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Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium and part of the intestinal microbiota. However, it can cause various diarrhoeal illnesses, i.e., traveller's diarrhoea, dysentery, and extraintestinal infections when the bacteria are translocated from the intestine to other organs, such as urinary tract infections, abdominal and pelvic infections, pneumonia, bacteraemia, and meningitis. It is also an important pathogen in intensive care units where cross-infection may cause intrahospital spread with serious consequences. Within this study, four E. coli isolates from the tracheal aspirates of a tracheotomised paediatric patient on chronic respiratory support were analysed and compared for antibiotic resistance and virulence potential. Genomes of all four isolates (5381a, 5381b, 5681, 5848) were sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technology. According to PFGE analysis, the clones of isolates 5681 and 5848 were highly similar, and differ from 5381a and 5381b which were isolated first chronologically. All four E. coli isolates belonged to an unknown sequence type, related to the E. coli ST131, a pandemic clone that is evolving rapidly with increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance. All four E. coli isolates in this study exhibited a multidrug-resistant phenotype as, according to MIC data, they were resistant to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, minocycline, and tetracycline. In addition, principal component analyses revealed that isolates 5681 and 5848, which were recovered later than 5381a and 5381b (two weeks and three weeks, respectively) possessed more complex antibiotic resistance genes and virulence profiles, which is concerning considering the short time period during which the strains were isolated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of pathogens in food has increased awareness of food safety, but it also causes large economic losses. Fresh meat and meat products contain a sufficient quantity of proteins, lipids, water, and a favorable pH that stimulates the growth of various microorganisms, including pathogens. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of Brevibacillus laterosporus BGSP7 (CFS-BGSP7) and BGSP9 (CFS-BGSP9) cellfree supernatants in the control of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in raw meat and meat products. Raw meat and meat products were sliced and then aseptically treated by immersion for 2 minutes into solutions containing: i) CFS-BGSP7; ii) CFS-BGSP9; iii) no treatment. The samples were then artificially contaminated with: Group I - L. monocytogenes (~4 log cfu g-1); Group II - S. aureus LMM322 (~4 log cfu g-1). Each sample was individually aseptically vacuum-packed and stored at 4°C for 8 weeks. The number of surviving bacteria in the samples were analyzed immediately after contamination with L. monocytogenes and S. aureus and at regular time-intervals: after 1, 3, 5 and 8 weeks of storage at 4°C. Meat samples treated with CFS-BGSP7 and CFS-SP9 showed a significant decrease in the cell counts of L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. When meat samples treated with CFS-BGSP7 and CFS-BGSP9 are compared, the results show a more intense reduction rate of both L. monocytogenes and S. aureus in all samples treated with CFS-BGSP7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pervasive role of alternative promoters in context-specific isoform expression and the importance of promoter choice over its level of transcriptional activity have been recently implied based on pan-cancer in silico studies. We aimed to explore this phenomenon at the cellular level on the example of a major tumor suppressor SMAD4 in search of molecular mechanisms in colorectal cancer that could be exploited for novel biomarkers or therapeutic approaches. Methods: Multi-omics technologies, in silico tools and in vitro functional assays were applied to analyze the transcripts expression and the alternative promoters' function of the SMAD4 gene in colon cell lines HCEC-1CT, HCT116, DLD-1, SW480 and SW620. Results: High expression of the transcript SMAD4-213 emerged as a hallmark of colon cancer cells, while in silico tools point to its possible additional role and potential for sponging miRNAs. Based on the observed dysregulation of SMAD4-209 and SMAD4-213 in malignant vs. non-malignant colon cells, we propose that their expression ratio might be a solid biomarker candidate for colorectal cancer detection. Conclusions: A differential pattern of the respective promoters' activity was observed that corresponds to the expression of transcripts, confirming the role of alternative promoters in context-specific isoform expression. The investigated SMAD4 promoters and transcripts harbor translational potential that should be further investigated., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)