The complete genome sequence of Geobacillus thermodenitrificans NG80-2, a thermophilic bacillus isolated from a deep oil reservoir in Northern China, consists of a 3,550,319-bp chromosome and a 57,693-bp plasmid. The genome reveals that NG80-2 is well equipped for adaptation into a wide variety of environmental niches, including oil reservoirs, by possessing genes for utilization of a broad range of energy sources, genes encoding various transporters for efficient nutrient uptake and detoxification, and genes for a flexible respiration system including an aerobic branch comprising five terminal oxidases and an anaerobic branch comprising a complete denitrification pathway for quick response to dissolved oxygen fluctuation. The identification of a nitrous oxide reductase gene has not been previously described in Gram-positive bacteria. The proteome further reveals the presence of a long-chain alkane degradation pathway; and the function of the key enzyme in the pathway, the long-chain alkane monooxygenase LadA, is confirmed by in vivo and in vitro experiments. The thermophilic soluble monomeric LadA is an ideal candidate for treatment of environmental oil pollutions and biosynthesis of complex molecules.adaptation ͉ degradation ͉ monooxygenase

Control of inflammation is critical for therapy of infectious diseases. Pathogen-associated and/or danger-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and DAMPs, respectively) are the two major inducers of inflammation. Because the CD24-Siglec G/10 interactions selectively repress inflammatory response to DAMPs, microbial disruption of the negative regulation would provide a general mechanism to exacerbate inflammation. Here we show that the sialic acid-based pattern recognitions of CD24 by Siglec G/10 are targeted by sialidases in polybacterial sepsis. Sialidase inhibitors protect mice against sepsis by a CD24-Siglecg-dependent mechanism, whereas a targeted mutation of either CD24 or Siglecg exacerbates sepsis. Bacterial sialidase and host CD24 and Siglecg genes interact to determine pathogen virulence. Our data demonstrate a critical role for disrupting sialic acid-based pattern recognitions in microbial virulence and suggest a therapeutic approach to dampen harmful inflammatory response during infection.

Background:Various glycan microarrays are currently widely used, but systematic cross-comparisons are lacking. Results: We compare and contrast two sialoglycan microarrays using a variety of sialic acid-binding proteins. Conclusion: Diverse array formats can strengthen the quality of information, but differences between arrays may be observed. Significance: Glycan arrays with similar glycan structures cannot be simply assumed to give similar results.

Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholerae, erupted globally from South Asia in 7 pandemics, but there were also local outbreaks between the 6th (1899–1923) and 7th (1961–present) pandemics. All the above are serotype O1, whereas environmental or invertebrate isolates are antigenically diverse. The pre 7th pandemic isolates mentioned above, and other minor pathogenic clones, are related to the 7th pandemic clone, while the 6th pandemic clone is in the same lineage but more distantly related, and non-pathogenic isolates show no clonal structure. To understand the origins and relationships of the pandemic clones, we sequenced the genomes of a 1937 prepandemic strain and a 6th pandemic isolate, and compared them with the published 7th pandemic genome. We distinguished mutational and recombinational events, and allocated these and other events, to specific branches in the evolutionary tree. There were more mutational than recombinational events, but more genes, and 44 times more base pairs, changed by recombination. We used the mutational single-nucleotide polymorphisms and known isolation dates of the prepandemic and 7th pandemic isolates to estimate the mutation rate, and found it to be 100 fold higher than usually assumed. We then used this to estimate the divergence date of the 6th and 7th pandemic clones to be about 1880. While there is a large margin of error, this is far more realistic than the 10,000–50,000 years ago estimated using the usual assumptions. We conclude that the 2 pandemic clones gained pandemic potential independently, and overall there were 29 insertions or deletions of one or more genes. There were also substantial changes in the major integron, attributed to gain of individual cassettes including copying from within, or loss of blocks of cassettes. The approaches used open up new avenues for analysing the origin and history of other important pathogens.

Pd nanoparticles are synthesized in spherical SiO2 shells (see image), and their catalytic activity for CO oxidation and acetylene hydrogenation is investigated. The activity is observed to be significantly improved compared to traditional supported Pd catalysts, and it is found that the Pd@SiO2 particles are far more resistant to sintering than control samples of Pd supported on silica spheres.