Search results:
Found 33
Listing 1 - 10 of 33 | << page >> |
Sort by
|
Choose an application
Materials and equipment in food processing industries are colonized by surface-associated microbial communities called biofilms. In these biostructures microorganisms are embedded in a complex organic matrix composed essentially of polysaccharides, nucleic acids and proteins. This organic shield contributes to the mechanical biofilm cohesion and triggers tolerance to environmental stresses such as dehydratation or nutrient deprivation. Notably, cells within a biofilm are more tolerant to sanitation processes and the action of antimicrobial agents than their free living (or planktonic) counterparts. Such properties make conventional cleaning and disinfection protocols normally not effective in eradicating these biocontaminants. Biofilms are thus a continuous source of persistent microorganisms, including spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, leading to repeated contamination of processed food with important economic and safety impact. Alternatively, in some particular settings, biofilm formation by resident or technological microorganisms can be desirable, due to possible enhancement of food fermentations or as a means of bioprotection against the settlement of pathogenic microorganisms. In the last decades substantial research efforts have been devoted to unravelling mechanisms of biofilm formation, deciphering biofilm architecture and understanding microbial interactions within those ecosystems. However, biofilms present a high level of complexity and many aspects remain yet to be fully understood. A lot of attention has been also paid to the development of novel strategies for preventing or controlling biofilm formation in industrial settings. Further research needs to be focused on the identification of new biocides effective against biofilm-associated microorganisms, the development of control strategies based on the inhibition of cell-to-cell communication, and the potential use of bacteriocins, bacteriocin-producing bacteria, phage, and natural antimicrobials as anti-biofilm agents, among others. This Research Topic aims to provide an avenue for dissemination of recent advances within the “biofilms” field, from novel knowledge on mechanisms of biofilm formation and biofilm architecture to novel strategies for biofilm control in food industrial settings.
Biofilms --- food quality --- Food Safety --- Biofilm formation --- Biofilm architecture --- biocontrol
Choose an application
Members of the genus Staphylococcus and Streptococcus are the causative agnets of many human and animal diseases. Over the past decade the complete sequencing of many staphylococcal and streptococcal genomes has promoted a significant advance in our knowledge of these important pathogens. The pathogenicity of these bacteria is due to the expression of a large variety of virulence factors. Such determinants, which are cell wall-associated and secreted proteins, include adhesins that confer to the pathogen the ability to attach to extracellular matrix/plasma and host cell surfaces, proteins that contribute to host cell invasion and intracellular survival and soluble factors that decrease phagocytosis and modulate the immune response. Furthermore, these Gram-positive cocci in many natural environments (heart valve, lung, oral cavity, throat) and infections on implanted devices live in matrix-encased groups known as biofilms. Biofilms are specialized bacterial communities with high order organization analogous to that of a tissue in multicellular organism that adhere to abiotic or biological substrata and produce an exopolymeric matrix composed of polysaccarides, proteins, DNA or combination thereof. Bacteria within a biofilm persist in adverse conditions, show resistance to killing by antibiotics and to host immune defences and are difficult to eradicate and treat clinically. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of biofilm development will allow us to effectively combat staphylococcal/streptococcal biofilm-based infections. This Research Topic will focus on the molecular components involved in biofilm formation by staphylococci and streptococci, the role they play in the development, maturation and dispersal of biofilm and on the regulatory aspects of such complex processes. The implication for the pathogenesis of infective diseases and potential therapeutic strategies against biofilm-based infections will be also discussed. The articles will highlight both the recent advances and future challenges inherent in this rapidly evolving area.
Staphylococcus --- Streptococcus --- Biofilm --- Pathogenesis --- colonization
Choose an application
Nowadays, great concerns are associated with the resistance demonstrated by many microorganisms towards the conventional antibiotic therapies. The failure of traditional antimicrobials, and the increasing healthcare costs, have encouraged scientific research and the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Particularly, there is a great deal of interest in nanotechnologies and in antibacterial products obtained through the incorporation of antibacterial agents or the deposition of antibacterial coatings for prevention of biofilm-associated infections.The main focus of the forthcoming Special Issue is, therefore, to present the most recent efforts in scientific research in the development of advanced antimicrobial materials, with special attention to nature-inspired antimicrobial agents and antimicrobials nanomaterials and nanocoatings. For this purpose, we intend to collect original research articles and reviews on the synthesis and characterization of antimicrobial agents, as well as on the development of antimicrobial products for different applications.
Choose an application
The dairy chain is an integral part of global food supply, with dairy food products a staple component of recommended healthy diets. The dairy food chain from production through to the consumer is complex, with various opportunities for microbial contamination of ingredients or food product, and as such interventions are key to preventing or controlling such contamination. Dairy foods often include a microbial control step in their production such as pasteurization, but in some cases may not, as with raw milk cheeses. Microbial contamination may lead to a deterioration in food quality due to spoilage organisms, or may become a health risk to consumers should the contaminant be a pathogenic microorganism. As such food safety and food production are intrinsically linked. This Research Topic eBook includes submissions on issues relating to the microbiological integrity of the dairy food chain, such as the ecology of pathogenic and spoilage organisms through the dairy farm to fork paradigm, their significance to dairy foods and health, and genomic analysis of these microorganisms.
Dairy --- Spoilage --- Pathogenic bacteria --- Coliforms --- Sporeformers --- Biofilm --- Microbiome
Choose an application
Biofilms are ubiquitous and their presence in industry can lead to production losses. However, nowhere do biofilms impact human health and welfare as much as those that are found contaminating the healthcare environment, surgical instruments, equipment, and medical implantable devices. Approximately 70% of healthcare-associated infections are due to biofilm formation, resulting in increased patient morbidity and mortality. Biofilms formed on medical implants are recalcitrant to antibiotic treatment, which leaves implant removal as the principal treatment option. In this book, we investigate the role of biofilms in breast and dental implant disease and cancer. We include in vitro models for investigating treatment of chronic wounds and disinfectant action against Candida sp. Also included are papers on the most recent strategies for treating biofilm infection ranging from antibiotics incorporated into bone void fillers to antimicrobial peptides and quorum sensing.
biofilm --- chronic wounds --- instillation therapy --- in vitro --- bacterial biofilms --- commensal bacteria --- bacterial phenotypes --- anti-biofilm strategies --- anti-adhesion --- dispersion --- biofilm formation --- healthcare --- biofilm inhibition --- quorum sensing --- multidrug efflux pumps --- biofilms --- anti-biofilms --- nosocomial pathogens --- Staphylococcus aureus --- Pseudomonas aeruginosa --- Klebsiella pneumoniae --- periodontitis --- peri-implantitis --- biofilms --- oral bacteria --- calcium sulfate --- antibiotics --- release --- zone of inhibition --- biofilm --- biofilm --- breast implant --- textured: capsular contracture --- anaplastic large cell lymphoma --- BIA-ALCL --- biofilm --- antimicrobial peptides --- mechanism of action --- medical devices --- biomaterials --- Candida auris --- dry-biofilm --- disinfection --- peracetic acid --- sodium hypochlorite --- chlorine dioxide --- sodium dichloroisocyanurate --- transferability --- regrowth --- biofilms --- dry surface biofilms --- periodontitis --- breast implants --- Candida auris --- calcium sulphate --- antibiotic --- topical negative pressure wound therapy --- antimicrobial peptides
Choose an application
Biofilms are attached forms of bacteria and other microorganisms enclosed in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and comprise a microbial lifestyle that is quite different from that of free-living planktonic cells. The biofilm state is now universally-recognized for its complexity and resiliency to stresses, and importance in natural environments, as well its roles in comensal flora and infection processes. However, the EPS matrix, which occur just ‘outside of cells’, is poorly understood, and has been understated in the literature. Yet this extracellular milieu is crucial to the functioning and resiliency of the biofilm. Recently, exciting new advances have emerged that are helping to understand the EPS matrix, its processes, ultrastructure, and importance to cells in nature and disease.
biofilm --- EPS (extracellular polymeric substances) --- chemical communication --- infections --- microbial mats --- imaging --- nanoparticles --- vesicles
Choose an application
The transmission route used by many bacterial pathogens of clinical importance includes a step outside the host; thereafter refer to as the non-clinical environment (NCE). Obvious examples include foodborne and waterborne pathogens and also pathogens that are transmitted by hands or aerosols. In the NCE, pathogens have to cope with the presence of toxic compounds, sub-optimal temperature, starvation, presence of competitors and predators. Adaptation of bacterial pathogens to such stresses affects their interaction with the host. This Research Topic presents important concept to understand the life of bacterial pathogens in the NCE and provides the reader with an overview of the strategies used by bacterial pathogens to survive and replicate outside the host.
Biofilm --- Persistence --- Viable but non culturable --- protozoa --- packaging --- Listeria --- Legionella --- Escherichia coli --- Clostridium botulinum --- Pseudomonas
Choose an application
The broad host range pathogenic bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been widely studied as a model system to understand horizontal gene flow, secretion of effector proteins into host cells, and plant-pathogen interactions. Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation also is the major method for generating transgenic plants for research and biotechnology purposes. Agrobacterium species have the natural ability to conduct interkingdom genetic transfer from bacteria to eukaryotes, including most plant species, yeast, fungi, and even animal cells. In nature, A. tumefaciens causes crown gall disease resulting from expression in plants of auxin and cytokinin biosynthesis genes encoded by the transferred (T-) DNA. Gene transfer from A. tumefaciens to host cells requires virulence (vir) genes that reside on the resident tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid. In addition to T-DNA, several Virulence (Vir) effector proteins are also translocated to host cells through a bacterial type IV secretion system. These proteins aid in T-DNA trafficking through the host cell cytoplasm, nuclear targeting, and T-DNA integration. Genes within native T-DNAs can be replaced by any gene of interest, making Agrobacterium species important tools for plant research and genetic engineering. In this research topic, we provided updated information on several important areas of Agrobacterium biology and its use for biotechnology purposes.
Agrobacterium --- genetic transformation --- T DNA --- crown gall --- Virulence --- Membrane lipid --- Attachment --- Biofilm --- Quorum Sensing --- plant defense
Choose an application
The oral cavity harbors an immense diversity of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, archaea, protozoa and viruses. At health, oral microbial community is thought to be in a state of homeostasis, even after numerous perturbations (e.g., toothbrushing, food intake) a day. The breach in this homeostasis can occur for instance if the perturbations become too excessive (e.g., frequent carbohydrate intake leading to acidification of the community) or the host is compromised (e.g., inadequate immune response resulting in persistent inflammation of periodontal tissue). Aggressive antimicrobial therapy (e.g., antibiotics in case of periodontal disease or preventive antibiotic therapy before and after dental extractions) is commonly applied with all the negative consequences of this approach. So far little is known on the interplay between the environmental, host and microbial factors in maintaining an ecological balance. What are the prerequisites for a healthy oral ecosystem? Can we restore an unbalanced oral microbiome? How stable is the oral microbiome through time and how robust it is to external perturbations? Gaining new insights in the ecological factors sustaining oral health will lead to conceptually new therapies and preventive programs. Recent advances in high throughput technologies have brought microbiology as a science to a new era, allowing an open-ended approach instead of focusing on few opportunistic pathogens. With this topic we would like to integrate the current high-throughput ‘omics’ tools such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics or metabolomics with biochemical, physiological, genetic or clinical parameters within the oral microbial ecosystem. We aim to address questions underlying the regulation of the ecological balance in the oral cavity by including the following areas: • Ecology of oral microbiome at health • Ecology of oral microbiome under oral diseases • Ecology of oral microbiome during non-oral diseases • Shifts in the oral microbiome by therapeutic approaches (e.g., antimicrobials, replacement therapy, pre- and probiotics) • Modeling of oral ecological shifts (e.g., animal models, in vitro microcosm models) • Complex inter- and intra-kingdom interactions (e.g., bacterial-fungal-host) related to oral ecology • Environmental (e.g., diet, tobacco), host-related (e.g., immune response, saliva composition and flow) and biotic (e.g., bacterial competition) factors influencing oral ecology • Geographic variation in oral microbial ecology and diversity
horizontal gene transfer --- Fungal bacterial interactions --- Quorum Sensing --- Immune System --- Dental Plaque --- Biofilm --- Oral ecology --- metatranscriptomics
Choose an application
The ingestion of food containing pathogenic microorganisms (i.e. bacteria and their toxins, fungi, viruses) and parasites can cause food-borne diseases in humans. A growing number of emerging pathogens, changes of virulence of known pathogens and appearance of antibiotic resistance has recently exposed consumers to a major risk of illness. Also infected people and the environment can spread microorganisms on raw or processed food. Outbreaks of food-borne diseases are often unrecognized, unreported, or not investigated and particularly in developing countries their agents and sources are mostly unknown. Surveillance and analytical methods aiming at their detection are to be hoped, as well as good strategies to struggle against these threats. This E-book is subdivided in chapters regarding to pathogenic and spoiling microorganisms, chemical hazards produced by biological agents and food safety management systems.
Food-borne diseases --- pathogens --- food spoilage --- Biofilm --- Food Safety --- Management systems
Listing 1 - 10 of 33 | << page >> |
Sort by
|