Low-concentration iron promotes Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm formation by suppressing succinic acid.

BACKGROUND: Klebsiella pneumoniae is widely distributed in water and plays a major role in both human and poultry infections. Many K. pneumoniae strains form biofilms on various surfaces, enhancing their pathogenicity and resistance to antibiotics. The water supply pipeline of chicken farms has become a hotbed for the growth of K pneumoniae biofilm because of its humid environment, and because the chicken drinking water pipeline is thin, it is easily blocked by the biofilm, and the diffused cells can cause repeated and persistent infections. Iron is vital to the growth of microorganisms and the formation of biofilms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of iron on K. pneumoniae biofilm formation and any associated metabolic changes to provide a rationale for reducing the formation of biofilms. RESULTS: Biofilm formation was enhanced to the greatest extent by the presence of 0.16 mM FeCl2, producing a denser structure under electron microscopy. The number of biofilm-forming and planktonic bacteria did not change, but protein and polysaccharide concentrations in the bacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were significantly increased by iron supplementation. To clarify this mechanism, intracellular metabolomic analysis was carried out, showing that the differential, down-regulated metabolites included succinic acid. The addition of 1.7 mM succinic acid counteracted the biofilm-forming effect of iron, with no bactericidal side effects. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the importance of succinic acid and iron in K. pneumoniae biofilms, and provides insight into the formation of K. pneumoniae biofilms and direction for the development of new antibacterial agents.

Development of a multi-residue method for fast screening and confirmation of 20 prohibited veterinary drugs in feedstuffs by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

A simple multiresidue method was developed for detecting and quantifying twenty analytes from 5 classes of prohibited veterinary drugs (ß-agonists (9), anabolic hormones (4), quinoxalines (4), tranquilizers (1), cyproheptadine, and clonidine in animal feeds using a QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) approach. Feed samples were extracted by ultrasonic-assisted extraction with a mixture of methanol-acetonitrile (50:50, v/v), followed by a cleanup using a dispersive solid-phase extraction with PSA (primary secondary amine). Target compounds were separated and determined by a liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in positive electrospray ionization mode, using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The recoveries of these compounds were between 56.7% and 103% at three spiked levels. The repeatability was lower than 10%, whereas reproducibility was no more than 15% except for nandrolone (17% at 10µgkg(-1)) and diazepam (19% at 10µgkg(-1)). Decision limits (CCαs) and detection capabilities (CCßs) ranged from 0.42 to 5.74µgkg(-1) and 5.70-9.81µgkg(-1), respectively. The method was successfully applied to screening of real samples obtained from local feed markets and confirmation of the suspected target analytes.

Determination of residual clopidol in chicken muscle by capillary gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry.

A selective, sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method with negative chemical ionization (NCI) was developed for the detection and quantification of clopidol in chicken muscle. Chicken muscle samples were extracted with acetonitrile and concentrated to dryness; the residue was redissolved in ethyl acetate and applied to an Alumina B cartridge for cleanup. The residue was derivatized with Sylon BFT and analyzed by GC-NCI-MS. The selected-ion monitoring mode was performed at m/z values of 156, 158, 191, and 193. The differences in the ratios for the standards and spikes in chicken muscle were within the acceptability criteria. All recoveries of the drug from chicken muscle spiked at 0.5, 5.0 and 50.0 microg/kg were 74.5-95.6% intra-day, and 71.6-94.8% inter-day, respectively, with relative standard deviations being lower than 15%. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.1 and 0.5 microg/kg, respectively. The NCI mode had better selectivity and sensitivity than the electron impact (EI) mode for clopidol.

[Determination of clopidol residues in chicken muscle by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

A confirmative method to determine clopidol residues in chicken muscle by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed. The analyte was extracted with ace tonitrile, and then purified with an Alumina-B cartridge column. The drug was derived at 80 degrees 3 for 60 min with Sylon BFT, and more toluene was added and then applied to GC-MS. The mass spectral characteristics of trimethylsilyl derivative of clopidol were interpreted, and selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode was performed at m/z 212, 214, 248 and 263. The clopidol was qualitatively identified by the ratio of relative abundance of the selected ions and determined quantitatively by SIM mode at m/z 248. In the meantime, the matrix effect was evaluated. The range of linearity was 5.0 - 500 microg/L with the correlation coefficients better than 0.998, and the detection limit was 0.5 microg/kg (S/N = 3) for clopidol. The average recoveries from chicken muscle fortified at 5, 10 and 20 microg/kg were 77.0%, 84.5% and 89.4%, respectively, and the relative standard deviations (RSD) were less than 6.9%. The established method is simple, sensitive and reproducible for the identification and quantification of clopidol residues in chicken muscle tissue.

Determination of Sudan dye residues in eggs by liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and cheap high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) was developed for the determination of Sudan dyes (I, II, III, and IV) residues in various types of eggs. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a reverse phase C18 column with gradient elution, using a mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid acetonitrile/0.1% formic acid aqueous solution; detector was set at 478 nm for Sudan I and 520 nm for Sudan II, III and IV. The suspected egg samples were derivatized with N,O-bis (trimethylsilyl) trifluoro-acetamide and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in EI. Mass spectra of trimethylsilyl derivatives of the Sudan dyes were built up in EI mode. Recoveries of the Sudan dyes ranged between 79.8 and 95.7% in eggs by HPLC-UV, with all the relative standard deviations of less than 5%. Limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) were in the range of 4.0-4.8 and 12.3-13.8 microg kg(-1) in eggs, respectively. Identification and confirmation could be validated in the range of 2.0-4.2 microg kg(-1) with the GC-MS method. This method is suitable for routine fast monitoring, screening and confirmation of Sudan dyes residues in eggs, as mandated by regulatory agencies.