Lipopolysaccharides of Herbaspirillum species and their relevance for bacterium-host interactions.

The lipopolysaccharides of Herbaspirillum lusitanum P6-12T (HlP6-12T) and H. frisingense GSF30T (HfGSF30T) was isolated by phenol-water extraction from bacterial cells and was characterized using chemical analysis and SDS-PAGE. It was shown that these bacteria produce LPSs that differ in their physicochemical properties and macromolecular organization. In this paper, the lipid A structure of the HlP6-12T LPS, was characterized through chemical analyses and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. To prove the effect of the size of micelles on their bioavailability, we examined the activity of both LPSs toward the morphology of wheat seedlings. Analysis of the HlP6-12T and HfGSF30T genomes showed no significant differences between the operons that encode proteins involved in the biosynthesis of the lipids A and core oligosaccharides. The difference may be due to the composition of the O-antigen operon. HfGSF30T has two copies of the rfb operon, with the main one divided into two fragments. In contrast, the HlP6-12T genome contains only a single rfb-containing operon, and the other O-antigen operons are not comparable at all. The integrity of O-antigen-related genes may also affect LPS variability of. Specifically, we have observed a hairpin structure in the middle of the O-antigen glycosyltransferase gene, which led to the division of the gene into two fragments, resulting in incorrect protein synthesis and potential abnormalities in O-antigen production.

Mesenchymal Cells Retain the Specificity of Embryonal Origin During Osteogenic Differentiation.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in therapy, but the differences between MSCs of various origins and their ability to undergo osteogenic differentiation and produce extracellular matrix are not fully understood. To address this, we conducted a comparative analysis of mesenchymal cell primary cultures from 6 human sources, including osteoblast-like cells from the adult femur, adipose-derived stem cells, Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal cells, gingival fibroblasts, dental pulp stem cells, and periodontal ligament stem cells. We analyzed these cells' secretome, proteome, and transcriptome under standard and osteogenic cultivation conditions. Despite the overall similarity in osteogenic differentiation, the cells maintain their embryonic specificity after isolation and differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, we propose classifying mesenchymal cells into 3 groups: dental stem cells of neural crest origin, mesenchymal stem cells, and fetal stem cells. Specifically, fetal stem cells have the most promising secretome for various applications, while mesenchymal stem cells have a specialized secretome optimal for extracellular matrix production. Nevertheless, mesenchymal cells from all sources secreted core bone extracellular matrix-associated proteins. In conclusion, our study illuminates the distinctive characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells from various sources, providing insights into their potential applications in regenerative medicine and enhancing our understanding of the inherent diversity of mesenchymal cells in vivo.

Macrophage-derived cytokines in pneumonia: Linking cellular immunology and genetics.

Macrophages represent the first line of anti-pathogen defense - they encounter invading pathogens to perform the phagocytic activity, to deliver the plethora of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and to shape the tissue microenvironment. Throughout pneumonia course, alveolar macrophages and infiltrated blood monocytes produce increasing cytokine amounts, which activates the antiviral/antibacterial immunity but can also provoke the risk of the so-called cytokine "storm" and normal tissue damage. Subsequently, the question of how the cytokine spectrum is shaped and balanced in the pneumonia context remains a hot topic in medical immunology, particularly in the COVID19 pandemic era. The diversity in cytokine profiles, involved in pneumonia pathogenesis, is determined by the variations in cytokine-receptor interactions, which may lead to severe cytokine storm and functional decline of particular tissues and organs, for example, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Cytokines and their receptors form unique profiles in individual patients, depending on the (a) microenvironmental context (comorbidities and associated treatment), (b) lung monocyte heterogeneity, and (c) genetic variations. These multidisciplinary strategies can be proactively considered beforehand and during the pneumonia course and potentially allow the new age of personalized immunotherapy.

Draft genome of Bugula neritina, a colonial animal packing powerful symbionts and potential medicines.

Many animal phyla have no representatives within the catalog of whole metazoan genome sequences. This dataset fills in one gap in the genome knowledge of animal phyla with a draft genome of Bugula neritina (phylum Bryozoa). Interest in this species spans ecology and biomedical sciences because B. neritina is the natural source of bioactive compounds called bryostatins. Here we present a draft assembly of the B. neritina genome obtained from PacBio and Illumina HiSeq data, as well as genes and proteins predicted de novo and verified using transcriptome data, along with the functional annotation. These sequences will permit a better understanding of host-symbiont interactions at the genomic level, and also contribute additional phylogenomic markers to evaluate Lophophorate or Lophotrochozoa phylogenetic relationships. The effort also fits well with plans to ultimately sequence all orders of the Metazoa.

Structural and genetic characterization of the colitose-containing O-specific polysaccharide from the lipopolysaccharide of Herbaspirillum frisingense GSF30T.

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Herbaspirillum frisingense GSF30T (HfGSF30), a non-pathogenic diazotrophic endobiont, was isolated by phenol-water extraction from bacterial cells and was characterized by chemical analyses and SDS PAGE. The O-specific polysaccharide (OPS, O-antigen), obtained by mild acid hydrolysis of the LPS, was examined by sugar and methylation analysis, along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D 1H,1H COSY, 1H,1H TOCSY, 1H,1H ROESY, 1H,13C HSQC, and 1H,13C HMBC experiments. The OPS was found to consist of branched tetrasaccharide repeating units of the following structure: [Formula: see text] This structure is unique among the known bacterial polysaccharide structures. Analysis of the HfGSF30 genome showed that it contained a set of sequentially arranged operons (presumably a cluster of genes) associated with the O-antigen. Amino acid sequence analysis using the BLAST program demonstrated the specificity of this putative cluster for Herbaspirillum spp. The genes responsible for the biosynthesis of the OPS of HfGSF30 were dispersed in the genome, constituting small operons. A putative O-antigen gene cluster of HfGSF30 was identified and found to be consistent with the OPS structure.