Safety evaluation of Limosilactobacillus fermentum PS150 for use as a commercial psychobiotic.

The psychobiotic Limosilactobacillus fermentum PS150 (PS150), isolated from fermented meat sausage, has antidepressant, anxiolytic, and sleep-improving properties. This study investigated the safety of PS150 using a genome-based safety evaluation, antibiotic resistance profiles, mutagenicity, clastogenicity, 28-day subacute toxicity, and gastrointestinal tolerance. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that PS150 did not carry genes encoding antimicrobial resistance, virulence factors, or enzymes related to biogenic amine production.

Impacts of Pta-AckA pathway on CPS biosynthesis and type 3 fimbriae expression in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause infections, especially in individuals with diabetes. Recently, more hypervirulent strains have emerged, posing a threat even to healthy individuals. Understanding how K.

Roles of transcriptional factor PsrA in the regulation of quorum sensing in PAO1.

The transcription factor PsrA regulates fatty acid metabolism, the type III secretion system, and quinolone signaling quorum sensing system in . To explore additional roles of PsrA in , this study engineered a PAO1 strain to carry a recombinant plasmid with the gene (pMMB) and examined the impact of elevated expression to the bacterium. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PsrA significantly downregulated genes encoding the master quorum-sensing regulators, RhlR and LasR, and influenced many quorum-sensing-associated genes.

Citrus depressa peel extract acts as a prebiotic to reduce lipid accumulation and modulate gut microbiota in obese mice.

Citrus peels contain abundant polyphenols, particularly flavonoids, and have been shown to exert lipid accumulation decreasing ability. In this study, Citrus depressa peel applied to oven drying and extracted with ethanol extract as CDEE to analyze its flavonoids compositions and investigated its effects on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice model. CDEE contained several flavonoids such as hesperidin, sinesentin, nobiletin, tangeretin, 5-demethylnobiletin, and 5-demethyltangeretin.

Accelerating Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery for WHO Priority Pathogens through Predictive and Interpretable Machine Learning Models.

The escalating menace of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens necessitates a paradigm shift from conventional antibiotics to innovative alternatives. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) emerge as a compelling contender in this arena. Employing methodologies, we can usher in a new era of AMP discovery, streamlining the identification process from vast candidate sequences, thereby optimizing laboratory screening expenditures.

Role of Coptis chinensis in antibiotic susceptibility of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Background: The incidence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) has rapidly increased. This study aimed to assess the effect of Coptis chinensis and its compounds on the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eight antibiotics against CRKP.

Methods: Cell cultures were used to investigate the effects of C.

Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 Promotes Intestinal Motility, Mucin Production, and Serotonin Signaling in Mice.

Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 has been reported as a psychobiotic to improve mental health through the gut-brain axis in experimental animal models. To explore its mechanism of action in the gut, this study aimed to analyze the effects of L. plantarum PS128 ingestion on naïve and loperamide (Lop)-induced constipation mice.

Effects of gallic acid on capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that causes diseases mostly in immunocompromised individuals. Recently, hypervirulent K. pneumoniae strains also cause severe disease in healthy individuals.

4-Methyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene, a Major Active Metabolite of Bisphenol A, Triggers Pancreatic β-Cell Death via a JNK/AMPKα Activation-Regulated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Apoptotic Pathway.

4-methyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene (MBP), a major active metabolite of bisphenol A (BPA), is generated in the mammalian liver. Some studies have suggested that MBP exerts greater toxicity than BPA. However, the mechanism underlying MBP-induced pancreatic β-cell cytotoxicity remains largely unclear.

In silico design and synthesis of N-arylalkanyl 2-naphthamides as a new class of non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitors.

A series of N-arylalkanyl 2-naphthamides (Xa~e), which were predicted from virtual molecular docking on a built xanthine oxidase template as potential inhibitors, were synthesized. Their inhibitory activity against xanthine oxidase was assayed. Among these prepared, compounds Xb (IC 13.

Effect of on Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Susceptibility in .

infections are notoriously difficult to be treated and newer treatment options are required. () and its main compound berberine are frequently used to treat bacterial and viral infections. In this study, the susceptibility of to extract and berberine was assessed by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) evaluation.

FNR-Dependent RmpA and RmpA2 Regulation of Capsule Polysaccharide Biosynthesis in .

Fumarate nitrate reduction regulator (FNR) is a direct oxygen-responsive transcriptional regulator containing an iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster. During anaerobic growth, the [4Fe-4S] cluster in FNR (holo-FNR) binds specifically to DNA, whereas exposure to oxygen results in the loss of its DNA-binding activity via oxidation of the [4Fe-4S] cluster. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of FNR in regulation of capsular polysaccharide (CPS) biosynthesis, serum resistance, and anti-phagocytosis of .

Hypnotic Effects of PS150 on Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep in Mice.

The bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system appears to be functionally linked to the intestinal microbiome, namely the microbiome-gut-brain axis (MGBA). Probiotics with health benefits on psychiatric or neurological illnesses are generally called psychobiotics, and some of them may also be able to improve sleep by targeting the MGBA. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a psychobiotic strain, PS150 (PS150), on sleep improvement by using a pentobarbital-induced sleep mouse model.

Cadmium exposure induces pancreatic β-cell death via a Ca-triggered JNK/CHOP-related apoptotic signaling pathway.

Cadmium (Cd) is known to be ranked the 7 hazardous substance in the Substance Priority List by Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The experimental and epidemiological data have suggested that Cd is linked to the development of diabetes mellitus (DM). The molecular mechanism of Cd on the pancreatic β-cell cytotoxicity still remains unclear.

RcsB regulation of the YfdX-mediated acid stress response in Klebsiella pneumoniae CG43S3.

In Klebsiella pneumoniae CG43S3, deletion of the response regulator gene rcsB reduced the capsular polysaccharide amount and survival on exposure to acid stress. A comparison of the pH 4.4-induced proteomes between CG43S3 and CG43S3ΔrcsB revealed numerous differentially expressed proteins and one of them, YfdX, which has recently been reported as a periplasmic protein, was absent in CG43S3ΔrcsB.

Investigations of urethral sphincter activity in mice with bladder hyperalgesia before and after drug administration of gabapentin.

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of gabapentin on lower urinary tract dysfunction focusing on urethral activities and cystitis-induced hyperalgesia in a mouse model of painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC). The electromyography (EMG) of external urethral sphincter (EUS) was difficult to obtain, but contained useful information to examine the drug effect in mice.

Methods: Female C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally (ip) administration with either saline or 200 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide (CYP) 48 h before experimental evaluation.

Phosphorylated OmpR Is Required for Type 3 Fimbriae Expression in Under Hypertonic Conditions.

OmpR/EnvZ is a two-component system that senses osmotic signals and controls downstream gene expression in many species of . However, the role of OmpR/EnvZ in remains unknown. In this study, we found that production of MrkA, the major subunit of type 3 fimbriae, was decreased under hypertonic conditions.

IscR Regulation of Type 3 Fimbriae Expression in CG43.

In , we have previously shown that IscR, an Fe-S cluster-containing transcriptional factor, plays a dual role in controlling capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron-acquisition systems by switching between its holo and apo forms. In this study, the effect of IscR on type 3 fimbriae expression and biofilm formation was investigated. We found that production of the major subunit of type 3 fimbriae, MrkA, was increased in the Δ and strains, a strain expressing a mutant IscR that mimics apo-IscR, at both the translational and transcriptional levels.

Internal current amplification induced by dielectric hole trapping in monolayer MoS transistor.

Carrier transport in layered transition-metal dichalcogenides is highly sensitive to surrounding charges because of the atomically thin thickness. By exploiting this property, we report a new internal current amplification mechanism through positive feedback induced by dielectric hole trapping in a MoS back-gate transistor on a tantalum oxide substrate. The device exhibits an extremely steep subthreshold slope of 17 mV/decade, which is strongly dependent on the substrate material and drain bias.

Colibactin Contributes to the Hypervirulence of K1 CC23 in Mouse Meningitis Infections.

is the most common pathogen of community-acquired meningitis in Taiwan. However, the lack of a physiologically relevant meningitis model for has impeded research into its pathogenesis mechanism. Based on the core genome MLST analyses, the hypervirulent K1 strains, which are etiologically implicated in adult meningitis, mostly belong to a single clonal complex, CC23.

CRP-Cyclic AMP Regulates the Expression of Type 3 Fimbriae via Cyclic di-GMP in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is the predominant pathogen isolated from liver abscesses of diabetic patients in Asian countries. However, the effects of elevated blood glucose levels on the virulence of this pathogen remain largely unknown. Type 3 fimbriae, encoded by the mrkABCDF genes, are important virulence factors in K.

Etoposide induces pancreatic β-cells cytotoxicity via the JNK/ERK/GSK-3 signaling-mediated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway.

Etoposide is widely used in the treatment of the different types of tumors such as pancreatic cancer. However, etoposide also causes several unwanted side-effects in normal viable cells, including pancreatic β-cells, which are vulnerable to chemical-induced injuries, and the molecular mechanisms underlying etoposide-induced apoptosis are still unclear. Here, the results showed that in RIN-m5F cells (a β-cell-derived cell line), the number of viable cells was significantly decreased after 24h of etoposide treatment and underwent mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signals accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction, and increases in the population of sub-G1 hypodiploid cells and apoptotic cells, caspase-3 activity, and the activation of caspase cascades.

Genome architecture of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128, a probiotic strain with potential immunomodulatory activity.

Background: Clinical and preclinical observations indicate that Lactobacillus plantarum has anti-inflammatory activity and may regulate the immune responses of its hosts when ingested. Recently, modification of teichoic acids (TAs) produced by L. plantarum was reported as a key to regulating the systemic immune response in mice.