Project description:Glycoproteomics is likely to identify Mtb virulence factors because glycoproteins on the bacterial cell envelope are used by mycobacteria to enter the primary human host cell, the macrophage. It has been proposed that Mtb interacts with mannose receptors on host cells via mannosylated proteins to enter the macrophages. Despite the vital importance of these proteins in Mtb pathogenesis, our current knowledge of Mtb glycoproteins is still limited, and only a few secreted and cell wall-associated glycoproteins have to date been described. Previous studies have used laboratory strains as model systems to study glycosylation in Mtb. However, only a few sub-groups within the genetically conserved MTBC appear to cause extensive outbreaks with different clinical presentation and AMR. In this study, we employed qualitative and quantitative mass spectrometry and bioinformatics to explore the glycoproteomic patterns of clinical isolates from four lineages of the MTBC, lineages 3, 4, 5 and 7, to investigate the role of protein glycosylation in Mtb adaptation, survival and AMR.
Project description:Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex (CC) 398 has emerged from pigs to cause human infections in Europe and North America. We used a new 62-strain S. aureus microarray (SAM-62) to compare genomes of isolates from three geographical areas (Belgium, Denmark, and Netherlands) to understand how CC398 colonizes different mammalian hosts. The core genomes of 44 pig isolates and 32 isolates from humans did not vary. However, mobile genetic element (MGE) distribution was variable including SCCmec. Phi3 bacteriophage and human specificity genes (chp, sak, scn) were found in invasive human but not pig isolates. SaPI5 and putative ruminant specificity gene variants (vwb and scn) were common but not pig specific. Virulence and resistance gene carriage was host associated but country specific. We conclude MGE exchange is frequent in CC398 and greatest among populations in close contact. This feature may help determine epidemiological associations among isolates of the same lineage. [Data is also available from http://bugs.sgul.ac.uk/E-BUGS-120]
Project description:An European eel-specific microarray platform was developed to identify genes involved in response to pollutants. A comparative analysis of gene expression was conducted between European eel Anguilla anguilla individuals from lowly-polluted Wijmeers pond at Uitbergen (Belgium), highly-polluted Hazewinkel pond at Willebroek (Belgium), extremely-polluted Dessel-Schotel canal at the locations of Schotel (Belgium) and low polluted Bolsena lake (Italy) environments.
Project description:NHNP cells (Lonza, Belgium) were grown in Maintenance medium for 24 h. Differentiation was induced by withdrawal of EGFand FGF and addition of BDNF. ArrayCGH experiments were done before differentiation, 24h, 2d and 5d after differentiation induction.
