The complete genome sequence of Chromobacterium violaceum reveals remarkable and exploitable bacterial adaptability

Chromobacterium violaceum is one of millions of species of free-living microorganisms that populate the soil and water in the extant areas of tropical biodiversity around the world. Its complete genome sequence reveals (i) extensive alternative pathways for energy generation, (ii) ≈500 ORFs for transport-related proteins, (iii) complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation and motility, and (iv) wide-spread utilization of quorum sensing for control of inducible systems, all of which underpin the versatility and adaptability of the organism. The genome also contains extensive but incomplete arrays of ORFs coding for proteins associated with mammalian pathogenicity, possibly involved in the occasional but often fatal cases of human C. violaceum infection. There is, in addition, a series of previously unknown but important enzymes and secondary metabolites including paraquat-inducible proteins, drug and heavy-metal-resistance proteins, multiple chitinases, and proteins for the detoxification of xenobiotics that may have biotechnological applications

Distribution of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in seropositive patients in the state of Alagoas, Brazil / Distribuição de genótipos do Vírus da hepatite C (HCV) em pacientes soropositivos no Estado de Alagoas, Brasil

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2013-01-11T20:33:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gonzaga, Rosa Maria S Distribution....pdf: 147559 bytes, checksum: db62cb9d398d805b2d1995c970eb86bb (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2013-01-11T20:33:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gonzaga, Rosa Maria S Distribution....pdf: 147559 bytes, checksum: db62cb9d398d805b2d1995c970eb86bb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Laboratório de Genética Molecular, Genômica e Proteômica. Maceió, AL, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal de Alagoas. Laboratório de Genética Molecular, Genômica e Proteômica. Maceió, AL, BrasilUniversidade Federal de Alagoas. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde. Maceió, AL, BrasilA frequência de genótipos do vírus da hepatite C (HCV) em pacientes soropositivos anti-HCV no estado de Alagoas, Brasil, foi determinada através da RT-PCR aninhada da região 5'NCR seguida pela análise do polimorfismo de comprimento dos fragmentos de restrição (RFLP). A RT-PCR aninhada utilizando primers genótipo-específicos da região core foi efetuada quando não foi possível determinar o genótipo pelo primeiro método. Níveis detectáveis de HCV-RNA estavam presentes em 115 (74,7 por cento) das 154 amostras de soro. O genótipo 1 foi o mais freqüente (77,4 por cento), contra 20,9 por cento do genótipo 3 e 0,8 por cento do genótipo 2. O subtipo 1b foi predominante (65,2 por cento), seguido pelos subtipos 1a (8,7 por cento) e 3a (6,1 por cento). Co-infecção (1a/3a) foi detectada em 0,8 por cento das amostras. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas quanto à prevalência do genótipo 1 em relação ao que tem sido obtido de pacientes soropositivos anti-HCV de outras localidades do Brasil. Este é o primeiro relato da presença do genótipo 2 no estado.We determined the frequency of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in anti-HCV seropositive patients in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, by means of nested-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested-PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of amplified fragments of the 5ïNCR. The nested-PCR with genotype-specific primers from the core region was carried out when detection was not possible by the first approach. Detectable HCV-RNA was present in 115 (74.7 percent) of 154 serum samples. Genotype 1 was the most frequent (77.4 percent), against 20.9 percent of genotype 3 and 0.8 percent of genotype 2. Subtype 1b was predominant (65.2 percent), followed by subtypes 1a (8.7 percent), and 3a (6.1 percent). Coinfection (1a/3a) was detected in 0.8 percent of the samples. Indeed, there was no significant differences in the prevalence of genotype 1 compared to what has been obtained from anti-HCV seropositive patients from other locations in Brazil. Here we report for the first time the genotype 2 in the state of Alagoas

In vitro conservation of sugarcane germplasm

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da temperatura, de sacarose, manitol e sorbitol, como fontes de carbono e reguladores osmóticos, e do ácido abscísico, como regulador de crescimento na conservação in vitro de germoplasma de cana-de-açúcar. Foram utilizadas, como material vegetal, gemas apicais de plantas de 10 meses de idade, do banco de germoplasma in vivo, da Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Brotos da quarta repicagem, no estádio de multiplicação in vitro, foram a fonte de explantes para três experimentos. Houve efeito positivo da diminuição da temperatura e da utilização da sacarose como fonte de carbono e regulador osmótico na manutenção da viabilidade dos explantes conservados in vitro. O ácido abscísico (1 mg/L) foi essencial para manter os explantes em crescimento mínimo por 12 meses (52 semanas). O uso das concentrações de 1 mg/L de ácido abscísico e de 20 g/L de sacarose associadas às condições de temperatura reduzida (15°C) demonstraram que os brotos permaneceram viáveis por um ano no mesmo meio de cultura, sem a necessidade de serem subcultivados.The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of temperature, of sucrose, sorbitol and manitol, as carbon source and osmotic regulator, and of abscisic acid, as growth regulator, on in vitro germplasm conservation of sugarcane. Stem tips of 10 month old plants collected from the sugarcane germplasm bank of the Universidade Federal de Alagoas in Brazil were introduced in vitro and secondary shoots were produced in a multiplication medium. New shoots collected after four subcultures were used in three conservation experiments. There was a positive effect of the low temperature and sucrose as an osmotic regulator and carbon source in maintaining the viability of the explants cultured in vitro. Abscisic acid (1 mg/L) was essential to maintain the explants in a reduced growth condition for 52 weeks without any subculture. The explants promptly returned to normal growth in vitro or were readily acclimatized after 52 weeks of conservation, in the medium with abscisic acid (1 mg/L) plus sucrose (20 g/L) at 15ºC

Genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations in two cicles of selection in the "Dentado Composto" corn

O presente trabalho visou determinar os coeficientes de correlação genética, fenotípica e ambiental entre os caracteres: altura de planta (AP), altura de espiga (AE), número de espiga por planta (NE), número de espiga mal empalhada (NEME), danos causados por Spodoptera frugiperda (SF), danos causados por Héliothis zea (HZ) a peso de grãos (PG). O material estudado corresponde a dois ciclos de seleção entre e dentro de famílias de meios irmãos no milho Dentado Composto, visando resistência às referidas pragas e alta produção de grãos. Foram consideradas infestações naturais das pragas. Os experimentos foram conduzidos na Empresa Pernambucana de Pesquisa Agropecuária - IPA. Não foi observada associação entre AP a SF nem entre AE a HZ. O caráter PG correlacionou-se negativamente com SF e HZ; todavia, no I ciclo a correlação genética PG x SF foi positiva e baixa (r = 0,27**). O caráter SF apresentou correlação genética negativa com HZ; essa associação foi de menor magnitude no II ciclo. Houve um aumento no número de correlações genéticas superiores às ambientais no II ciclo.The objective of this study was to determine the genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlation coefficients among the following traits: plant height (PH), ear height (EH), ear number per plant (EN), ear number with husk problems (ENHP), Spodoptera frugiperda damage (SF), Heliothis zea damage (HZ) and grain yield (GY). Data were collected from two cycles of selection among and within hal-sib families in "Dentado Composto" corn, assessing SF and HZ damages and high grain yield. Natural infestation of these insect pests was considered. The experiments were conducted in the experimental field of IPA. No correlation was observed between PH and SF nor between EH and HZ. The GY character was negatively correlated with HZ and SF; however in the first cycle, the genetic correlation between GY x SF was positive and lower (r = 0,027**). The character SF showed negative and significative genetic correlations with HZ; this association was lower in the second cycle. There was an increase in the number of genetic correlations higher than the environmental in the second cycle

Drug Resistance In Chromobacterium Violaceum.

Chromobacterium violaceum is a free-living bacterium commonly found in aquatic habitats of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This bacterium is able to produce a large variety of products of biotechnological and pharmacological use. Although C. violaceum is considered to be non-pathogenic, some cases of severe infections in humans and other animals have been reported. Genomic data on the type strain ATCC 12472(T) has provided a comprehensive basis for detailed studies of pathogenicity, virulence and drug resistance genes. A large number of open reading frames associated with various mechanisms of drug resistance were found, comprising a remarkable feature of this organism. Amongst these, beta-lactam (penicillin and cephalosporin) and multidrug resistance genes (drug efflux pumps) were the most numerous. In addition, genes associated with bacitracin, bicyclomycin, chloramphenicol, kasugamycin, and methylenomycin were also found. It is postulated that these genes contribute to the ability of C. violaceum to compete with other bacteria in the environment, and also may help to explain the common drug resistance phenotypes observed in infections caused by this bacterium.3134-4