High-throughput evaluation of hemolytic activity through precise measurement of colony and hemolytic zone sizes of engineered Bacillus subtilis on blood agar.

Biosurfactants have remarkable characteristics, such as environmental friendliness, high safety, and excellent biodegradability. Surfactin is one of the best-known biosurfactants produced by Bacillus subtilis. Because the biosynthetic pathways of biosurfactants, such as surfactin, are complex, mutagenesis is a useful alternative to typical metabolic engineering approaches for developing high-yield strains. Therefore, there is a need for high-throughput and accurate screening methods for high-yield strains derived from mutant libraries. The blood agar lysis method, which takes advantage of the hemolytic activity of biosurfactants, is one way of determining their concentration. This method includes inoculating microbial cells onto blood-containing agar plates, and biosurfactant production is assessed based on the size of the hemolytic zone formed around each colony. Challenges with the blood agar lysis method include low experimental reproducibility and a lack of established protocols for high-throughput screening. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of the inoculation procedure and media composition on the formation of hemolytic zones. We also developed a workflow to evaluate the number of colonies using robotics. The results revealed that by arranging colonies at appropriate intervals and measuring the areas of colonies and hemolytic rings using image analysis software, it was possible to accurately compare the hemolytic activity among several colonies. Although the use of the blood agar lysis method for screening is limited to surfactants exhibiting hemolytic activity, it is believed that by considering the insights gained from this study, it can contribute to the accurate screening of strains with high productivity.

Efficient pathway-driven scyllo-inositol production from myo-inositol using thermophilic cells and mesophilic inositol dehydrogenases: a novel strategy for pathway control.

Mesophilic enzymes, which are active at moderate temperatures, may dominate enzymatic reactions even in the presence of thermophilic crude enzymes. This study was conducted to investigate this hypothesis with mesophilic inositol dehydrogenases (IolG and IolX) produced in Geobacillus kaustophilus HTA426. To ensure the efficient production of mesophilic enzymes, we first screened for promoters induced at moderate temperatures using transcriptome analysis and identified four genes highly expressed at 30°C in the thermophile. We further characterized these promoters using fluorescent reporter assays to determine that the mti3 promoter could direct efficient gene expression at 40°C. We cloned the promoter into an Escherichia coli-Geobacillus shuttle plasmid and confirmed that the resulting vector functioned in G. kaustophilus and other thermophiles. We then used this vector for the cooperative expression of the iolG and iolX genes from Bacillus subtilis 168. G. kaustophilus cells carrying the expression vector were incubated at 60°C for cellular propagation and then at 40°C for the production of IolG and IolX. When the cells were permeabilized, IolG and IolX acted as catalysts to convert exogenous myo-inositol into scyllo-inositol at 30°C. In a scaled-up reaction, 10 g of myo-inositol was converted to 1.8 g of scyllo-inositol, which was further purified to yield 970 mg of pure powder. Notably, myo-inositol was degraded by intrinsic enzymes of G. kaustophilus at 60°C but not at 30°C, supporting our initial hypothesis. We indicate that this approach is useful for preparing enzyme cocktails without the need for purification. IMPORTANCE: Enzyme cocktails are commonly employed for cell-free chemical synthesis; however, their preparation involves cumbersome processes. This study affirms that mesophilic enzymes in thermophilic crude extracts can function as specific catalysts at moderate temperatures, akin to enzyme cocktails. The catalyst was prepared by permeabilizing cells without the need for concentration, extraction, or purification processes; hence, its preparation was considerably simpler compared with conventional methods for enzyme cocktails. This approach was employed to produce pure scyllo-inositol from an economical substrate. Notably, this marks the first large-scale preparation of pure scyllo-inositol, holding potential pharmaceutical significance as scyllo-inositol serves as a promising agent for certain diseases but is currently expensive. Moreover, this approach holds promise for application in pathway engineering within living cells. The envisioned pathway is designed without chromosomal modification and is simply regulated by switching culture temperatures. Consequently, this study introduces a novel platform for both whole-cell and cell-free synthetic systems.

An unusual presentation of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: A case of fibrosarcomatous dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with pleomorphic angiectatic tumor-like changes.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a locally aggressive superficial mesenchymal neoplasm characterized by monomorphic spindle-cell proliferation with a storiform pattern. It can demonstrate pigmentation, myxoid changes, myoid differentiation, plaque-like growth, and fibrosarcomatous features; its varied presentation often complicates diagnosis. We report an extremely rare case of fibrosarcomatous DFSP with features reminiscent of a pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor (PHAT) in a 73-year-old male. The diagnosis was confirmed using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. To the best of our knowledge, PHAT-like changes in DFPS have not been described so far. Therefore, this report provides a novel variant of DFSP and expands the differential diagnosis of DFSP and PHAT.

Sarcoma of the Lung and Mediastinum.

Primary sarcoma of the lung and mediastinum is rare. The diagnosis requires careful exclusion of sarcomatoid carcinoma, sarcomatoid mesothelioma, and metastases from extra-thoracic sites. This review summarizes the key morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular characteristics of sarcomas that are encountered in the lung and mediastinum. The tumor types discussed are synovial sarcoma, well-differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcoma, myxoid pleomorphic liposarcoma, intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, primary pulmonary myxoid sarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, Ewing sarcoma, and CIC-rearranged sarcoma. Relevant differential diagnoses are also addressed.

Current awareness and use of transthoracic echocardiography in evaluation of valvular heart disease in Kumamoto Prefecture -a report from the Kumamoto cardiovascular echocardiography standardization project.

BACKGROUND: There are few reports on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for the evaluation of valvular heart disease in a specific area or region. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted in 2023 in Kumamoto Prefecture, where 106 hospitals provide cardiology services. Ninety-three (88%) of the hospitals completed questionnaires regarding TTE. The severity of low flow/low gradient AS was evaluated by dobutamine stress echocardiography in only 7% of hospitals and exercise stress echocardiography for asymptomatic mitral regurgitation in only 5%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that participation in remote multi-institutional echocardiographic meetings and use of the Kumamoto Prefecture echocardiographic manual were significantly associated with the use of a multi-window approach (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In Kumamoto Prefecture, echocardiographic measurements are performed according to the recommendations at a relatively low rate. Dissemination of recommendations through remote meetings and the use of the echocardiographic manual may increase the likelihood of TTE being performed according to the recommendations.

A case of pelvic EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion sarcoma treated with carbon ion radiotherapy.

EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion sarcoma is a type of round-cell sarcoma with EWSR1-non-EST fusion that was newly categorized in the 2020 World Health Organization classification of soft tissue and bone tumors. In general, local disease is managed via surgical resection; however, at present, there is no standard therapy for locally advanced or metastatic disease. Here, we report our experience with a middle-aged male patient with pelvic EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion sarcoma who was treated with carbon ion radiotherapy and maintained stable disease for 13 months. The patient's clinical course suggests that carbon ion radiotherapy may be effective in patients with locally advanced EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion sarcoma.

Landscape of driver mutations and their clinical effects on Down syndrome-related myeloid neoplasms.

ABSTRACT: Transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM) is a common complication in newborns with Down syndrome (DS). It commonly progresses to myeloid leukemia (ML-DS) after spontaneous regression. In contrast to the favorable prognosis of primary ML-DS, patients with refractory/relapsed ML-DS have poor outcomes. However, the molecular basis for refractoriness and relapse and the full spectrum of driver mutations in ML-DS remain largely unknown. We conducted a genomic profiling study of 143 TAM, 204 ML-DS, and 34 non-DS acute megakaryoblastic leukemia cases, including 39 ML-DS cases analyzed by exome sequencing. Sixteen novel mutational targets were identified in ML-DS samples. Of these, inactivations of IRX1 (16.2%) and ZBTB7A (13.2%) were commonly implicated in the upregulation of the MYC pathway and were potential targets for ML-DS treatment with bromodomain-containing protein 4 inhibitors. Partial tandem duplications of RUNX1 on chromosome 21 were also found, specifically in ML-DS samples (13.7%), presenting its essential role in DS leukemia progression. Finally, in 177 patients with ML-DS treated following the same ML-DS protocol (the Japanese Pediatric Leukemia and Lymphoma Study Group acute myeloid leukemia -D05/D11), CDKN2A, TP53, ZBTB7A, and JAK2 alterations were associated with a poor prognosis. Patients with CDKN2A deletions (n = 7) or TP53 mutations (n = 4) had substantially lower 3-year event-free survival (28.6% vs 90.5%; P < .001; 25.0% vs 89.5%; P < .001) than those without these mutations. These findings considerably change the mutational landscape of ML-DS, provide new insights into the mechanisms of progression from TAM to ML-DS, and help identify new therapeutic targets and strategies for ML-DS.

Microbial synthesis of health-promoting inositols.

D-chiro-inositol and scyllo-inositol are known for their health-promoting properties and promising as ingredients for functional foods. Strains of Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium glutamicum were created by metabolic engineering capable of inexpensive production of these two rare inositols from myo-inositol, which is the most common inositol in nature. In addition, further modifications have enabled the synthesis of the two rare inositols from the much-cheaper carbon sources, glucose or sucrose.

High IL2RA/CD25 expression is a prognostic stem cell biomarker for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia without a core-binding factor.

CD25 is an aberrant marker expressed on the leukemic stem cell (LSC) surface and an immunotherapy target in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the clinical prevalence and significance of CD25 expression in pediatric AML are unknown. High IL2RA/CD25 expression in pediatric AML showed a stem cell-like phenotype, and elevated CD25 expression was associated with lower overall survival (p < .001) and event-free survival (p < .001) in the Japanese Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group AML-05 study. This finding was reproduced in AML without a core-binding factor in the Children's Oncology Group study cohort. High CD25 expression has prognostic significance in pediatric AML.

Genetic Characterization of Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma: Pathogenesis and Patient Outcomes.

PURPOSE: Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is a rare aggressive lymphoma predominantly affecting young female patients. Large-scale genomic investigations and genetic markers for risk stratification are lacking. PATIENTS AND METHODS: To elucidate the full spectrum of genomic alterations, samples from 340 patients with previously untreated PMBCL were investigated by whole-genome (n = 20), whole-exome (n = 78), and targeted (n = 308) sequencing. Statistically significant prognostic variables were identified using a multivariable Cox regression model and confirmed by L1/L2 regularized regressions. RESULTS: Whole-genome sequencing revealed a commonly disrupted p53 pathway with nonredundant somatic structural variations (SVs) in TP53-related genes (TP63, TP73, and WWOX) and identified novel SVs facilitating immune evasion (DOCK8 and CD83). Integration of mutation and copy-number data expanded the repertoire of known PMBCL alterations (eg, ARID1A, P2RY8, and PLXNC1) with a previously unrecognized role for epigenetic/chromatin modifiers. Multivariable analysis identified six genetic lesions with significant prognostic impact. CD58 mutations (31%) showed the strongest association with worse PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.52 [95% CI, 1.50 to 4.21]; P < .001) and overall survival (HR, 2.33 [95% CI, 1.14 to 4.76]; P = .02). IPI high-risk patients with mutated CD58 demonstrated a particularly poor prognosis, with 5-year PFS and OS rates of 41% and 58%, respectively. The adverse prognostic significance of the CD58 mutation status was predominantly observed in patients treated with nonintensified regimens, indicating that dose intensification may, to some extent, mitigate the impact of this high-risk marker. By contrast, DUSP2-mutated patients (24%) displayed durable responses (PFS: HR, 0.2 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.55]; P = .002) and prolonged OS (HR, 0.11 [95% CI, 0.01 to 0.78]; P = .028). Upon CHOP-like treatment, these patients had very favorable outcome, with 5-year PFS and OS rates of 93% and 98%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This large-scale genomic characterization of PMBCL identified novel treatment targets and genetic lesions for refined risk stratification. DUSP2 and CD58 mutation analyses may guide treatment decisions between rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone and dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab.

Genes encoding a novel thermostable bacteriocin in the thermophilic bacterium Aeribacillus pallidus PI8.

AIM: Aeribacillus pallidus PI8 is a Gram-positive thermophilic bacterium that produces thermostable antimicrobial substances against several bacterial species, including Geobacillus kaustophilus HTA426. In the present study, we sought to identify genes of PI8 with antibacterial activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: We isolated, cloned, and characterized a thermostable bacteriocin from A. pallidus PI8 and named it pallidocyclin. Mass spectrometric analyses of pallidocyclin revealed that it had a circular peptide structure, and its precursor was encoded by pcynA in the PI8 genome. pcynA is the second gene within the pcynBACDEF operon. Expression of the full-length pcynBACDEF operon in Bacillus subtilis produced intact pallidocyclin, whereas expression of pcynF in G. kaustophilus HTA426 conferred resistance to pallidocyclin. CONCLUSION: Aeribacillus pallidus PI8 possesses the pcynBACDEF operon to produce pallidocyclin. pcynA encodes the pallidocyclin precursor, and pcynF acts as an antagonist of pallidocyclin.

Association of atmospheric temperature with out-of-hospital natural deaths occurrence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Osaka, Japan.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between out-of-hospital natural death (OHND) and ambient temperature and examine the seriousness of the impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on this relationship. We used data from the Osaka Prefectural Office of Medical Examiners between 2018 and 2022 and performed a retrospective observational study. A Poisson regression model was applied to examine the relationship between OHND and temperature in Osaka City. The relative risk of OHND at 5 °C and 32 °C compared to the minimum mortality temperature increased from 1.81 in the pre-COVID-19 period to 2.03 in the post-COVID-19 period at 5 °C and from 1.29 in the pre-COVID-19 period to 1.60 in the post-COVID-19 period at 32 °C. The increase in relative risk per 1 °C increase from the pre- to post-COVID-19 period was 1.0551 (rate ratio [RR], p = 0.003) in the hot environment and 1.0233 (RR, p = 0.013) in the cold environment, which was larger than that in the hot environment. Although the risk of OHND increased at both temperatures, the change in OHND risk during post-COVID-19 was larger in the hot environment than in the cold environment, implicating the effect of pandemics in the current scenario of global warming.

Superior mesenteric artery embolism associated with Cisplatin-induced aortic thrombosis.

Cardiovascular complications of cancer therapy are among the most important factors affecting cancer prognosis. Cisplatin-induced aortic thrombosis is rare but can be life-threatening in the event of peripheral embolism. In this report, we describe a case of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) embolism associated with cisplatin-induced aortic thrombosis. A 66-year-old male, diagnosed with esophageal cancer, initiated systemic chemotherapy with a regimen consisting of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin, combined with radiotherapy. After 7 days of chemoradiotherapy, the patient developed a floating thrombus in the ascending aorta and an SMA embolism; chemoradiotherapy was then discontinued. Laparoscopy revealed an ischemic small intestine that required resection; intravenous unfractionated heparin was initiated 3 days after. Computed tomography showed disappearance of the floating aortic thrombus and reduce SMA thrombus size. Early detection of cisplatin-induced aortic thrombosis may prevent fatal outcomes in symptomatic peripheral embolisms, such as SMA embolism, considering anticoagulation, and discontinuation of cisplatin-based chemotherapy may cause resolution of thrombus events.

[Myeloid neoplasms with germline predisposition].

With recent advances in sequencing technologies, novel genes associated with the predisposition to myeloid neoplasms have been discovered, and subsequent studies have shown that the incidence of myeloid neoplasms associated with germline variants is higher than expected. Accordingly, myeloid neoplasms with germline predisposition have represented a unique category in the recent WHO classification and the International Consensus Classification, and DDX41 mutation accounts for 2-5% of myeloid neoplasms. Clonal hematopoiesis commonly occurs in healthy individuals, especially in older people. For patients with germline predisposition, clonal hematopoiesis is frequently observed at a younger age and often associated with disease-specific driver mutations, leading to further understating of the pathogenesis of diseases.

Bone Marrow Failure and Immunodeficiency Associated with Human RAD50 Variants.

PURPOSE: The MRE11-RAD50-NBN (MRN) complex plays a key role in recognizing and signaling DNA double-strand breaks. Pathogenic variants in NBN and MRE11 give rise to the autosomal-recessive diseases, Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) and ataxia telangiectasia-like disorder, respectively. The clinical consequences of pathogenic variants in RAD50 are incompletely understood. We aimed to characterize a newly identified RAD50 deficiency/NBS-like disorder (NBSLD) patient with bone marrow failure and immunodeficiency. METHODS: We report on a girl with microcephaly, mental retardation, bird-like face, short stature, bone marrow failure and B-cell immunodeficiency. We searched for candidate gene by whole-exome sequencing and analyzed the cellular phenotype of patient-derived fibroblasts using immunoblotting, radiation sensitivity assays and lentiviral complementation experiments. RESULTS: Compound heterozygosity for two variants in the RAD50 gene (p.Arg83His and p.Glu485Ter) was identified in this patient. The expression of RAD50 protein and MRN complex formation was maintained in the cells derived from this patient. DNA damage-induced activation of the ATM kinase was markedly decreased, which was restored by the expression of wild-type (WT) RAD50. Radiosensitivity appeared inconspicuous in the patient-derived cell line as assessed by colony formation assay. The RAD50R83H missense substitution did not rescue the mitotic defect in complementation experiments using RAD50-deficient fibroblasts, whereas RAD50WT did. The RAD50E485X nonsense variant was associated with in-frame skipping of exon 10 (p.Glu485_545del). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate important roles of RAD50 in human bone marrow and immune cells. RAD50 deficiency/NBSLD can manifest as a distinct inborn error of immunity characterized by bone marrow failure and B-cell immunodeficiency.

Bacillus subtilis NDmed, a model strain for biofilm genetic studies.

The Bacillus subtilis strain NDmed was isolated from an endoscope washer-disinfector in a medical environment. NDmed can form complex macrocolonies with highly wrinkled architectural structures on solid medium. In static liquid culture, it produces thick pellicles at the interface with air as well as remarkable highly protruding ''beanstalk-like'' submerged biofilm structures at the solid surface. Since these mucoid submerged structures are hyper-resistant to biocides, NDmed has the ability to protect pathogens embedded in mixed-species biofilms by sheltering them from the action of these agents. Additionally, this non-domesticated and highly biofilm forming strain has the propensity of being genetically manipulated. Due to all these properties, the NDmed strain becomes a valuable model for the study of B. subtilis biofilms. This review focuses on several studies performed with NDmed that have highlighted the sophisticated genetic dynamics at play during B. subtilis biofilm formation. Further studies in project using modern molecular tools of advanced technologies with this strain, will allow to deepen our knowledge on the emerging properties of multicellular bacterial life.

Frequent ZNF217 mutations lead to transcriptional deregulation of interferon signal transduction via altered chromatin accessibility in B cell lymphoma.

Recent exome-wide studies discovered frequent somatic mutations in the epigenetic modifier ZNF217 in primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBCL) and related disorders. As functional consequences of ZNF217 alterations remain unknown, we comprehensively evaluated their impact in PMBCL. Targeted sequencing identified genetic lesions affecting ZNF217 in 33% of 157 PMBCL patients. Subsequent gene expression profiling (n = 120) revealed changes in cytokine and interferon signal transduction in ZNF217-aberrant PMBCL cases. In vitro, knockout of ZNF217 led to changes in chromatin accessibility interfering with binding motifs for crucial lymphoma-associated transcription factors. This led to disturbed expression of interferon-responsive and inflammation-associated genes, altered cell behavior, and aberrant differentiation. Mass spectrometry demonstrates that ZNF217 acts within a histone modifier complex containing LSD1, CoREST and HDAC and interferes with H3K4 methylation and H3K27 acetylation. Concluding, our data suggest non-catalytic activity of ZNF217, which directs histone modifier complex function and controls B cell differentiation-associated patterns of chromatin structure.