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Barbosa A, Azevedo NF, Goeres DM, Cerqueira L. Ecology of Legionella pneumophila biofilms: The link between transcriptional activity and the biphasic cycle. Biofilm 2024; 7:100196. [PMID: 38601816 PMCID: PMC11004079 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2024.100196] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
There has been considerable discussion regarding the environmental life cycle of Legionella pneumophila and its virulence potential in natural and man-made water systems. On the other hand, the bacterium's morphogenetic mechanisms within host cells (amoeba and macrophages) have been well documented and are linked to its ability to transition from a non-virulent, replicative state to an infectious, transmissive state. Although the morphogenetic mechanisms associated with the formation and detachment of the L. pneumophila biofilm have also been described, the capacity of the bacteria to multiply extracellularly is not generally accepted. However, several studies have shown genetic pathways within the biofilm that resemble intracellular mechanisms. Understanding the functionality of L. pneumophila cells within a biofilm is fundamental for assessing the ecology and evaluating how the biofilm architecture influences L. pneumophila survival and persistence in water systems. This manuscript provides an overview of the biphasic cycle of L. pneumophila and its implications in associated intracellular mechanisms in amoeba. It also examines the molecular pathways and gene regulation involved in L. pneumophila biofilm formation and dissemination. A holistic analysis of the transcriptional activities in L. pneumophila biofilms is provided, combining the information of intracellular mechanisms in a comprehensive outline. Furthermore, this review discusses the techniques that can be used to study the morphogenetic states of the bacteria within biofilms, at the single cell and population levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Barbosa
- LEPABE – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Darla M. Goeres
- LEPABE – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
- The Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- LEPABE – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
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Moreira L, Guimarães NM, Santos RS, Loureiro JA, Pereira MC, Azevedo NF. Promising strategies employing nucleic acids as antimicrobial drugs. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2024; 35:102122. [PMID: 38333674 PMCID: PMC10850860 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102122] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern because it causes microorganisms to develop resistance to drugs commonly used to treat infections. This results in increased difficulty in treating infections, leading to higher mortality rates and significant economic effects. Investing in new antimicrobial agents is, therefore, necessary to prevent and control AMR. Antimicrobial nucleic acids have arisen as potential key players in novel therapies for AMR infections. They have been designed to serve as antimicrobials and to act as adjuvants to conventional antibiotics or to inhibit virulent mechanisms. This new category of antimicrobial drugs consists of antisense oligonucleotides and oligomers, DNAzymes, and transcription factor decoys, differing in terms of structure, target molecules, and mechanisms of action. They are synthesized using nucleic acid analogs to enhance their resistance to nucleases. Because bacterial envelopes are generally impermeable to oligonucleotides, delivery into the cytoplasm typically requires the assistance of nanocarriers, which can affect their therapeutic potency. Given that numerous factors contribute to the success of these antimicrobial drugs, this review aims to provide a summary of the key advancements in the use of oligonucleotides for treating bacterial infections. Their mechanisms of action and the impact of factors such as nucleic acid design, target sequence, and nanocarriers on the antimicrobial potency are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Moreira
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno M. Guimarães
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita S. Santos
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana A. Loureiro
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Pereira
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Vilas Boas D, Castro J, Araújo D, Nóbrega FL, Keevil CW, Azevedo NF, Vieira MJ, Almeida C. The Role of Flagellum and Flagellum-Based Motility on Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli Biofilm Formation. Microorganisms 2024; 12:232. [PMID: 38399635 PMCID: PMC10893291 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020232] [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: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Flagellum-mediated motility has been suggested to contribute to virulence by allowing bacteria to colonize and spread to new surfaces. In Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli species, mutants affected by their flagellar motility have shown a reduced ability to form biofilms. While it is known that some species might act as co-aggregation factors for bacterial adhesion, studies of food-related biofilms have been limited to single-species biofilms and short biofilm formation periods. To assess the contribution of flagella and flagellum-based motility to adhesion and biofilm formation, two Salmonella and E. coli mutants with different flagellar phenotypes were produced: the fliC mutants, which do not produce flagella, and the motAB mutants, which are non-motile. The ability of wild-type and mutant strains to form biofilms was compared, and their relative fitness was determined in two-species biofilms with other foodborne pathogens. Our results showed a defective and significant behavior of E. coli in initial surface colonization (p < 0.05), which delayed single-species biofilm formation. Salmonella mutants were not affected by the ability to form biofilm (p > 0.05). Regarding the effect of motility/flagellum absence on bacterial fitness, none of the mutant strains seems to have their relative fitness affected in the presence of a competing species. Although the absence of motility may eventually delay initial colonization, this study suggests that motility is not essential for biofilm formation and does not have a strong impact on bacteria's fitness when a competing species is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Vilas Boas
- Center of Biological Engineering (CEB), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.V.B.); (M.J.V.)
- LABBELS–Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Castro
- Center of Biological Engineering (CEB), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.V.B.); (M.J.V.)
- INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research, Rua dos Lagidos, 4485-655 Vila do Conde, Portugal; (J.C.); (D.A.)
| | - Daniela Araújo
- Center of Biological Engineering (CEB), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.V.B.); (M.J.V.)
- INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research, Rua dos Lagidos, 4485-655 Vila do Conde, Portugal; (J.C.); (D.A.)
| | - Franklin L. Nóbrega
- Center of Biological Engineering (CEB), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.V.B.); (M.J.V.)
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; (F.L.N.); (C.W.K.)
| | - Charles W. Keevil
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; (F.L.N.); (C.W.K.)
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal;
- AliCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria João Vieira
- Center of Biological Engineering (CEB), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.V.B.); (M.J.V.)
- LABBELS–Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- Center of Biological Engineering (CEB), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.V.B.); (M.J.V.)
- INIAV—National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research, Rua dos Lagidos, 4485-655 Vila do Conde, Portugal; (J.C.); (D.A.)
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal;
- AliCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Sousa C, Ferreira R, Santos SB, Azevedo NF, Melo LDR. Advances on diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infections. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:671-692. [PMID: 36264672 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2125287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The association of Helicobacter pylori to several gastric diseases, such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer, and its high prevalence worldwide, raised the necessity to use methods for a proper and fast diagnosis and monitoring the pathogen eradication. Available diagnostic methods can be classified as invasive or non-invasive, and the selection of the best relies on the clinical condition of the patient, as well as on the sensitivity, specificity, and accessibility of the diagnostic test. This review summarises all diagnostic methods currently available, including the invasive methods: endoscopy, histology, culture, and molecular methods, and the rapid urease test (RUT), as well as the non-invasive methods urea breath test (UBT), serological assays, biosensors, and microfluidic devices and the stool antigen test (SAT). Moreover, it lists the diagnostic advantages and limitations, as well as the main advances for each methodology. In the end, research on the development of new diagnostic methods, such as bacteriophage-based H. pylori diagnostic tools, is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Sousa
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rute Ferreira
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sílvio B Santos
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís D R Melo
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
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5
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Barbosa A, Miranda S, Azevedo NF, Cerqueira L, Azevedo AS. Imaging biofilms using fluorescence in situ hybridization: seeing is believing. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1195803. [PMID: 37284501 PMCID: PMC10239779 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1195803] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are complex structures with an intricate relationship between the resident microorganisms, the extracellular matrix, and the surrounding environment. Interest in biofilms is growing exponentially given its ubiquity in so diverse fields such as healthcare, environmental and industry. Molecular techniques (e.g., next-generation sequencing, RNA-seq) have been used to study biofilm properties. However, these techniques disrupt the spatial structure of biofilms; therefore, they do not allow to observe the location/position of biofilm components (e.g., cells, genes, metabolites), which is particularly relevant to explore and study the interactions and functions of microorganisms. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been arguably the most widely used method for an in situ analysis of spatial distribution of biofilms. In this review, an overview on different FISH variants already applied on biofilm studies (e.g., CLASI-FISH, BONCAT-FISH, HiPR-FISH, seq-FISH) will be explored. In combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy, these variants emerged as a powerful approach to visualize, quantify and locate microorganisms, genes, and metabolites inside biofilms. Finally, we discuss new possible research directions for the development of robust and accurate FISH-based approaches that will allow to dig deeper into the biofilm structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Barbosa
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sónia Miranda
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia S. Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Andrade S, Ramalho MJ, Santos SB, Melo LDR, Santos RS, Guimarães N, Azevedo NF, Loureiro JA, Pereira MC. Fighting Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus with Targeted Nanoparticles. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24109030. [PMID: 37240376 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109030] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered one of the greatest threats to global health. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains at the core of this threat, accounting for about 90% of S. aureus infections widespread in the community and hospital settings. In recent years, the use of nanoparticles (NPs) has emerged as a promising strategy to treat MRSA infections. NPs can act directly as antibacterial agents via antibiotic-independent activity and/or serve as drug delivery systems (DDSs), releasing loaded antibiotics. Nonetheless, directing NPs to the infection site is fundamental for effective MRSA treatment so that highly concentrated therapeutic agents are delivered to the infection site while directly reducing the toxicity to healthy human cells. This leads to decreased AMR emergence and less disturbance of the individual's healthy microbiota. Hence, this review compiles and discusses the scientific evidence related to targeted NPs developed for MRSA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Andrade
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria J Ramalho
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sílvio B Santos
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Luís D R Melo
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Rita S Santos
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Guimarães
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana A Loureiro
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria C Pereira
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Moreira L, Guimarães NM, Pereira S, Santos RS, Loureiro JA, Ferreira RM, Figueiredo C, Pereira MC, Azevedo NF. Engineered liposomes to deliver nucleic acid mimics in Escherichia coli. J Control Release 2023; 355:489-500. [PMID: 36775246 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.02.012] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) composed of nucleic acid mimics (NAMs) monomers are considered as potential novel therapeutic drugs against bacterial infections. However, bacterial envelopes are generally impermeable to naked oligonucleotides. Herein, liposomes loaded with NAMs-modified oligonucleotides (LipoNAMs) were evaluated to deliver ASOs in Escherichia coli. Specifically, we tested several surface modifications that included methoxyPEG conjugated to different lipid anchors or modification of the PEG distal ends with maleimide groups and antibodies. MethoxyPEG coated LipoNAMs showed low delivery efficiency for most bacteria, but maleimide-functionalized PEG LipoNAMs were able to deliver ASOs to nearly half of the bacterial population. Conjugation of antibodies to maleimide-functionalized PEG LipoNAMs increased 1.3-fold the delivery efficiency, enhancing the selectivity towards E. coli and biocompatibility. This work demonstrated for the first time that the coupling of antibodies to PEGylated liposomes can significantly improve the delivery of ASOs in E. coli, which might bring alternative routes for the treatment of bacterial infections in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Moreira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno M Guimarães
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Sara Pereira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita S Santos
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana A Loureiro
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui M Ferreira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Ipatimup - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Céu Figueiredo
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Ipatimup - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria C Pereira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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8
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Allkja J, Goeres DM, Azevedo AS, Azevedo NF. Interactions of microorganisms within a urinary catheter polymicrobial biofilm model. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:239-249. [PMID: 36123299 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28241] [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: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms are often polymicrobial in nature, which can impact their behavior and overall structure, often resulting in an increase in biomass and enhanced antimicrobial resistance. Using plate counts and locked nucleic acid/2'-O-methyl-RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (LNA/2'OMe-FISH), we studied the interactions of four species commonly associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI): Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Proteus mirabilis. Eleven combinations of biofilms were grown on silicone coupons placed in 24-well plates for 24 h, 37°C, in artificial urine medium (AUM). Results showed that P. mirabilis was the dominant species and was able to inhibit both E. coli and C. albicans growth. In the absence of P. mirabilis, an antagonistic relationship between E. coli and C. albicans was observed, with the former being dominant. E. faecalis growth was not affected in any combination, showing a more mutualistic relationship with the other species. Imaging results correlated with the plate count data and provided visual verification of species undetected using the viable plate count. Moreover, the three bacterial species showed overall good repeatability SD (Sr ) values (0.1-0.54) in all combinations tested, whereas C. albicans had higher repeatability Sr values (0.36-1.18). The study showed the complexity of early-stage interactions in polymicrobial biofilms. These interactions could serve as a starting point when considering targets for preventing or treating CAUTI biofilms containing these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jontana Allkja
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Darla M Goeres
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Andreia S Azevedo
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular (IPATIMUP), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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9
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Azevedo AS, Fernandes RM, Faria AR, Silvestre OF, Nieder JB, Lou C, Wengel J, Almeida C, Azevedo NF. Spectral imaging and nucleic acid mimics fluorescence in situ hybridization (SI-NAM-FISH) for multiplex detection of clinical pathogens. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:976639. [PMID: 36246234 PMCID: PMC9557775 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.976639] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of nucleic acid mimics (NAMs), such as locked nucleic acid (LNA) and 2′-O-methyl-RNA (2’OMe), has improved the performance of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods for the detection/location of clinical pathogens since they provide design versatility and thermodynamic control. However, an important limitation of FISH techniques is the low number of distinguishable targets. The use of filters in fluorescence image acquisition limits the number of fluorochromes that can be simultaneously differentiated. Recent advances in fluorescence spectral image acquisition have allowed the unambiguous identification of several microorganisms in a single sample. In this work, we aimed to combine NAM-FISH and spectral image analysis to develop and validate a new FISH variant, the spectral imaging-NAM-FISH (SI-NAM-FISH), that allows a multiplexed, robust and rapid detection of clinical pathogens. In the first stage, to implement/validate the method, we have selected seven fluorochromes with distinct spectral properties and seven bacterial species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter freundii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus). As a strong variation in fluorescence intensities is found between species and between fluorochromes, seven versions of a EUB LNA/2’OMe probe, each conjugated to one of seven fluorochromes, were used to rank species/fluorochromes by FISH and then optimize species/fluorochrome pairing. Then, final validation tests were performed using mixed populations to evaluate the potential of the technique for separating/quantifying the different targets. Overall, validation tests with different proportions of bacteria labeled with the respective fluorochrome have shown the ability of the method to correctly distinguish the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia S. Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Andreia S. Azevedo,
| | - Ricardo M. Fernandes
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- INIAV, IP-National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Vila Do Conde, Portugal
| | - Ana R. Faria
- INL International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Av Mestre José Veiga s/n, Braga, Portugal
| | - Oscar F. Silvestre
- INL International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Av Mestre José Veiga s/n, Braga, Portugal
| | - Jana B. Nieder
- INL International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Av Mestre José Veiga s/n, Braga, Portugal
| | - Chenguang Lou
- Biomolecular Nanoscale Engineering Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jesper Wengel
- Biomolecular Nanoscale Engineering Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense, Denmark
| | - Carina Almeida
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- INIAV, IP-National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Vila Do Conde, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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10
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Barbosa VB, Rodrigues CF, Cerqueira L, Miranda JM, Azevedo NF. Microfluidics combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for Candida spp. detection. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:987669. [PMID: 36213081 PMCID: PMC9539416 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.987669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most prevalent healthcare-associated infection is the urinary tract infection (UTI), caused by opportunistic pathogens such as Candida albicans or non-albicans Candida species (NACS). Urine culture methods are routinely used for UTI diagnostics due to their specificity, sensitivity and low-cost. However, these methods are also laborious, time- and reagent-consuming. Therefore, diagnostic methods relying on nucleic acids have been suggested as alternatives. Nucleic acid-based methods can provide results within 24 h and can be adapted to point-of-care (POC) detection. Here, we propose to combine fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a microfluidic platform for the detection of Candida spp. As a case study we used C. tropicalis, which is reported as the second most common NACS urine isolate obtained from patients suspected with UTI. The microfluidic platform proposed in this study relies on hydrodynamic trapping, and uses physical barriers (e.g., microposts) for the separation of target cells from the suspension. Using a specific peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe, the FISH procedure was applied onto previously trapped C. tropicalis cells present inside the microfluidic platform. Fluorescence signal intensity of hybridized cells was captured directly under the epifluorescence microscope. Overall, the PNA probe successfully detected C. tropicalis in pure culture and artificial urine (AU) using FISH combined with the microfluidic platform. Our findings reveal that FISH using nucleic acid mimics (PNA) in combination with microfluidics is a reliable method for the detection of microorganisms such as C. tropicalis. As such, this work provides the basis for the development of a POC detection platform in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violina Baranauskaite Barbosa
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Célia F. Rodrigues
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Laura Cerqueira, ; João M. Miranda,
| | - João M. Miranda
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- CEFT–Transport Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Laura Cerqueira, ; João M. Miranda,
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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11
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Moreira L, Guimarães NM, Pereira S, Santos RS, Loureiro JA, Pereira MC, Azevedo NF. Liposome Delivery of Nucleic Acids in Bacteria: Toward In Vivo Labeling of Human Microbiota. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1218-1230. [PMID: 35737929 PMCID: PMC9775462 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Development of specific probes to study the in vivo spatial distribution of microorganisms is essential to understand the ecology of human microbiota. Herein, we assess the possibility of using liposomes loaded with fluorescently labeled nucleic acid mimics (LipoNAMs) to image Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. We proved that liposome fusion efficiencies were similar in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria but that the efficiency was highly dependent on the lipid concentration. Notably, LipoNAMs were significantly more effective for the internalization of oligonucleotides in bacteria than the fixation/permeabilization methods commonly used in vitro. Furthermore, a structural and morphological assessment of the changes on bacteria allowed us to observe that liposomes increased the permeability of the cell envelope especially in Gram-negative bacteria. Considering the delivery efficiency and permeabilization effect, lipid concentrations of approximately 5 mM should be selected to maximize the detection of bacteria without compromising the bacterial cellular structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Moreira
- LEPABE
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and
Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University
of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,ALiCE
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno M. Guimarães
- LEPABE
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and
Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University
of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,ALiCE
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,. Fax: +351 22 508 14 40
| | - Sara Pereira
- LEPABE
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and
Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University
of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,ALiCE
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita S. Santos
- LEPABE
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and
Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University
of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,ALiCE
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana A. Loureiro
- LEPABE
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and
Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University
of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,ALiCE
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Pereira
- LEPABE
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and
Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University
of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,ALiCE
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and
Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University
of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal,ALiCE
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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12
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Oliveira R, Pinho E, Almeida G, Azevedo NF, Almeida C. Prevalence and Diversity of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcal Enterotoxins in Raw Milk From Northern Portugal. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:846653. [PMID: 35391724 PMCID: PMC8981150 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.846653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus and staphylococcal enterotoxins are a serious public health concern associated with hospital and community-acquired illnesses. Dairy animals frequently shed S. aureus into the milk supply which can lead to food poisoning in humans. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of S. aureus and staphylococcal enterotoxins in raw milk from the main dairy region of mainland Portugal. S. aureus was found in 53.0% (95% CI: 40.6-65.4%) of 100 raw cow's milk samples collected from bulk cooling tanks. The highest contamination level was 3.4 log10 CFU.mL-1, and in some samples more than one S. aureus strain was identified. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEA-SEE) were detected in one sample. Spa typing revealed 62 distinct S. aureus isolates, being t529 (17.7%, 95% CI: 8.2-27.3%) and t1403 (16.1%, 95% CI: 7.0-25.3%) the predominant types, commonly associated with livestock infection or carriage. The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that 35.5% of the S. aureus isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, with resistance to penicillin being the highest (32.3%, 95% CI: 20.6-43.9%) followed by tetracycline (24.2%, 95% CI: 13.5-34.9%), ciprofloxacin (16.1%, 95% CI: 7.0-25.3%) and chloramphenicol (16.1%, 95% CI: 7.0-25.3%). Moreover, five isolates (8.1%, 95% CI: 1.3-14.8%) were identified as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, cefoxitin resistant). Regarding virulence/resistance genes, 46,8% (95% CI: 34.4-59.2%) isolates harbored at least one enterotoxin-encoding gene, and the seg gene was the most frequently detected (41.9%, 95% CI: 29.7-54.2%) followed by the sei (40.3%, 95% CI: 28.1-52.5%), sec (6.5%, 95% CI: 0.3-12.6%), seh (4.8%, 95% CI: 0.0-10.2%), and sea (1.6%, 95% CI: 0.0-4.7%) genes. Five (8.1%, 95% CI: 1.3-14.8%) non-enterotoxigenic isolates carried the mecA gene (corresponding to isolates phenotypically classified as MRSA), and 4.8% (95% CI: 0.0-10.2%) enterotoxigenic strains also had the tsst-1 gene. Our study confirm that raw milk can be a zoonotic source of S. aureus, including enterotoxigenic and MRSA strains. Furthermore, the majority of enterotoxigenic isolates were found to contain genes encoding SEs (SEG, SEH and SEI) not routinely screened. This shows the need for a broader SE screening in food safety control, as well as the relevance of risk mitigation measures to control S. aureus transmission along the food chain in Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Oliveira
- I.P - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV), Vairão, Portugal.,Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Eva Pinho
- I.P - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV), Vairão, Portugal.,Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Almeida
- I.P - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV), Vairão, Portugal.,Center for Study in Animal Science (CECA), ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- I.P - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV), Vairão, Portugal.,Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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13
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Vindeirinho JM, Pinho E, Azevedo NF, Almeida C. SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostics Based on Nucleic Acids Amplification: From Fundamental Concepts to Applications and Beyond. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:799678. [PMID: 35402302 PMCID: PMC8984495 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.799678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [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: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic ignited the development of countless molecular methods for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 based either on nucleic acid, or protein analysis, with the first establishing as the most used for routine diagnosis. The methods trusted for day to day analysis of nucleic acids rely on amplification, in order to enable specific SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection. This review aims to compile the state-of-the-art in the field of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) used for SARS-CoV-2 detection, either at the clinic level, or at the Point-Of-Care (POC), thus focusing on isothermal and non-isothermal amplification-based diagnostics, while looking carefully at the concerning virology aspects, steps and instruments a test can involve. Following a theme contextualization in introduction, topics about fundamental knowledge on underlying virology aspects, collection and processing of clinical samples pave the way for a detailed assessment of the amplification and detection technologies. In order to address such themes, nucleic acid amplification methods, the different types of molecular reactions used for DNA detection, as well as the instruments requested for executing such routes of analysis are discussed in the subsequent sections. The benchmark of paradigmatic commercial tests further contributes toward discussion, building on technical aspects addressed in the previous sections and other additional information supplied in that part. The last lines are reserved for looking ahead to the future of NAATs and its importance in tackling this pandemic and other identical upcoming challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- João M. Vindeirinho
- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV, I.P), Vairão, Portugal
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Eva Pinho
- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV, I.P), Vairão, Portugal
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV, I.P), Vairão, Portugal
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALiCE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Carina Almeida,
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14
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Sousa C, Ferreira R, Azevedo NF, Oleastro M, Azeredo J, Figueiredo C, Melo LDR. Helicobacter pylori infection: from standard to alternative treatment strategies. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 48:376-396. [PMID: 34569892 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2021.1975643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is the major component of the gastric microbiome of infected individuals and one of the aetiological factors of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The increasing resistance to antibiotics worldwide has made the treatment of H. pylori infection a challenge. As a way to overhaul the efficacy of currently used H. pylori antibiotic-based eradication therapies, alternative treatment strategies are being devised. These include probiotics and prebiotics as adjuvants in H. pylori treatment, antimicrobial peptides as alternatives to antibiotics, photodynamic therapy ingestible devices, microparticles and nanoparticles applied as drug delivery systems, vaccines, natural products, and phage therapy. This review provides an updated synopsis of these emerging H. pylori control strategies and discusses the advantages, hurdles, and challenges associated with their development and implementation. An effective human vaccine would be a major achievement although, until now, projects regarding vaccine development have failed or were discontinued. Numerous natural products have demonstrated anti-H. pylori activity, mostly in vitro, but further clinical studies are needed to fully disclose their role in H. pylori eradication. Finally, phage therapy has the potential to emerge as a valid alternative, but major challenges remain, namely the isolation of more H. pylori strictly virulent bacterio(phages).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Sousa
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Rute Ferreira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- Faculty of Engineering, LEPABE - Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica Oleastro
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Azeredo
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ceu Figueiredo
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Ipatimup - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís D R Melo
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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15
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Azevedo NF, Allkja J, Goeres DM. Biofilms vs. cities and humans vs. aliens - a tale of reproducibility in biofilms. Trends Microbiol 2021; 29:1062-1071. [PMID: 34088548 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms are complex and dynamic structures that include many more components than just viable cells. Therefore, the apparently simple goal of growing reproducible biofilms is often elusive. One of the challenges in defining reproducibility for biofilm research is that different research fields use a spectrum of parameters to define reproducibility for their particular application. For instance, is the researcher interested in achieving a similar population density, height of biofilm structures, or function of the biofilm in a certain ecosystem/industrial context? Within this article we categorize reproducibility into four different levels: level 1, no reproducibility; level 2, standard reproducibility; level 3, potential standard reproducibility; and level 4, total reproducibility. To better understand the need for these different levels of reproducibility, we expand on the 'cities of microbes' analogy for biofilms by imagining that a new civilization has reached the Earth's outskirts and starts studying the Earth's cities. This will provide a better sense of scale and illustrate how small details can impact profoundly on the growth and behavior of a biofilm and our understanding of reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Jontana Allkja
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Darla M Goeres
- Montana State University, Center for Biofilm Engineering, 366 Barnard Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
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16
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Magalhães BT, Santos RS, Azevedo NF, Lourenço A. Computational Resources and Strategies to Construct Single-Molecule Models of FISH. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2246:317-330. [PMID: 33576999 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1115-9_21] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Currently, the interactions occurring between oligonucleotides and the cellular envelope of bacteria are not fully resolved at the molecular level. Understanding these interactions is essential to gain insights on how to improve the internalization of the tagged oligonucleotides during fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a promising in silico tool to dynamically simulate FISH and bring forward new knowledge on this process. Notably, it is important to simulate the whole bacterial cell, including the different layers of the cell envelope, given that the oligonucleotide must cross the envelope to reach its target in the cytosol. In addition, it is also important to characterize other molecules in the cell to best emulate the cell and represent molecular crowding. Here, we review the main information that should be compiled to construct an ABM on FISH and provide a practical example of an oligonucleotide targeting the 23S rRNA of Escherichia coli .
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz T Magalhães
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Rita S Santos
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Anália Lourenço
- Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática (ESEI), University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CINBIO), University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
- Sistemas Informáticos de Nueva Generación (SING) Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain
- Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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17
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Oliveira R, Almeida C, Azevedo NF. Detection of Microorganisms by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Using Peptide Nucleic Acid. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2105:217-230. [PMID: 32088873 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0243-0_13] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a 30-year-old technology that has evolved continuously and is now one of the most well-established molecular biology techniques. Traditionally, DNA probes are used for in situ hybridization. However, synthetic molecules are emerging as very promising alternatives, providing better hybridization performance and making FISH procedures easier and more efficient. In this chapter, we describe a universal FISH protocol, using nucleic acid probes, for the detection of bacteria. This protocol should be easily applied to different microorganisms as a way of identifying in situ relevant microorganisms (including pathogens) and their distribution patterns in different types of samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Oliveira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,INIAV - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research, Vairao, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,INIAV - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research, Vairao, Portugal.,CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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18
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Rodrigues CF, Azevedo NF, Miranda JM. Integration of FISH and Microfluidics. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2246:249-261. [PMID: 33576994 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1115-9_16] [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] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Suitable molecular methods for a faster microbial identification in food and clinical samples have been explored and optimized during the last decades. However, most molecular methods still rely on time-consuming enrichment steps prior to detection, so that the microbial load can be increased and reach the detection limit of the techniques.In this chapter, we describe an integrated methodology that combines a microfluidic (lab-on-a-chip) platform, designed to concentrate cell suspensions and speed up the identification process in Saccharomyces cerevisiae , and a peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) protocol optimized and adapted to microfluidics. Microfluidic devices with different geometries were designed, based on computational fluid dynamics simulations, and subsequently fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane by soft lithography. The microfluidic designs and PNA-FISH procedure described here are easily adaptable for the detection of other microorganisms of similar size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia F Rodrigues
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João M Miranda
- CEFT - Transport Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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19
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Abstract
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a molecular biology technique that enables the localization, quantification, and identification of microorganisms in a sample. This technique has found applications in several areas, most notably the environmental, for quantification and diversity assessment of microorganisms and, the clinical, for the rapid diagnostics of infectious agents. The FISH method is based on the hybridization of a fluorescently labeled nucleic acid probe with a complementary sequence that is present inside the microbial cell, typically in the form of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). In fact, an hybridized cell is typically only detectable because a large number of multiple fluorescent particles (as many as the number of target sequences available) are present inside the cell. Here, we will review the major steps involved in a standard FISH protocol, namely, fixation/permeabilization, hybridization, washing, and visualization/detection. For each step, the major variables/parameters are identified and, subsequently, their impact on the overall hybridization performance is assessed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Almeida
- INIAV - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research, Rua dos Lagidos, Lugar da Madalena, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal.
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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20
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Abstract
FISH has gained an irreplaceable place in microbiology because of its ability to detect and locate a microorganism, or a group of organisms, within complex samples. However, FISH role has evolved drastically in the last few decades and its value has been boosted by several advances in signal intensity, imaging acquisitions, automation, method robustness, and, thus, versatility. This has resulted in a range of FISH variants that gave researchers the ability to access a variety of other valuable information such as complex population composition, metabolic activity, gene detection/quantification, or subcellular location of genetic elements. In this chapter, we will review the more relevant FISH variants, their intended use, and how they address particular challenges of classical FISH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno M Guimarães
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- INIAV - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research, Rua dos Lagidos, Lugar da Madalena, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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21
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Azevedo AS, Gerola GP, Baptista J, Almeida C, Peres J, Mergulhão FJ, Azevedo NF. Increased Intraspecies Diversity in Escherichia coli Biofilms Promotes Cellular Growth at the Expense of Matrix Production. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9110818. [PMID: 33212939 PMCID: PMC7698454 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9110818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecies diversity in biofilm communities is associated with enhanced survival and growth of the individual biofilm populations. Studies on the subject are scarce, namely, when more than three strains are present. Hence, in this study, the influence of intraspecies diversity in biofilm populations composed of up to six different Escherichia coli strains isolated from urine was evaluated in conditions mimicking the ones observed in urinary tract infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. In general, with the increasing number of strains in a biofilm, an increase in cell cultivability and a decrease in matrix production were observed. For instance, single-strain biofilms produced an average of 73.1 µg·cm−2 of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), while six strains biofilms produced 19.9 µg·cm−2. Hence, it appears that increased genotypic diversity in a biofilm leads E. coli to direct energy towards the production of its offspring, in detriment of the production of public goods (i.e., matrix components). Apart from ecological implications, these results can be explored as another strategy to reduce the biofilm burden, as a decrease in EPS matrix production may render these intraspecies biofilms more sensitive to antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia S. Azevedo
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (G.P.G.); (J.B.); (C.A.); (J.P.); (F.J.M.); (N.F.A.)
- Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho Braga, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-2250-8158; Fax: +351-225-081-449
| | - Gislaine P. Gerola
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (G.P.G.); (J.B.); (C.A.); (J.P.); (F.J.M.); (N.F.A.)
| | - João Baptista
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (G.P.G.); (J.B.); (C.A.); (J.P.); (F.J.M.); (N.F.A.)
| | - Carina Almeida
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (G.P.G.); (J.B.); (C.A.); (J.P.); (F.J.M.); (N.F.A.)
- Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho Braga, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- INIAV, IP-National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Vairão, 4485-655 Vila Do Conde, Portugal
| | - Joana Peres
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (G.P.G.); (J.B.); (C.A.); (J.P.); (F.J.M.); (N.F.A.)
| | - Filipe J. Mergulhão
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (G.P.G.); (J.B.); (C.A.); (J.P.); (F.J.M.); (N.F.A.)
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (G.P.G.); (J.B.); (C.A.); (J.P.); (F.J.M.); (N.F.A.)
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22
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Silva LM, Correia VG, Moreira ASP, Domingues MRM, Ferreira RM, Figueiredo C, Azevedo NF, Marcos-Pinto R, Carneiro F, Magalhães A, Reis CA, Feizi T, Ferreira JA, Coimbra MA, Palma AS. Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide structural domains and their recognition by immune proteins revealed with carbohydrate microarrays. Carbohydr Polym 2020; 253:117350. [PMID: 33278960 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117350] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The structural diversity of the lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from Helicobacter pylori poses a challenge to establish accurate and strain-specific structure-function relationships in interactions with the host. Here, LPS structural domains from five clinical isolates were obtained and compared with the reference strain 26695. This was achieved combining information from structural analysis (GC-MS and ESI-MSn) with binding data after interrogation of a LPS-derived carbohydrate microarray with sequence-specific proteins. All LPSs expressed Lewisx/y and N-acetyllactosamine determinants. Ribans were also detected in LPSs from all clinical isolates, allowing their distinction from the 26695 LPS. There was evidence for 1,3-d-galactans and blood group H-type 2 sequences in two of the clinical isolates, the latter not yet described for H. pylori LPS. Furthermore, carbohydrate microarray analyses showed a strain-associated LPS recognition by the immune lectins DC-SIGN and galectin-3 and revealed distinctive LPS binding patterns by IgG antibodies in the serum from H. pylori-infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisete M Silva
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Glycosciences Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Viviana G Correia
- UCIBIO, Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana S P Moreira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Maria Rosário M Domingues
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Rui M Ferreira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Céu Figueiredo
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Marcos-Pinto
- ICBAS - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Department of Gastroenterology, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal; Medical Faculty, Centre for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Fátima Carneiro
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Department of Pathology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João (CHUSJ), 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Magalhães
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Celso A Reis
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; ICBAS - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ten Feizi
- Glycosciences Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - José A Ferreira
- ICBAS - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, Research Center (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Institute of Oncology, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Manuel A Coimbra
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Angelina S Palma
- Glycosciences Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, W12 0NN, UK; UCIBIO, Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Lisbon, Portugal
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23
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Lima JF, Maia P, T Magalhães B, Cerqueira L, Azevedo NF. A comprehensive model for the diffusion and hybridization processes of nucleic acid probes in fluorescence in situ hybridization. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3212-3223. [PMID: 32946120 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been extensively used in the past decades for the detection and localization of microorganisms. However, a mechanistic approach of the whole FISH process is still missing, and the main limiting steps for the hybridization to occur remain unclear. In here, FISH is approached as a particular case of a diffusion-reaction kinetics, where molecular probes (MPs) move from the hybridization solution to the target RNA site within the cells. Based on literature models, the characteristic times taken by different MPs to diffuse across multiple cellular barriers, as well as the reaction time associated with the formation of the duplex molecular probe-RNA, were estimated. Structural and size differences at the membrane level of bacterial and animal cells were considered. For bacterial cells, the limiting step for diffusion is likely to be the peptidoglycan layer (characteristic time of 7.94 × 102 - 4.39 × 103 s), whereas for animal cells, the limiting step should be the diffusion of the probe through the bulk (1.8-5.0 s) followed by the diffusion through the lipid membrane (1 s). The information provided here may serve as a basis for a more rational development of FISH protocols in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana F Lima
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Biomode, S.A., Braga, Portugal.,i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Maia
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Beatriz T Magalhães
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Biomode, S.A., Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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24
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Dunne CP, Askew PD, Papadopoulos T, Gouveia IC, Ahonen M, Modic M, Azevedo NF, Schulte S, Cosemans P, Kahru A, Murzyn K, Keevil CW, Riool M, Keinänen-Toivola MM. Antimicrobial coating innovations to prevent infectious disease: a consensus view from the AMiCl COST Action. J Hosp Infect 2020; 105:116-118. [PMID: 32278702 PMCID: PMC7194850 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- C P Dunne
- School of Medicine and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation & Immunity (4i), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
| | - P D Askew
- Industrial Microbiological Services Ltd (IMSL), Hampshire, UK
| | - T Papadopoulos
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - I C Gouveia
- FibEnTech Research Unit, Faculty of Engineering, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - M Ahonen
- Faculty of Technology, Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Rauma, Finland
| | - M Modic
- Laboratory for Gaseous Electronics, Institute 'Jožef Stefan', Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - N F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - S Schulte
- Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH, Goldschmidtstrasse 100, 45127 Essen, Germany
| | | | - A Kahru
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - K Murzyn
- LifeScience Krakow Klaster, Ul, Bobrzynskiego, 14 30-348 Krakow, Poland
| | - C W Keevil
- Environmental Healthcare Unit, Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - M Riool
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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25
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T Magalhães B, Lourenço A, Azevedo NF. Computational resources and strategies to assess single-molecule dynamics of the translation process in S. cerevisiae. Brief Bioinform 2019; 22:219-231. [PMID: 31879749 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbz149] [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] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This work provides a systematic and comprehensive overview of available resources for the molecular-scale modelling of the translation process through agent-based modelling. The case study is the translation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, one of the most studied yeasts. The data curation workflow encompassed structural information about the yeast (i.e. the simulation environment), and the proteins, ribonucleic acids and other types of molecules involved in the process (i.e. the agents). Moreover, it covers the main process events, such as diffusion (i.e. motion of molecules in the environment) and collision efficiency (i.e. interaction between molecules). Data previously determined by wet-lab techniques were preferred, resorting to computational predictions/extrapolations only when strictly necessary. The computational modelling of the translation processes is of added industrial interest, since it may bring forward knowledge on how to control such phenomena and enhance the production of proteins of interest in a faster and more efficient manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anália Lourenço
- Department of Computer Science, University of Vigo, Spain, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Portugal
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26
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Sousa JM, Rocha R, Cerqueira L, Almeida C, Azevedo NF, Bastin B, Bird P, Benzinger MJ, Agin J, Goins D, Chen Y, Brodsky M, Odumoru J. Validation of Biomode S.A. Probe4Cronobacter TM for the Identification of Cronobacter spp. J AOAC Int 2019; 102:855-864. [PMID: 30458901 DOI: 10.5740/jaoacint.18-0328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: Probe4Cronobacter test kit is based on the use of a fluorescence-labeled peptide nucleic acid probe (PNA) allied to fluorescence microscopy. A sample is taken after a 24 h enrichment of rehydrated 30 g portions of powdered infant formula (PIF). The method uses ready to use dropper solutions applied directly in the sample. This simple process takes less than 2 h to provide a result. In the presence of Cronobacter species, bright red rod-shaped cells will be visible under a fluorescence microscope. Objective: Probe4Cronobacter validation as a new method for the detection Cronobacter species in Powdered Infant Formula (PIF) under the AOAC Performance Tested MethodsSM (License No. 081702). Methods: The validation study encompassed matrix comparison study, inclusivity and exclusivity testing and robustness studies (stability, kit variation, and ruggedness). Results: The inclusivity and exclusivity testing (50 and 35 strains, respectively) yielded no false negative or false positive results. Probe4Cronobacter was compared to the ISO/TS 22964:2006 in 30 g of PIF samples within method comparison in an unpaired study. A total of 30 samples with both low and high level of inoculation were analyzed by Probe4Cronobacter and compared to the same number of samples screened by ISO/TS 22964:2006. No statistically significant differences between presumptive and confirmed results or between candidate and reference method results were observed. Robustness studies showed a high level of consistency and integrity of the kit when different parameters were varied. The deviation conditions tested did not affect the performance of the kit. Conclusions: Probe4Cronobacter test kit has shown to be a accurate, highly sensitive and robust methods for the detection of Cronobacter spp. in PIF samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Mário Sousa
- Biomode 2, S.A., Edifício GNRation, Praça Conde Agrologo nº123, Braga 4700-312, Portugal
| | - Rui Rocha
- Biomode 2, S.A., Edifício GNRation, Praça Conde Agrologo nº123, Braga 4700-312, Portugal
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- Biomode 2, S.A., Edifício GNRation, Praça Conde Agrologo nº123, Braga 4700-312, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- Biomode 2, S.A., Edifício GNRation, Praça Conde Agrologo nº123, Braga 4700-312, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- Biomode 2, S.A., Edifício GNRation, Praça Conde Agrologo nº123, Braga 4700-312, Portugal
| | - Benjamin Bastin
- Q Laboratories, Inc., 1400 Harrison Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45214
| | - Patrick Bird
- Q Laboratories, Inc., 1400 Harrison Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45214
| | | | - James Agin
- Q Laboratories, Inc., 1400 Harrison Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45214
| | - David Goins
- Q Laboratories, Inc., 1400 Harrison Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45214
| | - Yi Chen
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy, College Park, MD 20740
| | - Michael Brodsky
- Brodsky Consultants, 73 Donnamora Crescent, Thornhill, ON L3T 4K6, Canada
| | - Joseph Odumoru
- University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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27
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Abstract
Combining membrane impermeable DNA-binding stain propidium iodide (PI) with membrane-permeable DNA-binding counterstains is a widely used approach for bacterial viability staining. In this paper we show that PI staining of adherent cells in biofilms may significantly underestimate bacterial viability due to the presence of extracellular nucleic acids (eNA). We demonstrate that gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis and gram-negative Escherichia coli 24-hour initial biofilms on glass consist of 76 and 96% PI-positive red cells in situ, respectively, even though 68% the cells of either species in these aggregates are metabolically active. Furthermore, 82% of E. coli and 89% S. epidermidis are cultivable after harvesting. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that this false dead layer of red cells is due to a subpopulation of double-stained cells that have green interiors under red coating layer which hints at eNA being stained outside intact membranes. Therefore, viability staining results of adherent cells should always be validated by an alternative method for estimating viability, preferably by cultivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merilin Rosenberg
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia. .,Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy; Department of Chemical Engineering; Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Angela Ivask
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia
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28
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Maia P, Pérez-Rodríguez G, Pérez-Pérez M, Fdez-Riverola F, Lourenço A, Azevedo NF. Application of agent-based modelling to assess single-molecule transport across the cell envelope of E. coli. Comput Biol Med 2019; 107:218-226. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2019.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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29
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Silva ER, Ferreira O, Ramalho PA, Azevedo NF, Bayón R, Igartua A, Bordado JC, Calhorda MJ. Eco-friendly non-biocide-release coatings for marine biofouling prevention. Sci Total Environ 2019; 650:2499-2511. [PMID: 30293004 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [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: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Environmental concerns have been changing the way of looking for solutions to problems. The hydrosphere, together with its biosphere, has been feeling the impact of many pollutants, used for instance in the marine industry for economic reasons or lack of knowledge of their effects. In particular biocides, applied as coatings in paints, are released into the waters becoming toxic and persistent extending their action to an area far beyond the initial coated surface they should protect. In order to minimize these side effects, two biocides, Irgarol (I) and Econea (E), were covalently attached to polyurethane (PU) and foul-release silicone based (PDMS) marine paints through an isocyanate linker. Their antifouling bioactivity was better in PDMS coatings, both for single (Econea) and combined biocides (E/I ratio = 1.5) with contents lower than 0.6 wt%. The treated samples remained almost clean after more than one year immersion in the Portuguese shore of the Atlantic Ocean, and after about 24 weeks under the tropical conditions of Singapore (Fouling rate < 1%). Complementary biofilm adhesion susceptibility tests against Pseudoalteromonas tunicata D2 showed adhesion reduction higher than 90% for PU formulations containing single biocides and close to 100% for PDMS with combined biocides. The eco-toxicity assessment evidenced a low environmental impact, in accordance with the European standards. In addition, shipping field trial tests showed the best antifouling performance for the Econea-based PDMS formulations (E = 0.6 wt%), which remained clean for about nine months in open seawaters, proving the efficacy of this non-release strategy, when applied under dynamic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R Silva
- Centro de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1740-016 Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI, Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Superior Técnico, CERENA, UL, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - O Ferreira
- Centro de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1740-016 Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI, Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Superior Técnico, CERENA, UL, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - P A Ramalho
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, DEQ, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - N F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, DEQ, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - R Bayón
- Fundación TEKNIKER, IK4-TEKNIKER, C/Ignacio Goenaga, 5, 20600 Eibar, Guipuzcoa, Spain
| | - A Igartua
- Fundación TEKNIKER, IK4-TEKNIKER, C/Ignacio Goenaga, 5, 20600 Eibar, Guipuzcoa, Spain
| | - J C Bordado
- Instituto Superior Técnico, CERENA, UL, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M J Calhorda
- Centro de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1740-016 Lisboa, Portugal; BioISI, Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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Rocha R, Sousa JM, Cerqueira L, Vieira MJ, Almeida C, Azevedo NF. Development and application of Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescence in situ Hybridization for the specific detection of Listeria monocytogenes. Food Microbiol 2018; 80:1-8. [PMID: 30704592 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most important foodborne pathogens due to the high hospitalization and mortality rates associated to an outbreak. Several new molecular methods that accelerate the identification of L. monocytogenes have been developed, however conventional culture-based methods still remain the gold standard. In this work we developed a novel Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (PNA-FISH) method for the specific detection of L. monocytogenes. The method was based on an already existing PNA probe, LmPNA1253, coupled with a novel blocker probe in a 1:2 ratio. The method was optimized for the detection of L. monocytogenes in food samples through an evaluation of several rich and selective enrichment broths. The best outcome was achieved using One Broth Listeria in a two-step enrichment of 24 h plus 18 h. For validation in food samples, ground beef, ground pork, milk, lettuce and cooked shrimp were artificially contaminated with two ranges of inoculum: a low level (0.2-2 CFU/25 g or mL) and a high level (2-10 CFU/25 g or mL). The PNA-FISH method performed well in all types of food matrices, presenting an overall accuracy of ≈99% and a detection limit of 0.5 CFU/25 g or mL of food sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Rocha
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; BIOMODE, Biomolecular Determination S.A., Edifício GNRATION, Praça Conde Agrolongo no 123, 4700-312, Braga, Portugal.
| | - José M Sousa
- BIOMODE, Biomolecular Determination S.A., Edifício GNRATION, Praça Conde Agrolongo no 123, 4700-312, Braga, Portugal
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; BIOMODE, Biomolecular Determination S.A., Edifício GNRATION, Praça Conde Agrolongo no 123, 4700-312, Braga, Portugal
| | - Maria J Vieira
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; BIOMODE, Biomolecular Determination S.A., Edifício GNRATION, Praça Conde Agrolongo no 123, 4700-312, Braga, Portugal; INIAV, IP- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Rua dos Lagidos, Lugar da Madalena, 4485-655, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
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Rocha R, Almeida C, Azevedo NF. Correction: Influence of the fixation/permeabilization step on peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) for the detection of bacteria. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208867. [PMID: 30517190 PMCID: PMC6281299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196522.].
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Santos RS, Figueiredo C, Azevedo NF, Braeckmans K, De Smedt SC. Nanomaterials and molecular transporters to overcome the bacterial envelope barrier: Towards advanced delivery of antibiotics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 136-137:28-48. [PMID: 29248479 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 12/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
With the dramatic consequences of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, nanomaterials and molecular transporters have started to be investigated as alternative antibacterials or anti-infective carrier systems to improve the internalization of bactericidal drugs. However, the capability of nanomaterials/molecular transporters to overcome the bacterial cell envelope is poorly understood. It is critical to consider the sophisticated architecture of bacterial envelopes and reflect how nanomaterials/molecular transporters can interact with these envelopes, being the major aim of this review. The first part of this manuscript overviews the permeability of bacterial envelopes and how it limits the internalization of common antibiotic and novel oligonucleotide drugs. Subsequently we critically discuss the mechanisms that allow nanomaterials/molecular transporters to overcome the bacterial envelopes, focusing on the most promising ones to this end - siderophores, cyclodextrins, metal nanoparticles, antimicrobial/cell-penetrating peptides and fusogenic liposomes. This review may stimulate drug delivery and microbiology scientists in designing effective nanomaterials/molecular transporters against bacterial infections.
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Müller V, Sousa JM, Ceylan Koydemir H, Veli M, Tseng D, Cerqueira L, Ozcan A, Azevedo NF, Westerlund F. Identification of pathogenic bacteria in complex samples using a smartphone based fluorescence microscope. RSC Adv 2018; 8:36493-36502. [PMID: 35558922 PMCID: PMC9088845 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra06473c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [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: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Diagnostics based on fluorescence imaging of biomolecules is typically performed in well-equipped laboratories and is in general not suitable for remote and resource limited settings. Here we demonstrate the development of a compact, lightweight and cost-effective smartphone-based fluorescence microscope, capable of detecting signals from fluorescently labeled bacteria. By optimizing a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) based fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay, we demonstrate the use of the smartphone-based microscope for rapid identification of pathogenic bacteria. We evaluated the use of both a general nucleic acid stain as well as species-specific PNA probes and demonstrated that the mobile platform can detect bacteria with a sensitivity comparable to that of a conventional fluorescence microscope. The PNA-based FISH assay, in combination with the smartphone-based fluorescence microscope, allowed us to qualitatively analyze pathogenic bacteria in contaminated powdered infant formula (PIF) at initial concentrations prior to cultivation as low as 10 CFU per 30 g of PIF. Importantly, the detection can be done directly on the smartphone screen, without the need for additional image analysis. The assay should be straightforward to adapt for bacterial identification also in clinical samples. The cost-effectiveness, field-portability and simplicity of this platform will create various opportunities for its use in resource limited settings and point-of-care offices, opening up a myriad of additional applications based on other fluorescence-based diagnostic assays. A smartphone-based fluorescence microscope for detection of bacteria in complex samples using a species-specific peptide nucleic acid probe.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Vilhelm Müller
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering
- Chalmers University of Technology
- Gothenburg
- Sweden
| | | | - Hatice Ceylan Koydemir
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
- University of California
- Los Angeles
- USA
- Bioengineering Department
| | - Muhammed Veli
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
- University of California
- Los Angeles
- USA
- Bioengineering Department
| | - Derek Tseng
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
- University of California
- Los Angeles
- USA
- Bioengineering Department
| | | | - Aydogan Ozcan
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
- University of California
- Los Angeles
- USA
- Bioengineering Department
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto
- 4200-465 Porto
- Portugal
| | - Fredrik Westerlund
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering
- Chalmers University of Technology
- Gothenburg
- Sweden
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Fernandes RM, Silva H, Oliveira R, Almeida C, Azevedo NF, Vieira MJ. Morphological transition of Helicobacter pylori adapted to water. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:1167-1179. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: This study aims to investigate the morphological transition of Helicobacter pylori during adaptation to water. Materials & methods: Different strains were adapted to water. Changes regarding cultivability and cellular morphology were recorded. Expression of 11 genes involved in H. pylori morphological changes was evaluated by real-time PCR. Results: H. pylori presented increased cultivability in water after adaptation. The permanent loss of the spiral shape was observed, but no transition into coccoid form has occurred. Expression levels of genes involved in peptidoglycan assembly of H. pylori 26695 have shown significant changes between adapted and nonadapted strains. Conclusion: Adaption to water favors the culturable phenotype and the morphological transition to the rod shape, into a process that implicates the peptidoglycan turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo M Fernandes
- Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Hélder Silva
- Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Oliveira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- INIAV, IP – National Institute for Agrarian & Veterinary Research, Rua dos Lagidos, Lugar da Madalena, 4485-655 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria J Vieira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
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Ferreira AM, Cruz-Moreira D, Cerqueira L, Miranda JM, Azevedo NF. Yeasts identification in microfluidic devices using peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH). Biomed Microdevices 2017; 19:11. [PMID: 28144839 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-017-0150-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) is a highly specific molecular method widely used for microbial identification. Nonetheless, and due to the detection limit of this technique, a time-consuming pre-enrichment step is typically required before identification. In here we have developed a lab-on-a-chip device to concentrate cell suspensions and speed up the identification process in yeasts. The PNA-FISH protocol was optimized to target Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a common yeast that is very relevant for several types of food industries. Then, several coin-sized microfluidic devices with different geometries were developed. Using Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), we modeled the hydrodynamics inside the microchannels and selected the most promising options. SU-8 structures were fabricated based on the selected designs and used to produce polydimethylsiloxane-based microchips by soft lithography. As a result, an integrated approach combining microfluidics and PNA-FISH for the rapid identification of S. cerevisiae was achieved. To improve fluid flow inside microchannels and the PNA-FISH labeling, oxygen plasma treatment was applied to the microfluidic devices and a new methodology to introduce the cell suspension and solutions into the microchannels was devised. A strong PNA-FISH signal was observed in cells trapped inside the microchannels, proving that the proposed methodology works as intended. The microfluidic designs and PNA-FISH procedure described in here should be easily adaptable for detection of other microorganisms of similar size.
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Affiliation(s)
- André M Ferreira
- LEPABE- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s, /n 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.,CEFT-Transport Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s, /n 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Daniela Cruz-Moreira
- LEPABE- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s, /n 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.,CEFT-Transport Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s, /n 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Laura Cerqueira
- LEPABE- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s, /n 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.,Biomode 2, S.A.-Edifício GNRation, Praça Conde de Agrolongo, n°, 123 4700-312, Braga, Portugal
| | - João M Miranda
- CEFT-Transport Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s, /n 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s, /n 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
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Costa AM, Mergulhão FJ, Briandet R, Azevedo NF. It is all about location: how to pinpoint microorganisms and their functions in multispecies biofilms. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:987-999. [PMID: 28745517 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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
Multispecies biofilms represent the dominant mode of life for the vast majority of microorganisms. Bacterial spatial localization in such biostructures governs ecological interactions between different populations and triggers the overall community functions. Here, we discuss the pros and cons of fluorescence-based techniques used to decipher bacterial species patterns in biofilms at single cell level, including fluorescence in situ hybridization and the use of genetically modified bacteria that express fluorescent proteins, reporting the significant improvements of those techniques. The development of tools for spatial and temporal study of multispecies biofilms will allow live imaging and spatial localization of cells in naturally occurring biofilms coupled with metabolic information, increasing insight of microbial community and the relation between its structure and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Costa
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal.,INEB - Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipe J Mergulhão
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Romain Briandet
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Santos RS, Lima CC, Carvalho D, Meireles F, Guimarães N, Azevedo NF. Response surface methodology to optimize peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Lebensm Wiss Technol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2017.01.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Santos RS, Dakwar GR, Zagato E, Brans T, Figueiredo C, Raemdonck K, Azevedo NF, De Smedt SC, Braeckmans K. Intracellular delivery of oligonucleotides in Helicobacter pylori by fusogenic liposomes in the presence of gastric mucus. Biomaterials 2017; 138:1-12. [PMID: 28550752 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The rising antimicrobial resistance contributes to 25000 annual deaths in Europe. This threat to the public health can only be tackled if novel antimicrobials are developed, combined with a more precise use of the currently available antibiotics through the implementation of fast, specific, diagnostic methods. Nucleic acid mimics (NAMs) that are able to hybridize intracellular bacterial RNA have the potential to become such a new class of antimicrobials and additionally could serve as specific detection probes. However, an essential requirement is that these NAMs should be delivered into the bacterial cytoplasm, which is a particular challenge given the fact that they are charged macromolecules. We consider these delivery challenges in relation to the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori, the most frequent chronic infection worldwide. In particular, we evaluate if cationic fusogenic liposomes are suitable carriers to deliver NAMs across the gastric mucus barrier and the bacterial envelope. Our study shows that DOTAP-DOPE liposomes post-PEGylated with DSPE-PEG (DSPE Lpx) can indeed successfully deliver NAMs into Helicobacter pylori, while offering protection to the NAMs from binding and inactivation in gastric mucus isolated from pigs. DSPE Lpx thus offer exciting new possibilities for in vivo diagnosis and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Anti-Infective Agents/administration & dosage
- Anti-Infective Agents/chemical synthesis
- Anti-Infective Agents/metabolism
- Cytoplasm/metabolism
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Drug Resistance, Microbial
- Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated/chemistry
- Fluorescent Dyes/chemistry
- Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis
- Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy
- Helicobacter Infections/microbiology
- Helicobacter pylori/genetics
- Helicobacter pylori/metabolism
- In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
- Liposomes
- Molecular Mimicry
- Mucus/chemistry
- Mucus/microbiology
- Oligonucleotides/administration & dosage
- Oligonucleotides/chemical synthesis
- Oligonucleotides/genetics
- Oligonucleotides/metabolism
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/administration & dosage
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/chemical synthesis
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/genetics
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/metabolism
- Phosphatidylethanolamines/chemistry
- Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry
- Quaternary Ammonium Compounds/chemistry
- RNA, Bacterial/antagonists & inhibitors
- RNA, Bacterial/genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal/antagonists & inhibitors
- RNA, Ribosomal/genetics
- Stomach/microbiology
- Swine
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita S Santos
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - George R Dakwar
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Elisa Zagato
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Center for Nano- and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Toon Brans
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Center for Nano- and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Céu Figueiredo
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Department of Pathology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Kevin Braeckmans
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Center for Nano- and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Azevedo AS, Almeida C, Gomes LC, Ferreira C, Mergulhão FJ, Melo LF, Azevedo NF. An in vitro model of catheter-associated urinary tract infections to investigate the role of uncommon bacteria on the Escherichia coli microbial consortium. Biochem Eng J 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2016.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Rodrigues ME, Lopes SP, Pereira CR, Azevedo NF, Lourenço A, Henriques M, Pereira MO. Polymicrobial Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: Fighting In Vitro Candida albicans-Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms with Antifungal-Antibacterial Combination Therapy. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170433. [PMID: 28114348 PMCID: PMC5256963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [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: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The polymicrobial nature of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is now evident, with mixed bacterial-fungal biofilms colonizing the VAP endotracheal tube (ETT) surface. The microbial interplay within this infection may contribute for enhanced pathogenesis and exert impact towards antimicrobial therapy. Consequently, the high mortality/morbidity rates associated to VAP and the worldwide increase in antibiotic resistance has promoted the search for novel therapeutic strategies to fight VAP polymicrobial infections. Under this scope, this work aimed to assess the activity of mono- vs combinational antimicrobial therapy using one antibiotic (Polymyxin B; PolyB) and one antifungal (Amphotericin B; AmB) agent against polymicrobial biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The action of isolated antimicrobials was firstly evaluated in single- and polymicrobial cultures, with AmB being more effective against C. albicans and PolyB against P. aeruginosa. Mixed planktonic cultures required equal or higher antimicrobial concentrations. In biofilms, only PolyB at relatively high concentrations could reduce P. aeruginosa in both monospecies and polymicrobial populations, with C. albicans displaying only punctual disturbances. PolyB and AmB exhibited a synergistic effect against P. aeruginosa and C. albicans mixed planktonic cultures, but only high doses (256 mg L-1) of PolyB were able to eradicate polymicrobial biofilms, with P. aeruginosa showing loss of cultivability (but not viability) at 2 h post-treatment, whilst C. albicans only started to be inhibited after 14 h. In conclusion, combination therapy involving an antibiotic and an antifungal agent holds an attractive therapeutic option to treat severe bacterial-fungal polymicrobial infections. Nevertheless, optimization of antimicrobial doses and further clinical pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and toxicodynamics studies underpinning the optimal use of these drugs are urgently required to improve therapy effectiveness and avoid reinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Rodrigues
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
| | - Susana P Lopes
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
| | - Cláudia R Pereira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE-Dep. of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto, Portugal
| | - Anália Lourenço
- Departamento de Informática-Universidade de Vigo, ESEI-Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Edificio politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas, Ourense, Spain.,Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
| | - Mariana Henriques
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
| | - Maria O Pereira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
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Abstract
Recent reports have demonstrated that most biofilms involved in catheter-associated urinary tract infections are polymicrobial communities, with pathogenic microorganisms (e.g. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae) and uncommon microorganisms (e.g. Delftia tsuruhatensis, Achromobacter xylosoxidans) frequently co-inhabiting the same urinary catheter. However, little is known about the interactions that occur between different microorganisms and how they impact biofilm formation and infection outcome. This lack of knowledge affects CAUTIs management as uncommon bacteria action can, for instance, influence the rate at which pathogens adhere and grow, as well as affect the overall biofilm resistance to antibiotics. Another relevant aspect is the understanding of factors that drive a single pathogenic bacterium to become prevalent in a polymicrobial community and subsequently cause infection. In this review, a general overview about the IMDs-associated biofilm infections is provided, with an emphasis on the pathophysiology and the microbiome composition of CAUTIs. Based on the available literature, it is clear that more research about the microbiome interaction, mechanisms of biofilm formation and of antimicrobial tolerance of the polymicrobial consortium are required to better understand and treat these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia S Azevedo
- a Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- a Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.,b Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (IBB), Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho , Braga , Portugal
| | - Luís F Melo
- a Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- a Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
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Azeredo J, Azevedo NF, Briandet R, Cerca N, Coenye T, Costa AR, Desvaux M, Di Bonaventura G, Hébraud M, Jaglic Z, Kačániová M, Knøchel S, Lourenço A, Mergulhão F, Meyer RL, Nychas G, Simões M, Tresse O, Sternberg C. Critical review on biofilm methods. Crit Rev Microbiol 2016; 43:313-351. [PMID: 27868469 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2016.1208146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 536] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.0] [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: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Biofilms are widespread in nature and constitute an important strategy implemented by microorganisms to survive in sometimes harsh environmental conditions. They can be beneficial or have a negative impact particularly when formed in industrial settings or on medical devices. As such, research into the formation and elimination of biofilms is important for many disciplines. Several new methodologies have been recently developed for, or adapted to, biofilm studies that have contributed to deeper knowledge on biofilm physiology, structure and composition. In this review, traditional and cutting-edge methods to study biofilm biomass, viability, structure, composition and physiology are addressed. Moreover, as there is a lack of consensus among the diversity of techniques used to grow and study biofilms. This review intends to remedy this, by giving a critical perspective, highlighting the advantages and limitations of several methods. Accordingly, this review aims at helping scientists in finding the most appropriate and up-to-date methods to study their biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Azeredo
- a CEB ? Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO, Laboratórios de Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho Campus de Gualtar , Braga , Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- b LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Romain Briandet
- c Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay , Jouy-en-Josas , France
| | - Nuno Cerca
- a CEB ? Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO, Laboratórios de Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho Campus de Gualtar , Braga , Portugal
| | - Tom Coenye
- d Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium
| | - Ana Rita Costa
- a CEB ? Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO, Laboratórios de Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho Campus de Gualtar , Braga , Portugal
| | - Mickaël Desvaux
- e INRA Centre Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes , UR454 Microbiologie , Saint-Genès Champanelle , France
| | - Giovanni Di Bonaventura
- f Department of Medical, Oral, and Biotechnological Sciences, and Center of Excellence on Aging and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT) , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy
| | - Michel Hébraud
- e INRA Centre Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes , UR454 Microbiologie , Saint-Genès Champanelle , France
| | - Zoran Jaglic
- g Department of Food and Feed Safety, Laboratory of Food Bacteriology , Veterinary Research Institute , Brno , Czech Republic
| | - Miroslava Kačániová
- h Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences , Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra , Nitra , Slovakia
| | - Susanne Knøchel
- i Department of Food Science (FOOD) , University of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg C , Denmark
| | - Anália Lourenço
- j Department of Computer Science , University of Vigo , Ourense , Spain
| | - Filipe Mergulhão
- b LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Rikke Louise Meyer
- k Aarhus University, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) , Aarhus , Denmark
| | - George Nychas
- l Agricultural University of Athens, Lab of Microbiology and Biotechnology of Foods , Athens , Greece
| | - Manuel Simões
- b LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Odile Tresse
- m LUNAM Université, Oniris, SECALIM UMR1024 INRA , Université de Nantes , Nantes , France
| | - Claus Sternberg
- n Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine , Technical University of Denmark , Lyngby, Denmark
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Lopes SP, Carvalho DT, Pereira MO, Azevedo NF. Discriminating typical and atypical cystic fibrosis-related bacteria by multiplex PNA-FISH. Biotechnol Bioeng 2016; 114:355-367. [PMID: 27571488 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26085] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to report the development of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes to specifically detect the cystic fibrosis (CF)-associated traditional and atypical species Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Inquilinus limosus, respectively. PNA probes were designed in silico, developed and tested in smears prepared in phosphate-buffer saline (PBS), and in artificial sputum medium (ASM). A multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) approach using the designed probes was further validated in artificially contaminated clinical sputum samples and also applied in polymicrobial 24 h-old biofilms involving P. aeruginosa, I. limosus, and other CF-related bacteria. Both probes showed high predictive and experimental specificities and sensitivities. The multiplex PNA-FISH assay, associated with non-specific staining, was successfully adapted in the clinical samples and in biofilms of CF-related bacteria, allowing differentiating the community members and inferring about microbial-microbial interactions within the consortia. This study revealed the great potential of PNA-FISH as a diagnostic tool to discriminate between classical and less common CF-associated bacteria, being suitable to further describe species-dependent prevention strategies and deliver more effective target control therapeutics. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 355-367. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana P Lopes
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Daniel T Carvalho
- LEPABE, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria O Pereira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Pérez-Rodríguez G, Gameiro D, Pérez-Pérez M, Lourenço A, Azevedo NF. Single Molecule Simulation of Diffusion and Enzyme Kinetics. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:3809-20. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5b12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gael Pérez-Rodríguez
- ESEI:
Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, University of Vigo, Edificio Politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Denise Gameiro
- LEPABE
− Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Martín Pérez-Pérez
- ESEI:
Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, University of Vigo, Edificio Politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Anália Lourenço
- ESEI:
Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, University of Vigo, Edificio Politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
- CEB
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE
− Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Rocha R, Santos RS, Madureira P, Almeida C, Azevedo NF. Optimization of peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) for the detection of bacteria: The effect of pH, dextran sulfate and probe concentration. J Biotechnol 2016; 226:1-7. [PMID: 27021959 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.03.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a molecular technique widely used for the detection and characterization of microbial populations. FISH is affected by a wide variety of abiotic and biotic variables and the way they interact with each other. This is translated into a wide variability of FISH procedures found in the literature. The aim of this work is to systematically study the effects of pH, dextran sulfate and probe concentration in the FISH protocol, using a general peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe for the Eubacteria domain. For this, response surface methodology was used to optimize these 3 PNA-FISH parameters for Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens) and Gram-positive species (Listeria innocua, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus cereus). The obtained results show that a probe concentration higher than 300nM is favorable for both groups. Interestingly, a clear distinction between the two groups regarding the optimal pH and dextran sulfate concentration was found: a high pH (approx. 10), combined with lower dextran sulfate concentration (approx. 2% [w/v]) for Gram-negative species and near-neutral pH (approx. 8), together with higher dextran sulfate concentrations (approx. 10% [w/v]) for Gram-positive species. This behavior seems to result from an interplay between pH and dextran sulfate and their ability to influence probe concentration and diffusion towards the rRNA target. This study shows that, for an optimum hybridization protocol, dextran sulfate and pH should be adjusted according to the target bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Rocha
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; Biomode, Ed. GNRATION, Praça Conde Agrolongo no 123, 4700-312 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Rita S Santos
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium; i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Madureira
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre n.° 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal; ICBAS-Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; Biomode, Ed. GNRATION, Praça Conde Agrolongo no 123, 4700-312 Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Azevedo AS, Almeida C, Pereira B, Melo LF, Azevedo NF. Impact of Delftia tsuruhatensis and Achromobacter xylosoxidans on Escherichia coli dual-species biofilms treated with antibiotic agents. Biofouling 2016; 32:227-241. [PMID: 26901701 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2015.1124096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Recently it was demonstrated that for urinary tract infections species with a lower or unproven pathogenic potential, such as Delftia tsuruhatensis and Achromobacter xylosoxidans, might interact with conventional pathogenic agents such as Escherichia coli. Here, single- and dual-species biofilms of these microorganisms were characterized in terms of microbial composition over time, the average fitness of E. coli, the spatial organization and the biofilm antimicrobial profile. The results revealed a positive impact of these species on the fitness of E. coli and a greater tolerance to the antibiotic agents. In dual-species biofilms exposed to antibiotics, E. coli was able to dominate the microbial consortia in spite of being the most sensitive strain. This is the first study demonstrating the protective effect of less common species over E. coli under adverse conditions imposed by the use of antibiotic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia S Azevedo
- a Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
- b Nucleic Acid Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy , University of Southern Denmark , Odense M , Denmark
| | - Carina Almeida
- a Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
- c Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (IBB), Centre of Biological Engineering , Universidade do Minho , Braga , Portugal
| | - Bruno Pereira
- a Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Luís F Melo
- a Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- a Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, and Energy and Biotechnology Engineering (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
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Vilas Boas D, Almeida C, Sillankorva S, Nicolau A, Azeredo J, Azevedo NF. Discrimination of bacteriophage infected cells using locked nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization (LNA-FISH). Biofouling 2016; 32:179-190. [PMID: 26813295 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2015.1131821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [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: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophage-host interaction studies in biofilm structures are still challenging due to the technical limitations of traditional methods. The aim of this study was to provide a direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method based on locked nucleic acid (LNA) probes, which targets the phage replication phase, allowing the study of population dynamics during infection. Bacteriophages specific for two biofilm-forming bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter, were selected. Four LNA probes were designed and optimized for phage-specific detection and for bacterial counterstaining. To validate the method, LNA-FISH counts were compared with the traditional plaque forming unit (PFU) technique. To visualize the progression of phage infection within a biofilm, colony-biofilms were formed and infected with bacteriophages. A good correlation (r = 0.707) was observed between LNA-FISH and PFU techniques. In biofilm structures, LNA-FISH provided a good discrimination of the infected cells and also allowed the assessment of the spatial distribution of infected and non-infected populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Vilas Boas
- b Laboratory for Process, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy Engineering (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- a LIBRO -Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira , Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho , Braga , Portugal
- b Laboratory for Process, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy Engineering (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Sanna Sillankorva
- a LIBRO -Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira , Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho , Braga , Portugal
| | - Ana Nicolau
- b Laboratory for Process, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy Engineering (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Joana Azeredo
- b Laboratory for Process, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy Engineering (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- b Laboratory for Process, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy Engineering (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
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Santos RS, Dakwar GR, Xiong R, Forier K, Remaut K, Stremersch S, Guimarães N, Fontenete S, Wengel J, Leite M, Figueiredo C, De Smedt SC, Braeckmans K, Azevedo NF. Effect of Native Gastric Mucus on in vivo Hybridization Therapies Directed at Helicobacter pylori. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2015; 4:e269. [PMID: 26645765 PMCID: PMC5014538 DOI: 10.1038/mtna.2015.46] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori infects more than 50% of the worldwide population. It is mostly found deep in the gastric mucus lining of the stomach, being a major cause of peptic ulcers and gastric adenocarcinoma. To face the increasing resistance of H. pylori to antibiotics, antimicrobial nucleic acid mimics are a promising alternative. In particular, locked nucleic acids (LNA)/2'-OMethyl RNA (2'OMe) have shown to specifically target H. pylori, as evidenced by in situ hybridization. The success of in vivo hybridization depends on the ability of these nucleic acids to penetrate the major physical barriers-the highly viscoelastic gastric mucus and the bacterial cell envelope. We found that LNA/2'OMe is capable of diffusing rapidly through native, undiluted, gastric mucus isolated from porcine stomachs, without degradation. Moreover, although LNA/2'OMe hybridization was still successful without permeabilization and fixation of the bacteria, which is normally part of in vitro studies, the ability of LNA/2'OMe to efficiently hybridize with H. pylori was hampered by the presence of mucus. Future research should focus on developing nanocarriers that shield LNA/2'OMe from components in the gastric mucus, while remaining capable of diffusing through the mucus and delivering these nucleic acid mimics directly into the bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita S Santos
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - George R Dakwar
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ranhua Xiong
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Nano- and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Katrien Forier
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Nano- and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Katrien Remaut
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stephan Stremersch
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nuno Guimarães
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Nucleic Acid Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Sílvia Fontenete
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Nucleic Acid Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
- Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jesper Wengel
- Nucleic Acid Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Marina Leite
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Céu Figueiredo
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kevin Braeckmans
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Nano- and Biophotonics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Magalhães AP, Azevedo NF, Pereira MO, Lopes SP. The cystic fibrosis microbiome in an ecological perspective and its impact in antibiotic therapy. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 100:1163-1181. [PMID: 26637419 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-7177-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The recent focus on the cystic fibrosis (CF) complex microbiome has led to the recognition that the microbes can interact between them and with the host immune system, affecting the disease progression and treatment routes. Although the main focus remains on the interactions between traditional pathogens, growing evidence supports the contribution and the role of emergent species. Understanding the mechanisms and the biological effects involved in polymicrobial interactions may be the key to improve effective therapies and also to define new strategies for disease control. This review focuses on the interactions between microbe-microbe and host-microbe, from an ecological point of view, discussing their impact on CF disease progression. There are increasing indications that these interactions impact the success of antimicrobial therapy. Consequently, a new approach where therapy is personalized to patients by taking into account their individual CF microbiome is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia P Magalhães
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria O Pereira
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - Susana P Lopes
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
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Azevedo AS, Almeida C, Pereira B, Madureira P, Wengel J, Azevedo NF. Detection and discrimination of biofilm populations using locked nucleic acid/2′-O-methyl-RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (LNA/2′OMe-FISH). Biochem Eng J 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2015.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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