Isolation, identification, and biocontrol of antagonistic bacterium against Botrytis cinerea after tomato harvest

ABSTRACT Tomato is one of the most important vegetables in the world. Decay after harvest is a major issue in the development of tomato industry. Currently, the most effective method for controlling decay after harvest is storage of tomato at low temperature combined with usage of chemical bactericide; however, long-term usage of chemical bactericide not only causes pathogen resistance but also is harmful for human health and environment. Biocontrol method for the management of disease after tomato harvest has great practical significance. In this study, antagonistic bacterium B-6-1 strain was isolated from the surface of tomato and identified as Enterobacter cowanii based on morphological characteristics and physiological and biochemical features combined with sequence analysis of 16SrDNA and ropB gene and construction of dendrogram. Effects of different concentrations of antagonistic bacterium E. cowanii suspension on antifungal activity after tomato harvest were analyzed by mycelium growth rate method. Results revealed that antifungal activity was also enhanced with increasing concentrations of antagonistic bacterium; inhibitory rates of 1 × 105 colony-forming units (cfu)/mL antagonistic bacterial solution on Fusarium verticillioides, Alternaria tenuissima, and Botrytis cinerea were 46.31%, 67.48%, and 75.67%, respectively. By using in vivo inoculation method, it was further confirmed that antagonistic bacterium could effectively inhibit the occurrence of B. cinerae after tomato harvest, biocontrol effect of 1 × 109 cfu/mL zymotic fluid reached up to 95.24%, and antagonistic bacterium E. cowanii has biocontrol potential against B. cinerea after harvest of fruits and vegetables.

Antimicrobial activity evaluation and comparison of methods of susceptibility for Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Enterobacter spp. isolates

Abstract The production of KPC (Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase) is the major mechanism of resistance to carbapenem agents in enterobacterias. In this context, forty KPC-producing Enterobacter spp. clinical isolates were studied. It was evaluated the activity of antimicrobial agents: polymyxin B, tigecycline, ertapenem, imipenem and meropenem, and was performed a comparison of the methodologies used to determine the susceptibility: broth microdilution, Etest® (bioMérieux), Vitek 2® automated system (bioMérieux) and disc diffusion. It was calculated the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for each antimicrobial and polymyxin B showed the lowest concentrations for broth microdilution. Errors also were calculated among the techniques, tigecycline and ertapenem were the antibiotics with the largest and the lower number of discrepancies, respectively. Moreover, Vitek 2® automated system was the method most similar compared to the broth microdilution. Therefore, is important to evaluate the performance of new methods in comparison to the reference method, broth microdilution.

Cloning and characterization of newly isolated lipase from Enterobacter sp. Bn12

A mesophilic Enterobacter sp. Bn12 producing an alkaline thermostable lipase was isolated from soil in Tehran, Iran. The lipase gene (ELBn12) was identified from a genomic library. Sequence analysis of the DNA fragment revealed an open reading frame of 879 bp encoding a lipase with a molecular mass of 31.3 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 96% identity with a lipase of Enterobacter sp. Ag1 and the identity of their DNA sequences was 88.9%. ELBn12 belongs to the lipase subfamily I.1 and its catalytic triad consists of Ser82, Asp237 and His259. The lipase was expressed in Escherichia coli (BL21) pLysS and partially purified by anion exchange chromatography. The maximum activity of ELBn12 was obtained at temperature of 60 °C and pH 8.0 towards tricaprylin (C8) and its specific activity was around 2900 U/mg. ELBn12 was stable within a broad pH range from 6.0 to 11.0. The enzyme showed high stability in both polar and nonpolar organic solvents at 50% (v/v). The lipase activity was enhanced in the presence of 10 mM of Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+, while heavy metals (Fe3+ and Zn2+) had strong inhibitory effect. ELBn12 showed high activity in the presence of 1% (w/v) nonionic surfactants, however ionic surfactants inhibited the lipolytic activity. ELBn12 characteristics show that it has a potential to be used in various industrial processes.

FIRST REPORT OF METALLO-β-LACTAMASES PRODUCING Enterobacter spp. STRAINS FROM VENEZUELA / Primer reporte de cepas de Enterobacter spp productoras de metalobetalactamasas de Venezuela

Clinical strains of Enterobacter were isolated from Cumana's Central Hospital in Venezuela, and classified as E. cloacae (21), E. aerogenes (7), E. intermedium (1), E. sakazakii (1) and three unclassified. The strains showed high levels of resistance, especially to SXT (58.1%), CRO (48.8%), CAZ (46.6%), PIP (46.4%), CIP (45.2%) and ATM (43.3%). This is the first report for South America of blaVIM-2 in two E. cloacae and one Enterobacter sp., which also showed multiple mechanisms of resistance. Both E. cloacae showed blaTEM-1, but only one showed blaCTX-M-15 gene, while no blaSHV was detected.

Cepas clínicas de Enterobacter fueron aisladas del Hospital central de Cumaná en Venezuela, y se clasificaron como E. cloacae (21), E. aerogenes (7), E. intermedium (1), E. sakazakii (1) y 3 sin clasificar. Las cepas mostraron altos niveles de resistencia, especialmente a SXT (58.1%), CRO (48.8%), CAZ (46.6%), PIP (46.4%), CIP (45.2%) and ATM (43.3%). Este es el primer reporte de América del Sur de blaVIM-2 en dos cepas de E. cloacae y una de Enterobacter sp., las cuales también mostraron múltiples mecanismos de resistencia. Ambas especies de E. cloacae mostraron genes blaTEM-1, pero solo una mostro el gen blaCTX-M-15, mientras que blaSHV no fue detectado.

Genes blaTEM, blaSHV y blaCTX-M en enterobacterias productoras de b-lactamasas de espectro extendido aisladas de pacientes con infección intrahospitalaria / blaTEM, blaSHV y blaCTX-M genes in extended-spectrum b-lactamases producing enterobacterias isolated from patients with hospital-acquired infections

El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los genes blaTEM, blaSHV y blaCTX-M en aislados clínicos de enterobacterias productoras de b-lactamasas de espectro extendido (BLEE), recolectadas entre septiembre y noviembre de 2005. Además de la resistencia a las cefalosporinas de tercera generación, los aislados también mostraron resistencia a cloranfenicol (59,2%) amikacina (37,0%) y gentamicina (40,7%) y se mostraron sensibles a imipenem y meropenem. Nueve cepas lograron transferir la resistencia a las cefalosporinas de tercera generación, así como la producción de BLEE. En los aislados clínicos se detectaron los genes blaSHV, blaTEM y blaCTX-M, donde los tipos blaTEM-1, blaSHV-1, blaSHV-5 blaSHV-5-2a y blaCTX-M-1 fueron los prevalentes; mientras que en las transconjugantes sólo se detectaron blaTEM-1, blaSHV-5 y blaSHV-5-2a. Se identificaron en total siete tipos de genes, de los cuales cinco eran codificantes de enzimas tipo BLEE, lo que demuestra que en el centro hospitalario la resistencia a las cefalosporinas de tercera generación es debida a diversas enzimas.

The objective of the present investigation was to identify the blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M genes on extended-spectrum b-lactamases (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae from clinical isolates, collected between September and November 2005. In addition to third-generation cephalosporin resistance, the isolates also showed resistance to chloramphenicol (59.2%), amikacin (37.0%) and gentamicin (40.7%), and demonstrated sensitivity to imipenem and meropenem. Nine strains were capable of transferring third-generation cephalosporin resistance, as well as the production of ESBL. In the clinical isolates, the genes blaSHV, blaTEM and blaCTX-M were detected, being more prevalent the types blaTEM-1, blaSHV-1, blaSHV-5 blaSHV-5-2a and blaCTX-M-1; while in the trans-conjugated only blaTEM-1, blaSHV-5 y blaSHV-5-2a were found. In total, seven types of genes were identified, five of which were codifying genes for ESBL-type enzymes. This demonstrates that in the hospital center, resistance to third-generation cephalosporin is mediated by several enzymes.

Isolation and molecular characterization of some copper biosorped strains

TThe biosorption of copper [II] from aqueous solution using different bacterial strains was studied. Copper-biosorbing bacteria were isolated from tannery effluent collected from Borg Al-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt. These isolates displayed different degrees of copper biosorption under aerobic conditions. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, three of them [S2, S5 and S7] were identified as Chryseobacterium sp., Enterobacter sp. and Stenotrophomonas sp., respectively. Initial copper [II] ion concentrations from 25-250 mg/L at constant temperature 30°C were studied. The residual copper [II] concentration and its toxicity effect in solution were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and bioluminescent bioreporter. The bioluminescence inhibition of strain [S5] reached to 91.4% as compared with the strain [S7] reached to 83.3% at 225 mg/L of copper ion where the maximum biosorption efficiency for S5 and S7 were 71% and 70.1% correspondingly using atomic absorption. The biolumi-nescent bioreporter was proved to be fast and accurate technique for measurement the toxicity effect of residual copper [II] in solution

Multiplex PCR for bla(CTX-M) & bla(SHV) in the extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing gram-negative isolates.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Phenotyping is commonly used for detection of extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) production in gram-negative isolates. ESBLs are mainly coded for by three important genes, namely bla(TEM), bla(SHV) and bla(CTX-M). In this study we used a multiplex PCR as a rapid method to identify two common genes (bla(CTX-M) & bla(SHV)) responsible for extended spectrum beta lactamase production in members of Enterobacteriaceae family isolated from different clinical samples from a specialty hospital at Chennai. METHODS: A total of 260 non repetitive clinical isolates from 240 patients (some patients had more than one organism also), was selected for the study. Of these 33 were from sputum, 64 from urine, 46 from blood, 28 from pus aspirates, 58 from endotracheal secretions and 31 from other miscellaneous specimens. Phenotypic identification for ESBL production was confirmed by double disk synergy test (DDST) and phenotypic confirmatory double disk test (PCDDT) according to CLSI guidelines. Multiplex PCR for bla(CTX-M) and bla(SHV) was performed for the ESBL positive isolates. RESULTS: bla(SHV) like genes were found in 6 of 42 E.coli (14%), 7 of 46 Enterobacter species (15%), 28 of 62 Klebsiella species (45%) and bla(SHV) was not detected in any of the 50 isolates of non-fermenting gram-negative isolates. (Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter species) bla(CTX-M) like genes were found in 21 of 42 E. coli (50%), 13 of 46 Enterobacter species (28%), 25 of 62 (40%) Klebsiella species and 1 of 50 nonfermenting gram-negative bacilli (2%). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated rapid detection of bla(SHV) and bla(CTX-M) in isolates belonging to Enterobacteriaceae and other non-fermenting clinical isolates using multiplex PCR. This genotypic method provided a rapid and efficient differentiation of ESBLs in the laboratory.

Molecular epidemiology of a nosocomial outbreak due to Enterobacter cloacae and Enterobacter agglomerans in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

A total of 73 isolates (57 Enterobacter cloacae and 16 Enterobacter agglomerans), recovered during an outbreak of bacteremia in the Campinas area, São Paulo, Brazil, were studied. Of these isolates, 61 were from parenteral nutrition solutions, 9 from blood cultures, 2 from a sealed bottle of parenteral nutrition solution, and one was of unknown origin. Of the 57 E. cloacae isolates, 54 were biotype 26, two were biotype 66 and one was non-typable. Of 39 E. cloacae isolates submitted to ribotyping, 87.2 percent showed the same banding pattern after cleavage with EcoRI and BamHI. No important differences were observed in the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among E. cloacae isolates exhibiting the same biotype, serotype and ribotype. All E. agglomerans isolates, irrespective of their origin, showed same patterns when cleaved with EcoRI and BamHI. The results of this investigation suggest an intrinsic contamination of parenteral nutrition solutions and incriminate these products as a vehicle of infection in this outbreak