Large outbreak of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) poisoning due to consumption of contaminated humanitarian relief food: Uganda, March-April 2019.

BACKGROUND: Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) contains toxic alkaloids that cause gastrointestinal and central nervous system symptoms when ingested. This can be lethal at high doses. The plant may grow together with leguminous crops, mixing with them during harvesting. On 13 March 2019, more than 200 case-patients were admitted to multiple health centres for acute gastrointestinal and neurologic symptoms. We investigated to determine the cause and magnitude of the outbreak and recommended evidence-based control and prevention measures. METHODS: We defined a suspected case as sudden onset of confusion, dizziness, convulsions, hallucinations, diarrhoea, or vomiting with no other medically plausible explanations in a resident of Napak or Amudat District from 1 March-30 April 2019. We reviewed medical records and canvassed all villages of the eight affected subcounties to identify cases. In a retrospective cohort study conducted in 17 villages that reported the earliest cases, we interviewed 211 residents about dietary history during 11-15 March. We used modified Poisson regression to assess suspected food exposures. Food samples underwent chemical (heavy metals, chemical contaminants, and toxins), proteomic, DNA, and microbiological testing in one national and three international laboratories. RESULTS: We identified 293 suspected cases; five (1.7%) died. Symptoms included confusion (62%), dizziness (38%), diarrhoea (22%), nausea/vomiting (18%), convulsions (12%), and hallucinations (8%). The outbreak started on 12 March, 2-12 h after Batch X of fortified corn-soy blend (CSB +) was distributed. In the retrospective cohort study, 66% of 134 persons who ate CSB + , compared with 2.2% of 75 who did not developed illness (RRadj = 22, 95% CI = 6.0-81). Samples of Batch X distributed 11-15 March contained 14 tropane alkaloids, including atropine (25-50 ppm) and scopolamine (1-10 ppm). Proteins of Solanaceae seeds and Jimsonweed DNA were identified. No other significant laboratory findings were observed. CONCLUSION: This was the largest documented outbreak caused by food contamination with tropane alkaloids. Implicated food was immediately withdrawn. Routine food safety and quality checks could prevent future outbreaks.

Toll-like Receptor 4-Independent Effects of Lipopolysaccharide Identified Using Longitudinal Serum Proteomics.

Sepsis remains one of the most lethal and costly conditions treated in U.S. hospitals, with approximately 50% of cases caused by Gram-negative bacterial infections. Septic shock is induced when lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the main component of Gram-negative outer bacterial membrane, signals through the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) complex. Lethal endotoxemia, a model for septic shock, was induced in WT C57BL6 and TLR4-/- mice by administration of Escherichia coli LPS. WT LPS treated mice showed high morbidity, while PBS treated LPS and treated TLR4-/- mice did not. ANOVA analysis of label-free quantification of longitudinal serum proteome revealed 182 out of 324 proteins in LPS injected WT mice that were significantly changed across four time points (0, 6, 12, and 18 h). No significant changes were identified in the two control groups. From the 182 identified proteins, examples of known sepsis biomarkers were validated by ELISA, which showed similar trends as MS proteomics data. Longitudinal analysis within individual mice produced 3-fold more significantly changed proteins than pair-wise comparison. A subsequent global analysis of WT and TLR4-/- mice identified pathways activated independent of TLR4. These pathways represent possible compensatory mechanisms that allow for control of Gram-negative bacterial infection regardless of host immune status.

Identification of Salmonella Taxon-Specific Peptide Markers to the Serovar Level by Mass Spectrometry.

We present an LC-MS/MS pipeline to identify taxon-specific tryptic peptide markers for the identification of Salmonella at the genus, species, subspecies, and serovar levels of specificity. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovars Typhimurium and its four closest relatives, Saintpaul, Heidelberg, Paratyphi B, and Muenchen, were evaluated. A decision-tree approach was used to identify peptides common to the five Salmonella proteomes for evaluation as genus-, species-, and subspecies-specific markers. Peptides identified for two or fewer Salmonella strains were evaluated as potential serovar markers. Currently, there are approximately 140 000 assembled bacterial genomes publicly available, more than 8500 of which are for Salmonella. Consequently, the specificity of each candidate peptide marker was confirmed across all publicly available protein sequences in the NCBI nonredundant (nr) database. The performance of a subset of candidate taxon-specific peptide markers was evaluated in a targeted mass-spectrometry method. The presented workflow offers a marked improvement in specificity over existing MALDI-TOF-based bacterial identification platforms for the identification of closely related Salmonella serovars.

Platform for identification of Salmonella serovar differentiating bacterial proteins by top-down mass spectrometry: S. Typhimurium vs S. Heidelberg.

Intact protein expression profiling has proven to be a powerful tool for bacterial subspecies differentiation. To facilitate typing, epidemiology, and trace-back of Salmonella contamination in the food supply, a minimum of serovar level differentiation is required. Subsequent identification and validation of marker proteins is integral to rapid screening development and to determining which proteins are subject to environmental pressure. Bacterial sequencing efforts have expanded the number of sequenced genomes available for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analyses, but annotation is often missing, start site errors are not uncommon, and the likelihood of expression is not known. In this work we show that the combination of intact protein expression profiles and top-down liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) facilitates the identification of proteins that result from expressed serovar specific nonsynonymous SNPs. Combinations of these marker proteins can be used in assays for rapid differentiation of bacteria. LC-MS generated intact protein expression profiles establish which bacterial protein masses differ across samples and can be determined without prior knowledge of the sample. Subsequent top-down LC-MS/MS is used to identify expressed proteins and their post-translational modifications (PTM), identify serovar specific markers, and validate genomic predicted orthologues as expressed biomarkers.

Size-selective fractionation and visual mapping of allergen protein chemistry in Arachis hypogaea.

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) in addition to milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans, wheat, tree nuts, and soybean are commonly referred to as the "big eight" foods that contribute to the majority of food allergies worldwide. Despite the severity of allergic reactions and growing prevalence in children and adults, there is no cure for peanut allergy, leaving avoidance as the primary mode of treatment. To improve analytical methods for peanut allergen detection, researchers must overcome obstacles involved in handling complex food matrices while attempting to decipher the chemistry that underlies allergen protein interactions. To address such challenges, we conducted a global proteome characterization of raw peanuts using a sophisticated GELFrEE-PAGE-LC-MS/MS platform consisting of gel-based protein fractionation followed by mass spectrometric identification. The in-solution mass-selective protein fractionation: (1) enhances the number of unique peptide identifications, (2) provides a visual map of protein isoforms, and (3) aids in the identification of disulfide-linked protein complexes. GELFrEE-PAGE-LC-MS/MS not only overcomes many of the challenges involved in the study of plant proteomics, but enriches the understanding of peanut protein chemistry, which is typically unattainable in a traditional bottom-up proteomic analysis. A global understanding of protein chemistry in Arachis hypogaea ultimately will aid the development of improved methods for allergen detection in food.

Evaluation of protein expression in bovine bronchoalveolar fluid following challenge with Mannheimia haemolytica.

Proteomics analysis of bovine bronchoalveolar fluid (BAF) following induction of pneumonia with Mannheimia haemolytica using nanoflow liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) resulted in the identification of 88 unique proteins. Proteins detected in BAF included antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), complement factors, acute-phase proteins, protease inhibitors, and proteins involved in oxidation-reduction. Notwithstanding biological variation, differences in relative protein abundance, determined using normalized peptide counts, were detected for select proteins in BAF from genuinely infected versus sham-infected animals. To demonstrate the applicability of using normalized peptide counts to assess protein expression trends, LC-MS/MS data for the acute-phase protein haptoglobin (HPT) were compared with ELISA data, and statistical evaluation of the relationship between the data revealed a strong measure of association. Differences were detected between sham- and genuinely infected animals for haptoglobin, as well as the AMPs cathelicidin-1 and cathelicidin-4, and inter-α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain-4, a fairly novel protein involved in the acute phase response. Though the small sample size limited the scope of the inferences, the results indicate the likely importance of AMPs and acute-phase proteins during respiratory infection, and provide additional information regarding potential mechanisms involved in the bovine mucosal barrier defense.

MassSieve: panning MS/MS peptide data for proteins.

We present MassSieve, a Java-based platform for visualization and parsimony analysis of single and comparative LC-MS/MS database search engine results. The success of mass spectrometric peptide sequence assignment algorithms has led to the need for a tool to merge and evaluate the increasing data set sizes that result from LC-MS/MS-based shotgun proteomic experiments. MassSieve supports reports from multiple search engines with differing search characteristics, which can increase peptide sequence coverage and/or identify conflicting or ambiguous spectral assignments.

Proteomics analysis identifies phosphorylation-dependent alpha-synuclein protein interactions.

Mutations and copy number variation in the SNCA gene encoding the neuronal protein alpha-synuclein have been linked to familial Parkinson disease (Thomas, B., and Beal, M. F. (2007) Parkinson's disease. Hum. Mol. Genet. 16, R183-R194). The carboxyl terminus of alpha-synuclein can be phosphorylated at tyrosine 125 and serine 129, although only a small fraction of the protein is phosphorylated under normal conditions (Okochi, M., Walter, J., Koyama, A., Nakajo, S., Baba, M., Iwatsubo, T., Meijer, L., Kahle, P. J., and Haass, C. (2000) Constitutive phosphorylation of the Parkinson's disease associated alpha-synuclein. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 390-397). Under pathological conditions, such as in Parkinson disease, alpha-synuclein is a major component of Lewy bodies, a pathological hallmark of Parkinson disease, and is mostly phosphorylated at Ser-129 (Anderson, J. P., Walker, D. E., Goldstein, J. M., de Laat, R., Banducci, K., Caccavello, R. J., Barbour, R., Huang, J. P., Kling, K., Lee, M., Diep, L., Keim, P. S., Shen, X. F., Chataway, T., Schlossmacher, M. G., Seubert, P., Schenk, D., Sinha, S., Gai, W. P., and Chilcote, T. J. (2006) Phosphorylation of Ser-129 is the dominant pathological modification of alpha-synuclein in familial and sporadic Lewy body disease. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 29739-29752). Controversy exists over the extent to which phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein and/or the visible protein aggregation in Lewy bodies are steps in disease pathogenesis, are protective, or are neutral markers for the disease process. Here we used the combination of peptide pulldown assays and mass spectrometry to identify and compare protein-protein interactions of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein. We showed that non-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein carboxyl terminus pulled down protein complexes that were highly enriched for mitochondrial electron transport proteins, whereas alpha-synuclein carboxyl terminus phosphorylated on either Ser-129 or Tyr-125 did not. Instead the set of proteins pulled down by phosphorylated alpha-synuclein was highly enriched in certain cytoskeletal proteins, in vesicular trafficking proteins, and in a small number of enzymes involved in protein serine phosphorylation. This targeted comparative proteomics approach for unbiased identification of protein-protein interactions suggests that there are functional consequences when alpha-synuclein is phosphorylated.

The Utility of Genomic and Transcriptomic Data in the Construction of Proxy Protein Sequence Databases for Unsequenced Tree Nuts.

As the apparent incidence of tree nut allergies rises, the development of MS methods that accurately identify tree nuts in food is critical. However, analyses are limited by few available tree nut protein sequences. We assess the utility of translated genomic and transcriptomic data for library construction with Juglans regia, walnut, as a model. Extracted walnuts were subjected to nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (n-LC-MS/MS), and spectra were searched against databases made from a six-frame translation of the genome (6FT), a transcriptome, and three proteomes. Searches against proteomic databases yielded a variable number of peptides (1156-1275), and only ten additional unique peptides were identified in the 6FT database. Searches against a transcriptomic database yielded results similar to those of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) proteome (1200 and 1275 peptides, respectively). Performance of the transcriptomic database was improved via the adjustment of RNA-Seq read processing methods, which increased the number of identified peptides which align to seed allergen proteins by ~20%. Together, these findings establish a path towards the construction of robust proxy protein databases for tree nut species and other non-model organisms.

Selection of Tree Nut Allergen Peptide Markers: A Need for Improved Protein Sequence Databases.

Background: To effectively safeguard the food-allergic population and support compliance with food-labeling regulations, the food industry and regulatory agencies require reliable methods for food allergen detection and quantification. MS-based detection of food allergens relies on the systematic identification of robust and selective target peptide markers. The selection of proteotypic peptide markers, however, relies on the availability of high-quality protein sequence information, a bottleneck for the analysis of many plant-based proteomes. Method: In this work, data were compiled for reference tree nut ingredients and evaluated using a parsimony-driven global proteomics workflow. Results: The utility of supplementing existing incomplete protein sequence databases with translated genomic sequencing data was evaluated for English walnut and provided enhanced selection of candidate peptide markers and differentiation between closely related species. Highlights: Future improvements of protein databases and release of genomics-derived sequences are expected to facilitate the development of robust and harmonized LC-tandem MS-based methods for food allergen detection.

Recent and emerging innovations in Salmonella detection: a food and environmental perspective.

Salmonella is a diverse genus of Gram-negative bacilli and a major foodborne pathogen responsible for more than a million illnesses annually in the United States alone. Rapid, reliable detection and identification of this pathogen in food and environmental sources is key to safeguarding the food supply. Traditional microbiological culture techniques have been the 'gold standard' for State and Federal regulators. Unfortunately, the time to result is too long to effectively monitor foodstuffs, especially those with very short shelf lives. Advances in traditional microbiology and molecular biology over the past 25 years have greatly improved the speed at which this pathogen is detected. Nonetheless, food and environmental samples possess a distinctive set of challenges for these newer, more rapid methodologies. Furthermore, more detailed identification and subtyping strategies still rely heavily on the availability of a pure isolate. However, major shifts in DNA sequencing technologies are meeting this challenge by advancing the detection, identification and subtyping of Salmonella towards a culture-independent diagnostic framework. This review will focus on current approaches and state-of-the-art next-generation advances in the detection, identification and subtyping of Salmonella from food and environmental sources.

Genome Sequences of Multidrug-Resistant, Colistin-Susceptible and -Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Clinical Isolates from Pakistan.

The emergence and spread of colistin resistance among multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae represent a critical threat to global health. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of 10 MDR, colistin-susceptible and -resistant K. pneumoniae clinical isolates obtained in Pakistan between 2010 and 2013.

Evaluation and optimization of electron capture dissociation efficiency in fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

Electron capture dissociation (ECD) efficiency has typically been lower than for other dissociation techniques. Here we characterize experimental factors that limit ECD and seek to improve its efficiency. Efficiency of precursor to product ion conversion was measured for a range of peptide (approximately 15% efficiency) and protein (approximately 33% efficiency) ions of differing sizes and charge states. Conversion of precursor ions to products depends on electron irradiation period and maximizes at approximately 5-30 ms. The optimal irradiation period scales inversely with charge state. We demonstrate that reflection of electrons through the ICR cell is more efficient and robust than a single pass, because electrons can cool to the optimal energy for capture, which allows for a wide range of initial electron energy. Further, efficient ECD with reflected electrons requires only a short (approximately 500 micros) irradiation period followed by an appropriate delay for cooling and interaction. Reflection of the electron beam results in electrons trapped in or near the ICR cell and thus requires a brief (approximately 50 micros) purge for successful mass spectral acquisition. Further electron irradiation of refractory precursor ions did not result in further dissociation. Possibly the ion cloud and electron beam are misaligned radially, or the electron beam diameter may be smaller than that of the ion cloud such that remaining precursor ions do not overlap with the electron beam. Several ion manipulation techniques and use of a large, movable dispenser cathode reduce the possibility that misalignment of the ion and electron beams limits ECD efficiency.

Structural characterization of the GM1 ganglioside by infrared multiphoton dissociation, electron capture dissociation, and electron detachment dissociation electrospray ionization FT-ICR MS/MS.

Gangliosides play important biological roles and structural characterization of both the carbohydrate and the lipid moieties is important. The FT-ICR MS/MS techniques of electron capture dissociation (ECD), electron detachment dissociation (EDD), and infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) provide extensive fragmentation of the protonated and deprotonated GM1 ganglioside. ECD provides extensive structural information, including identification of both halves of the ceramide and cleavage of the acetyl moiety of the N-acetylated sugars. IRMPD provides similar glycan fragmentation but no cleavage of the acetyl moiety. Cleavage between the fatty acid and the long-chain base of the ceramide moiety is seen in negative-ion IRMPD but not in positive-ion IRMPD of GM1. Furthermore, this extent of fragmentation requires a range of laser powers, whereas all information is available from a single ECD experiment. However, stepwise fragmentation by IRMPD may be used to map the relative labilities for a series of cleavages. EDD provides the alternative of electron-induced fragmentation for negative ions with extensive fragmentation, but suffers from low efficiency as well as complication of data analysis by frequent loss of hydrogen atoms. We also show that analysis of MS/MS data for glycolipids is greatly simplified by classification of product ion masses to specific regions of the ganglioside based solely on mass defect graphical analysis.

Identification and Structural Characterization of Naturally-Occurring Broad-Spectrum Cyclic Antibiotics Isolated from Paenibacillus.

The rise of antimicrobial resistance necessitates the discovery and/or production of novel antibiotics. Isolated strains of Paenibacillus alvei were previously shown to exhibit antimicrobial activity against a number of pathogens, such as E. coli, Salmonella, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The responsible antimicrobial compounds were isolated from these Paenibacillus strains and a combination of low and high resolution mass spectrometry with multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry was used for identification. A group of closely related cyclic lipopeptides was identified, differing primarily by fatty acid chain length and one of two possible amino acid substitutions. Variation in the fatty acid length resulted in mass differences of 14 Da and yielded groups of related MS(n) spectra. Despite the inherent complexity of MS/MS spectra of cyclic compounds, straightforward analysis of these spectra was accomplished by determining differences in complementary product ion series between compounds that differ in molecular weight by 14 Da. The primary peptide sequence assignment was confirmed through genome mining; the combination of these analytical tools represents a workflow that can be used for the identification of complex antibiotics. The compounds also share amino acid sequence similarity to a previously identified broad-spectrum antibiotic isolated from Paenibacillus. The presence of such a wide distribution of related compounds produced by the same organism represents a novel class of broad-spectrum antibiotic compounds.

Liver asialoglycoprotein receptor levels correlate with severity of alcoholic liver damage in rats.

It has been demonstrated that the oral administration of ethanol (Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet) to rats results in a decreased expression and content of the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) in the resultant fatty liver. In the present study, we wanted to determine whether the extent of impaired receptor content was correlated with the severity of liver pathology by using the intragastric feeding model. When ASGP-R protein and mRNA levels were measured in animals infused with ethanol or dextrose in the presence of fish oil (FO) or medium-chain triglyceride as the source of fat, more significant impairments to the ASGP-R were observed in the FO-ethanol group compared with the medium-chain triglyceride-ethanol group. Furthermore, only the FO-ethanol group showed pathological liver changes. These results demonstrate that a correlation exists between the progression of alcohol-associated liver injury, as defined by the severity of liver pathology, and an ethanol-induced decline in ASGP-R content.

Isolation of isomers based on hydrogen/deuterium exchange in the gas phase.

A method to isolate isomers in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer on the basis of their different hydrogen/deuterium exchange rates has been developed and applied to the protonated serine octamer cluster. Isolation allows interrogation of each isomer by infrared multi-photon dissociation to determine any differences in the building blocks that form these clusters. The experimental results strongly support previous assignments of an all-zwitterion structure to the slower-exchanging isomer and an all-neutral structure to its faster- exchanging counterpart.

Global proteomic screening of protein allergens and advanced glycation endproducts in thermally processed peanuts.

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are the cause of one of the most prevalent food allergies worldwide. Thermal processing (e.g., roasting) of peanuts and peanut-containing foods results in complex chemical reactions that alter structural conformations of peanut proteins, preventing accurate detection of allergens by most immunochemical and targeted screening methodologies. To improve food allergen detection and support more accurate food labeling, traditional methods for peanut protein extraction were modified to include protein denaturants and solubilization agents. Qualitative characterization by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analyses of raw and variably roasted peanut extracts confirmed improvements in total protein recovery and provided evidence for the incorporation of Ara h 1, Ara h 3, and, to a lesser extent, Ara h 2 into high molecular weight protein complexes upon roasting. Relative quantification of allergens in peanut lysates was accomplished by label-free spectral feature (MS1) LC-MS/MS methodologies, by which peanut allergen peptides exhibiting a differential MS response in raw versus roasted peanuts were considered to be candidate targets of thermal modification. Identification of lysine-modified Maillard advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) by LC-MS/MS confirmed the formation of (carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), (carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), and pyrraline (Pyr) protein modifications on Ara h 1 and Ara h 3 tryptic peptides in roasted peanut varieties. These results suggest that complex processed food matrices require initial analysis by an untargeted LC-MS/MS approach to determine optimum analytes for subsequent targeted allergen analyses.

Draft Genome Sequences of Two O104:H21 Escherichia coli Isolates Causing Hemorrhagic Colitis during a 1994 Montana Outbreak Provide Insight into Their Pathogenicity.

We sequenced the genomes of two strains of O104:H21 enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) isolated during an outbreak of hemorrhagic colitis in Montana in 1994. These strains carried a plasmid that contains several virulence genes not present in pO157. The genome sequences will improve phylogenetic analysis of other non-O157 E. coli strains in the future.