Comparative analyses of the complete genome sequences of Pierce's disease and citrus variegated chlorosis strains of Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-dwelling, insect-transmitted, gamma-proteobacterium that causes diseases in many plants, including grapevine, citrus, periwinkle, almond, oleander, and coffee. X. fastidiosa has an unusually broad host range, has an extensive geographical distribution throughout the American continent, and induces diverse disease phenotypes. Previous molecular analyses indicated three distinct groups of X.fastidiosa isolates that were expected to be genetically divergent. Here we report the genome sequence of X. fastidiosa (Temecula strain), isolated from a naturally infected grapevine with Pierce's disease (PD) in a wine-grape-growing region of California. Comparative analyses with a previously sequenced X.fastidiosa strain responsible for citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) revealed that 98% of the PD X.fastidiosa Temecula genes are shared with the CVC X. fastidiosa strain 9a5c genes. Furthermore, the average amino acid identity of the open reading frames in the strains is 95.7%. Genomic differences are limited to phage-associated chromosomal rearrangements and deletions that also account for the strain-specific genes present in each genome. Genomic islands, one in each genome, were identified, and their presence in other X.fastidiosa strains was analyzed. We conclude that these two organisms have identical metabolic functions and are likely to use a common set of genes in plant colonization and pathogenesis, permitting convergence of functional genomic strategies.18531018102

Efficacy of loco-regional treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma prior to living donor liver transplantation: a report from a single center in Egypt

Mohammad Kamal Shaker,1 Iman F Montasser,1 Mohamed Sakr,1 Mohamed Elgharib,2 Hany M Dabbous,1 Hend Ebada,1 Ahmed El Dorry,2 Mohamed Bahaa,3 Mahmoud El Meteini3 1Department of Tropical Medicine, 2Department of Radiodiagnosis and Interventional Radiology, 3Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplantation (ASCOT), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt Background and aim: The number of loco-regional therapies (LRTs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increased dramatically during the past decade, bridging or downstaging patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation. This study aimed to analyze the outcomes of LRTs prior to living donor liver transplantation in patients with HCC. Methods: Sixty-two HCC patients received living donor liver transplantation at Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplantation over a 2-year period. Data from 29 HCC patients were analyzed. Twenty patients (68.97%) met the Milan Criteria and 4 patients (13.8%) exceeded the Milan Criteria, but met the University of California, San Francisco Criteria. Five patients (17.2%) exceeded the University of California, San Francisco Criteria. All patients underwent preoperative LRTs. The protocol of bridging/downstaging, methods, duration of follow-up, the number of patients who were successfully downstaged before liver transplantation (LT), and their outcomes after LT were recorded.Results: There was a decrease in the mean overall size of focal lesions (from mean 5.46 to 4.11 cm) in the last abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan after LRT (p=0.0018). Discrepancies between the radiological findings and histopathology were as follows: in 16 patients (55.17%) the CT findings were consistent with the histopathological examination of the explanted liver. Underestimated tumor stage was documented in 10 patients (34.48%), and was overestimated by CT scan findings in 3 patients (10.34%). The 1-year survival rate was 93%. No patient had HCC recurrence after median follow-up of 21 months (range 1–46 months).Conclusion: These results encouraged tumor bridging/downstaging as a potential treatment option among carefully selected patients with HCC beyond conventional criteria for LT. Further studies on a large number of patients are necessary. Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, loco-regional therapy, LRT , liver transplantation, Milan criteria, beyond Milan, HCC recurrence, bridge/down stagin

Genome Sequence of Haloplasma contractile, an Unusual Contractile Bacterium from a Deep-Sea Anoxic Brine Lake▿

We present the draft genome of Haloplasma contractile, isolated from a deep-sea brine and representing a new order between Firmicutesand Mollicutes. Its complex morphology with contractile protrusions might be strongly influenced by the presence of seven MreB/Mbl homologs, which appears to be the highest copy number ever reported

Egyptian Society of Liver Cancer Recommendation Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma [Corrigendum]

Omar A, Kaseb A, Elbaz T, et al. J Hepatocell Carcinoma. 2023;10:1547–1571. The authors have advised affiliation 4 on page 1547 is incorrect. The correct affiliation should read “4Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt”. The authors apologize for this error