In this study, a method combining Raman spectroscopy with chemometric analysis was developed for detection of phage presence in raw milk and discrimination of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus phages which are among the main phages causing problems in dairy industry. For this purpose, S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus phages were added into raw milk separately, and then some pretreatments such as fat separation, removal of casein, and filtration were applied to the raw milk samples. Raman spectra of the samples were collected and then analyzed using principal component analysis in order to discriminate these phages in raw milk. In the next step, dilutions of S. thermophilus phages in pretreated raw milk were prepared, and Raman spectra were collected. These spectra were analyzed by using partial least squares method to quantify phages in low titer. Consequently, it has been demonstrated that S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus phages, which have titers sufficient to fail the fermentation (~ 107 pfu/mL) and have lower titers (102-103 pfu/mL), could be discriminated from antibiotic and each other. Additionally, low concentrations of S. thermophilus phages (102 pfu/mL) could be detected through Raman spectroscopy with a short analysis time (60 min) and high coefficient of determination (R2) values for both calibration (0.985) and validation (0.906) with a root mean square error of calibration of 70.54 and root mean square error of prediction of 165.47. However, a lower success was achieved with L. bulgaricus phages and the obtained coefficient of determination values were not sufficiently high (0.649).

• MeSH
• analýza hlavních komponent MeSH
• bakteriofágy klasifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• fermentace MeSH
• Lactobacillus delbrueckii virologie   MeSH
• mlékárenství metody   MeSH
• mléko mikrobiologie   virologie   MeSH
• Ramanova spektroskopie * MeSH
• Streptococcus thermophilus virologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• technické zprávy MeSH

Surveys from different parts of the world have reported that viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) can be cultured from approximately 2% of samples of retail pasteurised milk samples. Pasteurised milk is used for the production of powdered infant formula (PIF) and therefore there is a concern that MAP may also be present in these products. Several studies have previously reported the detection of MAP in PIF using PCR-based assays. However, culture-based surveys of PIF have not detected viable MAP. Here we describe a phage amplification assay coupled with PCR (page-PCR) that can rapidly detect viable MAP in PIF. The results of a small survey showed that the phage-PCR assay detected viable MAP in 13% (4/32) of PIF samples. Culture detected viable MAP in 9% (3/32) PIF samples, all of which were also phage-PCR positive. Direct IS900 PCR detected MAP DNA in 22% (7/32) of PIF samples. The presence of viable MAP in PIF indicates that MAP either survived PIF manufacturing or that post-production contamination occurred. Irrespective of the route of MAP contamination, the presence of viable MAP in PIF is a potential public health concern.

• MeSH
• bakteriofágy genetika   MeSH
• DNA bakterií genetika   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mléko mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• náhražky mateřského mléka mikrobiologie   MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce metody   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

An important prerequisite for the effective control, timely diagnosis, and successful treatment of mycobacterial infections in both humans and animals is a rapid, specific, and sensitive detection technique. Culture is still considered the gold standard in the detection of viable mycobacteria; however, mycobacteria are extremely fastidious and slow-growing microorganisms, and therefore cultivation requires a very long incubation period to obtain results. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods are also frequently used in the diagnosis of mycobacterial infections, providing faster and more accurate results, but are unable to distinguish between a viable and non-viable microorganism, which results in an inability to determine the success of tuberculosis patient treatment or to differentiate between an active and passive infection of animals. One suitable technique that overcomes these shortcomings mentioned is the phage amplification assay (PA). PA specifically detects viable mycobacteria present in a sample within 48 h using a lytic bacteriophage isolated from the environment. Nowadays, an alternative approach to PA, a commercial kit called Actiphage™, is also employed, providing the result within 6-8 h. In this approach, the bacteriophage is used to lyse mycobacterial cells present in the sample, and the released DNA is subsequently detected by PCR. The objective of this review is to summarize information based on the PA used for detection of mycobacteria significant in both human and veterinary medicine from various kinds of matrices.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Phage WO is a bacteriophage found in Wolbachia. Herein, we represent the first phylogenetic study of WOs that infect spiders (Araneae). Seven species of spiders (Araneus alternidens, Nephila clavata, Hylyphantes graminicola, Prosoponoides sinensis, Pholcus crypticolens, Coleosoma octomaculatum, and Nurscia albofasciata) from six families were infected by Wolbachia and WO, followed by comprehensive sequence analysis. Interestingly, WO could be only detected Wolbachia-infected spiders. The relative infection rates of those seven species of spiders were 75, 100, 88.9, 100, 62.5, 72.7, and 100 %, respectively. Our results indicated that both Wolbachia and WO were found in three different body parts of N. clavata, and WO could be passed to the next generation of H. graminicola by vertical transmission. There were three different sequences for WO infected in A. alternidens and two different WO sequences from C. octomaculatum. Only one sequence of WO was found for the other five species of spiders. The discovered sequence of WO ranged from 239 to 311 bp. Phylogenetic tree was generated using maximum likelihood (ML) based on the orf7 gene sequences. According to the phylogenetic tree, WOs in N. clavata and H. graminicola were clustered in the same group. WOs from A. alternidens (WAlt1) and C. octomaculatum (WOct2) were closely related to another clade, whereas WO in P. sinensis was classified as a sole cluster.

• MeSH
• bakteriofágy klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• pavouci klasifikace   virologie   MeSH
• Wolbachia virologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

RNA viruses are pathogenic agents of many serious infectious diseases affecting humans and animals. The detection of pathogenic RNA viruses is based on modern molecular methods, of which the most widely used methods are the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). All steps of RT-PCR and qRT-PCR should be strictly controlled to ensure the validity of obtained results. False-negative results may be caused not only by inhibition of RT or/and PCR steps but also by failure of the nucleic acid extraction step, particularly in the case of viral RNA extraction. The control of nucleic acid extraction generally involves the utilization of a non-pathogenic virus (process control virus) of similar structural properties to those of the target virus. Although in clinical samples the use of such process control virus is only recommended, in other kinds of settings such as food matrices its use is necessary. Currently, several different process control viruses are used for these purposes. Process control viruses can also be constructed artificially using technology for production of MS2 phage-like particles, which have many advantages in comparison with other used controls and are especially suited for controlling the detection and quantification of certain types of RNA viruses. The technology for production of MS2 phage-like particles is theoretically well established, uses the knowledge gained from the study of the familiar bacteriophage MS2 and utilizes many different approaches for the construction of the various process control viruses. Nevertheless, the practical use of MS2 phage-like particles in routine diagnostics is relatively uncommon. The current situation with regard to the use of MS2 phage-like particles as process control viruses in detection of RNA viruses and different methods of their construction, purification and use are summarized and discussed in this review.

• Klíčová slova
• process control virus,
• MeSH
• infekce RNA viry * diagnóza   MeSH
• Levivirus * izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce s reverzní transkripcí * metody   MeSH
• RNA virová genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Bacteriophages represent a simple viral model of basic research with many possibilities for practical application. Due to their ability to infect and kill bacteria, their potential in the treatment of bacterial infection has been examined since their discovery. With advances in molecular biology and gene engineering, the phage application spectrum has been expanded to various medical and biotechnological fields. The construction of bacteriophages with an extended host range or longer viability in the mammalian bloodstream enhances their potential as an alternative to conventional antibiotic treatment. Insertion of active depolymerase genes to their genomes can enforce the biofilm disposal. They can also be engineered to transfer various compounds to the eukaryotic organisms and the bacterial culture, applicable for the vaccine, drug or gene delivery. Phage recombinant lytic enzymes can be applied as enzybiotics in medicine as well as in biotechnology for pathogen detection or programmed cell death in bacterial expression strains. Besides, modified bacteriophages with high specificity can be applied as bioprobes in detection tools to estimate the presence of pathogens in food industry, or utilized in the control of food-borne pathogens as part of the constructed phage-based biosorbents.

• MeSH
• Bacteria účinky léků   MeSH
• bakteriální infekce farmakoterapie   MeSH
• bakteriofágy genetika   MeSH
• biofilmy MeSH
• biologická terapie * MeSH
• biosenzitivní techniky MeSH
• biotechnologie metody   MeSH
• genetické inženýrství MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• průmysl zpracování potravin MeSH
• průmyslová mikrobiologie * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Staphylococcus aureus is a major causative agent of infections associated with hospital environments, where antibiotic-resistant strains have emerged as a significant threat. Phage therapy could offer a safe and effective alternative to antibiotics. Phage preparations should comply with quality and safety requirements; therefore, it is important to develop efficient production control technologies. This study was conducted to develop and evaluate a rapid and reliable method for identifying staphylococcal bacteriophages, based on detecting their specific proteins using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) profiling that is among the suggested methods for meeting the regulations of pharmaceutical authorities. Five different phage purification techniques were tested in combination with two MALDI-TOF MS matrices. Phages, either purified by CsCl density gradient centrifugation or as resuspended phage pellets, yielded mass spectra with the highest information value if ferulic acid was used as the MALDI matrix. Phage tail and capsid proteins yielded the strongest signals whereas the culture conditions had no effect on mass spectral quality. Thirty-seven phages from Myoviridae, Siphoviridae or Podoviridae families were analysed, including 23 siphophages belonging to the International Typing Set for human strains of S. aureus, as well as phages in preparations produced by Microgen, Bohemia Pharmaceuticals and MB Pharma. The data obtained demonstrate that MALDI-TOF MS can be used to effectively distinguish between Staphylococcus-specific bacteriophages.

• MeSH
• biologické přípravky izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• chemická frakcionace metody   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• replikace viru MeSH
• shluková analýza MeSH
• spektrometrie hmotnostní - ionizace laserem za účasti matrice * metody   MeSH
• stafylokokové bakteriofágy klasifikace   metabolismus   MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus virologie   MeSH
• virové proteiny analýza   chemie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Cíl práce: Kmeny Staphylococcus aureus patří mezi obávané bakteriální původce nozokomiálních i komunitních infekcí, a to hlavně tehdy, jsou-li rezistentní k antibiotikům, či mají-li významné faktory patogenity, nebo jsou schopny tvořit odolný biofilm. Hledání nových terapeutik, účinných na takové kmeny, je jednou z hlavních priorit medicíny a vědeckého výzkumu. Cílem studie bylo popsat výskyt S. aureus a podíl kmenů rezistentních k methicilinu (MRSA) diagnostikovaných v laboratořích Mikrobiologického ústavu Lékařské fakulty Masarykovy univerzity (LF MU) a Fakultní nemocnice (FN) u sv. Anny v Brně v letech 2011–2018. U vybraných kmenů S. aureus byla studována schopnost tvorby biofilmu, testována citlivost k antibiotikům a k fágovému přípravku Stafal®. Podmínkou bylo navrhnout metodu vhodnou pro jednoduché rutinní testování citlivosti bakterií k fágům. Materiál a metody: U 867 klinických izolátů S. aureus a u 132 kmenů náležících k dalším druhům rodu Staphylococcus (izolovaných v letech 2011–2017) byla testována citlivost k fágovému preparátu Stafal® za použití metody dvouvrstevného agaru. U všech kmenů S. aureus byla testována schopnost tvorby biofilmu modifikovanou Christensenovou metodou využívající mikrotitrační destičky a citlivost k protistafylokokovým antibiotikům (Diskovým difuzním testem). U 95 kmenů S. aureus byla metoda dvouvrstevného agaru (MDA) porovnána s námi navrženou metodou, která je založena na úbytku optické denzity (MOZ) bakteriální suspenze. Výsledky: Ve sledovaném období bylo v laboratořích LF MU a FN u sv. Anny v Brně diagnostikováno průměrně 2 900 kmenů S. aureus ročně. V hemokulturách a venózních katetrech s nálezem S. aureus byl podíl kmenů MRSA 8,8–15,2 %. Bylo potvrzeno, že kmeny S. aureus izolované z venózních katetrů a hemokultur byly silnějšími producenty biofilmu než kmeny z jiných klinických materiálů. Kmeny MRSA produkovaly biofilm silněji než kmeny methicilin citlivé (MSSA). K preparátu Stafal® bylo citlivých 90,4 % kmenů S. aureus. V souboru MRSA to bylo dokonce 99,0 % citlivých kmenů. Nebyla prokázána souvislost mezi citlivostí ke Stafalu® a schopností tvořit biofilm. Přesto, že jde o preparát zaměřený na S. aureus, byla určitá citlivost (26,5 %) prokázána i u dalších druhů stafylokoků. Nová jednoduchá metoda navržená pro rutinní testování citlivosti k fágovým preparátům pomocí MOZ byla srovnatelně citlivá a spolehlivá jako běžně používaná metoda MDA, kromě jednoduchosti a časové nenáročnosti přináší výhodu také v tom, že po prodloužení kultivace suspenze a frekvence měření můžeme sledovat i dynamiku působení fágů. Závěry: Ukázalo se, že podíl diagnostikovaných kmenů MRSA odpovídá výskytu kmenů v celé České republice a že zjištění týkající se produkce biofilmu jsou v souladu s dosavadními vědeckými poznatky. Hostitelské spektrum přípravku Stafal® je relativně široké a zahrnuje většinu kmenů S. aureus i některé koaguláza-negativní stafylokoky. Nejvyšší účinnost vykazuje na kmeny MRSA s další přidruženou rezistencí k antibiotikům (99,4 %). Na základě testování 867 kmenů S. aureus a 132 jiných druhů stafylokoků in vitro bylo prokázáno, že fágový preparát Stafal® je vhodným kandidátem pro léčbu stafylokokových infekcí i tam, kde klasická antibiotika selhávají. Navíc byla navržena jednoduchá metoda, jak rutinně testovat citlivost k fágům u klinických bakteriálních izolátů, což je nezbytným předpokladem terapeutické aplikace.

Aim: Staphylococcus aureus strains are the cause of frightening hospital and community infections, especially when they are resistant to antimicrobials, have important pathogenicity factors, or have biofilm production ability. Looking for novel therapeutic options which would be effective against such strains is one of the highest priorities of medicine and medical research. The study aim was to describe the occurrence of S. aureus strains and proportion of methicillin resistant strains (MRSA) detected in laboratories of the Microbiological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University (FM MU) and St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno in 2011-2018. Selected strains of S. aureus were tested for biofilm production ability and susceptibility to antimicrobials and Stafal®, a phage therapeutic agent. A prerequisite was to develop a simple routine method suitable for phage susceptibility testing of bacteria. Material and methods: Altogether 867 clinical isolates of S. aureus and 132 strains of other species of the genus Staphylococcus (isolated in 2011-2017) were tested for susceptibility to the phage therapy preparation Stafal® using the double-layer agar method. All strains of S. aureus were tested for biofilm production ability by the modified Christensen method with the use of titration microplates and for susceptibility to antistaphylococcal antibiotics by the disk diffusion test. For 95 S. aureus strains, the outcome of the double-layer agar method (DAM) was compared with that of our newly designed method (ODM) based on optical density decrease of the bacterial suspension. Results: During the study period, the laboratories of the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University (FM MU) and St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno detected 2900 strains of S. aureus per year on average. The proportion of MRSA among S. aureus isolates from blood culture and venous catheters ranged between 8.8-15.2 %. S. aureus strains recovered from venous catheters and blood culture were confirmed as stronger biofilm producers than those from other clinical specimens. MRSA strains showed higher biofilm production than methicillin susceptible strains (MSSA). As many as 90.4 % of S. aureus strains tested susceptible to the Stafal® preparation. Even a higher proportion, i.e. 99.0 %, of MRSA strains were Stafal® susceptible. No relationship was found between Stafal® susceptibility and biofilm production ability. Although Stafal® targets primarily S. aureus, some susceptibility (26.5 %) was also found for other staphylococcal species. A novel simple method designed for routine testing of susceptibility to phage therapy preparations based on optical density decrease was comparably sensitive and reliable as the commonly used double-layer agar method (DAM) and, in addition to being easy and rapid to perform, after prolonged suspension culture and at higher measurement frequency, it has an extra advantage of providing the possibility for monitoring also phage action dynamics. Conclusions: The proportion of MRSA strains detected in this study is comparable to that reported for the whole Czech Republic, and the biofilm production data are consistent with scientific evidence. The host range of the Stafal® preparation is relatively wide and covers most strains of S. aureus and some coagulase negative staphylococci. The highest efficiency of Stafal® (99.4 %) was observed against MRSA strains with multiple types of antibiotic resistance. In vitro testing of 867 strains of S. aureus and 132 other staphylococcal species has shown the phage therapy preparation Stafal® to be a suitable candidate therapeutic option for the treatment of staphylococcal infections, especially in case of failure of conventional antibiotic therapy. Moreover, a simple method for routine phage susceptibility testing of clinical bacterial isolates has been designed, which is an essential tool to be used in phage therapy.

• Klíčová slova
• STAFAL,
• MeSH
• biofilmy účinky léků   MeSH
• fágová terapie * metody   MeSH
• klinická studie jako téma MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• methicilin rezistentní Staphylococcus aureus * účinky léků   MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus účinky léků   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH

Although prostate carcinoma (PCa) is by far the most commonly diagnosed neoplasia in men, corresponding diagnostic and therapeutic modalities have limited efficacy at present. Anticalins comprise a novel class of binding proteins based on a non-immunoglobulin scaffold that can be engineered to specifically address molecular targets of interest. Here we report the selection and characterization of Anticalins that recognize human prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a membrane-tethered metallopeptidase constituting a disease-related target for imaging and therapy of PCa as well as solid malignancies in general. We used a randomized lipocalin library based on the human lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) scaffold together with phage display and ELISA screening to select PSMA-specific variants. Five Anticalin candidates from the original panning were expressed in Escherichia coli as soluble monomeric proteins, revealing affinities toward PSMA down to the low nanomolar range. Binding characteristics of the most promising candidate were further improved via affinity maturation by applying error-prone PCR followed by selection via phage display as well as bacterial surface display under more stringent conditions. In BIAcore measurements, the dissociation constant of the best Anticalin was determined as ∼500 pM, with a substantially improved dissociation rate compared with the first-generation candidate. Finally, immunofluorescence microscopy revealed specific staining of PSMA-positive tumor cell lines while flow cytometric analysis confirmed the ability of the selected Anticalins to detect PSMA on live cells. Taken together, Anticalins resulting from this study offer a viable alternative to antibody-based PSMA binders for biomedical applications, including in vivo imaging of PCa or neovasculature of solid tumors.

• MeSH
• antigeny povrchové chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• glutamátkarboxypeptidasa II chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lipokaliny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• proteinové inženýrství * MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• terciární struktura proteinů MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

• Klíčová slova
• Imunohematologie,
• MeSH
• diagnostické techniky molekulární MeSH
• hematologické testy MeSH
• hematologie metody   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• kongresy MeSH
• zprávy MeSH

• Konspekt
• Patologie. Klinická medicína
• NLK Obory
• hematologie a transfuzní lékařství
• alergologie a imunologie
• NLK Publikační typ
• brožury