Applied and Environmental Science
Letter to the Editor | Applied and Environmental ScienceInfluenza and Alcohol-Based Handrub: the Danger of Ignoring Clinical Relevance
Observation | Applied and Environmental ScienceEmergence and Comparative Genomics Analysis of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Carrying mcr-1 in Fennec Fox Imported from Sudan to ChinaThe extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are a global concern for both animal and human health. There is some information indicating a high prevalence of ESBL producers in food animals. Moreover, there have been an increasing number of reports on ESBL-producing strains resistant to the last-resort antibiotic colistin with the global dissemination of the plasmid-mediated mcr...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceFunctional and Comparative Genomic Analysis of Integrated Prophage-Like Sequences in “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus”Huanglongbing (HLB) disease is threatening citrus production worldwide. The causative agent is “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus.” Prior work using mapping-based approaches identified prophage-like sequences in some “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” genomes but not all. Here, we utilized a de novo approach that expands the number of prophage-like elements found in “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” from 16 to...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceValidating DNA Extraction Protocols for Bentonite ClayExtraction of microbial DNA from MX-80 bentonite is challenging due to low biomass and adsorption of nucleic acid molecules to the charged clay matrix. Blocking agents improve DNA recovery, but their impact on microbial community profiles from low-biomass samples has not been characterized well. In this study, we evaluated the effect of casein and phosphate as blocking agents for quantitative recovery of nucleic acids from MX-80...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceA Carotenoid- and Poly-β-Hydroxybutyrate-Free Mutant Strain of Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461 for the Commercial Production of GellanA carotenoid- and PHB-free double gene knockout strain mutant was constructed to simplify the purification steps normally involved in gellan production. However, the production of gellan gum was unexpectedly reduced. A mutant with 14.4% higher gellan production than that of the wild-type strain was obtained and isolated after employing UV and EMS combined mutagenesis. Based on this high-yield and low-impurity-producing mutant, a new...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceIdentification of a Polyketide Synthase Gene Responsible for Ascochitine Biosynthesis in Ascochyta fabae and Its Abrogation in Sister TaxaFungi produce a diverse array of secondary metabolites, many of which are of pharmacological importance whereas many others are noted for mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin and citrinin, that can threaten human and animal health. The polyketide-derived compound ascochitine, which is structurally similar to citrinin mycotoxin, has been considered to be important for pathogenicity of legume-associated Ascochyta species. Here, we...
Perspective | Applied and Environmental ScienceUnknown Risk on the Farm: Does Agricultural Use of Ionophores Contribute to the Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance?Ionophores are the second most widely used class of antibiotic in agriculture, with over 4 million kilograms sold in the United States in 2016. Because ionophores are not used in humans, it is widely assumed that their agricultural use will not impact human health. Consequently, these drugs have not been subject to the same regulations as medically important antibiotics.
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceSituations Leading to Reduced Effectiveness of Current Hand Hygiene against Infectious Mucus from Influenza Virus-Infected PatientsAntiseptic hand rubbing (AHR) and antiseptic hand washing (AHW) are important to prevent the spread of influenza A virus (IAV). This study elucidated the situations/mechanisms underlying the reduced efficacy of AHR against infectious mucus derived from IAV-infected individuals and indicated the weaknesses of the current hand hygiene regimens. Due to the low rate of diffusion/convection because of the physical properties of mucus as a...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceQuantitatively Partitioning Microbial Genomic Traits among Taxonomic Ranks across the Microbial Tree of LifeRecently, there has been great progress in defining a complete taxonomy of bacteria and archaea, which has been enabled by improvements in DNA sequencing technology and new bioinformatic techniques. A new, algorithmically defined microbial tree of life describes those linkages, relying solely on genetic data, which raises the issue of how microbial traits relate to taxonomy. Here, we adopted cluster of orthologous group functional...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceWhole-Genome Sequencing-Based Characterization of 100 Listeria monocytogenes Isolates Collected from Food Processing Environments over a Four-Year PeriodThis study extends current understanding of the genetic diversity among L. monocytogenes from various food products and food processing environments. Application of WGS-based strategies facilitated tracking of this pathogen of importance to human health along the production chain while providing insights into the pathogenic potential for some of the...