Mice lacking the vascular endothelial growth factor-B gene (Vegfb) have smaller hearts, dysfunctional coronary vasculature, and impaired recovery from cardiac ischemia.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-B (VEGF-B) is closely related to VEGF-A, an effector of blood vessel growth during development and disease and a strong candidate for angiogenic therapies. To further study the in vivo function of VEGF-B, we have generated Vegfb knockout mice (Vegfb(-/-)). Unlike Vegfa knockout mice, which die during embryogenesis, Vegfb(-/-) mice are healthy and fertile. Despite appearing overtly normal, Vegfb(-/-) hearts are reduced in size and display vascular dysfunction after coronary occlusion and impaired recovery from experimentally induced myocardial ischemia. These findings reveal a role for VEGF-B in the development or function of coronary vasculature and suggest potential clinical use in therapeutic angiogenesis.

The tannin-degrading species Streptococcus gallolyticus and Streptococcus caprinus are subjective synonyms.

The tannin-degrading species Streptococcus gallolyticus and Streptococcus caprinus have been shown to be subjective synonyms on the basis of their levels of 16S rRNA sequence similarity (98.3%) and DNA-DNA homology (> 70%) and the phenotypes of their type strains. S. gallolyticus has nomenclatural priority according to Rule 24b(2) of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria.

Transfer of Blastobacter natatorius (Sly 1985) to the genus Blastomonas gen. nov. as Blastomonas natatoria comb. nov.

The budding bacterium Blastobacter natatorius belongs to the alpha-4 group of the Proteobacteria and clusters phylogenetically on a deep branch with Sphingomonas capsulata, with which it shares 93.9% 16S rRNA sequence similarity. On phylogenetic, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic grounds a proposal is made to transfer B. natatorius to the genus Blastomonas gen. nov. as Blastomonas natatoria comb. nov.

Reassessment of the phylogenetic position of Caulobacter subvibrioides.

Determination of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of Caulobacter subvibrioides ATCC 15264T (T = type strain) confirmed that this species is a member of the alpha subclass of the Proteobacteria and showed that it is phylogenetically most closely related to the Caulobacter group comprising the species Caulobacter bacteroides, Caulobacter crescentus, and Brevundimonas (Pseudomonas) diminuta, for which 16S rRNA sequences of the type strains are currently available. The closest known relative of strain ATCC 15264T among these species is B. diminuta (level of direct pairwise sequence similarity, 95%). On the basis of its previously determined 16S rRNA sequence (accession number M83797), C. subvibrioides is most closely related to Sphingomonas adhaesiva in the alpha-4 subgroup (level of similarity, 97.7%). Analysis of the hydroxy fatty acids of C. subvibrioides ATCC 15264T showed that the 2-hydroxymyristic acid which is characteristic of the genus Sphingomonas was absent.

Biphasic glomerular hypertrophy in rats administered puromycin aminonucleoside.

Recent evidence suggests that glomerular hypertrophy is a key event in the development of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis and hyalinosis (FSGS) in humans and in many experimental models of FSGS. The initial aim of the present study was to determine if glomerular hypertrophy occurs in a puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) model of FSGS, previously considered not to involve glomerular hypertrophy. Upon identifying significant glomerular hypertrophy, our second aim was to determine the contribution of glomerular capillary growth to this hypertrophy. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (approximately 200 g) were administered either PAN (2 mg/100 g body wt) subcutaneously, or an equivalent volume of 0.9% saline at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. Tissue was analyzed at weeks 7 and 13. Unbiased stereological methods were used to estimate a range of glomerular parameters. Mean glomerular tuft volume in PAN-treated rats was 48% greater than in saline-treated rats at seven weeks, and 63% greater at 13 weeks. Similar results were found for mean renal corpuscle volume. FSGS was absent at seven weeks and minor at 13 weeks. Two-way analysis of variance indicated: significant effects (P < 0.05 at least) of PAN on capillary length per glomerulus, capillary surface area per glomerulus, capillary diameter and length of capillaries per unit volume of glomerulus; and significant effects of time on capillary diameter, capillary length per unit volume of glomerulus and capillary surface area per unit volume of glomerulus. The mean length of capillaries per glomerulus was 45% greater in PAN-treated rats at week 7 and 22% greater in PAN-treated rats at week 13. Taken together, these results indicate a biphasic pattern of glomerular hypertrophy in this model. In the first phase (to 7 weeks), an increase in capillary length contributes to glomerular hypertrophy. In the second phase (7 to 13 weeks), the continued glomerular enlargement appears more likely to be due to an increase in capillary diameter and/or mesangial matrix expansion.

Characteristics of 0/129-sensitive motile Aeromonas strains isolated from freshwater on starch-ampicillin agar.

Motile Aeromonas hydrophila strains were recovered from several freshwater sources by spread-plating water samples on starch-ampicillin agar, originally described as a medium for recovering Aeromonas hydrophila quantitatively from foods. Starch-ampicillin agar was compared with membrane Aeromonas medium and Rimler-Shotts medium for selectivity for, and recovery of, Aeromonas strains from freshwater. Thirty-four Aeromonas strains thus isolated were identified to species level by their phenotypic characteristics, and the Mol% G+C of representative strains was determined. Although resistant to 10 µg of the vibriostatic agent 0/129, all these strains showed sensitivity to 150 µg 0/129, which brings into question the use of this agent for distinguishing aeromonads from vibrios. The ability of these strains to produce extracellular virulence factors was generally similar to that reported for environmental strains isolated by other methods from various geographical locations within and beyond Australia. Ten of the 20 A. sobria strains, but none of the A. hydrophila or A. caviae strains, produced enterotoxin as shown by the suckling mouse test. Haemolysin was produced by 9/10 of the enterotoxigenic A. sobria strains and 2/9 A. hydrophila strains. Hemagglutinating activity was detected in 5/20 A. sobria and 7/9 A. hydrophila strains, and was inhibited by fucose and mannose, but not by galactose. The characteristics of these strains were comparable with those of Aeromonas strains isolated from other freshwater environments apart from their sensitivity to 0/129.

Bacterial flora of fishes: A review.

Bacterial floras isolated from eggs, skin, gills, and intestines have been described for a limited number of fish species. Generally, the range of bacterial genera isolated is related to the aquatic habitat of the fish and varies with factors such as the salinity of the habitat and the bacterial load in the water. In many investigations, identification of isolates to the genus level only makes it difficult to determine the precise relationships of aquatic and fish microfloras. Bacteria recovered from the skin and gills may be transient rather than resident on the fish surfaces. Microfloras of fish intestines appear to vary with the complexity of the fish digestive system. The genera present in the gut generally seem to be those from the environment or diet which can survive and multiply in the intestinal tract, although there is evidence for a distinct intestinal microflora in some species. While obligate anaerobes have been recovered from carp and tilapia intestines, low ambient temperatures may prevent colonization by anaerobes in species such as rainbow trout.