ABSTRACT
IMPORTANCE: Soil protists are an essential yet seriously understudied component of the soil microbiome. In this study, 11 new records of dictyostelids belonging to 2 orders, 3 families, and 4 genera were identified from 99 soil samples collected from different elevations and habitats in central Gansu and the southeastern and southcentral portions of Guizhou Province, China. We found that dictyostelid communities were significantly different between Gansu and Guizhou Provinces, apparently in response to different environmental factors. Moreover, dictyostelids were found to have the highest species diversity in mixed forests. Soil pH, temperature, and elevation were determined to be the primary factors that affect the distribution and occurrence of dictyostelids in Guizhou and Gansu Provinces. This work supplements the survey data available for dictyostelids elsewhere in China. These new findings have significant implications for our understanding of the diversity of soil microorganisms.
Subject(s)
Dictyosteliida , Humans , Soil , Farms , China , Forests , Soil MicrobiologyABSTRACT
Vancomycin is one of the last lines of defense against certain drug-resistant bacteria-caused infections. However, the high susceptibility to drug resistance and high toxicity seriously limit the application of vancomycin. Nanoantibiotics provide opportunities to solve these problems. Herein, we present mercaptophenylboronic acid (MBA)-modified gold nanoclusters with well-defined molecular formulas and structure (Au44(MBA)18) and excellent antibacterial activities against various drug-resistant bacteria such as vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE). Au44(MBA)18 interacts with bacteria by first attaching to teichoic-acid and destroying the cell wall and subsequently binding to the bacterial DNA. Au44(MBA)18 could be administered via multiple routes and has a high biosafety (500 mg/kg, no ototoxicity), overcoming the two major shortcomings of vancomycin (sole administration route and high ototoxicity). Our study is insightful for curing infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria using nanoantibiotics with high biosafety.
Subject(s)
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci , Vancomycin , Vancomycin/pharmacology , Enterococcus faecalis/genetics , Gold/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci/genetics , Microbial Sensitivity TestsABSTRACT
We report aminophenol (A)-modified gold nanoparticles (AGNPs), which have potent antibacterial effects against multidrug-resistant bacteria with a broad antibacterial spectrum. Moreover, a series of in vitro and in vivo models indicate that AGNPs are much less ototoxic than aminoglycosides. AGNPs thus have the potential to replace aminoglycosides as novel antibacterial agents for clinical applications.
Subject(s)
Aminophenols/chemistry , Bacteria/drug effects , Gold/chemistry , Metal Nanoparticles/toxicity , Animals , Cell Line , Cell Survival/drug effects , Dogs , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Humans , Larva/drug effects , Larva/physiology , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry , Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Zebrafish/growth & developmentABSTRACT
Optical methods such as absorptiometry, fluorescence, and surface plasmon resonance have long been explored for sensing glucose. However, these schemes have not had the clinical success of electrochemical methods for point-of-care testing because of the limited performance of optical sensors and the bulky instruments they require. Here, we show that an ultrasensitive optical transducer can be used for wireless glucose monitoring via a smartphone. The optical transducer combines oxygen-sensitive polymer dots (Pdots) with glucose oxidase that sensitively detect glucose when oxygen is consumed in the glucose oxidation reaction. By judicious design of the Pdots with ultralong phosphorescence lifetime, the transducer exhibited a significantly enhanced sensitivity by 1 order of magnitude as compared to the one in a previous study. As a result, the optical images of subcutaneous glucose level obtained with the smartphone camera could be utilized to clearly distinguish between euglycemia and hyperglycemia. We further developed an image processing algorithm and a software application that was installed on a smartphone. Real-time dynamic glucose monitoring in live mice was demonstrated with the smartphone and the implanted Pdot transducer.
Subject(s)
Glucose/analysis , Polymers/chemistry , Quantum Dots/chemistry , Smartphone , Transducers , Wireless Technology , Animals , Coordination Complexes/chemistry , Female , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Nude , Palladium/chemistry , Porphyrins/chemistryABSTRACT
Conventional photodynamic therapy is severely constrained by the limited light-penetration depth in tissue. Here, we show efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) mediated by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) that overcomes the light-penetration limitation. The photosensitizer Rose Bengal (RB) was loaded in biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles, which were then conjugated with firefly luciferase. Spectroscopic characterizations indicated that BRET effectively activated RB to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). In vitro studies of the cellular cytotoxicity and photodynamic effect indicated that cancer cells were effectively destroyed by BRET-PDT treatment. In vivo studies in a tumor-bearing mouse model demonstrated that tumor growth was significantly inhibited by BRET-PDT in the absence of external light irradiation. The BRET-mediated phototherapy provides a promising approach to overcome the light-penetration limitation in photodynamic treatment of deep-seated tumors.
Subject(s)
Biocompatible Materials , Energy Transfer , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Photochemotherapy , Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer/adverse effects , Animals , Cell Line, Tumor , Humans , Luciferases, Firefly/metabolism , Luminescence , Mice , Mice, Inbred ICR , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolismABSTRACT
The energy transfer from upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to photosensitizers has been widely used for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) by near infrared (NIR) excitation. However, the poor spectral overlap of lanthanide ions and conventional photosensitizers leads to low PDT efficiency. In this study, we construct a multilayered upconversion nanoplatform with dual photosensitizers to efficiently use the UV and visible upconversion emissions in NIR-responsive PDT. The nanoplatform consists of three functional layers, which are the upconversion nanoparticle as a core, and light-sensitive conjugated polymer and apo-transferrin-titanocene (Tf@Tc) as shells. Under NIR irradiation, apparent energy transfer occurs from the core to the polymer and Tc components in the shell, producing reactive oxygen species and free radicals for cancer cell killing. In vitro cellular assays show the synergistic therapeutic effect of the conjugated polymer and Tc as photosensitizers. In vivo animal studies show that tumor growth is significantly inhibited in the mice receiving the theranostic platform and NIR irradiation. Based on these observations, the multilayered upconversion nanocomposites can find potential applications in NIR-mediated anti-tumor therapy.
