@article{BarazaNeserJacksonetal.2016, author = {Baraza, Lilechi D. and Neser, Wekesa and Jackson, Korir Cheruiyot and Fredrick, Juma B. and Dennis, Ochieno and Wairimu, Kamau R. and Keya, Aggrey Osogo and Heydenreich, Matthias}, title = {Antimicrobial Coumarins from the Oyster Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus (Agaricomycetes), from Kenya}, series = {International journal of medicinal mushrooms}, volume = {18}, journal = {International journal of medicinal mushrooms}, publisher = {Begell House}, address = {Danbury}, issn = {1521-9437}, doi = {10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.v18.i10.60}, pages = {905 -- 913}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Pleurotus ostreatus has been widely used as food because of its nutritional and medicinal properties. These have been attributed to the presence of macronutrients, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids, among other secondary metabolites. There are, however, few reports on the antimicrobial activities of different classes of purified compounds from P. ostreatus. This led to the current study, the objective of which was to chemically characterize the antibiotic activities of P. ()streams against selected human pathogenic bacteria and endophytic fungi. Chemical structures were determined using spectroscopic methods and by comparison with values of related structures reported in the literature. Pure compounds from P. ostreatus were tested in vitro against pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) and endophytic fungi (Pencillium digitatum and Fusarium prolferatum). A new compound, (E)-5,7-dimethoxy-6-(3-methylbuta-1,3-dienyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (5-methoxy-(E)-suberodiene) (compound 2), along with ergosterol (compound I.) and 5,7-dimethoxy-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (toddaculin; compound 3), were isolated from the fruiting bodies of P. ostreatus. The growth of S. aureus,E proliferatum, and P. digitatum colonies was inhibited in media containing compound 2, with minimum inhibitory concentrations closely comparable to those of conventional antibiotics.}, language = {en} } @article{BartholomaeusFedyuninFeistetal.2016, author = {Bartholom{\"a}us, Alexander and Fedyunin, Ivan and Feist, Peter and Sin, Celine and Zhang, Gong and Valleriani, Angelo and Ignatova, Zoya}, title = {Bacteria differently regulate mRNA abundance to specifically respond to various stresses}, series = {Geology}, volume = {374}, journal = {Geology}, publisher = {Royal Society}, address = {London}, issn = {1364-503X}, doi = {10.1098/rsta.2015.0069}, pages = {16}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Environmental stress is detrimental to cell viability and requires an adequate reprogramming of cellular activities to maximize cell survival. We present a global analysis of the response of Escherichia coli to acute heat and osmotic stress. We combine deep sequencing of total mRNA and ribosome-protected fragments to provide a genome-wide map of the stress response at transcriptional and translational levels. For each type of stress, we observe a unique subset of genes that shape the stress-specific response. Upon temperature upshift, mRNAs with reduced folding stability up-and downstream of the start codon, and thus with more accessible initiation regions, are translationally favoured. Conversely, osmotic upshift causes a global reduction of highly translated transcripts with high copy numbers, allowing reallocation of translation resources to not degraded and newly synthesized mRNAs.}, language = {en} } @article{HoffmannHaoShearwinetal.2019, author = {Hoffmann, Stefan A. and Hao, Nan and Shearwin, Keith E. and Arndt, Katja Maren}, title = {Characterizing transcriptional interference between converging genes in bacteria}, series = {ACS synthetic biology}, volume = {8}, journal = {ACS synthetic biology}, number = {3}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {2161-5063}, doi = {10.1021/acssynbio.8b00477}, pages = {466 -- 473}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Antisense transcription is common in naturally occurring genomes and is increasingly being used in synthetic genetic circuitry as a tool for gene expression control. Mutual influence on the expression of convergent genes can be mediated by antisense RNA effects and by transcriptional interference (TI). We aimed to quantitatively characterize long-range TI between convergent genes with untranslated intergenic spacers of increasing length. After controlling for antisense RNA-mediated effects, which contributed about half of the observed total expression inhibition, the TI effect was modeled. To achieve model convergence, RNA polymerase processivity and collision resistance were assumed to be modulated by ribosome trailing. The spontaneous transcription termination rate in regions of untranslated DNA was experimentally determined. Our modeling suggests that an elongating RNA polymerase with a trailing ribosome is about 13 times more likely to resume transcription than an opposing RNA polymerase without a trailing ribosome, upon head-on collision of the two.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Urban2008, author = {Urban, Alexander}, title = {Charakterisierung der Funktion der Rhodanese YnjE f{\"u}r die Molybd{\"a}nkofaktor Biosynthese in Escherichia coli}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-29018}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2008}, abstract = {Die ubiquit{\"a}r verbreitete Molybd{\"a}nkofaktorbiosynthese ist in Escherichia coli (E. coli) bisher am umfassendsten untersucht. Bislang war jedoch nicht bekannt, welche physiologische Schwefelquelle im zweiten Schritt dieses Syntheseweges zur Bildung der charakteristischen Dithiolengruppe genutzt wird. Erste Untersuchungen deuteten auf eine der Cysteindesulfurasen E. colis hin, welche in Verbindung mit einem rhodanese{\"a}hnlichen Protein den Schwefel in Form eines Persulfids {\"u}bertragen. {\"A}hnliche Mechanismen wurden bereits in der humanen Moco-Biosynthese und der Thiaminbiosynthese identifiziert. In dieser Arbeit wurde das E. coli Protein YnjE n{\"a}her charakterisiert. Es handelt sich bei YnjE um ein rhodanese{\"a}hnliches Protein aus drei Rhodanesedom{\"a}nen. Durch Proteinkristallisation und anschliessender R{\"o}ntgenstrukturanalyse wurde die Terti{\"a}rstruktur des YnjE-Proteins analysiert. Die hergestellten Kristalle konnten zur Gewinnung von Strukturdaten vermessen und eine Proteinkristallstruktur f{\"u}r YnjE berechnet werden. Desweiteren besitzt YnjE ein N-terminales Typ I Sekretionssystem abh{\"a}ngiges Sipnalpeptid. Durch Lokalisieungsexperimente wurde die Bedeutung des Signalpeptids f{\"u}r das YnjE-Protein untersucht. Dabei wurde festgestellt, dass endogenes YnjE sowohl im peri- als auch im cytoplasmatischen Raum lokalisiert ist. Auf Grund von vorhergehenden Studien, wurde eine Funktion des YnjE-Proteins innerhalb der Molybd{\"a}nkofaktorbiosynthese in der Schwefel{\"u}bertragung auf das Protein MoaD in E. coli vermutet und deshalb in dieser Arbeit n{\"a}her untersucht. Es wurde eine Interaktion des YnjE-Proteins mit dem MoeB-Protein, welches f{\"u}r die Thiocarboxylierung des MoaD-Proteins essentiell ist, durch Tandem-Affinit{\"a}tsreinigung und Antik{\"o}rper-basierte Affinit{\"a}tsreinigung nachgewiesen und ein signifikanter positiver Einfluss YnjEs auf die Bildung von Molybdopterin, einer Vorstufe des Molybd{\"a}nkofaktors, best{\"a}tigt. Dabei wurde sowohl der Sulfurierungsgrad des MoaD-Proteins in YnjE und Cysteindesulfurase-knock-out Mutanten untersucht, als auch die Bildung von Molybdopterin in einem in vitro Ansatz in Abh{\"a}ngigkeit von steigenden YnjE-Konzentrationen analysiert. Im Ergebnis kann man daraus schließen, dass der Mechanismus der Schwefel{\"u}bertragung {\"a}hnlich der Thiaminbiosynthese, {\"u}ber eine der drei Cysteindesulfurasen CsdA, SufS oder IscS geschieht, welche Schwefel in Form eines Persulfids auf YnjE {\"u}bertragen k{\"o}nnen. Thiosulfat und Mercaptopyruvat, die Substrate f{\"u}r die beiden Familien der rhodanese{\"a}hnlichen Proteine, Thiosulfat-Sulfurtransferasen und Mercaptopyruvat-Sulfurtransferasen, dienen nicht als Substrate f{\"u}r eine Persulfurierung YnjEs. Durch eine Austauschmutante des Cysteinrestes der aktiven Schleife von YnjE konnte nicht best{\"a}tigt werden, dass dieser Aminos{\"a}urerest und damit die Bildung eines YnjE-gebundenen Persulfids f{\"u}r die positive Beeinflussung der MPT-Synthese essentiell ist. Vielmehr kann durch diese Arbeit von einer Vermittlung der Interaktionen zwischen MoeB, IscS und der MPT-Synthase durch YnjE ausgegangen werden wobei die Cysteindesulfurase IscS den Schwefel f{\"u}r die Thiocarboxylierung des MoaD-Proteins liefert.}, language = {de} } @article{DechtriratGajovicEichelmannWojciketal.2014, author = {Dechtrirat, Decha and Gajovic-Eichelmann, Nenad and Wojcik, Felix and Hartmann, Laura and Bier, Frank Fabian and Scheller, Frieder W.}, title = {Electrochemical displacement sensor based on ferrocene boronic acid tracer and immobilized glycan for saccharide binding proteins and E. coli}, series = {Biosensors and bioelectronics : the principal international journal devoted to research, design development and application of biosensors and bioelectronics}, volume = {58}, journal = {Biosensors and bioelectronics : the principal international journal devoted to research, design development and application of biosensors and bioelectronics}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0956-5663}, doi = {10.1016/j.bios.2014.02.028}, pages = {1 -- 8}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Pathogens such as viruses and bacteria use their envelope proteins and their adhesin lectins to recognize the glycan residues presented on the cell surface of the target tissues. This principle of recognition is used in a new electrochemical displacement sensor for the protein concanavalin A (ConA). A gold electrode was first modified with a self-assembled monolayer of a thiolated mannose/OEG conjugate and a ferrocene boroxol derivative was pre-assembled as reporter molecule onto the mannose surface. The novel tracer molecule based on a 2-hydroxymethyl phenyl boronic acid derivative binds even at neutral pH to the saccharides which could expand the application towards biological samples (i.e., urine and feces). Upon the binding of ConA, the tracer was displaced and washed away from the sensor surface leading to a decrease in the electrochemical signal. Using square wave voltammetry (SWV), the concentration of ConA in the sample solution could be determined in the dynamic concentration range established from 38 nmol L-1 to 5.76 mu mol L-1 with a reproducible detection limit of 1 mu g mL(-1) (38 nmol L-1) based on the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N=3) with fast response of 15 min. The new reporter molecule showed a reduced non-specific displacement by BSA and ribonuclease A. The sensor was also successfully transferred to the first proof of principle for the detection of Escherichia coli exhibiting a detection limit of approximately 6 x 102 cells/mL Specificity of the displacement by target protein ConA and E. coli was demonstrated since the control proteins (i.e., BSA and RNaseA) and the control E. coli strain, which lack of type 1 fimbriae, were ineffective. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Goethel2023, author = {G{\"o}thel, Markus}, title = {Entwicklung eines Verfahrens zur Generierung von spezifischen monoklonalen Antik{\"o}rpern gegen Mikroorganismen basierend auf in silico Epitopanalysen}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-58801}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-588017}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {XVI, 113}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Monoklonale Antik{\"o}rper (mAK) sind eines der wichtigsten Biomolek{\"u}le f{\"u}r die Umweltanalytik und die medizinische Diagnostik. F{\"u}r die Detektion von Mikroorganismen bilden sie die Grundlage f{\"u}r ein schnelles und pr{\"a}zises Testverfahren. Bis heute gibt es, aufgrund des hohen zeitlichen und materiellen Aufwandes und der unspezifischen Immunisierungsstrategien, nur wenige mAK, die spezifisch Mikroorganismen erkennen. Zu diesem Zweck sollte ein anwendbares Verfahren f{\"u}r die Generierung von mAK gegen Mikroorganismen entwickelt werden, welches anhand von Escherichia coli O157:H7 und Legionella pneumophila validiert wurde. In dieser Dissertation konnten neue Oberfl{\"a}chenstrukturen auf den Mikroorganismen mittels vergleichender Genomanalysen und in silico Epitopanalysen identifiziert werden. Diese wurden in das Virush{\"u}llprotein VP1 integriert und f{\"u}r eine gezielte Immunisierungsstrategie verwendet. F{\"u}r die Bestimmung antigenspezifischer antik{\"o}rperproduzierender Hybridome wurde ein Immunf{\"a}rbeprotokoll entwickelt und etabliert, um die Hybridome im Durchflusszytometer zu sortieren. In der vorliegenden Studie konnten f{\"u}r E. coli O157:H7 insgesamt 53 potenzielle Proteinkandidaten und f{\"u}r L. pneumophila 38 Proteine mithilfe der bioinformatischen Analyse identifiziert werden. F{\"u}nf verschiedene potenzielle Epitope wurden f{\"u}r E. coli O157:H7 und drei verschiedenen f{\"u}r L. pneumophila ausgew{\"a}hlt und f{\"u}r die Immunisierung mit chim{\"a}ren VP1 verwendet. Alle Immunseren zeigten eine antigenspezifische Immunantwort. Aus den nachfolgend generierten Hybridomzellen konnten mehrere Antik{\"o}rperkandidaten gewonnen werden, welche in Charakterisierungsstudien eine starke Bindung zu E. coli O157:H7 bzw. L. pneumophila vorwiesen. Kreuzreaktivit{\"a}ten zu anderen relevanten Mikroorganismen konnten keine bzw. nur in geringem Maße festgestellt werden. Folglich konnte der hier beschriebene interdisziplin{\"a}re Ansatz zur Generierung spezifischer mAK gegen Mikroorganismen nachweislich spezifische mAK hervorbringen und ist als hocheffizienter Arbeitsablauf f{\"u}r die Herstellung von Antik{\"o}rpern gegen Mikroorganismen einsetzbar.}, language = {de} } @article{SchiebelBoehmNitschkeetal.2017, author = {Schiebel, Juliane and Boehm, Alexander and Nitschke, Joerg and Burdukiewicz, Michal and Weinreich, Joerg and Ali, Aamir and Roggenbuck, Dirk and Roediger, Stefan and Schierack, Peter}, title = {Genotypic and Phenotypic Characteristics Associated with Biofilm Formation by Human Clinical Escherichia coli Isolates of Different Pathotypes}, series = {Applied and environmental microbiology}, volume = {83}, journal = {Applied and environmental microbiology}, publisher = {American Society for Microbiology}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0099-2240}, doi = {10.1128/AEM.01660-17}, pages = {15}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Bacterial biofilm formation is a widespread phenomenon and a complex process requiring a set of genes facilitating the initial adhesion, maturation, and production of the extracellular polymeric matrix and subsequent dispersal of bacteria. Most studies on Escherichia coli biofilm formation have investigated nonpathogenic E. coli K-12 strains. Due to the extensive focus on laboratory strains in most studies, there is poor information regarding biofilm formation by pathogenic E. coli isolates. In this study, we genotypically and phenotypically characterized 187 human clinical E. coli isolates representing various pathotypes (e.g., uropathogenic, enteropathogenic, and enteroaggregative E. coli). We investigated the presence of biofilm-associated genes ("genotype") and phenotypically analyzed the isolates for motility and curli and cellulose production ("phenotype"). We developed a new screening method to examine the in vitro biofilm formation ability. In summary, we found a high prevalence of biofilm-associated genes. However, we could not detect a biofilm-associated gene or specific phenotype correlating with the biofilm formation ability. In contrast, we did identify an association of increased biofilm formation with a specific E. coli pathotype. Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) was found to exhibit the highest capacity for biofilm formation. Using our image-based technology for the screening of biofilm formation, we demonstrated the characteristic biofilm formation pattern of EAEC, consisting of thick bacterial aggregates. In summary, our results highlight the fact that biofilm-promoting factors shown to be critical for biofilm formation in nonpathogenic strains do not reflect their impact in clinical isolates and that the ability of biofilm formation is a defined characteristic of EAEC. IMPORTANCE Bacterial biofilms are ubiquitous and consist of sessile bacterial cells surrounded by a self-produced extracellular polymeric matrix. They cause chronic and device-related infections due to their high resistance to antibiotics and the host immune system. In nonpathogenic Escherichia coli, cell surface components playing a pivotal role in biofilm formation are well known. In contrast, there is poor information for their role in biofilm formation of pathogenic isolates. Our study provides insights into the correlation of biofilm-associated genes or specific phenotypes with the biofilm formation ability of commensal and pathogenic E. coli. Additionally, we describe a newly developed method enabling qualitative biofilm analysis by automated image analysis, which is beneficial for high-throughput screenings. Our results help to establish a better understanding of E. coli biofilm formation.}, language = {en} } @misc{ConnorZantowHustetal.2016, author = {Connor, Daniel Oliver and Zantow, Jonas and Hust, Michael and Bier, Frank Fabian and von Nickisch-Rosenegk, Markus}, title = {Identification of novel immunogenic proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by phage display}, series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {541}, issn = {1866-8372}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-41107}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-411077}, pages = {24}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Neisseria gonorrhoeae is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases worldwide with more than 100 million new infections per year. A lack of intense research over the last decades and increasing resistances to the recommended antibiotics call for a better understanding of gonococcal infection, fast diagnostics and therapeutic measures against N. gonorrhoeae. Therefore, the aim of this work was to identify novel immunogenic proteins as a first step to advance those unresolved problems. For the identification of immunogenic proteins, pHORF oligopeptide phage display libraries of the entire N. gonorrhoeae genome were constructed. Several immunogenic oligopeptides were identified using polyclonal rabbit antibodies against N. gonorrhoeae. Corresponding full-length proteins of the identified oligopeptides were expressed and their immunogenic character was verified by ELISA. The immunogenic character of six proteins was identified for the first time. Additional 13 proteins were verified as immunogenic proteins in N. gonorrhoeae.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Steinhauser2004, author = {Steinhauser, Dirk}, title = {Inferring hypotheses from complex profile data - by means of CSB.DB, a comprehensive systems-biology database}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-2467}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2004}, abstract = {The past decades are characterized by various efforts to provide complete sequence information of genomes regarding various organisms. The availability of full genome data triggered the development of multiplex high-throughput assays allowing simultaneous measurement of transcripts, proteins and metabolites. With genome information and profiling technologies now in hand a highly parallel experimental biology is offering opportunities to explore and discover novel principles governing biological systems. Understanding biological complexity through modelling cellular systems represents the driving force which today allows shifting from a component-centric focus to integrative and systems level investigations. The emerging field of systems biology integrates discovery and hypothesis-driven science to provide comprehensive knowledge via computational models of biological systems. Within the context of evolving systems biology, investigations were made in large-scale computational analyses on transcript co-response data through selected prokaryotic and plant model organisms. CSB.DB - a comprehensive systems-biology database - (http://csbdb.mpimp-golm.mpg.de/) was initiated to provide public and open access to the results of biostatistical analyses in conjunction with additional biological knowledge. The database tool CSB.DB enables potential users to infer hypothesis about functional interrelation of genes of interest and may serve as future basis for more sophisticated means of elucidating gene function. The co-response concept and the CSB.DB database tool were successfully applied to predict operons in Escherichia coli by using the chromosomal distance and transcriptional co-responses. Moreover, examples were shown which indicate that transcriptional co-response analysis allows identification of differential promoter activities under different experimental conditions. The co-response concept was successfully transferred to complex organisms with the focus on the eukaryotic plant model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. The investigations made enabled the discovery of novel genes regarding particular physiological processes and beyond, allowed annotation of gene functions which cannot be accessed by sequence homology. GMD - the Golm Metabolome Database - was initiated and implemented in CSB.DB to integrated metabolite information and metabolite profiles. This novel module will allow addressing complex biological questions towards transcriptional interrelation and extent the recent systems level quest towards phenotyping.}, subject = {Datenbank}, language = {en} } @article{ZupokGorkaSiemiatkowskaetal.2019, author = {Zupok, Arkadiusz and G{\´o}rka, Michał Jakub and Siemiatkowska, Beata and Skirycz, Aleksandra and Leimk{\"u}hler, Silke}, title = {Iron-Dependent Regulation of Molybdenum Cofactor Biosynthesis Genes in Escherichia coli}, series = {Journal of bacteriology}, volume = {201}, journal = {Journal of bacteriology}, number = {17}, publisher = {American Society for Microbiology}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0021-9193}, doi = {10.1128/JB.00382-19}, pages = {15}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Molybdenum cofactor (Moco) biosynthesis is a complex process that involves the coordinated function of several proteins. In recent years it has become obvious that the availability of iron plays an important role in the biosynthesis of Moco. First, the MoaA protein binds two (4Fe-4S] clusters per monomer. Second, the expression of the moaABCDE and moeAB operons is regulated by FNR, which senses the availability of oxygen via a functional NFe-4S) cluster. Finally, the conversion of cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate to molybdopterin requires the availability of the L-cysteine desulfurase IscS, which is a shared protein with a main role in the assembly of Fe-S clusters. In this report, we investigated the transcriptional regulation of the moaABCDE operon by focusing on its dependence on cellular iron availability. While the abundance of selected molybdoenzymes is largely decreased under iron-limiting conditions, our data show that the regulation of the moaABCDE operon at the level of transcription is only marginally influenced by the availability of iron. Nevertheless, intracellular levels of Moco were decreased under iron-limiting conditions, likely based on an inactive MoaA protein in addition to lower levels of the L-cysteine desulfurase IscS, which simultaneously reduces the sulfur availability for Moco production. IMPORTANCE FNR is a very important transcriptional factor that represents the master switch for the expression of target genes in response to anaerobiosis. Among the FNR-regulated operons in Escherichia coli is the moaABCDE operon, involved in Moco biosynthesis. Molybdoenzymes have essential roles in eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. In bacteria, molybdoenzymes are crucial for anaerobic respiration using alternative electron acceptors. This work investigates the connection of iron availability to the biosynthesis of Moco and the production of active molybdoenzymes.}, language = {en} }