Science and Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniela Boehm
- College of Science and Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paula Bourke
- College of Science and Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Noreen J Hickok
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5099, USA
| | - Theresa A Freeman
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5099, USA
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26
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Kelly SA, Moody TS, Gilmore BF. Biocatalysis in seawater: Investigating a halotolerant ω-transaminase capable of converting furfural in a seawater reaction medium. Eng Life Sci 2019; 19:721-725. [PMID: 32624965 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.201900053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing demand for freshwater and the continued depletion of available resources has led to a deepening global water crisis. Significant water consumption required by many biotechnological processes contributes to both the environmental and economic cost of this problem. Relatively few biocatalytic processes have been developed to utilize the more abundant supply of seawater, with seawater composition and salinity limiting its use with many mesophilic enzymes. We recently reported a salt tolerant ω-transaminase enzyme, Ad2-TAm, isolated from the genome of a halophilic bacterium, Halomonas sp. CSM-2, from a Triassic period salt mine. In this study we aimed to demonstrate its applicability to biocatalytic reactions carried out in a seawater-based medium. Ad2-TAm was examined for its ability to aminate the industrially relevant substrate, furfural, in both seawater and freshwater-based reaction systems. Furfural was aminated with 53.6% conversion in a buffered seawater system, displaying improved function versus freshwater. Ad2-TAm outperformed the commonly employed commercial ω-TAms from Chromobacterium violaceum and Vibrio fluvialis, both of which showed decreased conversion in seawater. Given the increasingly precarious availability of global freshwater, such applications of enzymes from halophiles have the ability to reduce demand for freshwater in large-scale industrial processes, delivering considerable environmental and economic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas S Moody
- Almac Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry Craigavon UK.,Arran Chemical Company Limited Athlone Roscommon Ireland
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27
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Barakat MM, Dallal Bashi YH, Carson L, Graham WG, Gilmore BF, Flynn PB. Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma exposure reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide toxicity in vitro and in vivo. Microb Pathog 2019; 136:103679. [PMID: 31437578 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.103679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an endotoxin composed of a polysaccharide and lipid component. It is intrinsically responsible for the pathogenicity of Gram-negative bacteria and is involved in the development of bacterial sepsis. Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma is proposed as a potential new approach for the treatment of infected tissue such as chronic wounds, with both antibacterial and wound-healing activities extensively described. Using both the RAW264.7 murine macrophage cell line in vitro assays and the Galleria mellonella insect in vivo toxicity model, the effect non-thermal plasma exposure on LPS-mediated toxicity has been characterised. Short (60 s) non-thermal plasma exposures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa conditioned growth media, membrane lysates and purified P. aeruginosa LPS, resulted in a substantial detoxification and reduction of LPS-induced cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Non-thermal plasma exposure (60 s) of purified P. aeruginosa LPS led to a significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the G. mellonella health index (GHI) score, a measure of in vivo toxicity. These findings demonstrate the ability of short plasma exposures to significantly reduce LPS-induced cytotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo; attenuating the toxicity of this important virulence factor intrinsic to the pathogenicity of Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muna M Barakat
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK; School of Pharmacy, Applied Sciences Private University, Amman, 11931, Jordan
| | - Yahya H Dallal Bashi
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Louise Carson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - William G Graham
- Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Maths and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Padrig B Flynn
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
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28
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Kelly SA, Magill DJ, Megaw J, Skvortsov T, Allers T, McGrath JW, Allen CCR, Moody TS, Gilmore BF. Characterisation of a solvent-tolerant haloarchaeal (R)-selective transaminase isolated from a Triassic period salt mine. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:5727-5737. [PMID: 31123770 PMCID: PMC6597733 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09806-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Transaminase enzymes (TAms) are becoming increasingly valuable in the chemist’s toolbox as a biocatalytic route to chiral amines. Despite high profile successes, the lack of (R)-selective TAms and robustness under harsh industrial conditions continue to prove problematic. Herein, we report the isolation of the first haloarchaeal TAm (BC61-TAm) to be characterised for the purposes of pharmaceutical biocatalysis. BC61-TAm is an (R)-selective enzyme, cloned from an extremely halophilic archaeon, isolated from a Triassic period salt mine. Produced using a Haloferax volcanii–based expression model, the resulting protein displays a classic halophilic activity profile, as well as thermotolerance (optimum 50 °C) and organic solvent tolerance. Molecular modelling predicts the putative active site residues of haloarchaeal TAms, with molecular dynamics simulations providing insights on the basis of BC61-TAm’s organic solvent tolerance. These results represent an exciting advance in the study of transaminases from extremophiles, providing a possible scaffold for future discovery of biocatalytic enzymes with robust properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Damian J Magill
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Julianne Megaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Thorsten Allers
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Thomas S Moody
- Almac, Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, UK
- Arran Chemical Company Limited, Unit 1 Monksland Industrial Estate, Athlone, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
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29
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Carlile SR, Shiels J, Kerrigan L, Delaney R, Megaw J, Gilmore BF, Weldon S, Dalton JP, Taggart CC. Sea snake cathelicidin (Hc-cath) exerts a protective effect in mouse models of lung inflammation and infection. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6071. [PMID: 30988402 PMCID: PMC6465284 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42537-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities of Hc-cath, a cathelicidin peptide derived from the venom of the sea snake, Hydrophis cyanocyntus, using in vivo models of inflammation and infection. Hc-cath function was evaluated in in vitro, in vivo in the wax moth, Galleria mellonella, and in mouse models of intraperitoneal and respiratory Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Hc-Cath downregulated LPS-induced pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages and significantly improved the survival of P. aeruginosa infected G. mellonella over a 5-day period. We also demonstrated, for the first time, that Hc-cath can modulate inflammation in a mouse model of LPS-induced lung inflammation by significantly reducing the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine and neutrophil chemoattractant, KC, resulting in reduced cellular infiltration into the lungs. Moreover, Hc-cath treatment significantly reduced the bacterial load and inflammation in mouse models of P. aeruginosa intraperitoneal and respiratory infection. The effect of Hc-cath in our studies highlights the potential to develop this peptide as a candidate for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon R Carlile
- Airway Innate Immunity Research (AiiR) Group, Centre for Experimental Medicine, The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Jenna Shiels
- Airway Innate Immunity Research (AiiR) Group, Centre for Experimental Medicine, The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Lauren Kerrigan
- Airway Innate Immunity Research (AiiR) Group, Centre for Experimental Medicine, The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Rebecca Delaney
- Airway Innate Immunity Research (AiiR) Group, Centre for Experimental Medicine, The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Julianne Megaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Sinéad Weldon
- Airway Innate Immunity Research (AiiR) Group, Centre for Experimental Medicine, The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - John P Dalton
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Clifford C Taggart
- Airway Innate Immunity Research (AiiR) Group, Centre for Experimental Medicine, The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK.
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30
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Flynn PB, Graham WG, Gilmore BF. Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm biomass mediates tolerance to cold plasma. Lett Appl Microbiol 2019; 68:344-349. [PMID: 30706947 PMCID: PMC6446819 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is an intrinsically multidrug‐resistant pathogen that, when existing as a biofilm, confers increased environmental tolerance to desiccation, nutrient starvation as well as increased tolerance to antimicrobials. Outbreaks of A. baumannii infections within the clinical setting are often associated with the biofilm phenotype. This study investigates the role of biofilm biomass in A. baumannii susceptibility to exposure to a kilohertz‐driven, in‐house–designed, cold plasma jet, through the examination of cold plasma treatment efficacy in A. baumannii biofilms grown over various times for up to 72 h. For biofilms grown for 24, 48 and 72 h, D values were 19·32 ± 2·71, 29·18 ± 3·15 and 24·70 ± 3·07 s respectively. Monitoring A. baumannii biofilm biomass over these time periods revealed that the greatest biomass was observed at 48 h with the lowest biofilm biomass at 24 h growth. Enumeration of viable biofilm colony counts at each time point was comparable. Scanning electron microscopy images of plasma‐treated biofilms revealed extensive surface damage of A. baumannii cells. These results describe the role of biomass in mediating A. baumannii biofilm susceptibility to cold plasma treatment, implicating the biofilm matrix as a protective barrier to the antimicrobial effects of cold plasma. Significance and Impact of the Study Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm formation results in increased environmental and antimicrobial tolerance and resistance compared to the planktonic phenotype. Cold plasma technology is increasingly investigated as a new tool for decontamination of biofilm‐contaminated surfaces, especially those found in the clinical setting. This new technology presents a promising approach to the remediation of surfaces contaminated by biofilms. This study identifies the role played by A. baumannii biofilm biomass in mediating tolerance and susceptibility to cold plasma treatment. This work demonstrates that increased biofilm biomass reduces the efficacy of antimicrobial species generated by cold plasma, resulting in greater tolerance to plasma exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- P B Flynn
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University, Belfast, UK
| | - W G Graham
- Centre for Plasma Physics (CPP), School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University, Belfast, UK
| | - B F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University, Belfast, UK
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31
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Sarangapani C, Ziuzina D, Behan P, Boehm D, Gilmore BF, Cullen PJ, Bourke P. Degradation kinetics of cold plasma-treated antibiotics and their antimicrobial activity. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3955. [PMID: 30850645 PMCID: PMC6408491 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40352-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics, such as ofloxacin (OFX) and ciprofloxacin (CFX), are often detected in considerable concentrations in both wastewater effluents and surface water. This poses a risk to non-target organisms and to human health. The aim of this work was to study atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) degradation of antibiotics in water and meat effluent and to explore any residual antimicrobial activity of samples submitted to the plasma process. The results revealed that ACP successfully degraded the studied antibiotics and that the reaction mechanism is principally related to attack by hydroxyl radicals and ozone. According to the disk diffusion assay, the activity of both antibiotics was considerably reduced by the plasma treatment. However, a microdilution method demonstrated that CFX exhibited higher antimicrobial activity after ACP treatment than the corresponding control revealing a potentially new platform for future research to improve the efficiency of conventional antibiotic treatments. Importantly, short-term exposures to sub-lethal concentrations of the antibiotic equally reduced bacterial susceptibility to both ACP treated and untreated CFX. As a remediation process, ACP removal of antibiotics in complex wastewater effluents is possible. However, it is recommended that plasma encompass degradant structure activity relationships to ensure that biological activity is eliminated against non-target organisms and that life cycle safety of antibiotic compounds is achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitanya Sarangapani
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dana Ziuzina
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Patrice Behan
- School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniela Boehm
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - P J Cullen
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paula Bourke
- School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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32
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Carson MA, Nelson J, Cancela ML, Laizé V, Gavaia PJ, Rae M, Heesch S, Verzin E, Gilmore BF, Clarke SA. Correction: Screening for osteogenic activity in extracts from Irish marine organisms: The potential of Ceramium pallidum. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211395. [PMID: 30673783 PMCID: PMC6344022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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33
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Kelly SA, Skvortsov T, Magill D, Quinn DJ, McGrath JW, Allen CCR, Moody TS, Gilmore BF. Characterization of a novel ω-transaminase from a Triassic salt mine metagenome. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 503:2936-2942. [PMID: 30119883 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.08.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Chiral amines are valuable building blocks for the pharmaceutical industry, and are increasingly synthesized by transaminase-mediated (TAm) synthesis. Currently available TAms, primarily isolated from the genomes of cultured mesophilic bacteria, often suffer from a number of drawbacks, including poor substrate range and an inability to tolerate the harsh conditions often demanded by industrial processes. These characteristics have, in part, driven the search for novel biocatalysts from both metagenomic sources and extreme environments. Herein, we report the isolation and characterization of an ω-TAm from a metagenome of a Triassic salt mine in Kilroot, N. Ireland, an extremely hypersaline environment formed circa 220-250 mya. The gene sequence was identified based on homology with existing bacterial TAms, synthesized within a pET28a(+) plasmid and expressed in E. coli BL21 DE3 cells. The resultant 49 kDa protein accepted (S)-methylbenzylamine (MBA) as amino donor and had a specific activity of 0.54 U/mg using α-ketoglutarate (ΑKG) as substrate. Molecular modeling and substrate docking indicated the presence of key residues, conserved in a number of other TAms. Despite the hypersaline environment from which it was isolated, the enzyme displayed low halotolerance, highlighting that not all biocatalysts will demonstrate the extreme characteristics associated with their source environment. This study does however reinforce the viability of mining metagenomic datasets as a means of discovering novel and functional biocatalysts, and adds to a currently scant list of such examples in the field of TAms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Damian Magill
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Derek J Quinn
- Almac, Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, UK
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Christopher C R Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Thomas S Moody
- Almac, Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, UK; Arran Chemical Company Limited, Unit 1 Monksland Industrial Estate, Athlone, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK.
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34
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Carson MA, Nelson J, Cancela ML, Laizé V, Gavaia PJ, Rae M, Heesch S, Verzin E, Maggs C, Gilmore BF, Clarke SA. Red algal extracts from Plocamium lyngbyanum and Ceramium secundatum stimulate osteogenic activities in vitro and bone growth in zebrafish larvae. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7725. [PMID: 29769706 PMCID: PMC5956103 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26024-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Through the current trend for bioprospecting, marine organisms - particularly algae - are becoming increasingly known for their osteogenic potential. Such organisms may provide novel treatment options for osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal conditions, helping to address their large healthcare burden and the limitations of current therapies. In this study, extracts from two red algae – Plocamium lyngbyanum and Ceramium secundatum – were tested in vitro and in vivo for their osteogenic potential. In vitro, the growth of human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) was significantly greater in the presence of the extracts, particularly with P. lyngbyanum treatment. Osteogenic differentiation was promoted more by C. secundatum (70 µg/ml), though P. lyngbyanum had greater in vitro mineralisation potential. Both species caused a marked and dose-dependent increase in the opercular bone area of zebrafish larvae. Our findings therefore indicate the presence of bioactive components in P. lyngbyanum and C. secundatum extracts, which can promote both in vitro and in vivo osteogenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Carson
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom.
| | - John Nelson
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - M Leonor Cancela
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - Vincent Laizé
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - Paulo J Gavaia
- Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Margaret Rae
- Marine Institute and Irish Seaweed Research Group, Rinville, Oranmore, Co., Galway, Ireland
| | - Svenja Heesch
- Irish Seaweed Research Group, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Eugene Verzin
- Orthopaedic department, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Maggs
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Susan A Clarke
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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Gilmore BF, Flynn PB, O'Brien S, Hickok N, Freeman T, Bourke P. Cold Plasmas for Biofilm Control: Opportunities and Challenges. Trends Biotechnol 2018; 36:627-638. [PMID: 29729997 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial biofilm infections account for a major proportion of chronic and medical device associated infections in humans, yet our ability to control them is compromised by their inherent tolerance to antimicrobial agents. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) represents a promising therapeutic option. CAP treatment of microbial biofilms represents the convergence of two complex phenomena: the production of a chemically diverse mixture of reactive species and intermediates, and their interaction with a heterogeneous 3D interface created by the biofilm extracellular polymeric matrix. Therefore, understanding these interactions and physiological responses to CAP exposure are central to effective management of infectious biofilms. We review the unique opportunities and challenges for translating CAP to the management of biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm and Pharmaceutical Microbiology Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK. http://twitter.com/@BrendanFGilmore
| | - Padrig B Flynn
- Biofilm and Pharmaceutical Microbiology Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Séamus O'Brien
- Biofilm and Pharmaceutical Microbiology Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Noreen Hickok
- Department of Orthopaedic Research, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Medical College, 1015 Walnut Street, Suite 501, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Theresa Freeman
- Department of Orthopaedic Research, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Medical College, 1015 Walnut Street, Suite 501, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Paula Bourke
- Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, Ireland
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36
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Ongele MO, Benrashid E, Gilmore BF, Schroder J, Hartwig M, Zani S. Robot-assisted repair of diaphragmatic hernias following ventricular assist device implantation. J Surg Case Rep 2018; 2018:rjy016. [PMID: 29492249 PMCID: PMC5822695 DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjy016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Use of ventricular assist devices (VADs) is increasingly common, as is the need for surgeons to be familiar with the management of common complications in this population. Nonetheless, repair of diaphragmatic hernias which commonly develop following VAD implantation remains technically challenging due to intra-abdominal adhesions and the proximity of vital structures. Despite the potential benefits of improved dexterity and visualization, robotic approaches have thus far not been used to address this. We present the first two described cases of robot-assisted repair of diaphragmatic hernias in the setting of prior or current VAD placement.
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Affiliation(s)
- M O Ongele
- School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - E Benrashid
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - B F Gilmore
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - J Schroder
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M Hartwig
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S Zani
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Abstract
Chiral amines are valuable building blocks for the pharmaceutical industry. ω-TAms have emerged as an exciting option for their synthesis, offering a potential "green alternative" to overcome the drawbacks associated with conventional chemical methods. In this review, we explore the application of ω-TAms for pharmaceutical production. We discuss the diverse array of reactions available involving ω-TAms and process considerations of their use in both kinetic resolution and asymmetric synthesis. With the aid of specific drug intermediates and APIs, we chart the development of ω-TAms using protein engineering and their contribution to elegant one-pot cascades with other enzymes, including carbonyl reductases (CREDs), hydrolases and monoamine oxidases (MAOs), providing a comprehensive overview of their uses, beginning with initial applications through to the present day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, U.K
| | - Stefan Pohle
- Almac , Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, U.K
| | - Scott Wharry
- Almac , Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, U.K
| | - Stefan Mix
- Almac , Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, U.K
| | - Christopher C R Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, U.K
| | - Thomas S Moody
- Almac , Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, U.K.,Arran Chemical Company Limited , Unit 1 Monksland Industrial Estate, Athlone, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, U.K
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Kelly SA, Megaw J, Caswell J, Scott CJ, Allen CCR, Moody TS, Gilmore BF. Isolation and Characterisation of a Halotolerant ω-Transaminase from a Triassic Period Salt Mine and Its Application to Biocatalysis. ChemistrySelect 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201701642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A. Kelly
- School of Pharmacy; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland UK
| | - Julianne Megaw
- School of Pharmacy; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland UK
| | - Jill Caswell
- Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry; Almac; Craigavon BT63 5QD, N. Ireland UK
| | - Christopher J. Scott
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland UK
| | | | - Thomas S. Moody
- Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry; Almac; Craigavon BT63 5QD, N. Ireland UK
- Arran Chemical Company Limited, Unit 1 Monksland Industrial Estate; Athlone, Co. Roscommon Ireland
| | - Brendan F. Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland UK
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Megaw J, Gilmore BF. Archaeal Persisters: Persister Cell Formation as a Stress Response in Haloferax volcanii. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1589. [PMID: 28871247 PMCID: PMC5566976 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Persister cells are phenotypic variants within a microbial population, which are dormant and transiently tolerant to stress. Persistence has been studied extensively in bacteria, and in eukaryotes to a limited extent, however, it has never been observed in archaea. Using the model haloarchaeon, Haloferax volcanii DS2, we demonstrated persister cell formation in this domain, with time-kill curves exhibiting a characteristic biphasic pattern following starvation or exposure to lethal concentrations of various biocidal compounds. Repeated challenges of surviving cells showed that, as with bacteria, persister formation in H. volcanii was not heritable. Additionally, as previously shown with bacteria, persister formation in H. volcanii was suppressed by exogenous indole. The addition of spent culture media to assays conducted on planktonic cells showed that H. volcanii-conditioned media stimulated persistence, whereas conditioned media of other haloarchaea or halophilic bacteria did not, suggesting the involvement of a species-specific signal. Using a TLC overlay assay, the quorum sensing bioreporter Agrobacterium tumefaciens ATCC BAA-2240 detected the presence of C4 and C6 acyl homoserine lactone-like signal molecules in a H. volcanii culture extract. While synthetic bacterial AHLs did not induce persistence, this is potentially due to structural differences between bacterial and archaeal signals, and does not discount a quorum sensing component in haloarchaeal persister formation. The observation of persister cell formation by this haloarchaeon may provide some insights into the survival of these organisms in stressful or dynamic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University BelfastBelfast, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University BelfastBelfast, United Kingdom
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Bourke P, Ziuzina D, Han L, Cullen PJ, Gilmore BF. Microbiological interactions with cold plasma. J Appl Microbiol 2017; 123:308-324. [PMID: 28245092 DOI: 10.1111/jam.13429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is a diverse range of microbiological challenges facing the food, healthcare and clinical sectors. The increasing and pervasive resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics and health-related concerns with many biocidal agents drives research for novel and complementary antimicrobial approaches. Biofilms display increased mechanical and antimicrobial stability and are the subject of extensive research. Cold plasmas (CP) have rapidly evolved as a technology for microbial decontamination, wound healing and cancer treatment, owing to the chemical and bio-active radicals generated known collectively as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. This review outlines the basics of CP technology and discusses the interactions with a range of microbiological targets. Advances in mechanistic insights are presented and applications to food and clinical issues are discussed. The possibility of tailoring CP to control specific microbiological challenges is apparent. This review focuses on microbiological issues in relation to food- and healthcare-associated human infections, the role of CP in their elimination and the current status of plasma mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bourke
- Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1, Ireland
| | - D Ziuzina
- Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1, Ireland
| | - L Han
- Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1, Ireland
| | - P J Cullen
- Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1, Ireland.,School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - B F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast, UK
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McCloskey AP, Draper ER, Gilmore BF, Laverty G. Ultrashort self-assembling Fmoc-peptide gelators for anti-infective biomaterial applications. J Pept Sci 2017; 23:131-140. [PMID: 28066954 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biomaterial-related infections have a significant impact on society and are a major contributor to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Current licensed antibiotic classes struggle to breakdown or penetrate the exopolysaccharide biofilm barrier, resulting in sub-therapeutic concentrations of antibiotic at the surface of the biomaterial, treatment failure and increased spread of resistant isolates. This paper focuses for the first time on the ability of ultrashort Fmoc-peptide gelators to eradicate established bacterial biofilms implicated in a variety of medical device infections (Gram-positive: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The effect of increasing the cationicity of FmocFF via addition of di-lysine and di-orntithine was also studied with regard to antibacterial activity. Our studies demonstrated that Fmoc-peptides (FmocFF, FmocFFKK, FmocFFFKK, FmocFFOO) formed surfactant-like soft gels at concentrations of 1% w/v and above using a method of glucono-δ-Lactone pH induction. The majority of Fmoc-peptides (0.5-2% w/v) demonstrated selective action against established (grown for 24 h) biofilms of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. These results are likely to increase the clinical translation of short-peptide gelator platforms within the area of anti-infective biomaterials including as wound dressings and coatings for prostheses, catheters, heart valves and surgical tubes. In the long term, this will lead to wider treatment choices for clinicians and patients involved in the management of medical device infections and reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice P McCloskey
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, N. Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Emily R Draper
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, N. Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Garry Laverty
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, N. Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
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42
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Huwaitat R, McCloskey AP, Gilmore BF, Laverty G. Potential strategies for the eradication of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. Future Microbiol 2016; 11:955-72. [PMID: 27357521 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the leading threats to society. The increasing burden of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infection is particularly concerning as such bacteria are demonstrating resistance to nearly all currently licensed therapies. Various strategies have been hypothesized to treat multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections including: targeting the Gram-negative outer membrane; neutralization of lipopolysaccharide; inhibition of bacterial efflux pumps and prevention of protein folding. Silver and silver nanoparticles, fusogenic liposomes and nanotubes are potential strategies for extending the activity of licensed, Gram-positive selective, antibiotics to Gram-negatives. This may serve as a strategy to fill the current void in pharmaceutical development in the short term. This review outlines the most promising strategies that could be implemented to solve the threat of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawan Huwaitat
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Alice P McCloskey
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Garry Laverty
- Biofunctional Nanomaterials Group, School of Pharmacy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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43
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Flynn PB, Busetti A, Wielogorska E, Chevallier OP, Elliott CT, Laverty G, Gorman SP, Graham WG, Gilmore BF. Non-thermal Plasma Exposure Rapidly Attenuates Bacterial AHL-Dependent Quorum Sensing and Virulence. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26320. [PMID: 27242335 PMCID: PMC4886528 DOI: 10.1038/srep26320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The antimicrobial activity of atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma has been exhaustively characterised, however elucidation of the interactions between biomolecules produced and utilised by bacteria and short plasma exposures are required for optimisation and clinical translation of cold plasma technology. This study characterizes the effects of non-thermal plasma exposure on acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-dependent quorum sensing (QS). Plasma exposure of AHLs reduced the ability of such molecules to elicit a QS response in bacterial reporter strains in a dose-dependent manner. Short exposures (30-60 s) produce of a series of secondary compounds capable of eliciting a QS response, followed by the complete loss of AHL-dependent signalling following longer exposures. UPLC-MS analysis confirmed the time-dependent degradation of AHL molecules and their conversion into a series of by-products. FT-IR analysis of plasma-exposed AHLs highlighted the appearance of an OH group. In vivo assessment of the exposure of AHLs to plasma was examined using a standard in vivo model. Lettuce leaves injected with the rhlI/lasI mutant PAO-MW1 alongside plasma treated N-butyryl-homoserine lactone and n-(3-oxo-dodecanoyl)-homoserine lactone, exhibited marked attenuation of virulence. This study highlights the capacity of atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma to modify and degrade AHL autoinducers thereby attenuating QS-dependent virulence in P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padrig B. Flynn
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
- Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Maths and Physics, Queen’s University Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
| | - Alessandro Busetti
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Ewa Wielogorska
- Advanced Asset Centre, Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5BN, UK
| | - Olivier P. Chevallier
- Advanced Asset Centre, Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5BN, UK
| | - Christopher T. Elliott
- Advanced Asset Centre, Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5BN, UK
| | - Garry Laverty
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Sean P. Gorman
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - William G. Graham
- Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Maths and Physics, Queen’s University Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
| | - Brendan F. Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
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Hughes CS, Colhoun LM, Bains BK, Kilgour JD, Burden RE, Burrows JF, Lavelle EC, Gilmore BF, Scott CJ. Extracellular cathepsin S and intracellular caspase 1 activation are surrogate biomarkers of particulate-induced lysosomal disruption in macrophages. Part Fibre Toxicol 2016; 13:19. [PMID: 27108091 PMCID: PMC4842290 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-016-0129-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Particulate matter has been shown to stimulate the innate immune system and induce acute inflammation. Therefore, while nanotechnology has the potential to provide therapeutic formulations with improved efficacy, there are concerns such pharmaceutical preparations could induce unwanted inflammatory side effects. Accordingly, we aim to examine the utility of using the proteolytic activity signatures of cysteine proteases, caspase 1 and cathepsin S (CTSS), as biomarkers to assess particulate-induced inflammation. Methods Primary peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages from C57BL/6 mice and ctss−/− mice were exposed to micro- and nanoparticulates and also the lysosomotropic agent, L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester (LLOME). ELISA and immunoblot analyses were used to measure the IL-1β response in cells, generated by lysosomal rupture. Affinity-binding probes (ABPs), which irreversibly bind to the active site thiol of cysteine proteases, were then used to detect active caspase 1 and CTSS following lysosomal rupture. Reporter substrates were also used to quantify the proteolytic activity of these enzymes, as measured by substrate turnover. Results We demonstrate that exposure to silica, alum and polystyrene particulates induces IL-1β release from macrophages, through lysosomal destabilization. IL-1β secretion positively correlated with an increase in the proteolytic activity signatures of intracellular caspase 1 and extracellular CTSS, which were detected using ABPs and reporter substrates. Interestingly IL-1β release was significantly reduced in primary macrophages from ctss−/− mice. Conclusions This study supports the emerging significance of CTSS as a regulator of the innate immune response, highlighting its role in regulating IL-1β release. Crucially, the results demonstrate the utility of intracellular caspase 1 and extracellular CTSS proteolytic activities as surrogate biomarkers of lysosomal rupture and acute inflammation. In the future, activity-based detection of these enzymes may prove useful for the real-time assessment of particle-induced inflammation and toxicity assessment during the development of nanotherapeutics. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12989-016-0129-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Hughes
- Molecular Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Liza M Colhoun
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT12 6BA, UK
| | - Baljinder K Bains
- Molecular Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Joanne D Kilgour
- Innovative Medicines and Early Development, Drug Safety and Metabolism, Regulatory Safety, AstraZeneca, Mereside, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Roberta E Burden
- Molecular Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - James F Burrows
- Molecular Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Ed C Lavelle
- Adjuvant Research Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Molecular Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Christopher J Scott
- Molecular Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
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Alshraiedeh NH, Higginbotham S, Flynn PB, Alkawareek MY, Tunney MM, Gorman SP, Graham WG, Gilmore BF. Eradication and phenotypic tolerance of Burkholderia cenocepacia biofilms exposed to atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2016; 47:446-50. [PMID: 27179816 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2016.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Chronic lung infection with bacteria from the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC), and in particular B. cenocepacia, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). B. cenocepacia can spread from person to person and exhibits intrinsic broad-spectrum antibiotic resistance. Recently, atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasmas (APNTPs) have gained increasing attention as a novel approach to the prevention and treatment of a variety of hospital-acquired infections. In this study, we evaluated an in-house-designed kHz-driven plasma source for the treatment of biofilms of a number of clinical CF B. cenocepacia isolates. The results demonstrated that APNTP is an effective and efficient tool for the eradication of B. cenocepacia biofilms but that efficacy is highly variable across different isolates. Determination of phenotypic differences between isolates in an attempt to understand variability in plasma tolerance revealed that isolates which are highly tolerant to APNTP typically produce biofilms of greater biomass than their more sensitive counterparts. This indicates a potential role for biofilm matrix components in biofilm tolerance to APNTP exposure. Furthermore, significant isolate-dependent differences in catalase activity in planktonic bacteria positively correlated with phenotypic resistance to APNTP by isolates grown in biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nida H Alshraiedeh
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Sarah Higginbotham
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Padrig B Flynn
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | | | - Sean P Gorman
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - William G Graham
- School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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46
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Czaplewski L, Bax R, Clokie M, Dawson M, Fairhead H, Fischetti VA, Foster S, Gilmore BF, Hancock REW, Harper D, Henderson IR, Hilpert K, Jones BV, Kadioglu A, Knowles D, Ólafsdóttir S, Payne D, Projan S, Shaunak S, Silverman J, Thomas CM, Trust TJ, Warn P, Rex JH. Alternatives to antibiotics-a pipeline portfolio review. Lancet Infect Dis 2016; 16:239-51. [PMID: 26795692 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(15)00466-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 524] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics have saved countless lives and enabled the development of modern medicine over the past 70 years. However, it is clear that the success of antibiotics might only have been temporary and we now expect a long-term and perhaps never-ending challenge to find new therapies to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A broader approach to address bacterial infection is needed. In this Review, we discuss alternatives to antibiotics, which we defined as non-compound approaches (products other than classic antibacterial agents) that target bacteria or any approaches that target the host. The most advanced approaches are antibodies, probiotics, and vaccines in phase 2 and phase 3 trials. This first wave of alternatives to antibiotics will probably best serve as adjunctive or preventive therapies, which suggests that conventional antibiotics are still needed. Funding of more than £1·5 billion is needed over 10 years to test and develop these alternatives to antibiotics. Investment needs to be partnered with translational expertise and targeted to support the validation of these approaches in phase 2 trials, which would be a catalyst for active engagement and investment by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Only a sustained, concerted, and coordinated international effort will provide the solutions needed for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lloyd Czaplewski
- Chemical Biology Ventures, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK; Abgentis, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK; Persica Pharmaceuticals, Canterbury, Kent, UK.
| | | | - Martha Clokie
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Mike Dawson
- Novacta Biosystems, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK; Cantab Anti-infectives, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK
| | | | - Vincent A Fischetti
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Simon Foster
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; Absynth Biologics, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Robert E W Hancock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - David Harper
- Evolution Biotechnologies, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, UK
| | - Ian R Henderson
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Kai Hilpert
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's, University of London, London, UK; TiKa Diagnostics, London, UK
| | - Brian V Jones
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK; Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK
| | - Aras Kadioglu
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - David Knowles
- Absynth Biologics, Liverpool, UK; Procarta Biosystems, Norwich, UK
| | | | - David Payne
- GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, PA, USA
| | | | - Sunil Shaunak
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Christopher M Thomas
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK; Plasgene, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Trevor J Trust
- Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | | | - John H Rex
- AstraZeneca, Boston, MA, USA; F2G, Manchester, UK
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Hughes CS, Shaw G, Burden RE, Scott CJ, Gilmore BF. The application of a novel, cell permeable activity-based probe for the detection of cysteine cathepsins. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 472:444-50. [PMID: 26792724 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.01.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Cysteine cathepsins, such as cathepsin S (CTSS), are implicated in the pathology of a wide range of diseases and are of potential utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In previous work, we demonstrated the potency and efficiency of a biotinylated diazomethylketone (DMK)-based activity-based probe (ABP), biotin-PEG-LVG-DMK, for disclosure of recombinant CTSS and CTSS in cell lysates. However, the limited cell permeability of both the biotin and spacer groups restricted detection of CTSS to cell lysates. The synthesis and characterisation of a cell permeable ABP to report on intracellular CTSS activity is reported. The ABP, Z-PraVG-DMK, a modified peptidyl diazomethylketone, was based on the N-terminus of human cystatin motif (Leu-Val-Gly). The leucine residue was substituted for the alkyne-bearing proparcylglycine to facilitate conjugation of an azide-tagged reporter group using click chemistry, following irreversible inhibition of CTSS. When incubated with viable Human Embryonic Kidney 293 cells, Z-PraVG-DMK permitted disclosure of CTSS activity following cell lysis and rhodamine azide conjugation, by employing standard click chemistry protocols. Furthermore, the fluorescent tag facilitated direct detection of CTSS using in-gel fluorescent scanning, obviating the necessity for downstream biotin-streptavidin conjugation and detection procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Hughes
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - George Shaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Roberta E Burden
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Christopher J Scott
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
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48
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Megaw J, Thompson TP, Lafferty RA, Gilmore BF. Galleria mellonella as a novel in vivo model for assessment of the toxicity of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquids. Chemosphere 2015; 139:197-201. [PMID: 26121605 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The larval form of the Greater Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella) was evaluated as a model system for the study of the acute in vivo toxicity of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquids. 24-h median lethal dose (LD50) values for nine of these ionic liquids bearing alkyl chain substituents ranging from 2 to 18 carbon atoms were determined. The in vivo toxicity of the ionic liquids was found to correlate directly with the length of the alkyl chain substituent, and the pattern of toxicity observed was in accordance with previous studies of ionic liquid toxicity in other living systems, including a characteristic toxicity 'cut-off' effect. However, G. mellonella appeared to be more susceptible to the toxic effects of the ionic liquids tested, possibly as a result of their high body fat content. The results obtained in this study indicate that G. mellonella represents a sensitive, reliable and robust in vivo model organism for the evaluation of ionic liquid toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Thomas P Thompson
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Ryan A Lafferty
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
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49
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Laverty G, McCloskey AP, Gorman SP, Gilmore BF. Anti-biofilm activity of ultrashort cinnamic acid peptide derivatives against medical device-related pathogens. J Pept Sci 2015; 21:770-8. [PMID: 26310860 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The threat of antimicrobial resistance has placed increasing emphasis on the development of innovative approaches to eradicate multidrug-resistant pathogens. Biofilm-forming microorganisms, for example, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, are responsible for increased incidence of biomaterial infection, extended hospital stays and patient morbidity and mortality. This paper highlights the potential of ultrashort tetra-peptide conjugated to hydrophobic cinnamic acid derivatives. These peptidomimetic molecules demonstrate selective and highly potent activity against resistant biofilm forms of Gram-positive medical device-related pathogens. 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)propionic)-Orn-Orn-Trp-Trp-NH2 displays particular promise with minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) values of 125 µg/ml against methicillin sensitive (ATCC 29213) and resistant (ATCC 43300) S. aureus and activity shown against biofilm forms of Escherichia coli (MBEC: 1000 µg/ml). Kill kinetics confirms complete eradication of established 24-h biofilms at MBEC with 6-h exposure. Reduced cell cytotoxicity, relative to Gram-positive pathogens, was proven via tissue culture (HaCaT) and haemolysis assays (equine erythrocytes). Existing in nature as part of the immune response, antimicrobial peptides display great promise for exploitation by the pharmaceutical industry in order to increase the library of available therapeutic molecules. Ultrashort variants are particularly promising for translation as clinical therapeutics as they are more cost-effective, easier to synthesise and can be tailored to specific functional requirements based on the primary sequence allowing factors such as spectrum of activity to be varied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garry Laverty
- Biomaterials, Biofilm and Infection Control Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Alice P McCloskey
- Biomaterials, Biofilm and Infection Control Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Sean P Gorman
- Biomaterials, Biofilm and Infection Control Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biomaterials, Biofilm and Infection Control Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
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50
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast 97 Lisburn Road Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
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