Current Issues in Molecular Biology

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Open AccessReview

Application of Flow Cytometry to the Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria

by Deirdre Kennedy and Martin G. Wilkinson

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2017, 23(1), 21-38; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.023.021 - 1 Jun 2017

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 1890

Outbreaks of infections have emphasized the necessity for rapid and economic detection methods for pathogens in samples ranging from those of clinical origin to food products during production and retail storage, and increasingly, in environmental samples. Flow cytometry (FCM) allows the rapid acquisition of multi-parametric data regarding cell populations within fluidised samples. However, the application of FCM to pathogen detection depends on the availability of specific fluorescent probes such as antibodies and RNA probes capable of detecting and isolating pathogens from these diverse samples. A particular issue for FCM methodology is the ability to recover and discriminate bacteria from the sample matrix which may pose a major technical hurdle towards accurate and sensitive analysis. This review article focuses on detection of pathogens using FCM in samples originating from food, water, environmental and clinical sources and outlines the current state of the art and potential future applications. Full article

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Open AccessReview

MALDI-TOF MS in the Microbiology Laboratory: Current Trends

by Sören Schubert and Markus Kostrzewa

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2017, 23(1), 17-20; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.023.017 - 16 May 2017

Cited by 74 | Viewed by 3005

Abstract

Within less than a decade matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has become a gold standard for microbial identification in clinical microbiology laboratories. Besides identification of microorganisms the ty** of single strains as well as the antibiotic and antimycotic resistance testing has come into focus in order to speed up the microbiological diagnostic. However, the full potential of MALDI-TOF MS has not been tapped yet and future technological advancements will certainly expedite this method towards novel applications and enhancement of current practice. So, the following chapter shall be rather a brainstorming and forecast of how MALDI-TOF MS will develop to influence clinical diagnostics and microbial research in the future. It shall open up the stage for further discussions and does not claim for overall validity. Full article

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Open AccessReview

Plant Immune System: Crosstalk between Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses the Missing Link in Understanding Plant Defence

by Naghmeh Nejat and Nitin Mantri

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2017, 23(1), 1-16; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.023.001 - 4 Feb 2017

Cited by 185 | Viewed by 2667

Abstract

Environmental pollution, global warming and climate change exacerbate the impact of biotic and abiotic stresses on plant growth and yield. Plants have evolved sophisticated defence network, also called innate immune system, in response to ever- changing environmental conditions. Significant progress has been made in identifying the key stress-inducible genes associated with defence response to single stressors. However, relatively little information is available on the signaling crosstalk in response to combined biotic/abiotic stresses. Recent evidence highlights the complex nature of interactions between biotic and abiotic stress responses, significant aberrant signaling crosstalk in response to combined stresses and a degree of overlap, but unique response to each environmental stimulus. Further, the results of simultaneous combined biotic and abiotic stress studies indicate that abiotic stresses particularly heat and drought enhance plant susceptibility to plant pathogens. It is noteworthy that global climate change is predicted to have a negative impact on biotic stress resistance in plants. Therefore, it is vital to conduct plant transcriptome analysis in response to combined stresses to identify general or multiple stress- and pathogen-specific genes that confer multiple stress tolerance in plants under climate change. Here, we discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of crosstalk in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Pinpointing both, common and specific components of the signaling crosstalk in plants, allows identification of new targets and development of novel methods to combat biotic and abiotic stresses under global climate change. Full article

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Curr. Issues Mol. Biol., Volume 23, Issue 1 (July 2017) – 3 articles

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