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Mycobacterium bovis is the cause of bovine tuberculosis, and it can also cause disease in humans, with symptoms similar to those caused by M. tuberculosis. However, our understanding of its genomic diversity, biogeography, and drug resistance remains incomplete. We performed a comparative and phylogenetic analysis of 3228 M. bovis genomes from 24 countries. Following drug susceptibility testing, we applied a bacterial genome‐wide association study to capture associations between genomic variation and drug resistance in 74 newly isolated strains from China. The data show that the cattle‐adapted M. bovis were divided into six lineages with a strong phylogeographical population structure. Lineages 1 and 6 are the most widespread globally, while others show a strong geographical restriction. Note that 17.39% of M. bovis isolates were resistant to at least one drug in China. Furthermore, we identify genomic variations associated with an increased risk of resistance acquisition. This study furthers our knowledge of M. bovis diversity, biogeography, and drug resistance and will facilitate more deeply informed genomic tracking and surveillance to minimize its threat to human health, as a cause of zoonotic tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of contaminated leachate on groundwater from landfills is well known, but the specific effects on bacterial consortia are less well-studied. Bacterial communities in a landfill and an urban site located in Suzhou, China, were studied using Illumina high-throughput sequencing. A total of 153 944 good-quality reads were produced and sequences assigned to 6388 operational taxonomic units. Bacterial consortia consisted of up to 16 phyla, including Proteobacteria (31.9%–94.9% at landfill, 25.1%–43.3% at urban sites), Actinobacteria (0%–28.7% at landfill, 9.9%–34.3% at urban sites), Bacteroidetes (1.4%–25.6% at landfill, 5.6%–7.8% at urban sites), Chloroflexi (0.4%–26.5% at urban sites only), and unclassified bacteria. Pseudomonas was the dominant (67%–93%) genus in landfill leachate. Arsenic concentrations in landfill raw leachate (RL) (1.11 × 103 μg/L) and fresh leachate (FL2) (1.78 × 103 μg/L) and mercury concentrations in RL (10.9 μg/L) and FL2 (7.37 μg/L) exceeded Chinese State Environmental Protection Administration standards for leachate in landfills. The Shannon diversity index and Chao1 richness estimate showed RL and FL2 lacked richness and diversity when compared with other samples. This is consistent with stresses imposed by elevated arsenic and mercury and has implications for ecological site remediation by bioremediation or natural attenuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Three Gorges Project significantly impacted water quality and ecological balance in this area. The special engineered aquatic environment could be an important reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Fifteen ARGs corresponding to three groups of antibiotics (tetracyclines, sulfonamides and quinolones) were determined in surface water, soil and sediment in this study. Total concentrations of antibiotics ranged from 21.55 to 536.86 ng/L, 3.69 to 438.76 ng/g, 15.78 to 213.84 ng/g in water, soil and sediment, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of ARGs revealed the presence of two sulfonamide resistance genes ( sul 1, sul 2), five tetracycline resistance genes ( tet A, tet B, tet M, tet Q, tet G) and class 1 integron gene ( int I1) in all samples. And the relative abundance of sulfonamide resistance genes was generally higher than tetracycline resistance genes in three matrices. Significant correlations ( p < 0.05) were found between the concentrations of int I1 and ARGs ( tet A, tet B, tet M, tet Q, tet G, sul 1, sul 2), indicating int I1 may facilitate the proliferation and propagation of these genes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed distribution of ARGs was related to the certain antibiotics residues, which may exert selective pressure on bacteria and thus enrich the abundance of ARGs. The results of this study could provide useful information for both better understanding and management of the contamination caused by ARGs and related antibiotics in engineered aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important human pathogen causing various diseases. In this study, S. pneumoniae from invasive (IPD) and noninvasive pneumococcal disease (NIPD) were studied by serotype and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for population structure characteristics. A total of 169 clinical S. pneumoniae , containing 63 IPD and 106 NIPD strains, were analyzed. 19F, 19A, 6A, 6B, 1, 14 and 23F were the dominant serotypes in both IPD and NIPD strains. By MLST, 169 strains were divided into 85 sequence types (STs) with an index of discrimination (IOD) value of 0.9606. The seven predominant STs were ST271, ST320, ST876, ST3173, ST236, ST81 and ST342, which were mainly associated with serotypes 19F, 19A, 14, 6A, 19F, 1, and 1/23F, respectively. The 63 IPD strains were divided into 20 serotypes (IOD = 0.9135) and 44 STs (IOD = 0.9795); the 106 NIPD strains were divided into 16 serotypes (IOD = 0.8334) and 49 STs (IOD = 0.9430). In conclusion, the serotypes and ST distribution of IPD and NIPD strains analyzed in this study are similar to the profiles observed in other cities of China, suggesting that the clinical S. pneumoniae isolates were derived from clones generally circulating in China. The strains showed a variety of serotypes and STs, and the IPD strains showed higher serotype and genetic diversity than NIPD strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the genetic variation in Haemophilus parasuis (HPS) in Sichuan, China, 11 isolates were analyzed based on the outer membrane protein P2 (OMPP2) sequence. Sequence analysis showed that the 11 isolates shared 93.0 to 100% nucleotide homology with 15 reference strains, and the consistency between the 26 strains was 89.0%. The isolates of HPS-1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 had a 69-base deletion from 770 base pairs (bp) to 850 bp, which was infrequent in China. The phylogenetic tree showed that HPS-3 and HPS-8 had closer relationships with European and Japanese strains, but shared 98.7% nucleotide homology with the SW114 Japanese strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its initial discovery in China in 2015, the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 has been reported in Escherichia coli isolated from clinical samples, animals and meat worldwide. In this study, 706 extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli from 411 persons were detected in a collection of faecal samples from 1000 rural residents in three counties in Shandong Province, China. These isolates were screened for mcr-1 and phenotypic colistin resistance. The gene was found in 3.5% of the isolates (from 4.9% of persons) from all three counties. All isolates with phenotypic colistin resistance carried mcr-1 . These data indicate that commensal carriage of ESBL-producing E. coli with mcr-1 among persons in rural China was already present in 2012 and that mcr-1 was the most important colistin resistance mechanism. Interventions are necessary to minimise further dissemination of mcr-1 , which would limit the future usefulness of colistin as a last-resort antibiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only 4 species of spotted fever group rickettsiae have been detected in humans in China. However, phylogenetic analysis of samples from 5 ill patients in China indicated infection with a novel spotted fever group Rickettsia, designated Rickettsia sp. XY99. Clinical signs resembled those of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-positive, alkaliphilic bacterium, designated strain Zby6, was isolated from Zhabuye Lake in Tibet, China. The strain was able to grow at pH 8.0-11.0 (optimum at pH 10.0), in 0-8 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum at 3 %, w/v) and at 10-45 °C (optimum at 37 °C). Cells of the isolate were facultatively anaerobic and spore-forming rods with polar flagellum. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7, and its cell wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C, C and anteiso-C. The major polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylethanolamine. The genomic DNA G+C content of the isolate was 38.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain Zby6 was a member of the genus Bacillus and most closely related to Bacillus cellulosilyticus DSM 2522 (97.7 % similarity). The DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain Zby6 and B. cellulosilyticus DSM 2522 was 59.2 ± 1.8 %. Comparative analysis of genotypic and phenotypic features indicated that strain Zby6 represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus alkalicola sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is Zby6 (=CGMCC 1.10368 = JCM 17098 = NBRC 107743). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The aims of present study were to evaluate the abundances, genetic diversity of total and microcystin-producing Microcystis over temporal and spatial scales, and to investigate relationships among Microcystis and water parameters in Tai and Yang-cheng lakes. Methods and Results Abundances of total and microcystin-producing Microcystis varied across sampling periods and locations, which were assessed using qPCR with primers specific to Microcystis 16S rDNA and mcyA genes. The 16S rDNA from two lakes were relatively diverse. However, mcyA genes were rather conservative and were >97% identical to reference sequences. The highly positive correlations between mcyA and microcystin presence ( r = 0·671 in Tai; r = 0·799 in Yang-cheng) suggested that mcyA can be used as a good biomarker for microcystin productions. Conclusion The results demonstrated that Microcystis were genetically diverse between these conjunctive lakes; however, mcyA genes were relatively conservative in two lakes. Quantifying mcyA by qPCR was an efficient tool for monitoring toxic Microcystis. Significance and Impact of the Study This study has improved our understanding of observable differences within and between each lake on spatial and temporal scales. And the discovery of new mcyA sequences in natural water enriched the understanding of phylogenetic diversity of Microcystis and toxin-production-related mcy gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time, the combinations of carbapenem resistance mechanisms in clinical isolates of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Chinese hospital. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of eight clonal types among the 15 ESBL producers. Multilocus sequence typing of two isolates harboured blaIMP-1 identified the clonal strain as ST325. All these genes were found either alone or simultaneously in the strains in the following five different arrangements: ; ; ; ; . Regarding mutation-driven resistance, all, but four of the isolates had a relevant decrease of oprD expression. In addition, 73.3% of the isolates overexpressed mexB, 40% mexD, and 33.3% mexY. A specific combination of overexpressed mexB or mexY and alteration in loop L710 of OprD were significantly associated with meropenem resistance. In conclusion, combination of several mutation-driven mechanisms leading to OprD inactivation and overexpression of efflux systems was the main carbapenem resistance mechanism among the ESBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolates, but acquisition of a transferable resistance determinant such as metallo-β-lactamase could be problematic in clinical settings in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The class 1 integron and complex gene cassettes among different species of clinical isolates in northern China were characterized in this study. 383 clinical isolates were obtained from northern China, and class 1 integrons containing gene cassettes widely distributed among gram negative clinical isolates was observed. We find that the class 1 integron showed positive correlation with multidrug resistance phenotype of gram negative bacteria. In addition, we find that isolates belonged to one species harbored different types of gene cassette arrays, while same types of gene cassette arrays were observed in different species of isolates. The diversity of gene cassette arrays among the isolates indicated the complexity of multidrug resistance in clinical isolates in northern China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We analyzed extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (226) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (53) collected from urine specimens during 2005-2009 for the presence of ESBL genes, class 1 integrons, and characterization of gene cassettes. TEM and CTX-M β-lactamase genes were the most prevalent. One hundred and forty-four E. coli and 35 K. pneumoniae were positive for the class 1 integrase gene; among them, 99 E. coli and 14 K. pneumoniae detected gene cassettes. Gene cassette regions were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing analysis. Eleven distinct gene cassette arrays were found in E. coli isolates, and seven distinct gene cassette arrays were found in K. pneumoniae isolates. The cassette array aacA4-catB8- aadA1 was first found in E. coli and dfrA1-orfC was first reported in K. pneumoniae. Most of the gene cassettes found in this class 1 integrons were for aminoglycoside resistance. Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus- polymerase chain reaction fingerprint patterns revealed the isolates carrying gene cassettes were genetically unrelated. In conclusion, we studied the class 1 integrons among urinary isolates of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae in Southern China during the past 5 years and found that class 1 integrons were widely disseminated and played a major role in antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shigella flexneri is the major cause of bacterial shigellosis in developing countries. S. flexneri is divided into at least 19 serotypes, the majority of which are modifications of the same basic O-antigen by glucosylation and/or O-acetylation of its sugar residues by phage encoded serotype-converting genes. Recently, a plasmid encoded phosphoethanolamine (PEtN) modification of the O-antigen has been reported, which is responsible for the presence of the MASF IV-1 determinant and results in conversion of traditional serotypes X, 4a and Y to novel serotypes Xv, 4av and Yv, respectively. In this study, we characterized 19 serotype Yv strains isolated in China. A variant of the O-antigen phosphoethanolamine transferase gene opt (formerly called lpt-O) carried by a pSFxv_2-like plasmid was found in serotype Yv strains, which specifies the phosphorylation pattern on the O-antigen of this serotype. For the majority of the O-antigen units, the PEtN modification occurs on RhaIII, while for a minority, modifications occur on both RhaII and RhaIII. Serotype-specific gene detection and PFGE analysis suggested that these serotype Yv isolates were originated from serotypes Y, Xv and 2a by acquisition of an opt-carrying plasmid and/or inactivation of serotype-specific gene gtrII or gtrX. These data, combined with those of serotypes Xv and 4av reported earlier, demonstrate that the plasmid-encoded PEtN modification is an important serotype conversion mechanism in S. flexneri, in addition to glucosylation and O-acetylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health problem in China, and within China, Inner Mongolia has a high prevalence area of TB. Though studies on the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) have been reported in many provinces, there are no such studies to date in Inner Mongolia. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of MTB in Inner Mongolia. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study, we analyzed 372 clinical MTB isolates with 22-loci mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit and variable-number tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR), spoligotyping, large sequence polymorphism (LSP), and NTF region analysis to understand the TB genotypes prevalent in Inner Mongolia. We found that the Beijing family was the most prevalent genotype (85.48%, 318/372), and the “modern” sublineage accounted for 76.73% (244/318) of the isolates. Our data also showed that there was no statistically significant association between the two major nationalities and the Beijing genotype (χ2 = 3.612, P = 0.057; P>0.05). Conclusion/Significance: The Beijing genotype is the most prevalent family of M. tuberculosis in Inner Mongolia, and we do not find any correlation between the Beijing genotype and the major nationalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The emergence of NDM-1 has become established as a major public health threat and represents a new and major challenge in the treatment of infectious diseases. A total of 39 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates collected from patients receiving care at 5 teaching hospitals in Jiangxi province, central China, were analyzed for carriage of resistance genes, including bla NDM-1. Two carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates (NC12 and NC18) were found to harbor bla NDM-1. In addition to bla NDM-1, NC12 also carried bla SHV-1, while NC18 harbored additional resistance genes, including bla SHV-12, bla CTX-M-14, armA and bla TEM-1. NC12 and NC18 belonged to ST15 and novel ST1031 and were clonally unrelated. Carbapenem resistance for NC12 could be transferred to Escherichia coli recipients through conjugation and chemical transformation, while carbapenem resistance for NC18 was only transferred to E. coli recipients by chemical transformation. The EcoR1-digested DNA pattern of plasmids from the transformants of NC12 was identical to that for NC18. Taken together, this is the first report of bla NDM-1 carriage by K. pneumoniae clinical isolates in mainland China, indicating that bla NDM-1 is disseminated among Enterobacteriaceae in China. Systemic surveillance should focus on the dissemination of bla NDM-1 among Gram-negative clinical isolates, especially some major clones, such as K. pneumoniae ST15 which is a major clone among CTX-M-15–producing isolates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Zonulin is a newly discovered protein that has an important role in the regulation of intestinal permeability. Our previous study showed that probiotics can decrease the rate of infectious complications in patients undergoing colectomy for colorectal cancer. Objective: The objective was to determine the effects of the perioperative administration of probiotics on serum zonulin concentrations and the subsequent effect on postoperative infectious complications in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Design: A total of 150 patients with colorectal carcinoma were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 75), which received placebo, or the probiotics group (n = 75). Both the probiotics and placebo were given orally for 6 d preoperatively and 10 d postoperatively. Outcomes were measured by assessing bacterial translocation, postoperative intestinal permeability, serum zonulin concentrations, duration of postoperative pyrexia, and cumulative duration of antibiotic therapy. The postoperative infection rate, the positive rate of blood microbial DNA, and the incidence of postoperative infectious complications--including septicemia, central line infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and diarrhea--were also assessed. Results: The infection rate was lower in the probiotics group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Probiotics decreased the serum zonulin concentration (P < 0.001), duration of postoperative pyrexia, duration of antibiotic therapy, and rate of postoperative infectious complications (all P < 0.05). The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway was inhibited by probiotics. Conclusions: Perioperative probiotic treatment can reduce the rate of postoperative septicemia and is associated with reduced serum zonulin concentrations in patients undergoing colectomy. We propose a clinical regulatory model that might explain this association. This trial was registered at http://www.chictr.org/en/ as ChiCTRTRC-00000423. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance poses a significant challenge to human health and its rate continues to rise globally. While antibiotic-selectable synthetic plasmid vectors have proved invaluable tools of genetic engineering, this class of artificial recombinant DNA sequences with high expression of antibiotic resistance genes presents an unknown risk beyond the laboratory setting. Contamination of environmental microbes with synthetic plasmid vector-sourced antibiotic resistance genes may represent a yet unrecognized source of antibiotic resistance. In this study, PCR and real-time quantitative PCR were used to investigate the synthetic plasmid vector-originated ampicillin resistance gene, β-lactam antibiotic (blá), in microbes from six Chinese rivers with significant human interactions. Various levels of blá were detected in all six rivers, with the highest levels in the Pearl and Haihe rivers. To validate the blá pollution, environmental plasmids in the river samples were captured by the E. coli transformants from the community plasmid metagenome. The resultant plasmid library of 205 ampicillin-resistant E. coli (transformants) showed a blá-positive rate of 27.3% by PCR. Sequencing results confirmed the synthetic plasmid vector sources. In addition, results of the Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion test reinforced the ampicillin-resistant functions of the environmental plasmids. The resistance spectrum of transformants from the Pearl and Haihe rivers, in particular, had expanded to the third- and fourth-generation of cephalosporin drugs, while that of other transformants mainly involved first- and second-generation cephalosporins. This study not only reveals environmental contamination of synthetic plasmid vector-sourced blá drug resistance genes in Chinese rivers, but also suggests that synthetic plasmid vectors may represent a source of antibiotic resistance in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on the isolation of 5 Shigella flexneri strains displaying a novel serotype, 1d, that shares serologic features from both S. flexneri serotypes 1a and X. The 1d strains contained serotype-converting bacteriophages SfI and SfX in tandem on the chromosome. These strains were likely originated from serotype X strains through SfI infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plesiomonas shigelloides is one of the causative agents of human gastroenteritis, with increasing number of reports describing such infections in recent years. In this study, the hugA gene was chosen as the target to design loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for the rapid, specific, and sensitive detection of P. shigelloides. The performance of the assay with reference plasmids and spiked human stools as samples was evaluated and compared with those of quantitative PCR (qPCR). No false-positive results were observed for the 32 non-P. shigelloides strains used to evaluate assay specificity. The limit of detection for P. shigelloides was approximately 20 copies per reaction in reference plasmids and 5x10³ CFU per gram in spiked human stool, which were more sensitive than the results of qPCR. When applied in human stool samples spiked with 2 low levels of P. shigelloides, the LAMP assays achieved accurate detection after 6-h enrichment. In conclusion, the LAMP assay developed in this study is a valuable method for rapid, cost-effective, and simple detection of P. shigelloides in basic clinical and field laboratories in the rural areas of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic susceptibility, detection of sul gene types and presence of class 1, 2 and 3 integrons and gene cassettes using PCR assays were investigated in 3456 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from 38 sampling sites of the Dongjiang River catchment in the dry and wet seasons. 89.1% of the isolates were resistant and 87.5% showed resistance to at least three antibiotics. sul2 was detected most frequently in 89.2% of 1403 SXT-resistant isolates. The presence of integrons (class 1 and 2) was frequently observed (82.3%) while no class 3 integron was found. In these integrons, 21 resistance genes of 14 gene cassette arrays and 10 different families of resistance genes were identified. Three gene cassette arrays, aac(6'')-Ib-cr-aar-3-dfrA27-aadA16, aacA4-catB3-dfrA1 and aadA2-lnuF, were detected for the first time in surface water. The results showed that bacterial resistance in the catchment was seriously influenced by human activities, especially discharge of wastewater. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The bacterial communities in the soils from tea orchards and their adjacent wasteland in Anhui Province, China were analysed by nested PCR-DGGE technique combined with sequencing. DGGE profiles revealed that the DGGE patterns of different soils were similar to each other and the most intensely bands appeared in all lanes. The bacterial genetic diversity index of tea orchard soils was lower than that of wasteland. For the tea orchard soils, Shannon's diversity index decreased in the order: 45-year-old tea orchard >25-year-old tea orchard >7-year-old tea orchard >70-year-old tea orchard. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the fragments belong to Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, TM7, Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes. A comprehensive analysis of the bacterial community structure in the tea orchard soils indicated the bacterial community was dominantly composed of Acidobacteria, followed by Proteobacteria (Gamma and Alpha), Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria and candidate division TM7 . The RDA combined with UPGMA clustering analysis showed that the more similar the environmental variables were, the more similar the bacterial community structures in tea orchard soils were. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The impact of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae of food animal origins on human health has caught considerable attention worldwide. Intestinal Escherichia coli obtained from healthy food animals (pigs, cattle and poultry) in China were tested for the presence of ESBL genes. CTX-M-producing isolates were further characterised by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), phylogenetic grouping, genetic environment analysis, conjugation and plasmid replicon typing. A total of 127 of the 896 E. coli isolates showed reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime (minimal inhibitory concentration≥2μg/mL). bla CTX-M genes were detected in 111 of the 127 isolates. The most common CTX-M types were CTX-M-14 (n =40), CTX-M-55 (n =29) and CTX-M-65 (n =22), followed by CTX-M-27, -15, -98, -24, -3, -102 and -104. CMY-2 was detected in two isolates. High clonal diversity was found amongst CTX-M-producing isolates. Insertion sequence ISEcp1 was observed 42bp upstream of the start codon of all CTX-M-9 group genes, whereas the spacer region between the right inverted repeats and CTX-M-1 group genes varied from 45bp to 127bp. Most bla CTX-M genes were transferable by conjugation. IncFII, IncI1, IncFIB, IncN and IncA/C replicons were detected in 28, 21, 7, 5 and 1 of the 70 transconjugants carrying bla CTX-M, respectively. This study demonstrates that commensal E. coli from healthy food animals can be important reservoirs of bla CTX-M genes and may contribute to the dissemination and transfer of these β-lactamase genes throughout China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For this study, ten complex class 1 integron was characterized in Escherichia coli ( E. coli) isolates from Zhenjiang. Among the ten isolates, five included the bla gene between orf513 and the IS 3000. Analysis the five isolates by PFGE showed that zj102 and zj562 had same patterns profiles, which suggested that the spread of a specific clone contributed to a wide dissemination of a particular type of integron; the results also indicated that the complex class 1 integron might be a potentially novel resistant gene-capturing tool kit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to analyze the genetic variability of Escherichia coli from domesticated animal wastes for microbial source tracking (MST) application in fecal contaminated shellfish growing waters of Xiangshan Bay, East China Sea. (GTG)5 primer was used to generate 1363 fingerprints from E. coli isolated from feces of known 9 domesticated animal sources around this shellfish culture area. Jackknife analysis of the complete (GTG)5-PCR DNA fingerprint library indicated that isolates were assigned to the correct source groups with an 84.28% average rate of correct classification. Based on one-year source tracking data, the dominant sources of E. coli were swine, chickens, ducks and cows in this water area. Moreover, annual and spatial changes of E. coli concentrations and host sources may affect the level and distribution of zoonotic pathogen species in waters. Our findings will further contribute to preventing fecal pollution in aquatic environments and quality control of shellfish. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

PURPOSE :To clone the peptidylarginine deiminase(PAD) gene of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.gingivalis) and to be expressed in E. coli under the best conditions. METHODS: With P.gingivalis strains ATCC33277 genomic DNA as a template, PCR was applied to obtain gene PAD which was then inserted into linear cloning vector PMD-18-T to construct clone recon. Recombinant PMD18--T-PAD was cloned and analyzed with PCR and restriction endonuclease, and PET--28a expression vector was digested by Xhol and Ncol,their products were linked to construct expression plasmid PET--28a--PAD under certain connection system. The recombinant expression plasmid PET-28a--PAD which had been confirmed correctly was transformed to E. coli competent cells BL21 and induce the expression of PAD with IPTG of different density and time. With His Tag monoclonal antibody as the first antibody, the expressed fusion protein was characterized by Western blot. RESULTS:DNA sequencing showed that the fragment was same as the sequence published in NCBI. Under the condition of 37°C, 0.5mmol/L IPTG, 250r/min shaking for 6 hours, the PAD could be highly expressed. CONCLUSIONS: The PAD is successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli which can be further used to study the immunity of PAD and the homologues antibody preparation. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30500560) and Natural Science Basic Research Plan of Shanxi Province(2006C242). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of resistance genes and the clonal relationship amongst imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from ten hospitals in Western China as well as to compare the molecular epidemiological data with those of isolates from two hospitals in Hangzhou and Beijing. Genes encoding OXA carbapenemases, metallo-β-lactamases, AmpC cephalosporinase and carbapenem resistance-associated outer membrane protein (CarO) were screened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. PCR mapping was performed to determine whether insertion sequence ISAba1 elements preceded OXA carbapenemases and AmpC cephalosporinase. International clonal lineages were identified by sequence type multiplex PCR. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed to determine the sequence types (STs), and then eBURST algorithm was applied to assign clonal complexes (CCs). In this study, dissemination of acquired ISAba1 preceding the bla OXA-23-like gene was the predominant enzymatic resistance mechanism amongst 272 imipenem-resistant isolates. Five isolates harboured the carO gene disrupted by insertion of ISAba1 and three isolates lacked carO. All of the 36 representative isolates belonged to European clone II. Ten STs, including three novel types, were identified. These STs were clustered into CC92 and two distinct singletons. These observations suggest that imipenem-resistant A. baumannii of European clone II, which carries acquired ISAba1 preceding the bla OXA-23-like gene and belongs to CC92, has spread within Western China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lactobacillus casei Zhang, a potential probiotic strain isolated from homemade koumiss in Inner Mongolia of China, has been sequenced and deposited in GenBank. Real-time quantitative PCR is one of the most widely used methods to study related gene expression levels of Lactobacillus casei Zhang. For accurate and reliable gene expression analysis, normalization of gene expression data using one or more appropriate reference genes is essential. We used three statistical methods (geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper) to evaluate the expression levels of five candidate reference genes ( GAPD, gyrB, LDH, 16s rRNA, and recA) under different culture conditions and different growth phases to find a suitable housekeeping gene which can be used as internal standard. The results showed that the best reference gene was GAPD, and a set of two genes, GAPD and gyrB (which were the most stable reference genes), is recommended for normalization of real-time quantitative PCR experiments under all the different experimental conditions tested. The systematic validation of candidate reference genes is important for obtaining reliable analysis results of real-time quantitative PCR studies in gene expression levels of Lactobacillus casei Zhang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Nitrification in aquatic ecosystems plays a crucial role in the global nitrogen cycling. It has been widely accepted that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are responsible for nitrification. However, this concept is currently challenged by the ubiquity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in various environments, such as in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, the presence of AOA in the Dongjiang River was documented via archaeal amoA amplification; the abundance of archaeal and bacterial amoA genes were estimated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and the diversity was investigated by sequencing of archaeal amoA gene. Based on retrieved sequences and phylogenetic analysis, the majority of sequences obtained were different from Crenarchaeota phylum of marine and soil, affiliated with Freshwater Cluster 1 crenarchaeota. The results showed that the AOA detected fell into clusters which are specifically associated with freshwater habitats, and AOA was more abundance than AOB by around 2–4 orders of magnitude. Furthermore, it was found that AOA was more prefer to aerobic and relative low-ammonia concentrations in fresh water. Our finding provides a vital supplement to the distribution of AOA in global pattern, and offers implications for further understanding of the potential role of ammonia oxidizers in river ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 99 bacterial isolates that originated from root nodules of Glycine soja were characterized with restriction analyses of amplified 16S ribosomal DNA and 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacers (ITS), and sequence analyses of 16S rRNA, rpoB, atpD, recA and nodC genes. When tested for nodulation of G. soja, 72 of the isolates were effective symbionts, and these belonged to five species: Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Bradyrhizobium elkanii, Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense, Bradyrhizobium liaoningense and Sinorhizobium fredii. All of these, except some B. yuanmingense strains, also formed effective nodules on the domesticated soybean Glycine max. The remaining 27 isolates did not nodulate either host, but were identified as Rhizobium. Phylogeny nodC in the G. soja symbionts suggested that this symbiosis gene was mainly maintained by vertical gene transfer. Different nodC sublineages and rrs-ITS clusters reflected the geographic origins of isolates in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives We characterized plasmids encoding CTX-M-14 β-lactamase originating from Escherichia coli isolates recovered from patients with uncomplicated cystitis or individuals with faecal colonization in Hong Kong from 2002 to 2004. Methods Plasmids carrying CTX-M-14 were studied by conjugation, replicon typing, S1 nuclease-PFGE and plasmid PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The complete sequence of pHK01, a 70 kb plasmid encoding CTX-M-14 from an E. coli strain, was determined and the results compared with reference plasmids and aligned with GenBank data. Results The blaCTX-M-14 plasmids could be transferred in 23 of 44 E. coli strains tested. Among the 23 transconjugants, the replicon types of the CTX-M-14-encoding plasmid were FII (n = 13), I1-Iγ (n = 4), F1B (n = 2), FII and I1-Iγ (n = 1), K (80 kb, n = 1) and undetermined (n = 2). Plasmid pHK01 (FII replicon) shares a high degree of homology with R100 except mainly for a 11 kb variable region containing blaCTX-M-14 (with an upstream ISEcp1 and a downstream truncated IS903), an iron transport system, an outer membrane protein (malB, maltoporin) and a putative toxin-antitoxin plasmid stability system (yacABC). It was highly related to blaCTX-M-14 (pKF3-70) and blaCTX-M-24 (pEG356) plasmids reported from mainland China in 2006 and Vietnam in 2007, respectively. Subtyping by a plasmid PCR-RFLP scheme showed that 10 of the 13 FII plasmids originating from isolates collected by multiple laboratories exhibited either identical or highly similar profiles. Conclusions This study showed that narrow host-range FII plasmids play important roles in the dissemination of CTX-M-14. FII plasmids closely related to pHK01 have disseminated widely in the Hong Kong community. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Gram-staining-negative, oxidase-positive, catalase-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, and rod-shaped bacterium, designated BJQ-6, was isolated from activated sludge of a waste-water treatment plant in Jiangsu Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BJQ-6 belonged to the genus Rhodanobacter, and shared 98.7% similarity with Rhodanobacter lindaniclasticus LMG 18385 and <97% similarities with other Rhodanobacter species. The major fatty acids were iso-C (17.6%), iso-C (19.3%), and Summed feature 9 (isoC ω9c and/or C 10-methyl) (25.8%). The DNA G+C content of strain BJQ-6 was 64.8 mol%. Based on the phenotypic and phylogenetic considerations, strain BJQ-6 represents a novel species of the genus Rhodanobacter, for which the name Rhodanobacter xiangquanii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BJQ-6 (=CCTCC AB 2010106 =KCTC 23100). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The distribution and diversity of acidophilic microbe at the ore surface of Zijinshan commercial non-aeration low-grade copper bioleaching heap operated at pH 0.8 were investigated. Samples taken from −1m, −2m, −3m from the top of heap surface were investigated by 16S rRNA gene clone library. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA fragments revealed that the retrieved bacterial sequences mainly related to genus Acidithiobacillus (66.78%), genus Leptospirillum (28.29%), genus Sulfobacillus (3.29%) and genus Ferrimicrobium (1.64%). For archaea, only Ferroplasma acidiphilum was detected. Bacterial diversity in the heap was increased from surface layer to underground. The proportion of genus Leptospirillum was sharply reduced (from 48.5% to 5%) from higher depth to lower depth and reverse correlation of increased A. ferrooxidans (from 0.95% to 15.00%) and S. thermotolerans (from undetectable to 7.00%) were found in the heap. Sulfur oxidizers including A. albertensis and A. caldus also vertically increased from higher depth to lower depth (from 50.47% to 70.00%). Samples taken from −2m, −3m from the top of heap surface were further investigated by real-time PCR, the results were consistent with clone libraries that the growth of genus Leptospirillum was decreased from higher depth to lower depth. Our finding indicated that growth inhibition of genus Leptospirillum could be achieved in the non-aeration heap and genus Acidithiobacillus especially sulfur oxidizers A. albertensis and A. caldus were dominant at the ore surface inside the non-aeration heap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: Fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) clinical isolates have emerged in many areas of the world. The aim of this study was to observe the molecular characterization of gyrA and gyrB genes in FQ-resistant MTB clinical isolates from Guangdong Province in China. Materials and methods: A total of 62 MTB clinical strains were originally isolated from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The phenotype of susceptibility of each strain was determined by the absolute concentration method and the sequences of the QRDR in gyrA and gyrB genes were detected with DNA direct sequencing technique. Results: 44 of 60 (73.3%) levofloxacin-resistant MTB clinical isolates, including 17 of 18 (94.4%) high-level resistant strains and 27 of 42 (64.3%) low-level resistant strains, had mutation in QRDR of gyrA gene. The mutation patterns involved six patterns of single codon mutation (H70R, A90V, S91A, D94G, D94A or D94N) and one pattern of double codons mutation (A90V with D94A). Of 60 levofloxacin-resistant MTB clinical isolates, only one (1.6%) mutated in gyrB gene (T511N). Conclusions: These findings confirm that mutations of gyrA codons 90, 91 and 94 constitute the primary mechanism of FQ resistance in MTB. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the regional investigations are necessary for the comprehensive understanding of FQ resistance of MTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huanglongbing (HLB) (yellow shoot disease) is a highly destructive disease that threatens citrus production worldwide. The disease was first observed in Guangdong, P.R. China, over 100 years ago, and was found in Florida, United States, in 2005. 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' has been associated with HLB in many citrus-growing regions around the world, including Guangdong and Florida. The global epidemiology of HLB, as well as management of the disease, relies on knowledge of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' populations in different geographical regions around the world. In this study, we identified a genetic marker containing small tandem repeats in the genome of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' and comparatively analyzed the tandem repeat numbers (TRNs) in 'Ca. L. asiaticus' populations from Guangdong and Florida. Analyses of TRNs showed that the bacterial population in Guangdong was different from that in Florida. The Guangdong population consisted predominately of strains with a TRN of 7 (TRN7) at a frequency of 47.6%. The Florida population consisted predominately of strains with a TRN of 5 (TRN5) at a frequency of 84.4%. TRNs ranged from 3 to 16. The apparent absence of TRNs of 9, 10, 11, and 12 separated the bacterial swains into two groups: TRNs < 10 (TRN<10) and TRNs > 10 (TRN>10). In Florida, TRN<10 strains (103/109, or 94.5%) were widely distributed in all HLB-affected counties. TRN>10 strains (6/109, or 5.5%) were found in central Florida. This is the first report documenting the differentiation of 'Ca. L. Asiaticus' populations between Asia and North America and the possible presence of two differentially distributed genotypes of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' in Florida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Alcaligenes faecalis strain J08 and Brevundimonas sp. strain X08 were isolated from soils co-contaminated by cadmium (Cd) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Northeast China. The two strains of bacteria were identified by phenotypic tests and 16S rDNA. Different Cd treatments (0.01mM, 0.1mM, 0.5mM) showed no significant influence (p >0.05) on the biodegradation of phenanthrene by A. faecalis strain J08. Brevundimonas sp. strain X08 also presented no significant differences in the biodegradation of phenanthrene in Cd treatments (0.01mM, 0.1mM). The growth of Brevundimonas sp. strain X08 was prohibited significantly (p <0.05) by Cd in the concentration of 0.5mM, but the biodegradation of phenanthrene in this group was not impaired. The specific biodegradation rate of Brevundimonas sp. strain X08 in the 0.5mM Cd group was significantly (p <0.05) higher than rates in other Cd treatments (0mM, 0.01mM, 0.1mM). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We characterized a novel holotype cry gene (cry52Ba1) harbored in a Bacillus thuringiensis isolate BM59-2 native to China that expresses a spherical crystal protein of about 80 kDa. In this study, the full length of the cry52Ba1 gene was cloned from this strain. Sequence analysis of the gene was also performed. Furthermore, cry52Ba1 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE)pLysS, and the resulting insecticidal activity showed that the Cry52Ba1 protein exhibited high larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti (Diptera), with a lethal concentration 50 of 1.526 µg/mL (95% confidence: 0.740-3.499 µg/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of class 1 and class 2 integrons and the presence of the gene cassettes in resistant Escherichia coliisolates from farm animals and farm workers in northeastern China during 2004–2007. Most of E. coliisolates from farm worker and animal were multiresistant and showed a high resistance to aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, amoxicillin, doxycyline, sulfanilamide, and quinolones. Integrons were found in 57.1% of the resistant E. coliisolates from animals and farm workers. Integrase genes were detected in 58.7% (101/172), 60.4% (64/106), and 26.1% (6/23) of resistant E. coliisolates from swine, chickens, and farm workers, respectively. Class 2 integrons were detected only in resistant E. coliisolates from chickens and have one array cassette of dfrA1- sat1- aadA1- orfX. Dfr17- aadA5was the most prevalent in resistant E. coliisolates from farm workers, swine, and chickens. Conjugative experiments demonstrated horizontal transfer of class 1 and class 2 integrons between isolates of farm worker and animals. Our data revealed that multidrug resistance and class 1 integrons were widely present in E. coliisolates obtained in northeastern China. The horizontal transfer of integrons by conjugation seems to contribute to the wide dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in E. coliisolates of human and animal origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to gain an understanding of the diversity and distribution of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes in maricultural environments, multidrug-resistant bacteria were screened for the rearing waters from a mariculture farm of China. Both abalone Haliotis discus hannai and turbot Scophthalmus maximus rearing waters were populated with abundant chloramphenicol-resistant bacteria. These bacteria were also multidrug resistant, with Vibrio splendidus and Vibrio tasmaniensis being the most predominant species. The chloramphenicol-resistance gene cat II, cat IV or floR could be detected in most of the multidrug-resistant isolates, and the oxytetracycline-resistance gene tet(B), tet(D), tet(E) or tet(M) could also be detected for most of the isolates. Coexistence of chloramphenicol- and oxytetracycline-resistance genes partially explains the molecular mechanism of multidrug resistance in the studied maricultural environments. Comparative studies with different antimicrobial agents as the starting isolation reagents may help detect a wider diversity of the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses research that evaluated a constructed reed wetland located in Mengqing Park, near the downstream of Suzhou Creek in Shanghai, China. The mean treatment efficiency for removing ammonia, biochemical oxygen demand, and suspended solids was assessed under specific levels of hydraulic loading. Traditional culture-dependent and molecular methods were applied to clarify the roles of heterotrophic bacteria, nitrifying bacteria, and denitrifiers in pollution degradation within reed wetlands. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) diversity within these bacteria was established using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphisms.

Summary: Pakistan ranks eighth in terms of tuberculosis burden worldwide, with an incidence of 181/100000. The predominant genotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are reported to be the Central Asian strain 1 (CAS1) and Beijing families. Mycobacterium tuberculosis down-regulates host pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are essential for protection against infection. There is currently little information regarding the interaction of the CAS1 genotype with host cells. We studied the growth rates of CAS1 and Beijing clinical isolates, and their ability to induce cytokines compared with the laboratory reference strain H37Rv. Host responses were studied using a THP-1 monocytic cell line model and an ex vivo whole blood assay. Growth rates of CAS1 and Beijing isolates were significantly lower (P =0.011) compared with H37Rv. All clinical isolates induced significantly lower levels of TNF-α secretion (P =0.003) than H37Rv in THP-1 cells and in the whole blood assay of healthy donors (n =8). They also induced lower IFN-γ secretion in the whole blood assay (P <0.001). A positive correlation was observed between the growth indices (GI) of H37Rv, Beijing and CAS1 strains and the TNF-α responses they induced [Pearson''s correlation coefficient (R 2): 0.936, 0.775 and 0.55, respectively], and also between GI and IFN-γ production (R2: 0.422, 0.946, 0.674). These findings suggest that reduced growth rate, together with down-modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, is a contributory mechanism for the predominance of the CAS genotype. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Proteorhodopsin (PR) genes related to Flavobacteria were found to be highly diverse in the East and South China seas and displayed a distinct geographic pattern, which appeared to reflect cold versus warm adaptation when Global Oceanic Sampling database metagenomic data were included. Flavobacterial PR genes were more abundant offshore than nearshore, implying that inheritance of the PR gene could be important for Flavobacteria living in the oligotrophic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists have become increasingly concerned about the occurrence of antibacterial resistance in the environment. In this study, Escherichia coli resistant to one or more antibiotics among nine antibiotics was screened from Wenyu River Basin in Beijing, China, with mean frequency of 48.7 ± 8.7% of 388 isolates in summer and 47 ± 6% of 236 isolates in winter. The mean multiantibiotic resistance (MAR) index in summer was 0.11 ± 0.03, slightly lower than that (0.14 ± 0.04) in winter. Most frequent resistance appeared for sulfonamides, tetracycline, and ampicillin. The distribution of 20 tetracycline, three sulfonamide, and three β-lactam resistance genes was assessed in the resistant isolates. While 97% of the ampicillin (AMP) resistant mechanism could be explained by the resistance gene TEM, 90% of the tetracycline (TC) and 96% of the sulfonamide (SXT) resistances could be explained by tet(A), tet(B), tet(M), and their combinations and sul(I), sul(II), sul(III), and their combinations, respectively. tet(M), a tetracycline-resistant gene originally detected in Gram-positive bacteria, and its combinations with tet(A) or tet(B) were first detected in E. coli isolated from a natural river basin, suggesting that tet(M) in E. coli might have been transferred from other bacterial species through horizontal gene transfer, which was supported by the fact that no tet(M) was detected in the isolates of human and chicken sources, except for only one isolate from swine. The source of sulfonamide-resistant E. coli in the river was supposed to be mainly from humans, based on a comparison of the sulfonamide resistance genotypes in animals and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents bacterial population analyses of microbial communities inhabiting three sites of acid mine drainage (AMD) in the Shen-bu copper mine, Gansu Province, China. These sites were located next to acid-leached chalcopyrite slagheaps that had been abandoned since 1995. The pH values of these samples with high concentrations of metals ranged from 2.0 to 3.5. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) was used to characterize the bacterial population by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene of microorganisms. A total of 39 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from the three samples and sequenced from 384 clones. Sequence data and phylogenetic analyses showed that two dominant clones (JYC-1B, JYC-1D) in sample JYC-1 represented 69.5% of the total clones affiliated with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (γ-Proteobacteria), and the most dominant clones of JYC-2 and JYC-3 were affiliated with Caulobacter crescentus (α-Protebacteria). At the level of bacterial divisions, differences in the relative incidence of particular phylogenetic groups among the three samples and discrepancies in physicochemical characteristics suggested that the physico-chemical characteristics had an influence on phylogenetic diversity. Furthermore, the relationships between the discrepancies of physicochemical characteristics and the diversity of the bacteria communities in the three samples suggested that the biogeochemical properties, pH and concentration of soluble metal, could be key factors in controlling the structure of the bacterial population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This is the first systematic study of rhizobia associated with Albizia trees. The analyses of PCR-RFLP and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, SDS–PAGE of whole-cell proteins and clustering of phenotypic characters grouped the 31 rhizobial strains isolated from Albizia into eight putative species within the genera Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium and Rhizobium. Among these eight rhizobial species, five were unique to Albizia and the remaining three were shared with Acacia and Leucaena, two legume trees coexisting with Albizia in China. These results indicated that Albizia species nodulate with a wide range of rhizobial species and had preference of microsymbionts different from Acacia and Leucaena. The definition of four novel groups, Mesorhizobium sp., Rhizobium sp. I, Rhizobium sp. II and “R. giardinii”, indicates that further studies with enlarged rhizobial population are necessary to better understand the diversity and to clarify the taxonomic relationships of Albizia-associated rhizobia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The outbreak of Streptococcus suis recently in some districts of Sichuan Province in China has caused over 30 deaths and over 200 infections in human beings. In order to study the pathogenicity mechanism and to prevent the bacteria from spreading and infecting human beings and swine, we have annotated and analyzed the genomes of two strains, Streptococcus suis P1/7 and 89-1591 respectively. The whole length of P1/7 is 2.007 Mb, and has 1969 ORFs. In contrast, the partial genome sequence of 89-1591 is 1.98 Mb in length and exists in 177 contigs with 1918 ORFs. Analysis shows that the average lengths of CDSs in two genomes are very close, and the numbers of the homolog ORFs are 1306 between those two strains. Most of the toxicity factors of the two strains are homologeous, but there are still some significant differences between those two strains. For example, among the 11 genes (cps2A-cps2K) encoding for the capsules in P1/7, 4 (cps2A, 2B, 2I, 2J) are not detected in strain 89-1591. At the same time, the genes encoding EF and Haemolysin in P1/7 are also not found in strain 89-1591. Besides, the genes related to DNA replication, repair and recombination differ from each other significantly and there also exist certain differences among the surface proteins. Those characteristics indicate that those two strains have evolved their own specific functions to adapt to the different environments and that the pathogenesis of the two strains is different. We have accumulated comprehensive genomics information for future systematic studies of S. sui. Our results are helpful for disease prevention, vaccine development, as well as drug design for S. suis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examined the location of Tn3-associated rmtB together with qnrS1, aac(6')-Ib-cr and blaCTX-M-15 on an F49:A-:B- plasmid in an Escherichia coli ST10 strain isolated from cows in China. Study authors found that Tn3-associated rmtB together with qnrS1, aac(6')-Ib-cr and blaCTX-M-15 are co-located on an Escherichia coli plasmid from cows. It also described the presence of rmtB gene in food-producing animal.