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Background: 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) lyase deficiency is a rare inborn error of metabolism characterized by recurrent metabolic crises caused by fasting, intercurrent illness and excessive physical exercise. Non ketotic hypoglycemia is normally the cause of primary symptoms but without an immediate treatment the illness can evolve into a worsening metabolic state resembling the Reye's syndrome that may cause the patient's death. We report a case with some clinical and therapeutic features not previously described. Case presentation: Patient with HMG-CoA lyase deficiency whom after diagnosis at 2 years of age was re- admitted 12 years later, after severe metabolic decompensation following consumption of alcohol. Despite a quick correction of hypoglycemia, within the following few hours, the patient fell into a coma. Suspecting intracranial hypertension (ICH), the patient required mechanical ventilation. Although liver cytolysis was minimal, hyperamoniemia reached 1394 µmol/L, returning to normal, a few hours after administering sodium phenylacetate and sodium benzoate, whose use has not been reported in these patients. Brain edema was evidenced in the computed tomography and by the magnetic resonance imaging that determined that the edema was cytotoxic, as quantified with the restriction of diffusion in the apparent diffusion coefficient map. During the recovery of the ICH, we belatedly, detected vasospasm moderate-severe that was treated with nimodipine. Currently, the patient maintains clinical normality. Conclusions: The alcohol consumption must be avoided in patients with HMG-CoA lyase deficiency. In our patient hyperamoniemia was effectively treated with sodium phenylacetate and sodium benzoate. Magnetic resonance imaging showed and quantified the cytotoxic brain edema. Belatedly, a cerebral vasospasm was an additional mechanism of cerebral injury. None of these observations has been previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is an important fish pathogen, responsible for Cold Water Disease, with a significant economic impact on salmonid farms worldwide. In spite of this, little is known about the bacterial physiology and pathogenesis mechanisms, maybe because it is difficult to manipulate, being considered a fastidious microorganism. Mutants obtained using a Tn4351 transposon were screened in order to identify those with alteration in colony morphology, colony spreading and extracellular proteolytic activity, amongst other phenotypes. A F. psychrophilum mutant lacking gliding motility showed interruption of the FP1638 locus that encodes a putative type-2 glycosyltransferase (from here on referred to as fpgA gene, Flavobacterium psychrophilum glycosyltransferase). Additionally, the mutant also showed a decrease in the extracellular proteolytic activity as a consequence of down regulation in the fpgA mutant background of the fpp2-fpp1 operon promoter, responsible for the major extracellular proteolytic activity of the bacterium. The protein glycosylation profile of the parental strain showed the presence of a 22 kDa glycosylated protein which is lost in the mutant. Complementation with the fpgA gene led to the recovery of the wild-type phenotype. LD50 experiments in the rainbow trout infection model show that the mutant was highly attenuated. The pleiotropic phenotype of the mutant demonstrated the importance of this glycosyltranferase in the physiology and virulence of the bacterium. Moreover, the fpgA mutant strain could be considered a good candidate for the design of an attenuated vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The heat sensitive factor (HSF) of the fish pathogen Yersinia ruckeri was previously identified as an unusual band on SDS-PAGE. According to this, Y. ruckeri strains were classified in HSF+ and HSF- in terms of the presence/absence of the factor. Experiments carried out by injection challenge with HSF+ strains caused high mortalities in rainbow trout. In contrast, HSF- strains did not cause mortality. In conclusion, HSF appeared to be a relevant virulence factor in Y. ruckeri. Results We report here the identification and study of the gene coding for the enzyme involved in the production of HSF. Culture media containing SDS and Coomassie brilliant blue dye was used to screen a mini-Tn5 Km2 mutant library of Y. ruckeri 150. Blue colonies lacking a surrounding creamy deposit, a phenotype described in former studies as HSF-, were identified. DNA sequence analysis of a selected mutant revealed that this had a transposon interruption in a chromosome-located gene which codes for a heat sensitive alkyl sulphatase of 78.7 kDa (YraS; Yersinia ruckeri alkyl sulphatase) which is able to degrade SDS to 1- dodecanol. As it was expected, the introduction of the yraS gene into an HSF- strain turned this into HSF+. Surprisingly, although the protein allows Y. ruckeri to degrade SDS, the bacterium could not use this compound as the sole carbon source. Moreover, the yraS mutant showed a similar level of SDS resistance to the parental strain. It was the interruption of the acrA gene which made Y. ruckeri sensitive to this compound. LD50 experiments showed a similar virulence of the yraS mutant and parental strain. Conclusions The HSF of Y. ruckeri is the product of the alkyl sulphatase YraS, able to degrade SDS to 1- dodecanol. This degradation is not linked to the utilization of SDS as a carbon source and surprisingly, the enzyme is not involved in bacterial virulence or in the high SDS resistance displayed by the bacterium. This role is played by the AcrAB-TolC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]