Stenotrophomonas maltophilia responds to exogenous AHL signals through the LuxR solo SmoR (Smlt1839)

Quorum Sensing (QS) mediated by Acyl Homoserine Lactone (AHL) molecules are probably the most widespread and studied among Gram-negative bacteria. Canonical AHL systems are composed by a synthase (LuxI family) and a regulator element (LuxR family), whose genes are usually adjacent in the genome. However, incomplete AHL-QS machinery lacking the synthase LuxI is frequently observed in Proteobacteria, and the regulator element is then referred as LuxR solo. It has been shown that certain LuxR solos participate in interspecific communication by detecting signals produced by different organisms. In the case of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a preliminary genome sequence analysis revealed numerous putative luxR genes, none of them associated to a luxI gene. From these, the hypothetical LuxR solo Smlt1839, here designated SmoR, presents a conserved AHL binding domain and a helix-turn-helix DNA binding motif. Its genomic organization-adjacent to hchA gene-indicate that SmoR belongs to the new family "LuxR regulator chaperone HchA-associated." AHL-binding assays revealed that SmoR binds to AHLs in-vitro, at least to oxo-C8-homoserine lactone, and it regulates operon transcription, likely by recognizing a conserved palindromic regulatory box in the hchA upstream region. Supplementation with concentrated supernatants from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which contain significant amounts of AHLs, promoted swarming motility in S. maltophilia. Contrarily, no swarming stimulation was observed when the P. aeruginosa supernatant was treated with the lactonase AiiA from Bacillus subtilis, confirming that AHL contributes to enhance the swarming ability of S. maltophilia. Finally, mutation of smoR resulted in a swarming alteration and an apparent insensitivity to the exogenous AHLs provided by P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that S. maltophilia senses AHLs produced by neighboring bacteria through the LuxR solo SmoR, regulating population behaviors such as swarming motility

Healthcare workers hospitalized due to COVID-19 have no higher risk of death than general population. Data from the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry

Aim To determine whether healthcare workers (HCW) hospitalized in Spain due to COVID-19 have a worse prognosis than non-healthcare workers (NHCW). Methods Observational cohort study based on the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, a nationwide registry that collects sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data on patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Spain. Patients aged 20-65 years were selected. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results As of 22 May 2020, 4393 patients were included, of whom 419 (9.5%) were HCW. Median (interquartile range) age of HCW was 52 (15) years and 62.4% were women. Prevalence of comorbidities and severe radiological findings upon admission were less frequent in HCW. There were no difference in need of respiratory support and admission to intensive care unit, but occurrence of sepsis and in-hospital mortality was lower in HCW (1.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.024 and 0.7% vs. 4.8%; p<0.001 respectively). Age, male sex and comorbidity, were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality and healthcare working with lower mortality (OR 0.211, 95%CI 0.067-0.667, p = 0.008). 30-days survival was higher in HCW (0.968 vs. 0.851 p<0.001). Conclusions Hospitalized COVID-19 HCW had fewer comorbidities and a better prognosis than NHCW. Our results suggest that professional exposure to COVID-19 in HCW does not carry more clinical severity nor mortality

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Post-Franco Theatre

In the multiple realms and layers that comprise the contemporary Spanish theatrical landscape, “crisis” would seem to be the word that most often lingers in the air, as though it were a common mantra, ready to roll off the tongue of so many theatre professionals with such enormous ease, and even enthusiasm, that one is prompted to wonder whether it might indeed be a miracle that the contemporary technological revolution – coupled with perpetual quandaries concerning public and private funding for the arts – had not by now brought an end to the evolution of the oldest of live arts, or, at the very least, an end to drama as we know it

Ahora / Ara

La cinquena edició del microrelatari per l’eradicació de la violència contra les dones de l’Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere «Purificación Escribano» de la Universitat Jaume I vol ser una declaració d’esperança. Aquest és el moment en el qual les dones (i els homes) hem de fer un pas endavant i eliminar la violència sistèmica contra les dones. Ara és el moment de denunciar el masclisme i els micromasclismes començant a construir una societat més igualitària. Cadascun dels relats del llibre és una denúncia i una declaració que ens encamina cap a un món millor

Bromine soil/sediment enrichment in tidal salt marshes as a potential indicator of climate changes driven by solar activity: New insights from W coast Portuguese estuaries

This paper aims at providing insight about bromine (Br) cycle in four Portuguese estuaries: Minho, Lima (in the NW coast) and Sado, Mira (in the SW coast). The focus is on their tidal marsh environments, quite distinct with regard to key biophysicochemical attributes. Regardless of the primary bromide (Br-) common natural source, i.e., seawater, the NW marshes present relatively higher surface soil/sediment Br concentrations than the ones from SW coast. This happens in close connection with organic matter (OM) content, and is controlled by their main climatic contexts. Yet, the anthropogenic impact on Br concentrations cannot be discarded. Regarding [Br] spatial patterns across the marshes, the results show a general increase from tidal flat toward high marsh. Maxima [Br] occur in the upper driftline zone, at transition from highest low marsh to high marsh, recognized as a privileged setting for OM accumulation. Based on the discovery of OM ubiquitous bromination in marine and transitional environments, it is assumed that this Br occurs mainly as organobromine. Analysis of two dated sediment cores indicates that, despite having the same age (AD ~1300), the Caminha salt marsh (Minho estuary) evidences higher Br enrichment than the Casa Branca salt marsh (Mira estuary). This is related to a greater Br storage ability, which is linked to OM build-up and rate dynamics under different climate scenarios. Both cores evidence a fairly similar temporal Br enrichment pattern, and may be interpreted in light of the sun-climate coupling. Thereby, most of the well-known Grand Solar Minima during the Little Ice Age appear to have left an imprint on these marshes, supported by higher [Br] in soils/sediments. Besides climate changes driven by solar activity and impacting marsh Br biogeodynamics, those Br enrichment peaks might also reflect inputs of enhanced volcanic activity covarying with Grand Solar Minima.This work was partly supported by IDL through the UID/GEO/50019/2013 program, by C2 TN through the UID/Multi/04349/2013 program, and is a contribution of the project WestLog (PTDC/CTE/105370/2008), funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT). João Moreno benefits from a FCT PhD grant (SFRH/BD/87995/2012). J.J. Gómez-Navarro acknowledges the funding provided through the contract for the return of experienced researches, resolution R-735/2015 of the University of Murcia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adelante / Endavant

Séptimo desafío por la erradicación de la violencia contra las mujeres del Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere "Purificación Escribano" de la Universitat Jaume

Anales del III Congreso Internacional de Vivienda y Ciudad "Debate en torno a la nueva agenda urbana"

Acta de congresoEl III Congreso Internacional de Vivienda y Ciudad “Debates en torno a la NUEVa Agenda Urbana”, ha sido una apuesta de alto compromiso por acercar los debates centrales y urgentes que tensionan el pleno ejercicio del derecho a la ciudad. Para ello las instituciones organizadoras (INVIHAB –Instituto de Investigación de Vivienda y Hábitat y MGyDH-Maestría en Gestión y Desarrollo Habitacional-1), hemos convidado un espacio que se concretó con potencia en un debate transdisciplinario. Convocó a intelectuales de prestigio internacional, investigadores, académicos y gestores estatales, y en una metodología de innovación articuló las voces académicas con las de las organizaciones sociales y/o barriales en el Foro de las Organizaciones Sociales que tuvo su espacio propio para dar voz a quienes están trabajando en los desafíos para garantizar los derechos a la vivienda y los bienes urbanos en nuestras ciudades del Siglo XXI

Caracterització del quorum sensing regulat per les N-acil-L-homoserina lactonas en Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Els senyals de quorum sensing (QS) del tipus N-acil-L-homoserina lactonas (AHLs) són les molècules predominants detectades entre els proteobacteris. En el sistema de QS regulat per les AHLs intervenen dues proteïnes que pertanyen a la família del tipus LuxI i LuxR. Les proteïnes LuxI sintetitzen AHLs que interactuen amb un domini específic de les proteïnes LuxR. Aquest complex s’uneix a seqüències promotores específiques i permeten a la població bacteriana coordinar l’expressió gènica. En molts bacteris gram negatius, aquest sistema regula factors de virulència. L’objectiu principal d’aquest treball ha estat la identificació i caracterització de les molècules senyal del tipus AHLs i determinar diferents fenotips associats al QS mitjançant l’estudi del regulador del sistema (luxR) en Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, un patogen humà oportunista intrahospitalari emergent. Així, l’estudi s’ha centrat en primer terme en la detecció d'AHLs en diferents aïllats clínics d’aquest patogen, en concret de les soques E77, M30 i K279a. La detecció d'AHLs s’ha dut a terme emprant la soca biosensora d’Agrobacterium tumefaciens KYC55 i, posteriorment, les AHLs s’han caracteritzat per espectrometria de masses. S’ha fet també un estudi del promotor del gen luxR, que ha permès identificar que l’expressió d’aquest gen és depenent de la fase de creixement. A més a més, s’ha demostrat que el domini d’unió a AHLs del regulador LuxR és capaç d’unir-se a aquestes molècules senyal. A nivell fenotípic s’ha investigat la implicació de LuxR en la formació de biofilms i en la motilitat del tipus swarming. Els resultats han demostrat la influència de LuxR en els dos fenotips tal i com s’ha descrit per altres LuxR homòlegs. Tanmateix, s’ha apreciat la inhibició d’ambdós processos quan s’ha usat com a inhibidor de QS (IQS) l’enzim AiiA, procedent de Bacillus subtilis, el qual hidrolitza les AHLs. Per últim, s’ha posat de manifest l’efecte estimulant que exerceix el sobrenedant de P. aeruginosa MPAO1 sobre el swarming de S. maltophilia. El fet d’haver estat capaços d’identificar i caracteritzar les AHLs i el regulador d’aquest sistema (LuxR), ens ha dut a cercar la sintasa (LuxI) entre els diferents genomes publicats. Tot i així, l’aproximació utilitzada en aquest treball no ens ha permès determinar la proteïna LuxI i, per tant, continua sent un objectiu obert que caldrà resoldre. Fins a dia d’avui, només el sistema de QS regulat per la molècula senyal anomenada Diffusible signal factor (DSF), ha estat ben estudiat en aquesta espècie. Els resultats obtinguts evidencien que en S. maltophilia podrien coexistir diferents sistemes de comunicació, un mediat pel DSF i un segon per les AHLs.The N-acil-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) signals are the predominant quorum sensing (QS) molecules detected among proteobacteria. A typical QS system is commonly mediated by two proteins belonging to LuxI and LuxR protein family. LuxI-type proteins synthesize AHLs which interact with a specific domain of LuxR-type proteins. This complex binds specific promoter sequences and allows bacterial populations to coordinate gene expression. In many gram-negative bacteria, this system regulates virulence factors. The main objectives of this work are the identification and characterization of signaling molecules (AHLs) and the determination of different QS phenotypes associated with the regulator of this system (luxR), in the emergent nosocomial opportunistic human pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The study is firstly focused on the detection of AHLs in different clinical isolates of this pathogen, in particular in E77, M30 and K279a strains. The detection of AHLs was carried out using Agrobacterium tumefaciens KYC55 biosensor strain and posterior characterization of these molecules by mass spectrometry analysis. On the other hand, the study of luxR promoter allowed determining a growth-phase regulation of luxR gene expression. It has also been shown that the AHL binding domain of LuxR can bind these AHLs molecules. At phenotype level, the role of LuxR as a regulator has been analyzed through biofilm formation and swarming motility. The results demonstrate the influence of LuxR in both phenotypes, as described for other LuxR homologues. Furthermore, inhibition of QS by B. subtilis, AiiA enzyme, which hydrolyzes AHLs, caused the inhibition of biofilm formation and swarming motility. Finally, the stimulant effect produced by the supernatant of P. aeruginosa on swarming motility of S. maltophilia has been described. The fact of being able to identify and characterize the signal molecules (AHLs) and the regulator of the system (LuxR), lead us to look for the synthase (LuxI) among the annotated genomes. However, our first tentative did not allow us to determine LuxI, and because of that, this goal still remains to be clarified. Up to date, the QS system regulated by the signal molecule called Diffusible signal factor (DSF), is the only one that has been well studied in this species. The results obtained show that in S. maltophilia could coexist two different chemical language: one mediated by DSF and a second one by AHL

Caracterització del quorum sensing regulat per les N-acil-L-homoserina lactonas en Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Els senyals de quorum sensing (QS) del tipus N-acil-L-homoserina lactonas (AHLs) són les molècules predominants detectades entre els proteobacteris. En el sistema de QS regulat per les AHLs intervenen dues proteïnes que pertanyen a la família del tipus LuxI i LuxR. Les proteïnes LuxI sintetitzen AHLs que interactuen amb un domini específic de les proteïnes LuxR. Aquest complex s'uneix a seqüències promotores específiques i permeten a la població bacteriana coordinar l'expressió gènica. En molts bacteris gram negatius, aquest sistema regula factors de virulència. L'objectiu principal d'aquest treball ha estat la identificació i caracterització de les molècules senyal del tipus AHLs i determinar diferents fenotips associats al QS mitjançant l'estudi del regulador del sistema (luxR) en Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, un patogen humà oportunista intrahospitalari emergent. Així, l'estudi s'ha centrat en primer terme en la detecció d'AHLs en diferents aïllats clínics d'aquest patogen, en concret de les soques E77, M30 i K279a. La detecció d'AHLs s'ha dut a terme emprant la soca biosensora d'Agrobacterium tumefaciens KYC55 i, posteriorment, les AHLs s'han caracteritzat per espectrometria de masses. S'ha fet també un estudi del promotor del gen luxR, que ha permès identificar que l'expressió d'aquest gen és depenent de la fase de creixement. A més a més, s'ha demostrat que el domini d'unió a AHLs del regulador LuxR és capaç d'unir-se a aquestes molècules senyal. A nivell fenotípic s'ha investigat la implicació de LuxR en la formació de biofilms i en la motilitat del tipus swarming. Els resultats han demostrat la influència de LuxR en els dos fenotips tal i com s'ha descrit per altres LuxR homòlegs. Tanmateix, s'ha apreciat la inhibició d'ambdós processos quan s'ha usat com a inhibidor de QS (IQS) l'enzim AiiA, procedent de Bacillus subtilis, el qual hidrolitza les AHLs. Per últim, s'ha posat de manifest l'efecte estimulant que exerceix el sobrenedant de P. aeruginosa MPAO1 sobre el swarming de S. maltophilia. El fet d'haver estat capaços d'identificar i caracteritzar les AHLs i el regulador d'aquest sistema (LuxR), ens ha dut a cercar la sintasa (LuxI) entre els diferents genomes publicats. Tot i així, l'aproximació utilitzada en aquest treball no ens ha permès determinar la proteïna LuxI i, per tant, continua sent un objectiu obert que caldrà resoldre. Fins a dia d'avui, només el sistema de QS regulat per la molècula senyal anomenada Diffusible signal factor (DSF), ha estat ben estudiat en aquesta espècie. Els resultats obtinguts evidencien que en S. maltophilia podrien coexistir diferents sistemes de comunicació, un mediat pel DSF i un segon per les AHLs.The N-acil-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) signals are the predominant quorum sensing (QS) molecules detected among proteobacteria. A typical QS system is commonly mediated by two proteins belonging to LuxI and LuxR protein family. LuxI-type proteins synthesize AHLs which interact with a specific domain of LuxR-type proteins. This complex binds specific promoter sequences and allows bacterial populations to coordinate gene expression. In many gram-negative bacteria, this system regulates virulence factors. The main objectives of this work are the identification and characterization of signaling molecules (AHLs) and the determination of different QS phenotypes associated with the regulator of this system (luxR), in the emergent nosocomial opportunistic human pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The study is firstly focused on the detection of AHLs in different clinical isolates of this pathogen, in particular in E77, M30 and K279a strains. The detection of AHLs was carried out using Agrobacterium tumefaciens KYC55 biosensor strain and posterior characterization of these molecules by mass spectrometry analysis. On the other hand, the study of luxR promoter allowed determining a growth-phase regulation of luxR gene expression. It has also been shown that the AHL binding domain of LuxR can bind these AHLs molecules. At phenotype level, the role of LuxR as a regulator has been analyzed through biofilm formation and swarming motility. The results demonstrate the influence of LuxR in both phenotypes, as described for other LuxR homologues. Furthermore, inhibition of QS by B. subtilis, AiiA enzyme, which hydrolyzes AHLs, caused the inhibition of biofilm formation and swarming motility. Finally, the stimulant effect produced by the supernatant of P. aeruginosa on swarming motility of S. maltophilia has been described. The fact of being able to identify and characterize the signal molecules (AHLs) and the regulator of the system (LuxR), lead us to look for the synthase (LuxI) among the annotated genomes. However, our first tentative did not allow us to determine LuxI, and because of that, this goal still remains to be clarified. Up to date, the QS system regulated by the signal molecule called Diffusible signal factor (DSF), is the only one that has been well studied in this species. The results obtained show that in S. maltophilia could coexist two different chemical language: one mediated by DSF and a second one by AHL