All posts by Postępy Mikrobiologii

Bakteriofagi i drapieżniki bakterii jako czynniki limitujące liczbę bakterii w środowisku

Bacteriophages and bacterial predators as agents limiting the amount of bacteria in the environment
A. Wierzbicka-Woś, W. Deptuła

1. Wprowadzenie. 2. Bakteriofagi a bakterie w środowisku. 3. Bakterie drapieżne z grupy BALO a bakterie w środowisku. 4. Pierwotniaki a bakterie w środowisku. 5. Drapieżniki bakterii a biofilm. 6. Mechanizmy obronne bakterii oraz ich interakcje z drapieżnikami. 7. Praktyczne wykorzystanie drapieżników bakterii. 8. Podsumowanie

Abstract: Bacterial predators, such as Bdellovibrio and Bdellovibrio like organisms (BALOs), protozoa and bacteriophages, are the major cause of bacterial mortality. Howeverthe correlations between these microorganisms enable their coexistance in the same ecological niche. This review presents the interactions between bacterial prey and their predators, and bacteriophages. In addition, it describes bacterial adaptations helping bacteria to prevent the attack. Taking into account current problems with increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogenic microorganisms, this observations can lead us to the discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds, which are common in nature, and could be used in the future against animal and human pathogens. Moreover, these microorganisms might be also a potentialsource of novel biocatalysts, which could be applied in biotechnological processes.

1. Introduction. 2. Bacteriophages and bacteria in the environment. 3. Bacterial predators from BALO and bacteria in the environment. 4. Protozoa and bacteria in the environment. 5. Bacterial predators and biofilm. 6. Defense mechanisms of bacteria and their interactions with predators. 7. Practical use of bacterial predators. 8. Summary

Zastosowanie techniki real-time PCR w wirusologii

Application of real-time PCR in virology
S. Rynans, S. W. de Walthoffen, T. Dzieciątkowski, G. Młynarczyk

1. Wstęp. 2. Sposoby detekcji wykorzystywane w real-time PCR. 3. Zalety i wady techniki real-time PCR. 4. Zastosowanie real-time PCR w diagnostyce wirusologicznej. 5. Wykorzystanie real-time PCR w wirusologicznych badaniach naukowych. 6. Podsumowanie

Abstract: Real-time PCR is based on the revolutionary technique of polymerase chain reaction, which allows amplifying DNA more than a billion-fold. This method is used to monitor the progress of a PCR reaction in real time, and permits the detection of the number of amplicons generated during each amplification cycle. The described technique is now easy to perform, has high sensitivity and specificity, and provides the scope for automation. Within the field of microbiology, the application of real-time PCR has a significant impact upon virology. This review presents the background, advantages and limitations, as well as common applications of real-time PCR in virology, including biomedical research and laboratory diagnostics.

1. Introduction. 2. Detection formats in real-time PCR technique. 3. Advantages and limitation of the method. 4. Real-time PCR in molecular diagnostics of viral diseases. 5. Use of real-time PCR in biomedical research. 6. Summary

Działalność ruchu antyszczepionkowego, rola środków masowego komunikowania oraz wpływ poglądów religijnych na postawę wobec szczepień ochronnych

The activity of antivaccine movement, role of the mass media and influence of religious beliefs on the attitude towards immunization
A. K. Marchewka, A. Majewska, G. Młynarczyk

1. Wstęp. 2. Działalność ruchu antyszczepionkowego. 3. Rola środków masowego komunikowania na postawę wobec szczepień ochronnych. 4. Wpływ poglądów religijnych na postawę wobec szczepień ochronnych. 5. Podsumowanie

Abstract: Vaccines have accompanied humans for centuries. On the one hand vaccinology development resulted in growing popularity of infectious diseases prophylaxis, on the other vaccine refusal attitudes have been also noted. Religious or world-view reasons are given by vaccine opponents as an explanation to why they refuse immunization. They mention that obligatory immunization constrains liberty and freedom. They try to convince that vaccines or their components have a noxious effect or they overrate the significance of a natural exposure to pathogens. Despite the fact that smallpox has been eradicated and most of the infectious diseases incidence has dropped, resistance towards vaccination does not decline. Moreover, opposition is getting more and more commonplace. Mass media effectively helps propagate antivaccination idea. The Internet provides its users with a wealth information, both reliable with scientific background and the biased one. What is worrying is the fact that growing number of parents look for information on health related topics on the Internet. Selection of methods and parents’ gullible way of thinking lead to increased likelihood of these parents to believe in falsified and unreliable data. As a result, erroneous perception of the infectious diseases and antivaccination attitudes cause hazardous behaviors, such as so-called a pox-parties, which are previously planned exposures to a certain pathogen. Also celebrities take part in spreading out antivaccinationopinions. Nowadays, society tends to perceive celebrities as role-models and often obey them blindly.

1. Introduction. 2. Activity of antivaccine movement. 3. Role of the mass media on the attitude towards immunization. 4. Influence of religious beliefs on the attitude towards immunization. 5. Summary

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius – trudno rozpoznawalny patogen

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius – a pathogen difficult to identify
M. Kizerwetter-Świda, D. Chrobak-Chmiel, M. Rzewuska, M. Binek

1. Wstęp. 2. Grupa Staphylococcus intermedius (SIG, Staphylococcus intermedius group). 3. Występowanie S. pseudintermedius. 4. Potencjał zoonotyczny S. pseudintermedius. 5. Identyfikacja. 6. Typowanie genetyczne. 7. Wykrywanie oporności na meticylinę u szczepów S. pseudintermedius – metody fenotypowe. 8. Wykrywanie oporności na meticylinę u S. pseudintermedius – metody genotypowe. 9. S. pseudintermedius – oporność na antybiotyki i chemioterpautyki. 10. Podsumowanie

Abstract: Staphylococcus pseudintermedius has recently been described as a member of the Staphylococcus genus. Three closely related staphylococci (Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus delphini) with very similar phenotypic characteristics form the S. intermedius group (SIG). In fact, majority of strains previously recognized as S. intermedius isolated from dogs were reclassified to the species S. pseudintermedius. Within the SIG, S. pseudintermedius represents the major pathogenic species and is involved in a wide variety of infections, mainly in dogs, but also in other animal species and humans. Recently, an increase has been observed in the frequency of infections caused by methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MSRP) in animals, especially in dogs and humans. The identification of S. pseudintermedius in veterinary laboratories is usually not difficult, however, in laboratories working with materials collected from people the risk of misidentification is high. Moreover, the demonstration of the mecA gene may be a challenge in diagnostic laboratories. The objective of this review is to summarize the current knowledge of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, including MRSP, with the emphasis on taxonomy, occurrence and diagnostics. Furthermore, this review present also the genetic basis of antimicrobial resistance in S. pseudintermedius.

1. Introduction. 2. Staphylococcus intermedius group (SIG) 3. The occurrence of S. pseudintermedius. 4. Zoonotic potential of S. pseudintermedius. 5. Identification. 6. Genetic typing. 7. Detection of methicillin resistance in S. pseudintermedius – phenotypic methods. 8. Detection of methicillin resistance in S. pseudintermedius – genotypic methods. 9. S. pseudintermedius – resistance to antimicrobials. 10. Summary

Bakterie endofityczne i ich znaczenie w mikrobiologii środowiskowej, medycynie i przemyśle

Endophytic bacteria and their role in environmental microbiology, medicine and industry
M. Pawlik, T. Płociniczak, Z. Piotrowska-Seget

1. Wstęp. 2. Bakterie endofityczne – charakterystyka. 3. Kolonizacja tkanek roślinnych. 4. Endofity promujące wzrost roślin (PGPE). 5. Rola endofitów w fitodegradacji. 6. Rola endofitów w fitoekstrakcji. 7. Endofity w rolnictwie i ochronie roślin. 8. Metabolity endofitów w medycynie. 9. Produkcja bioplastiku. 10. Podsumowanie

Abstract: Endophytic bacteria have been known for more than 120 years. They live inside plant tissues without causing any apparent symptoms of disease or negative effects on the host. Each of the nearly 300 000 plant species that exist on the earth is host to one or more endophytes. Only a few of these plants have ever been completely studied relative to their endophytic biology. Consequently, the opportunity to find new and beneficial endophytic microorganisms among the diversity of plants in different ecosystems is considerable. During the long co-evolutionary process with their hosts, endophytes have developed many significant and novel characteristics. The relationships between plants and endophytic bacteria are very close. The endophytes which reside inside plant tissues can be classified as ‘obligate’ or ‘facultative’. The first group is strictly dependent on the host plant for their growth and survival and transmission to other plants. The second group has a stage in their life cycle in which they are able to exist outside the host plant. Recent studies have shown that endophytes accelerate the adaptation of plants to unbalanced environmental conditions such as saline soil, drought, stress caused by pesticides, heavy metals or hydrocarbons. Therefore, the exploitation of the interaction of plant endophytes for the remediation of contaminated soils is a promising area; however, role of these microorganisms is still unclear.

1. Introduction. 2. Characterization of endophytic bacteria. 3. Colonization of plant tissues. 4. Plant growth-promoting endophytes (PGPE). 5. The role of endophytes in phytodegradation 6. The role of endophytes in phytoextraction 7. Endophytes in agriculture and plant protection. 8. Endophytic metabolites in medicine. 9. Bioplastic production. 10. Summary