Public release date: 16-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

The genomes of birds are riddled with DNA sequences from viruses, according to a study to be published on October 16 in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. Analysis of these viral sequences, known as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), can provide insights into how both hosts and viruses have evolved over the eons.

"We examined the evolution of avian retroviruses on the basis of their fossil remnants in the three avian genomes that have been completely sequenced," write the authors from Johns Hopkins University and Uppsala University, Sweden. The authors go on to say their analyses of ERVs in chicken, turkey, and zebra finch genomes reveal that birds were a hotbed of viral evolution early in their history.

All genomes are cobbled together works-in-progress. Scientists have long known that the human genome, for example, is not all human: like most every other genome studied to date, a good chunk of the DNA we call "human" is actually made up of proviruses, sequences that retroviruses have deposited there to take advantage of the cell's ability to copy DNA and translate that DNA into working proteins. These proviruses can either be inherited in the DNA we get from our parents (endogenous retroviruses), or they can be picked up during our lifetime (exogenous retroviruses).

The study reveals that millions of years ago birds were host to many different kinds of ERVs, serving as a kind of melting pot: a meeting and mingling place where viruses recombined and shared genetic information.

Unlike early studies of ERVs in chickens, which studied selected segments of the genome and uncovered only alpha-retroviruses, this study used complete genome sequences and found a great diversity of viral sequences in bird genomes, representing the same major groups as those of mammals, but exhibiting more diversity. Most of the ERVs in birds were distinct from those found in other animals, probably indicating that the viruses did not move much between different kinds of hosts.

"We conclude that avian retroviral evolution differs from that of other vertebrates," write the researchers. "Avian retroviruses seem to have evolved rather independently from the rest of the retroviruses over the last 150 million years."

Stepher Goff of Columbia University, who was not involved in the research but edited the article for mBio, says genome-level studies like this are a boon to virologists.

"This paper is filling a big gap in our understanding of these viruses," says Goff. "This is something that needed to be done, and advancing sequencing technology made it easy to do."

More:
Genomic hitchhikers in birds shed light on evolution of viruses

Bonita Gibb hovered over a new microscope examining a piece of cardiac muscle. While the Herkimer County Community College student did not take science classes prior to construction of the $2.8 million laboratory renovation project, she is benefiting from the better organized, high-technology equipped, spacious and cheery classrooms at the college. Fifty percent of the cost of renovations was matched by the state, while the other half is being funded by donations. For about two weeks, students and faculty have enjoyed the refurbished science labs in the Edward Manning and Shirley Angar Gaynor Science Center. Last week, biology Professor Jennifer Herzog wrote on a white-painted portion of the wall which serves as a white board in the front of the microbiology lab as a few of her students analyzed microbes. Its amazing. Its so much more spacious, she said. Im finally able to get everything taught with students working in a safe environment. Herzog said students and faculty were impressed with the renovations, and noted she can see all her students as they work. We had the ahh factor when we opened the door, she said. During the planning process, faculty was asked for their opinions on what should be included in each of the specific labs microbiology, chemistry, biology, physics and anatomy. Each room is equipped with 24 stations. From new microscopes, computers and touch-screen televisions to clear cabinets for easily finding tools, the five labs were designed with everyone in mind. It was everything I asked for down to the pull-out drawers, Herzog said as she pulled a wooden slab hidden within one of the stations. The new labs also means the college will be able to offer more classes as well as new programs down the line, said Henry Testa, associate dean of academic affairs for business, health, science and technology. Down the hall, physics and astronomy Professor Faith Thompson said her request was for plenty of outlets. Plenty, where theyre not dangerous, she said, noting the stations are large enough to fit the equipment now and dont bulk under the weight. Theyre stable for vibrations, Thompson said. Second-year student Jennifer Canter, who sat in Thompsons lab room, said the old labs made it difficult to work in groups. Compared to the old labs, (these) are more functional and easier to get around in, she said.

See the original post:
HCCC’s renovated science labs ‘amazing’

The relatively new field in microbiology that focuses on quorum sensing has been making strides in understanding how bacteria communicate and cooperate. Quorum sensing describes the bacterial communication between cells that allows them to recognize and react to the size of their surrounding cell population. While a cell's output of extracellular products, or "public goods," is dependent on the size of its surrounding population, scientists have discovered that quorum sensing, a type of bacterial communication, controls when cells release these public goods into their environments.

In a study appearing in the Oct. 12 issue of the journal Science, University of Washington researchers examine the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which colonizes in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. While most cells "cooperate" with each other by producing and sharing public goods when there are enough of their "friends" around, researchers have found that certain individual cells, known as "cheater cells," share in the use of these extracellular products without releasing any of these products themselves.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa these cheaters are quorum sensing mutants that don't make public goods in response to increasing population density. When the researchers manipulated the environment so that the cost of cell cooperation was high (so that the bacterial group had to produce a lot of public goods to survive), the cheater cells overtook the cooperating producer cells, the cooperators then became too rare, and the population collapsed. From this sequence of events, the researchers induced destabilization of cooperation. They also manipulated environmental conditions to restrict cheaters and stabilize cooperation. Scientists recognize this fundamental research as taking them steps closer to a different antibiotic-independent way to manage infections.

"Perhaps, one day, we'll be able to manipulate infections so that bacterial cooperation is destabilized and infections are resolved, "said Dr. Peter Greenberg, UW professor of microbiology and one of the three authors of the study.

"Biologists think of social interactions as being the push and pull between cooperation and conflict," he explained. "This is true of man and bacteria. Not so many years ago, people didn't think bacteria socialized at all. Now we are beginning to think we might manipulate bacterial social activity for the benefit of human health."

In the future, Greenberg said, this research may enable scientists to manipulate bacterial conditions in order to cause cell populations of dangerous pathogens to collapse.

"By learning about the fundamentals of quorum sensing control of cell cooperation, we are beginning to have a glimmer of insight into how to control and manipulate infecting populations of P. aeruginosa and other dangerous pathogens with similar systems," Greenberg said. "We've also gained new insights into how cell cooperation can be stably maintained in biology. It is much more straightforward to study sociality in bacteria than in animals. The payoffs may be in understanding what drives cooperation and conflict in general, and in developing strategies for infection control. "

More information: "Bacterial Quorum Sensing and Metabolic Incentives to Cooperate," by A.A. Dandekar et al., Science, 2012.

Journal reference: Science

Provided by University of Washington

Continue reading here:
Scientists focus on quorum sensing to better understand bacteria

ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2012) The relatively new field in microbiology that focuses on quorum sensing has been making strides in understanding how bacteria communicate and cooperate. Quorum sensing describes the bacterial communication between cells that allows them to recognize and react to the size of their surrounding cell population. While a cell's output of extracellular products, or "public goods," is dependent on the size of its surrounding population, scientists have discovered that quorum sensing, a type of bacterial communication, controls when cells release these public goods into their environments.

In a study appearing in the Oct. 12 issue of the journal Science, University of Washington researchers examine the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which colonizes in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. While most cells "cooperate" with each other by producing and sharing public goods when there are enough of their "friends" around, researchers have found that certain individual cells, known as "cheater cells," share in the use of these extracellular products without releasing any of these products themselves.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa these cheaters are quorum sensing mutants that don't make public goods in response to increasing population density. When the researchers manipulated the environment so that the cost of cell cooperation was high (so that the bacterial group had to produce a lot of public goods to survive), the cheater cells overtook the cooperating producer cells, the cooperators then became too rare, and the population collapsed. From this sequence of events, the researchers induced destabilization of cooperation. They also manipulated environmental conditions to restrict cheaters and stabilize cooperation. Scientists recognize this fundamental research as taking them steps closer to a different antibiotic-independent way to manage infections.

"Perhaps, one day, we'll be able to manipulate infections so that bacterial cooperation is destabilized and infections are resolved, "said Dr. Peter Greenberg, UW professor of microbiology and one of the three authors of the study.

"Biologists think of social interactions as being the push and pull between cooperation and conflict," he explained. "This is true of man and bacteria. Not so many years ago, people didn't think bacteria socialized at all. Now we are beginning to think we might manipulate bacterial social activity for the benefit of human health."

In the future, Greenberg said, this research may enable scientists to manipulate bacterial conditions in order to cause cell populations of dangerous pathogens to collapse.

"By learning about the fundamentals of quorum sensing control of cell cooperation, we are beginning to have a glimmer of insight into how to control and manipulate infecting populations of P. aeruginosa and other dangerous pathogens with similar systems," Greenberg said. "We've also gained new insights into how cell cooperation can be stably maintained in biology. It is much more straightforward to study sociality in bacteria than in animals. The payoffs may be in understanding what drives cooperation and conflict in general, and in developing strategies for infection control. "

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Story Source:

Visit link:
How bacteria communicate using quorum sensing: Could bacteria be manipulated to control infections?

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/94tb9h/analysis_of) has announced the addition of the "Analysis of Microbiology Testing Technologies And Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers" report to their offering.

This 155-page report provides detailed analyses of current and emerging technologies, and their potential applications for the microbiology testing market, including molecular diagnostics, biochips, monoclonal antibodies, immunoassays, IT, gel microdroplets, differential light scaltering, chromatography and several others.

The report also presents strategic assessments of leading market players and emerging suppliers with innovative technologies and products, including their sales, product portfolios, distribution tactics, technological know-how, new products in R&D, collaborative arrangements, and business strategies.

Key Topics Covered:

Current and Emerging Technologies

Molecular Diagnostics

0 Polymerase Chain Reaction

- Temperature Cyclers

- PCR Variations

Here is the original post:
Research and Markets: Analysis of Microbiology Testing Technologies And Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers such ...

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Analysis of Microbiology Testing Technologies And Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers

http://www.reportlinker.com/p01007755/Analysis-of-Microbiology-Testing-Technologies-And-Strategic-Profiles-of-Leading-Suppliers.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=In_Vitro_Diagnostic

This 155-page report provides detailed analyses of current and emerging technologies, and their potential applications for the microbiology testing market, including molecular diagnostics, biochips, monoclonal antibodies, immunoassays, IT, gel microdroplets, differential light scaltering, chromatography and several others.

The report also presents strategic assessments of leading market players and emerging suppliers with innovative technologies and products, including their sales, product portfolios, distribution tactics, technological know-how, new products in R&D, collaborative arrangements, and business strategies.

Contains 155 pages

Table of Contents

Current and Emerging Technologies

Molecular Diagnostics

a. Technology Overview

Read the original:
Analysis of Microbiology Testing Technologies And Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers

According to Food Micro7, a new market research report from Strategic Consulting, Inc., US food producers are moving more quickly to new, rapid technologies for their food safety testing programs, while their European counterparts remain more faithful to traditional microbiology test methods.

Woodstock, VT (PRWEB) October 03, 2012

Food Micro, Seventh Edition: Comparison of the Food Microbiology Testing Markets in the US and EU (Food Micro7) from Strategic Consulting, Inc. (SCI), compares total test volume, market value and growth in food microbiology testing, including the organisms tested and the technologies used for food safety testing in each region.

According to Tom Weschler, president of Strategic Consulting and lead author of Food Micro7, an important difference between the US and European markets is the test methods used, particularly for pathogen testing. In general, US food producers have embraced rapid test methods that are touted as easier to use and delivering faster results. European food producers have been slower to adopt these newer technologies, and have continued to use a higher percentage of traditional, culture-based test methods.

European food producers are adopting rapid test methods but at a slower rate than their US counterparts, Weschler says. Nearly 89% of pathogen tests conducted in the US in 2010 used rapid methods, compared to just over 42% of the pathogen tests conducted in the EU in 2011. There appears to be less urgency for pathogen test results in Europe when compared to the US, where faster test results are a key driver in the conversion from traditional to newer microbiology tests methods, Weschler says.

The United States and Europe are substantial markets for food safety microbiology testing. Food producers in the two regions draw on an increasingly global food supply to provide consumers access to a broad array of foods year-round. At the same time, consumers are more concerned about the safety of their food, due to increasing food recalls and heightened press coverage of pathogen outbreaks that sicken people in multiple states and countries.

With a population of more than 500 million, the 27 countries of the EU conducted an estimated 275.3 million food safety microbiology tests in 2011. US food producers conducted 213.2 million tests in 2010, for an estimated population of 310 million.

Routine microbiology tests are used to determine the presence and levels of microorganisms in the food plant or the food product. Routine tests accounted for 78% of all food microbiology tests performed in the US. The remaining 22% were pathogen tests, which look for specific organisms that have the potential to cause human disease, such as Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter and E. coli O157.

In Europe, routine tests accounted for 82% of all food microbiology tests conducted in 2011, while pathogen tests accounts for just 18%. Thus, while Europe conducts more pathogen tests by volume (49.9 million in the EU versus 46.2 million in the US), pathogen testing in the US represents a greater percentage of overall food microbiology testing and is growing at a faster rate.

Strategic Consulting has published seven market reports to date reviewing microbiology testing practices and technology in the food industry. The food sector represents almost 50% of the total industrial microbiology testing market, and is more than double the size of any other industrial segment including pharmaceutical, personal care products, beverage, environmental, and industrial processes.

Go here to read the rest:
Comparing Food Safety Testing Practices in the US and Europe: How Fast Is Fast Enough?

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Analysis of Emerging Microbiology Tests and Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers

http://www.reportlinker.com/p01006423/Analysis-of-Emerging-Microbiology-Tests-and-Strategic-Profiles-of-Leading-Suppliers.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=In_Vitro_Diagnostic

This 760-page report presents a comprehensive marketing and technological assessment, as well as medical rationale and diagnostic prospects for nearly 100 infectious diseases and viruses, including their scientific background, clinical significance and market needs for new tests, vaccines, drugs and extensive listings of companies developing or marketing innovative technologies and products.

The report also presents strategic assessments of leading market players and emerging suppliers with innovative technologies and products, including their sales, product portfolios, distribution tactics, technological know-how, new products in R&D, collaborative arrangements, and business strategies.

Contains 760 pages and 31 tables

Table of Contents

1. AIDS

a. Background

b. Diagnostic Tests

Follow this link:
Analysis of Emerging Microbiology Tests and Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers

Public release date: 2-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

A new type of antibiotic can effectively treat an antibiotic-resistant infection by disarming instead of killing the bacteria that cause it. Researchers report their findings in the October 2 issue of mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

"Traditionally, people have tried to find antibiotics that rapidly kill bacteria. But we found a new class of antibiotics which has no ability to kill Acinetobacter that can still protect, not by killing the bug, but by completely preventing it from turning on host inflammation," says Brad Spellberg of the UCLA Medical Center and David Geffen School of Medicine, a researcher on the study.

New drugs are badly needed for treating infections with the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii, a pathogen that most often strikes hospital patients and immune- compromised individuals through open wounds, breathing tubes, or catheters. The bacterium can cause potentially lethal bloodstream infections. Strains of A. baumannii have acquired resistance to a wide range of antibiotics, and some are resistant to every FDA-approved antibiotic, making them untreatable.

Spelling and his colleagues found that in laboratory mice it was possible to mitigate the potentially lethal effects of the bacterium by blocking one of its toxic products rather than killing it.

"We found that strains that caused the rapidly lethal infections shed lipopolysaccharide [also called LPS or endotoxin] while growing. The more endotoxin shed, the more virulent the strain was," says Spellberg. This pinpointed a new therapy target for the researchers: the endotoxin these bacteria shed in the body.

Blocking the synthesis ofthe endotoxin with a small molecule called LpxC-1 prevented infected mice from getting sick. Unlike traditional antibiotics, Spellberg says, LpxC-1 doesn't kill the bacteria, it just shuts down the manufacture of the endotoxin and stops the body from mounting the inflammatory immune response to it that is the actual cause of death in seriously ill patients.

Spellberg says this is a direction few researchers have taken when exploring ways to treat infections but that it could make the difference in finding an effective drug. The results also highlight how important it is to find new, physiologically relevant ways of screening potential antibiotics for pathogens with a high degree of resistance, write the authors. Molecules like LpxC-1 that inhibit rather than kill bacteria wouldn't pass muster with traditional antibiotic screens that are based on killing effectiveness.

Liise-anne Pirofski of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a reviewer of the study for mBio says neutralizing virulence factors is showing a lot of promise as an alternative route for treating infections. "There's a growing movement in infectious disease therapy to control the host inflammation response in treatment rather than just 'murdering' the organism," says Pirofski. "This is a very elegant and important validation that this approach can work at least in mice."

Go here to see the original:
New antibiotic cures disease by disarming pathogens, not killing them

SPARKS, Md., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), announced today that Paul Bourbeau, Ph.D. has joined the Company as Director, North American Scientific Affairs, BD Diagnostics Diagnostic Systems.

Dr. Bourbeau brings experience from an impressive career in academics and clinical laboratory practice, most recently serving as Director of Microbiology, Geisinger Medical Laboratories, Danville, PA. In his new role, Dr. Bourbeau will leverage his clinical and scientific expertise to guide the molecular diagnostic and laboratory automation programs. He will be based in the Company's Sparks, MD office.

"We are very pleased to have a leading expert in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases, such as Dr. Bourbeau, joining our team," said Patrick Murray, Ph.D., Worldwide Director of Scientific Affairs, BD Diagnostics Diagnostic Systems. "His clinical perspective will be a great addition to BD as we launch our BD MAX System, BD Viper System, and BD Kiestra Microbiology Lab Automation platforms."

While at the Geisinger Medical Laboratories, Dr. Bourbeau oversaw the clinical and research programs in Microbiology, served on numerous local and national scientific committees and is currently Associate Editor, Journal of Clinical Microbiology. He received his Ph.D. degree in Microbiology at Temple University School of Medicine and completed postgraduate training in Clinical Microbiology at Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.

About BDBD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit http://www.bd.com.

Contact:Jamie Yacco Public Relations (201) 847-4796 Jamie_Yacco@bd.com

Read more:
Leading Microbiology Expert Joins BD Diagnostics in Maryland

By Tom Ruiz Date posted: September 28, 2012

Eric Triplett, chair of the University of Floridas Microbiology and Cell Science Department, is pictured in his laboratory.

A team of University of Florida and Miami Dade College faculty members has won a five-year, $1.7 million federal grant to expand a distance-education program enabling MDC students to earn a bachelors degree in microbiology from UF.

The grant was announced in August by the National Science Foundations Division of Undergraduate Education. The grant is part of an NSF effort to increase the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates, known as the STEM Talent Expansion Program.

We believe this program will allow students to become science graduates who otherwise would be unable to do so for financial or cultural reasons, said Eric Triplett, principal investigator for the grant and chair of UFs Microbiology and Cell Science Department, part of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. This is one of the very few science degrees available by distance education anywhere in the U.S. from a top research university.

Launched last fall, the program is aimed at students from minority groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM disciplines. Its based at MDCs North Campus, where 90 percent of students are Hispanic or African- American.

With the distance ed option, students can attend UF without relocating to Gainesville, thereby reducing expenses and enabling students to maintain employment and personal responsibilities. These factors could improve retention, said Jennifer Drew, an instructor with the UF microbiology and cell science department and a co principal investigator.

Drew said the funding will help officials at both institutions improve the existing program by offering new features that may improve retention: scholarships, peer-to-peer tutoring, career mentoring and undergraduate research experiences.

Lecture classes are taught online, but students will do their lab work in person at MDC or one of several UF facilities in South Florida.

The program is open to all students, regardless of ethnicity, who have received an associate of arts degree from MDC and earned minimum grades in prerequisite courses. Beginning next fall, UF plans to offer a similar distance-ed program at community colleges across the state, Triplett said.

Read the rest here:
$1.7M grant helps students earn microbiology degrees

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/27k7vh/analysis_of) has announced the addition of the "Analysis of Emerging Microbiology Tests and Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers" report to their offering.

This 760-page report presents a comprehensive marketing and technological assessment, as well as medical rationale and diagnostic prospects for nearly 100 infectious diseases and viruses, including their scientific background, clinical significance and market needs for new tests, vaccines, drugs and extensive listings of companies developing or marketing innovative technologies and products.

The report also presents strategic assessments of leading market players and emerging suppliers with innovative technologies and products, including their sales, product portfolios, distribution tactics, technological know-how, new products in R&D, collaborative arrangements, and business strategies.

Competitive Profiles:

- Abbott

- Affymetrix

- Beckman Coulter/Danaher

- Becton Dickinson

- bioMerieux

Continue reading here:
Research and Markets: Analysis of Emerging Microbiology Tests and Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2ccv6j/analysis_of_the) has announced the addition of the "Analysis of the World Microbiology Testing Market Sales Forecasts by Country and Strategic Profiles of Leading Suppliers" report to their offering.

This report provides a worldwide overview of the microbiology testing market environment, structure, size and growth.

The report includes estimates of the number of laboratories performing microbiology tests, as well as test volume and sales forecasts by country.

The report also presents strategic profiles of leading market players and emerging suppliers with innovative technologies and products in terms of their sales, product portfolios, distribution tactics, technological know-how, new products in R&D, collaborative arrangements, and business strategies.

Contains 73 pages and 3 tables

Key Topics Covered:

1. Worldwide Business Environment

2. Worldwide Market Structure

3. Worldwide Market Size and Growth

Read the rest here:
Research and Markets: Analysis of the World Microbiology Testing Market Sales Forecasts by Country and Strategic ...

Public release date: 24-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

The American Society for Microbiology is launching a new online-only, open access journal, Genome Announcements, which will focus on reports of microbial genome sequences. Genome Announcements will begin publishing in January 2013.

"The revolution in high-speed, low-cost, and high-throughput parallel sequencing technology has changed the way we think about whole-genome sequencing and sequences. Identification of novel bacteria and viruses by sequencing entire genomes of isolates from normal and diseased tissue or the environment is now routine," says Tom Shenk of Princeton University, Chair of the ASM Publications Board.

Although sequence data typically are deposited in GenBank or other shared databases, the rationale for sequencing a particular organism and the detailed methodologies and protocols used often are not readily available.

Since 2007, the ASM's Journal of Bacteriology has published Genome Announcements, brief reports stating that the genome of a particular organism has been sequenced and deposited which provide a citable record of the corresponding GenBank submission. Two other ASM journals, the Journal of Virology and Eukaryotic Cell, joined the Journal of Bacteriology in accepting Genome Announcements in 2011 as a simple, rapid way for authors to inform their communities about completion of new sequencing projects.

"The exponential increase in submissions and the usage of Genome Announcements has confirmed the value and service they bring to the scientific community. As a result, ASM will now publish all Genome Announcements in a single, dedicated, online-only, open-access journal starting January 2013," says Phil Matsumura of the University of Illinois at Chicago, editor of the new journal.

Eukaryotic Cell, Journal of Bacteriology, and Journal of Virology will cease publishing Genome Announcements with the last issues of the 2012 volume year.

Any Genome Announcement manuscript accepted for publication in these three journals by 30 September 2012 will be published in 2012. Authors whose submissions are accepted on or after 1 October 2012 will have the option to transfer their submission to Genome Announcements.

Manuscripts submitted to Genome Announcements must include an abstract, an acknowledgments section indicating the source of support for the work, and a nucleotide sequence accession number. Manuscripts are limited to 500 words (exclusive of the abstract and acknowledgments), and no text headings should be used except for "References." Sequences must be made publicly available before a submission will be considered for publication, and the nucleotide sequence accession number(s) must be provided in a separate paragraph at the end of the text. Manuscripts may not include figures, tables, or supplemental material used to present data or analysis. However, multiple related sequences and their accompanying accession numbers and URL may be presented in tabular form. Publication of Sequence Read Archives (SRAs) is not permitted.

View original post here:
New online, open access journal focuses on microbial genome announcements

Public release date: 25-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

Scientists have isolated and studied the genomes of 11 viruses, known as phage, that can infect and kill the acne-causing bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, potentially paving the way for topical therapies that use viruses or viral products to treat this vexing skin condition. Their results are reported in the September 25 issue of mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

"There are two fairly obvious potential directions that could exploit this kind of research," says Graham Hatfull of the University of Pittsburgh, an author of the study. "The first is the possibility of using the phages directly as a therapy for acne. The second is the opportunity to use phage-derived components for their activities."

P. acnes is a normal resident on human skin, but its numbers increase substantially at puberty, eliciting an inflammatory response that can lead to acne. Although antibiotics can be effective in treating acne, antibiotic-resistant strains of P. acnes have emerged, highlighting the need for better therapies.

Hatfull and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh along with scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles, isolated phages and P. acnes bacteria from human volunteers with and without acne, then sequenced the phages' genomes. What they found in those genomes was surprising. The phages were all remarkably similar, sharing more than 85% of their DNA, an unheard of level of similarity among viruses, which usually exhibit a great deal of diversity. This lack of genetic diversity suggests that resistance to phage-based antimicrobial therapy is less likely to develop, they say.

All of the phages carry a gene that makes a protein called endolysin, an enzyme that is thought to break down bacterial cell walls and kill the bacteria. Enzymes like this are used in other applications, says Hatfull, suggesting that endolysin from these phages might also be useful as a topical anti-acne therapeutic. "This work has given us very useful information about the diversity of that set of enzymes and helps pave the way for thinking about potential applications," he says.

From here, Hatfull says, research with these phages will explore how they might be used therapeutically, but phages like these can also provide useful tools, like genes and enzymes, that can be used to manipulate and understand the bacteria they infect. "The information derived from these phages helps contribute toward those kinds of genetic tools," says Hatfull.

###

mBio is an open access online journal published by the American Society for Microbiology to make microbiology research broadly accessible. The focus of the journal is on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. It can be found online at http://mBio.asm.org.

Read the original:
Could viruses be used to treat acne?

COLLEGE STATION Texas A&M University student Jesse Pyle has won an American Society for Microbiologys Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Pyle, a senior bioenvironmental sciences major from Houston, will receive a $4,000 stipend, a two-year membership in the society and travel expenses to the 113th general meeting in Denver in 2013.

Dr. Karen-Beth Scholthof, a professor of plant pathology at Texas A&M, will mentor Pyle in his research on Brachypodium distachyon, a type of grass also called purple false brome, for its potential as a model plant in lab studies on viruses.

Texas A&M University student Jesse Pyle, a senior from Houston, has won an American Society for Microbiologys Undergraduate Research Fellowship. (Texas A&M University photo).

The fellowship targets highly competitive students who wish to pursue graduate careers in microbiology, according to the society.

Fellows conduct full-time summer research at their institution with a society mentor and then submit abstracts for a chance to present the research results at the general meeting. This year, 122 applications were received and 56 were awarded, according to the society.

The American Society for Microbiology, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the

oldest and largest single biological membership organization, with more than 40,000 members worldwide. -30-

Link:
Texas A&M student wins undergraduate research fellowship

New science course to be offered on Italian campus

Microbiology classes offered at OU in Arezzo, July 2013

Basic Immunology: A 4000-level course that teaches students about the bodys immune response when it encounters pathogens. It will also show how the immune system develops and how it can make mistakes and cause autoimmunity, allergies and cancer.

Pathogenic Microbiology: A 4000-level course that teaches students about pathogens that try to cause infections. It also will talk about emerging pathogens effects on society, as well as health care services.

A new microbiology study abroad program will infect OUs Arezzo campus next July and make it easier for science majors to earn credit while abroad.

The summer program will include OUs basic immunology and pathogenic microbiology courses and will join two other science programs already offered in Arezzo Organic Chemistry/Chemistry & Wine Culture and Chemistry & Art.

Science classes offered abroad are a rare phenomena for a number of reasons, immunology professor Casie Collamore said in an email.

I think part of the rarity is because it seems daunting to offer hard science courses in a four week time frame, she said. Some subjects just cant be tailored to fit such a tight schedule and expect the students to really absorb the material. Another problem is that many hard science faculty also have research labs that require their attention, and it is difficult to leave the lab bench and their students for a long period of time.

This isnt the first time the microbiology department has attempted to offer classes abroad, Collamore said. A few years ago, pathogenic microbiology professor Tyrrell Conway submitted a proposal to teach a microbiology class, but it was denied because it wasnt going to be taught alongside a second course.

Read the original here:
New science course to be offered on OU's Arezzo campus

Nearly one third of forestry workers in parts of eastern France are infected with Hepatitis E virus (HEV), according to a paper in the September Journal of Clinical Microbiology. Wild boars in the same region are also heavily infected. HEV is endemic in developing nations, but heretofore, HEV infection in industrialized nations has been most closely correlated with travel to developing nations.

The prevalence of HEV was found to be 14 percent among wild boar, about half that in pigs, says principal investigator Pierre Coursaget of the University of Tours, France. An earlier study found 12 percent prevalence among boar in The Netherlands. Among humans in the current study, the prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies increases with age, and varies with occupation and geographic location within eastern France. "The frequency of HEV infections in humans did not correlate with the number of pigs, locally, but there is good correlation with the number of car accidents due to wild boars," a surrogate for contact between humans and wild boars, says Coursaget.

HEV is transmitted orally and fecally, with mortality rates of 1-3 percent in the general population, rising to 20-25 percent among pregnant women. In developing countries, outbreaks appear to arise from fecally contaminated water supplies. In Japan, and in Europe, consumption of wild boar or liver is associated with a high risk of acquiring hepatitis E virus infection, according to the report. However, the fact that HEV is absent among children in France suggests that eating ham is safe. Coursaget says the immune system in healthy people generally eradicates the infection, and that it is not sexually transmitted.

Deer also are known to be infected with HEV, says Coursaget. "People in contact with HEV-infected animals or their environment must be aware of the possibility of HEV infection," he says. He is currently studying HEV infection in forestry workers, veterinarians, and pig farmers in different regions of France, in an effort to quantify risk factors. The current study also compared several antibody tests for HEV, with one, the HEV ELISA test, from MP Biologicals, proving superior to the other two.

More information: A. Carpentier, et al., 2012. High hepatitis E virus seroprevalence in forestry workers and wild boars in France. J. Clin Microbiol. 50:2888-2893. bit.ly/asmtip0912e

Journal reference: Journal of Clinical Microbiology

Provided by American Society for Microbiology

Read more:
Wild boars are reservoir of HEV: High prevalence among forestry workers in eastern France

Study abroad program gets more class options

A new microbiology study abroad program will infect OUs Arezzo campus next July and make it easier for science majors to earn credit while abroad.

The summer program will include OUs basic immunology and pathogenic microbiology courses and will join two other science programs already offered in ArezzoOrganic Chemistry/Chemistry & Wine Culture and Chemistry & Art.

Science classes offered abroad are rare phenomena for a number of reasons, immunology professor Casie Collamore said in an email.

I think part of the rarity is because it seems daunting to offer hard science courses in a four week time frame, she said. Some subjects just cant be tailored to fit such a tight schedule and expect the students to really absorb the material. Another problem is that many hard science faculty also have research labs that require their attention, and it is difficult to leave the lab bench and their students for a long period of time.

This isnt the first time the microbiology department has attempted to offer classes abroad, Collamore said. A few years ago, pathogenic microbiology professor Tyrrell Conway submitted a proposal to teach a microbiology class, but it was denied because it wasnt going to be taught alongside a second course.

As microbiology advisor, Collamore spoke with a number of microbiology students who wanted to study abroad but couldnt because none of the offered classes were required for their degrees. When she heard that Conways proposal had been denied, she spoke with him and they came up with a new proposal together, Collamore said.

The two professors thought Arezzo would be the perfect place to teach the two classes because it was the birthplace of Francesco Redi, a physician who helped disprove spontaneous generation. This finding led to the Golden Age of Microbiology, a time during which scientists discovered that microbes exist and cause disease, Collamore said.

It is thought [Francesco Redis] body is buried there as well, but nobody can find it, Collamore said. It seemed like a very fitting place to teach the two subjects.

Conway and Collamore will teach the pathogenic microbiology course and immunology course respectively. While Pathogenic Microbiology is required for microbiology majors, Basic Immunology is a popular course commonly taken by microbiology majors to meet their elective requirements, Collamore said.

Read the original:
Study abroad program gets more class options

by Elizabeth Baier, Minnesota Public Radio

September 18, 2012

Audio player code:

ROCHESTER, Minn. Zakaria Mahamed wants to go to college and become a pediatrician, training he hopes will someday land him at the Mayo Clinic.

"When I see my family doctor, it makes me feel like I could be there one day," he said. "I could help these kids, I could find new cures for diseases, I can make a difference in my community."

But first, Mahamed has to make it through high school. The 11th grader thinks his chances of doing so are much better at the STEM Academy in Rochester, a charter school that aims to prepare immigrant and minority students for fields such as microbiology, nursing and engineering.

Inside the STEM Academy, teenage girls wear colorful hijabs on their heads and groups of boys speak Somali as they make their way to science, engineering and math classes. Nearly all of the 60 students are Somali-American.

Some are betting the school, in its second year, will help students who struggle in traditional schools find careers to build successful futures.

Mahamed is among them. Born in Rochester to Somali parents, he finished ninth grade at one of Rochester's traditional high schools before transferring to the math and science-focused school.

"When you're in a regular big school that doesn't have a small environment, everything is like you don't have enough time to talk and you'll never meet anybody," he said. "But here, you'll talk to everybody, you know everybody, everyone knows you, you know them."

Read the original post:
In Rochester, betting on a non-traditional school