Distribution of classical enterotoxin genes in staphylococci from milk of cows with- and without mastitis and the cowshed environment.

The aim of this study was to analyze by PCR 185 isolates of Staphylococcus from milk of cows with- and without mastitis and from the cowsheds environment for their potential ability to produce five classical staphylococcal enterotoxins. Among S. aureus isolates 8 (32%) carried enterotoxin genes and only 2 of them had more than one gene. The enterotoxin genes were detected in 22 (13.7%) coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolates, among them in 9 (11.4%) isolates of S. xylosus, 5 (16.7%) S. sciuri, 3 (10.3%) S. epidermidis and in 5 (22.7%) Staphylococcus spp. In some CNS 2 or 3 genes were detected simultaneously. Among the investigated enterotoxin genes, sec was the most prevalent (70%). The genes encoding enterotoxin B and D were detected in 5 (16.7%) and 6 (20%) isolates, respectively. The lowest number of isolates had sea and see genes. The genes encoding enterotoxins were often identified in staphylococci from milk of cows with mastitis (73.4% of detected genes), while only 6 (20%) isolates from milk of cows without mastitis and 2 (6.6%) isolates from cowshed environment were positive for enterotoxin genes. The results showed that CNS from bovine milk, like S. aureus, carried enterotoxin genes and may pose a risk for public health.

Virulence factors and ability of staphylococci from bovine milk and the cowshed environment to biofilm formation.

The aim of this study was to examine virulence factors and the ability of S. aureus and CNS species isolated from milk of cows with mastitis to form biofilm, and to compare them with virulence factors of staphylococci from milk of cows without mastitis and cowshed environment. Most of S. aureus strains from cows with mastitis showed haemolytic activity (93.9%), among them 72.7% and 21.2% produced alpha- and beta-haemolysin, respectively. S. aureus from cows with mastitis symptoms produced proteases (above 48%) and esterase (42.4%). The highly significant relationship between the number of S. xylosus strains producing haemolysins (62%) and the origin of these strains from milk of cows with mastitis was observed. The ability to produce proteases was significantly associated with S. sciuri from milk of cows with mastitis. The ability of biofilm formation by staphylococcal strains from milk of cows with mastitis was greater than in strains from milk of cows without mastitis and the difference was significant (p < or = 0.05). The highest percentage of strains from milk of cows with mastitis were weak biofilm formers (48.6%), while 40% and 11.4% of strains were moderate and strong biofilm producers, respectively. S. xylosus showed the highest ability to form biofilm, while the lowest ability to form biofilm was observed in S. aureus and S. epidermidis. In conclusion, production of exotoxins and enzymes, and ability of biofilm formation shown by many CNS isolated from milk of cows with mastitis symptoms indicates that these features are important in pathogenesis of this disease.

Phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance of staphylococci from bovine milk.

The aim of this study was to examine phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance of staphylococci from milk samples from cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis and from cows without mastitis symptoms to methicillin, tetracyclines, macrolides and lincosamides (ML). Of 207 strains, including 34 S. aureus and 173 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), 11 (6.4%) CNS strains were phenotypically resistant to methicillin. The mecA gene was detected by PCR only in two S. xylosus strains and one strain of S. epidermidis and S. simulans. No methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains were observed. In methicillin-resistant strains with mecA, gene resistance to other investigated antibiotics was not observed. Phenotypic resistance to tetracycline was detected in 11.0% of CNS strains and 47.4% of them carried the tetK gene. Of 173 CNS strains studied, 27 (15.6%) were resistant to at least one ML antibiotic. The resistance gene ermC was detected in 55.5% of the 27 ML-resistant strains. The ermA and ermB genes were detected in 14.8% and 11.1% of ML-resistant CNS strains, respectively. Antimicrobial resistance to methicillin, tetracyclines and macrolides was detected more frequently in staphylococcal strains from clinical mastitis compared to animals with subclinical symptoms and without mastitis, while the resistance to lincosamides showed a similar frequency in all groups of cows. In conclusion, CNS species from bovine milk differ in phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles, and the use of PCR technique alone for the detection of methicillin, macrolide, lincosamide and tetyracycline resistance in CNS from cattle is not reliable.

Antimicrobial resistance and genotypes of staphylococci from bovine milk and the cowshed environment.

Investigation of antimicrobial resistance and genetic relatedness of staphylococci from milk of cows with mastitis and cowshed environment was the aim of this study. Antimicrobial resistance against 14 antimicrobials were determined by using a disc diffusion method. Genetic similarity between the most frequently isolated species was analysed by PFGE (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis). Haemolytic activity, DNase, protease and esterase production was also investigated. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species were isolated from 30.8% of milk samples from cows with mastitis. The most frequently isolated species was Staphylococcus xylosus and yield of these organisms was significantly associated with milk of mastitis cows. S. epidermidis was a predominant penicillin-resistant species. High frequency of resistance to lincomycin was observed among isolates of S. sciuri (54.2%) and S. xylosus (25.9%) from cows with mastitis. PFGE (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) analysis of 29 Staphylococcus aureus isolates showed the presence of 17 PFGE pulsotypes. Isolates of S. sciuri (n = 36) had unique PFGE patterns. Some S. xylosus isolates from milk and milker's hands had the same PFGE pulsotypes, and this observation could indicate that dairyman may be a potential source of the infection. The pulsotype of each of the remaining isolates of S. xylosus suggested that they might have come from common environmental sources; however, these isolates differed in antibiotic resistance pattern or virulence traits. Therefore, knowledge about antibiotic sensitivity pattern and virulence factors of a CNS isolate, besides its genotype, may be informative in tracking the source of the infection.

Transport and accumulation rates of abscisic acid and aldehyde oxidase activity in Pisum sativum L. in response to suboptimal growth conditions.

Pea plants (Pisum sativum L.) grown initially in nutrient solutions with adequate nitrogen supply (4 mM NO3-) were transferred to solutions containing salt (50 or 100 mM NaCl), ammonium (4 mM) or a low nitrogen supply (0.4 mM NO3-). No changes of abscisic acid (ABA) content were found in roots of stressed pea plants 9 d after the beginning of the treatments; however, accumulation of ABA in the leaves was observed. Old leaves accumulated ABA to a higher extent than young leaves. Accumulation of ABA in leaves of ammonium-fed plants and plants grown under low nitrogen supply occurred in the absence of both increased ABA xylem loading rate and enhanced aldehyde oxidase (AO, EC 1.2.3.1) activity in roots. Enhanced leaf AO activity was observed in all treatments, with the highest increase in old leaves. Among the three AO isoforms (AO-1, AO-2 and AO-3) detected in extracts of pea leaves, the lowest one AO-3 (highest mobility in the gel) correlated with ABA production and showed the highest increment in response to the treatments. The increase of AO activity detected in leaves after 2 weeks of stress application was less prominent than after 9 d, suggesting a transient enhancement of ABA production following the onset of stress. An increase of ABA xylem loading rate as well as AO root activity 4 d and 9 d after application of the treatments was observed only in salt-treated plants followed by a decrease after 14 d in 100 mM NaCl. Decreased cytokinin (trans-zeatin riboside) delivery rate into the xylem sap was observed in all treatments. The role of abscisic acid and cytokinins as positive and negative growth signals, as well as the involvement of root-generated ABA on ABA accumulation in leaves is discussed.

Studies on the role of proteases in the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor: effect of PMSF and chloroquine on ligninolytic enzymes activity.

In the present study we investigated the possibility of proteinases, intracellular and extracellular, being involved in the regulation of ligninolytic activities in cultures of Trametes versicolor during the shift from primary growth (i.e. trophophase) to idiophase triggered by nitrogen or carbon starvation. These studies were performed using specific inhibitors added to the cultures of T. versicolor. Addition of PMSF (irreversible inhibitor of serine proteinases) or chloroquine (the lysosomotropic agent inhibiting intralysosomal degradation of proteins) revealed distinct differences in the activity of ligninolytic enzymes between nutrient-deprived and non-starved cultures. The addition of PMSF during the transfer of mycelia to the nutrient limited media significantly enhanced the activities of laccase (2-7-fold) and of unspecified peroxidases (2-4-fold). The activity of lignin peroxidase decreased with PMSF, both in tropho- and in idiophasic cultures. The enhanced activities of laccase and general peroxidases (horseradish peroxidase-like, HRP-like) were accompanied by markedly altered patterns of both intracellular and extracellular proteolytic activities revealed by electrophoretic analysis with polyacrylamide gels containing the copolymerized substrate (haemoglobin or gelatin, respectively). The experiments with chloroquine added to nutrient-deprived cultures showed that inhibition of vacuolar proteolysis resulted in lowered activities of laccase and peroxidase. Electrophoretic analysis revealed altered patterns of intracellular proteinases upon chloroquine addition to nutrient-starved cultures. Moreover, chloroquine was found to enhance the activity of proteases secreted in carbon-starved cultures. From the results it is concluded that both intracellular (including vacuolar) and extracellular proteases are involved in the regulation of laccase and peroxidase activity in cultures of T. versicolor under nutrient limitation.