[The protective effects of vitamin E on lung injury caused by high temperature and PM2.5 in COPD rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of vitamin E on the respiratory function impairment in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after exposed to high temperature and PM2.5. METHODS: Fifty-four 7-week-old SPF male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 9 experimental groups (n=6). The rat COPD model was established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and smoke exposure. After modeled, the rats were tracheal instilled with PM2.5 (0 mg/ml, 3.2 mg/ml) and intraperitoneally injected with vitamin E at the dose of 40 mg/kg (20 mg/ml). Part of rats (high temperature groups) were then exposed to high temperature (40℃), once (8 h) a day for three consecutive days. After the last exposure, the lung function of rats was detected. The expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) were detected by corresponding ELISA kits. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, exposure of high temperature and PM2.5 could inhibit the lung function of COPD rats significantly (P＜0.05); the level of MCP-1 was increased significantly in PM2.5-exposure groups (P＜0.05); iNOS was increased significantly in the groups of high temperature (P＜0.05). Compared with the single-PM2.5 exposure groups, TNF-α in lung was decreased in the normal temperature health group and high temperature COPD group (P＜0.05) after treated with vitamin E; MCP-1 was decreased in all vitamin E-treated groups (P＜0.05); the decreased iNOS only appeared in the group of high temperature with vitamin E treatment. CONCLUSION: High temperature and PM2.5 could aggravate the inflammation of COPD rats. As an antioxidant, vitamin E may protect the lung from the damage effects.

Streptomyces desertarenae sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from a desert sample.

A Streptomyces isolate, designated strain SYSU D8023T, was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Gurbantunggut desert, China. The characterisation of the isolate was achieved using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The isolate was found to be Gram-positive and aerobic. The strain was found to be able to grow at 14-50 °C, pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of up to 7% (w/v) NaCl. Strain SYSU D8023T contains LL-diaminopimelic acid as a cell wall diamino acid. The polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8) were detected as the respiratory quinones, and anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and anteiso-C17:0 as the predominant fatty acids. Pairwise comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SYSU D8023T has a sequence identity of 97.9% to Streptomyces barkulensis RC 1831T. The DNA G + C content of strain SYSU D8023T was determined to be 70.1 mol%. Based on the analyses of the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8023T was concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces desertarenae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the species is SYSU D8023T (= CGMCC 4.7455T = KCTC 49023T).

Georgenia alba sp. nov., a novel halotolerant actinobacterium isolated from a desert sand sample.

Strain SYSU D8008T was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Saudi Arabia. The strain was observed to be Gram-stain positive, non-motile and aerobic. It can grow at 15-37 °C, pH 6.0-10.0 and can tolerant up to 7% (w/v) NaCl. Pairwise comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain SYSU D8008T shares high sequence similarities with Georgenia deserti SYSU D8004T (96.8%) and Georgenia halophila YIM 93316T (96.8%). Menaquinone MK-8(H4) was detected as the respiratory isoprenologue. The polar lipid profile of strain SYSU D8008T was found to consist of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, two phosphatidylinositol mannosides, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. Strain SYSU D8008T was found to contain anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0 as the predominant fatty acids. Galactose, glucose and rhamnose were detected as the whole cell sugars. Based on the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8008T can be differentiated from other closely related members of the genus Georgenia. The strain SYSU D8008T, therefore, is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Georgenia, for which the name Georgenia alba sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU D8008T (= CGMCC 1.15800T = KCTC 39988T).

Blastococcus deserti sp. nov., isolated from a desert sample.

A Gram-positive and aerobic actinobacterium, strain SYSU D8006T, was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Gurbantunggut desert, China. Phenotypically, the strain was found to grow at 14-50 °C, pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of up to 4% (w/v) NaCl. The chemotaxonomic features of strain SYSU D8006T included menaquinone MK-9(H4) as the respiratory quinone, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside as known polar lipids, iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, C17:1ω8c and C18:1ω9c as the predominant fatty acids, and arabinose, galactose and glucose as the whole cell sugars. Strain SYSU D8006T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity with Blastococcus jejuensis DSM 19597T (98.2%). Based on the analyses of the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8006T is characterized to represent a novel species of the genus Blastococcus, for which the name Blastococcus deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU D8006T (= CGMCC 1.15935T = KCTC 49026T = CPCC 204618T).

Microbacterium ureisolvens sp. nov., isolated from a Yellow River sample.

A Gram-stain positive, aerobic, non-motile and short-rod-shaped strain, CFH S00084T, was isolated from a sediment sample of the Yellow River in Henan Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain CFH S00084T clustered within members of Microbacterium and was most closely related to the type strains Microbacterium yannicii JCM 18959T and Microbacterium arthrosphaerae DSM 22421T (98.97 % and 98.36 % similarity, respectively). The strain grew optimally at 25-37 °C, at pH 7.0 and in 0-3 % (w/v) NaCl. The major whole-cell sugars were rhamnose and glucose. The cell-wall peptidoglycan mainly contained glycine, alanine and ornithine. The menaquinones of strain CFH S00084T were MK-13, MK-12 and MK-11. The major fatty acids detected were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The genome of strain CFH S00084T was 4.03 Mbp with a G+C content of 70.5 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between CFH S00084T and the other species of the genus Microbacterium were found to be low (ANIm <85 %, ANIb <75 % and dDDH <24 %). The phylogenomic analysis provided evidence for clear phylogenetic divergence between strain CFH S00084T and its closely related type strains. On the basis of the differential physiological properties, chemotaxonomic characteristics and low ANI and dDDH results, strain CFH S00084T is considered to represent a novel species for which the name Microbacteriumureisolvens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CFH S00084T (=KCTC 39802T=DSM 103157T).

Multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis of Chinese Brucella strains isolated from 1953 to 2013.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis was a common human and livestock disease caused by Brucella strains, the category B priority pathogens by the US Center for Disease Control (CDC). Identified as a priority disease in human and livestock populations, the increasing incidence in recent years in China needs urgent control measures for this disease but the molecular background important for monitoring the epidemiology of Brucella strains at the national level is still lacking. METHODS: A total of 600 Brucella isolates collected during 60 years (from 1953 to 2013) in China were genotyped by multiple locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and the variation degree of MLVA11 loci was calculated by the Hunter Gaston Diversity Index (HGDI) values. The charts and map were processed by Excel 2013, and cluster analysis and epidemiological distribution was performed using BioNumerics (version 5.1). RESULTS: The 600 representative Brucella isolates fell into 104 genotypes with 58 singleton genotypes by the MLVA11 assay, including B. melitensis biovars 2 and 3 (five main genotypes), B. abortus biovars 1 and 3 (two main genotypes), B. suis biovars 1 and 3 (three main genotypes), and B. canis (two main genotypes) respectively. While most B. suis biovar 1 and biovar 3 were respectively found in northern provinces and southern provinces, B. melitensis and B. abortus strains were dominant in China. Canine Brucellosis was only found in animals without any human cases reported. Eight Brucellosis epidemic peaks emerged during the 60 years between 1953 and 2013: 1955 - 1959, 1962 - 1969, 1971 - 1975, 1977 - 1983, 1985 - 1989, 1992 - 1997, 2000 - 2008 and 2010 - 2013 in China. CONCLUSIONS: Brucellosis has its unique molecular epidemiological patterns with specific spatial and temporal distribution according to MLVA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IDOP-D-16-00101.

MLVA typing and antibiotic susceptibility of Brucella human isolates from Liaoning, China.

We have characterized clinical isolates of Brucella melitensis from Liaoning, China, using multiple-locus variable-number repeat analysis of 16 loci (MLVA-16) and evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibilities in vitro. All 31 isolates shared the panel 1 genotype 42 profile suggesting that they belong to the 'East Mediterranean' group. In vitro antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the broth microdilution testing. All isolates were sensitive to tested antibiotics (rifampin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, ceftriaxone, streptomycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) in addition to azithromycin and clarithromycin. Partial nucleotide sequences of the 23SrRNA gene were analyzed for all isolates and single nucleotide polymorphism alterations of 2632 T/C were found. The MLVA-16 assay can be applied to the long-term surveillance and investigation of strain relatedness in regions of endemicity.

Molecular characterization of Tb, a new approach for an ancient Brucellaphage.

Tb (Tbilisi), the reference Brucellaphage strain, was classified as a member of the Podoviridae family with icosahedral capsids (57 +/- 2 nm diameter) and short tails (32 +/- 3 nm long). Brucellaphage DNA was double stranded and unmethylated; its molecular size was 34.5 kilobase pairs. Some sequences were found through RAPD analysis, TA cloning technology, and structural proteins were observed by using SDS-PAGE. Thus, the results have laid the foundation for the wider use of Brucellaphage's basic mechanisms and practical applications.