Springer protocols feed by Microbiology 
This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.
This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Case Studies
Over the past decade, the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has changed the landscape of S. aureus infections around the globe. Initially recognized for its ability to cause disease in young and healthy individuals without healthcare exposures as well as for its distinct genotype and phenotype, this original description no longer fully encompasses the diversity of CA-MRSA as it continues to expand its niche. Using four case studies, we highlight a wide range of the clinical presentations and challenges of CA-MRSA. Based on these cases we further explore the globally pol...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Clinical, Epidemiologic, and Laboratory Aspects of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major pathogen responsible for both hospital and community onset disease. Resistance to methicillin in S. aureus is mediated by PBP2a, a penicillin-binding protein with low affinity to beta-lactams, encoded by the mecA gene. Accurate susceptibility testing of S. aureus isolates and screening of patients for colonization with MRSA are important tools to limit the spread of this organism. This review focuses on the clinical significance of MRSA infections and new approaches for the laboratory diagnosis and epidemiologic typing of MRSA strains. (Source: Springer protocol...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Animal Models in Drug Development for MRSA
One of the foremost challenges of drug discovery in any therapeutic area is that of solidifying the correlation between in vitro activity and clinical efficacy. Between these is the confirmation that affecting a particular target in vivo will lead to a therapeutic benefit. In antibacterial drug discovery, there is a key advantage from the start, since the targets are bacteria—therefore, it is simple to ascertain in vitro whether a drug has the desired effect, i.e., bacterial cell inhibition or killing, and to understand the mechanism by which that occurs. The downstream criteria, whether a compound reaches the infect...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Anti-infective Drug Development for MRSA
Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen linked to serious infections both in the hospital and the community settings. The challenge to treat infections caused by S. aureus has increased because of the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). A limited spectrum of antibiotics is available to treat MRSA infections. This chapter reviews antimicrobial agents currently in use for the treatment of MRSA infections as well as agents that are in various stages of development. This chapter also reviews the alternate approaches that are being explored for the treatment of staphyl...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Treatment of Infections Due to Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
This chapter reviews data on the treatment of infections caused by drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, particularly methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). This review covers findings reported in the English language medical literature up to January of 2013. Despite the emergence of resistant and multidrug-resistant S. aureus, we have seven effective drugs in clinical use for which little resistance has been observed: vancomycin, quinupristin–dalfopristin, linezolid, tigecycline, telavancin, ceftaroline, and daptomycin. However, vancomycin is less effective for infections with MRSA isolates that have a higher MIC w...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Metabolomic Investigation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
In this study, we describe a workflow focusing on the extraction and quantification of intracellular metabolites of Staphylococcus aureus. A filter-based bacteria sampling system was utilized to separate the media and bacteria; fast quenching with nitrogen was applied to prevent any metabolite leakage; a glass beads beater was used for intracellular metabolite extraction; and the LC-QTOF was combined to quantify the intracellular amino acids of S. aureus. This protocol is demonstrated to be an efficient method for analyzing the intracellular metabolites of S. aureus. (Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology)
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Proteomic Approach to Investigate Pathogenicity and Metabolism of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
We describe here proteomic methods to prepare, identify, and analyze protein fractions, which allow studying Staphylococcus aureus on the organism level. Besides evaluation of the whole bacterial transcriptome, this approach might contribute to the development of rapid diagnostic tests and to the identification of new drug targets to improve public health. (Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology)
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Transcriptomic Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus Using Microarray and Advanced Next-Generation RNA-seq Technologies
The transcriptome has shown tremendous potential for the comprehensive investigation of gene expression profiles and transcriptional levels in comparative biology, the identification of regulatory mechanism of transcriptional regulators, and the evaluation of target gene for developing new chemotherapeutic agents, vaccine, and diagnostic methods. The traditional microarray and advanced next-generation RNA sequencing technologies (RNA-seq) provide powerful and effective tools for the determination of the transcriptome of bacterial cells. In this chapter, we provide a detailed protocol for scientists who want to investigate ...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Investigation of Biofilm Formation in Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus
Invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are often characterized by recalcitrance to antimicrobial therapy, which is a function not only of widespread antimicrobial resistance among clinical isolates, but also the capacity to form biofilms. Biofilms consist of ordered populations of bacterial colonies encased in a polysaccharide and/or proteinaceous matrix. This unique physiologic adaptation limits penetration of antimicrobial molecules and innate immune effectors to the infectious focus, increasing the likelihood of treatment failure and progression to chronic infection. Investigation of mech...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Investigation of Staphylococcus aureus Adhesion and Invasion of Host Cells
In this study, we found that different human MRSA isolates possessed different abilities to adhere to and invade the epithelial cells. (Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology)
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Molecular Analysis of Staphylococcal Superantigens
Staphylococcal superantigens (SAgs) comprise a large family of exotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus strains. These exotoxins are important in a variety of serious human diseases, including menstrual and nonmenstrual toxic shock syndrome (TSS), staphylococcal pneumonia and infective endocarditis, and recently described staphylococcal purpura fulminans and extreme pyrexia syndrome. In addition, these SAg exotoxins are being increasingly recognized for their possible roles in many other human diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, Kawasaki syndrome, nasal polyposis, and certain autoimmune disorders. To clarify the full s...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - October 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Analysis of Chromatin Organization by Deep Sequencing Technologies
Micrococcal nuclease (MNase) is an endonuclease that cleaves native DNA at high frequency, but is blocked in chromatin by sites of intimate DNA–protein interaction, including nucleosomal regions. Protection from MNase cleavage has often been used to map transcription factor binding sites and nucleosomal positions on a single-gene basis; however, by combining MNase digestion with high-throughput, paired-end DNA sequencing, it is now possible to simultaneously map DNA-protein interaction regions across the entire genome. Biochemical and bioinformatic protocols are detailed for global mono-nucleosome positioning at...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - March 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Transcriptional Profiling of Dictyostelium with RNA Sequencing
Transcriptional profiling methods have been utilized in the analysis of various biological processes in Dictyostelium. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have increased the resolution and the dynamic range of transcriptional profiling. Here we describe the utility of RNA sequencing with the Illumina technology for production of transcriptional profiles. We also describe methods for data mapping and storage as well as common and specialized tools for data analysis, both online and offline. (Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology)
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - March 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Identification and Verification of microRNAs by High-Throughput Sequencing
High-throughput sequencing methods have become invaluable for detection and analysis of small RNAs. The results are millions of sequences that need to be carefully analyzed by computational methods and preferentially verified by different experimental techniques. Here we describe how to use high-throughput sequencing followed by bioinformatics and northern blot to identify one particular class of small RNA, microRNAs. (Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology)
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - March 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
Collection and Cultivation of Dictyostelids from the Wild
Dictyostelium discoideum is a commonly used model organism for the study of biological processes such as chemotaxis, cell communication, and development. While these studies primarily focus on a single clone, recent work has revealed a host of questions that can only be answered from studies of multiple genetically distinct clones. Understanding intraspecific clone conflict, kin recognition, differential adhesion, and other kinds of interactions likely to occur in the natural soil habitat can only come from studies of multiple clones. Studies of populations of wild isolates are also important for understanding the factors ...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Microbiology - March 6, 2013 Category: Microbiology Source Type: news
