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In the present study the characterization and differentiation of mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria were investigated by using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Our results showed significant differences between the FT-IR spectra of mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria. The protein-to-lipid ratio was significantly higher for thermophiles compared to mesophiles. The absorption intensity of the CH(3) asymmetric stretching vibration was higher in thermophilic bacteria, indicating a change in the composition of the acyl chains. The higher intensity/area observed in the CH(2) symmetric stretching mode at 2857 cm(-1), and the CH(2) bending vibration band at 1452 cm(-1), indicated a higher amount of saturated lipids in thermophilic bacteria. The lipid C=O stretching vibration at 1739 cm(-1), which was observed in the mesophilic group, was not observed clearly in the thermophilic group, indicating a difference in packing that is presumably due to the decreased proportion of unsaturated acyl chains in thermophilic bacteria. In addition, the carbonyl groups become hydrogen bonded and the cellular DNA content was lower in thermophilic bacteria. Moreover, in the 1000-400 cm(-1) frequency region, the spectra of each bacterial species belonging to both the mesophilic and thermophilic bacterial groups, showed characteristic differences that were discriminated via dendrogram using cluster analysis. The current study implies that FT-IR spectroscopy could be successfully applied for the rapid comparison of bacterial groups and species to establish either similarities or discrepancies, as well as to confirm biochemical or physiological characteristics.

Obesity is a heterogeneous disorder which increases risks for multiple metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. The current study aims to characterize and compare visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues in terms of macromolecular content and investigate transdifferentiation between white and brown adipocytes. Regarding this aim, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) immunohistological staining were used to investigate gonadal (visceral) and inguinal (subcutaneous) adipose tissues of male Berlin fat mice inbred (BFMI) lines, which are spontaneously obese. The results indicated a remarkable increase in the lipid/protein ratio, accompanied with a decrease of UCP1 protein content which might be due to the transdifferentiation of brown adipocytes to white adipocytes in obese groups. It has been widely reported that brown adipose tissue has a strong effect on fatty acid and glucose homeostasis and it could provide an opportunity for the therapy of obesity. When the amount of brown adipose tissue was decreased, lower unsaturation/saturation ratio, qualitatively longer hydrocarbon acyl chain length of lipids and higher amount of triglycerides were obtained in both adipose tissues of mice lines. The results also revealed that subcutaneous adipose tissue was more prone to obesity-induced structural changes than visceral adipose tissue, which could originate from it possessing a lower amount of brown adipose tissue. The current study clearly revealed the power of FTIR microspectroscopy in the precise determination of obesity-induced structural and functional changes in inguinal and gonadal adipose tissue of mice lines.

The disease- and drug-related bone disorders are rapidly increasing in the population. It is previously reported that anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) may cause osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures in epilepsy patients. However, it cannot be determined whether the bone disorders in epileptic patients are due to AED therapy and/or to epilepsy and epileptic seizures. There is no study in the literature which investigates the sole effects of epilepsy and epileptic seizures on bone tissues. The current study provides the first report on determination of the possible effects of epilepsy and epileptic seizures on long bone tissues. Wistar Albino Glaxo/Rijswijk rats, which are accepted as genetic rat models for human absence epilepsy, were compared with the healthy Wistar rats to get information about the sole effects of epilepsy and epileptic seizures on bones. Cortical regions of tibia and femur bones were studied by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM). According to FTIRM parameters, variation on bone mineral and matrix composition, including decreased mineral content, decreased collagen cross-links, increased carbonate substitution, and larger crystals in epileptic group compared to the healthy one, show severe effects of epilepsy and seizures on bone tissues for the first time.