Zdzislaw Markiewicz - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Zdzislaw Markiewicz
Emerging Contaminants and Associated Treatment Technologies
Research in Microbiology
Purified murein from Thiobacillus neapolitanus was poorly digested by lysozyme. It's sensitivity ... more Purified murein from Thiobacillus neapolitanus was poorly digested by lysozyme. It's sensitivity to the enzyme greatly increased after N-acetylation. The murein was found to contain 30 to 35% glucosamine residues lacking N-acetyl groups. It also contained phosphomuramic acid. Further modifications included amidation of diaminopimelic acid in the peptide side chains and a low alanine content. None of these modifications were found in the murein of another sulphur bacterium, Thiobacillus versutus.
Polish Journal of Microbiology Polskie Towarzystwo Mikrobiologow the Polish Society of Microbiologists, Feb 1, 2004
The presented studies embraced samples of wood chips from coniferous trees which contained layers... more The presented studies embraced samples of wood chips from coniferous trees which contained layers of duramen, alburnum and bark. Microbiological analysis involved qualitative and quantitative determination of bacterial flora inhabiting the studied wood material. The wood chips were found to contain primarily species belonging to the genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas. The presence of the potentially pathogenic species Bacillus cereus 1, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Aeromonas salmonicida and Chryseomonas luteola was also demonstrated.
Acta Microbiologica Polonica, Feb 1, 2003
The introduction of real-time PCR technology has significantly improved and simplified the quanti... more The introduction of real-time PCR technology has significantly improved and simplified the quantification of nucleic acids, and this technology has become an invaluable tool for many scientists working in different disciplines. Particularly in the field of molecular diagnostics and genotyping, real-time PCR-based assays have gained favour in the recent past. Rapid real-time PCR diagnosis can result in appropriate control measures and eradication procedures in a faster and more accurate way than traditional methods based on pathogen isolation. Real-time quantitative PCR represents a highly sensitive and powerful technique for the gel-free detection of nucleic acids. In this review, the main chemistries used for the detection of PCR product during real-time PCR, as well as advantages and limitations of real-time PCR will be depicted. Furthermore, the existing literature as it applies to plant pathogens detection in the routine and research laboratory will be reviewed in order to focus on one of the many areas in which the application of real-time PCR has provided significant methodological benefits. K e y w o r d s: Molecular identification, conventional PCR, real-time PCR, DNA probes, diagnosis * Formerly the 7700 taqman listserve that existed at Northwestern University Applied Biosystems Q-PCR equipment and reagents www.appliedbiosystems.com Applied Biosystems User bulletin #2 http://docs.appliedbiosystems.com/search Biosearch Technologies Oligos and dual labeled probes www.biosearchtech.com Integrated DNA technologies Oligos and dual labeled probes www.idtdna.com Operon Oligos and dual labeled probes www.operon.com
Acta Microbiologica Polonica, Feb 1, 2003
Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that causes rare but frequently fatal infecti... more Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that causes rare but frequently fatal infections, termed listerioses. In general, strains of L. monocytogenes are susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics, except for the cephalosporins, fluorochinolones and fosfomycin (H o f, 1991). The current therapy of choice is a combination of ampicillin and aminoglycoside, usually gentamicin (L o r b e r, 1997). In cases when it is not possible to use a beta-lactam antibiotic, second-choice therapy involves the use of an association of trimethoprim with a sulfonamide, such as in co-trimoxazole, in which the more active in the combination seems trimethoprim, synergized by the sulfa compound. Other second line agents for listeriosis include erythromycin and vancomycin (T e m p l e and N a h a t a, 2000). The first strains of L. monocytogenes resistant to antibiotics were reported in 1988 (P o y a r t-S a l m e r o n et al. 1990) The present paper reviews the current state of affairs with regard to the resistance of L. monocytogenes isolated from food products and clinical material to different antibiotics, with particular emphasis on those used in the therapy of listeriosis.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1990
Polish Journal of Microbiology Polskie Towarzystwo Mikrobiologow the Polish Society of Microbiologists, Feb 1, 2006
The susceptibility of 96 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food to antibiotics and ... more The susceptibility of 96 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food to antibiotics and disinfectants currently used in human therapy, veterinary, medicine and food industry was determined by a standard operating procedure--broth dilution method. Antimicrobial agents included the beta-lactams ampicillin and penicillin, the lantibiotic nisin, and the disinfectants benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine gluconate. Among the studied strains we found 13 strains with 8-fold, 7 strains with 16-fold and 2 strains with 32-fold decreased susceptibility to ampicillin, as determined by MIC, compared to wild type reference strain. Interestingly, the mentioned strains were isolated from frozen vegetables and soups, none of the isolates from dairy products showed any elevated resistance to the studied antimicrobial agents. The occurrence in food products of strains with increased resistance to ampicillin is disquieting, especially since 3-lactams are the most frequent antibiotic of choice in the therapy of infections caused by the pathogen.
Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2015
Intrinsic resistance to antibiotics is a serious therapeutic problem in the case of many bacteria... more Intrinsic resistance to antibiotics is a serious therapeutic problem in the case of many bacterial species. The Gram-positive human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is intrinsically resistant to broad spectrum cephalosporin antibiotics, which are commonly used in therapy of bacterial infections. Besides three penicillin-binding proteins the intrinsic cephalosporin resistome of L. monocytogenes includes multidrug resistance transporter transporters, proteins involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis and modification, cell envelope proteins with structural or general detoxification function, cytoplasmic proteins with unknown function and regulatory proteins. Analysis of the regulation of the expression of genes involved in the intrinsic resistance of L. monocytogenes to cephalosporins highlights the high complexity of control of the intrinsic resistance phenotype. The regulation of the transcription of the intrinsic resistome determinants involves the activity of eight regulators, namely LisR, CesR, LiaR, VirR, r B , r H , r L and PrfA, of which the most prominent role play LisR, CesR and r B. Furthermore, the vast majority of the intrinsic resistome determinants contribute to the tolerance of different stress conditions and virulence. A study indicates that O-acetyltransferase OatA is the most promising candidate for co-drug development since an agent targeting OatA should sensitize L. monocytogenes to certain antibiotics, therefore improving the efficacy of listeriosis treatment as well as food preservation measures.
Acta microbiologica Polonica
Acta microbiologica Polonica
Infection and Immunity
Streptococcus pneumoniae undergoes phase variation in colony morphology, which has been implicate... more Streptococcus pneumoniae undergoes phase variation in colony morphology, which has been implicated as a factor in the pathogenesis of pneumococcal disease. Phenotypic differences between opaque and transparent colony forms correlate with differences in rates of autolysis. This study examined whether differences in autolysis are caused by differences in expression of the major amidase, LytA, or the structure of its peptidoglycan substrate. No significant difference was detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis of stem peptides released after treatment of purified peptidoglycan with amidase. Differences in the rate of digestion of purified cell walls, furthermore, did not correlate with susceptibility to autolysis. Lower levels of autolysis in opaque variants, however, was associated with decreased levels of immunodetectable LytA on colony immunoblots and Western blots (immunoblots). Diminished cell-surface-associated LytA in opaque variants was also demonstrated by who...
Acta microbiologica Polonica
The amino acid and muropeptide compositions of murein (peptidoglycan) isolated from populations o... more The amino acid and muropeptide compositions of murein (peptidoglycan) isolated from populations of Caulobacter crescentus predominantly composed of swarmer or stalked cells were determined and compared with the structure of murein sacculi obtained from a population of unsegregated cells. It appears that in spite of vast morphological alterations in the course of the cell cycle, the murein composition of the various cell types is not markedly different.
Acta microbiologica Polonica
Physiological conditions that could provide maximal rates of autolysis of Listeria monocytogenes ... more Physiological conditions that could provide maximal rates of autolysis of Listeria monocytogenes were examined. L. monocytogenes was found to be refractory to most treatments that promote rapid autolysis in other bacteria. Best rates of autolysis were obtained after resuspending the cells in Tris-hydrochloride buffer at 37 degrees C with the pH optimum at 8.0. Autolysis was also efficiently promoted by the surfactant Triton X-100. Antibiotics that interfere with the biosynthesis of the cell wall murein (peptidoglycan) caused death of the cells without autolysis after prolonged incubation in the presence of the drug. Only nisin, which has been shown to bind in vitro to the murein precursors lipid I and lipid II brings about autolysis of L. monocytogenes cells, although with slower kinetics than in the case of Tris-HCl and Triton.
Medycyna doświadczalna i mikrobiologia
Whole cells or isolated membranes of Streptococcus pneumoniae were treated with labelled benzyl p... more Whole cells or isolated membranes of Streptococcus pneumoniae were treated with labelled benzyl penicillin and the penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) were visualized by fluorography after SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The PBP profiles obtained for strains sensitive and resistant to penicillin strongly differed depending not only on the concentrations of acrylamide and bis-acrylamide used in the separating gel but also on the batch used (different manufacturers). The latter was also true for sodium dodecyl sulfate.
Acta microbiologica Polonica, 1983
Emerging Contaminants and Associated Treatment Technologies
Research in Microbiology
Purified murein from Thiobacillus neapolitanus was poorly digested by lysozyme. It's sensitivity ... more Purified murein from Thiobacillus neapolitanus was poorly digested by lysozyme. It's sensitivity to the enzyme greatly increased after N-acetylation. The murein was found to contain 30 to 35% glucosamine residues lacking N-acetyl groups. It also contained phosphomuramic acid. Further modifications included amidation of diaminopimelic acid in the peptide side chains and a low alanine content. None of these modifications were found in the murein of another sulphur bacterium, Thiobacillus versutus.
Polish Journal of Microbiology Polskie Towarzystwo Mikrobiologow the Polish Society of Microbiologists, Feb 1, 2004
The presented studies embraced samples of wood chips from coniferous trees which contained layers... more The presented studies embraced samples of wood chips from coniferous trees which contained layers of duramen, alburnum and bark. Microbiological analysis involved qualitative and quantitative determination of bacterial flora inhabiting the studied wood material. The wood chips were found to contain primarily species belonging to the genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas. The presence of the potentially pathogenic species Bacillus cereus 1, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Aeromonas salmonicida and Chryseomonas luteola was also demonstrated.
Acta Microbiologica Polonica, Feb 1, 2003
The introduction of real-time PCR technology has significantly improved and simplified the quanti... more The introduction of real-time PCR technology has significantly improved and simplified the quantification of nucleic acids, and this technology has become an invaluable tool for many scientists working in different disciplines. Particularly in the field of molecular diagnostics and genotyping, real-time PCR-based assays have gained favour in the recent past. Rapid real-time PCR diagnosis can result in appropriate control measures and eradication procedures in a faster and more accurate way than traditional methods based on pathogen isolation. Real-time quantitative PCR represents a highly sensitive and powerful technique for the gel-free detection of nucleic acids. In this review, the main chemistries used for the detection of PCR product during real-time PCR, as well as advantages and limitations of real-time PCR will be depicted. Furthermore, the existing literature as it applies to plant pathogens detection in the routine and research laboratory will be reviewed in order to focus on one of the many areas in which the application of real-time PCR has provided significant methodological benefits. K e y w o r d s: Molecular identification, conventional PCR, real-time PCR, DNA probes, diagnosis * Formerly the 7700 taqman listserve that existed at Northwestern University Applied Biosystems Q-PCR equipment and reagents www.appliedbiosystems.com Applied Biosystems User bulletin #2 http://docs.appliedbiosystems.com/search Biosearch Technologies Oligos and dual labeled probes www.biosearchtech.com Integrated DNA technologies Oligos and dual labeled probes www.idtdna.com Operon Oligos and dual labeled probes www.operon.com
Acta Microbiologica Polonica, Feb 1, 2003
Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that causes rare but frequently fatal infecti... more Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that causes rare but frequently fatal infections, termed listerioses. In general, strains of L. monocytogenes are susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics, except for the cephalosporins, fluorochinolones and fosfomycin (H o f, 1991). The current therapy of choice is a combination of ampicillin and aminoglycoside, usually gentamicin (L o r b e r, 1997). In cases when it is not possible to use a beta-lactam antibiotic, second-choice therapy involves the use of an association of trimethoprim with a sulfonamide, such as in co-trimoxazole, in which the more active in the combination seems trimethoprim, synergized by the sulfa compound. Other second line agents for listeriosis include erythromycin and vancomycin (T e m p l e and N a h a t a, 2000). The first strains of L. monocytogenes resistant to antibiotics were reported in 1988 (P o y a r t-S a l m e r o n et al. 1990) The present paper reviews the current state of affairs with regard to the resistance of L. monocytogenes isolated from food products and clinical material to different antibiotics, with particular emphasis on those used in the therapy of listeriosis.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1990
Polish Journal of Microbiology Polskie Towarzystwo Mikrobiologow the Polish Society of Microbiologists, Feb 1, 2006
The susceptibility of 96 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food to antibiotics and ... more The susceptibility of 96 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food to antibiotics and disinfectants currently used in human therapy, veterinary, medicine and food industry was determined by a standard operating procedure--broth dilution method. Antimicrobial agents included the beta-lactams ampicillin and penicillin, the lantibiotic nisin, and the disinfectants benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine gluconate. Among the studied strains we found 13 strains with 8-fold, 7 strains with 16-fold and 2 strains with 32-fold decreased susceptibility to ampicillin, as determined by MIC, compared to wild type reference strain. Interestingly, the mentioned strains were isolated from frozen vegetables and soups, none of the isolates from dairy products showed any elevated resistance to the studied antimicrobial agents. The occurrence in food products of strains with increased resistance to ampicillin is disquieting, especially since 3-lactams are the most frequent antibiotic of choice in the therapy of infections caused by the pathogen.
Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2015
Intrinsic resistance to antibiotics is a serious therapeutic problem in the case of many bacteria... more Intrinsic resistance to antibiotics is a serious therapeutic problem in the case of many bacterial species. The Gram-positive human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is intrinsically resistant to broad spectrum cephalosporin antibiotics, which are commonly used in therapy of bacterial infections. Besides three penicillin-binding proteins the intrinsic cephalosporin resistome of L. monocytogenes includes multidrug resistance transporter transporters, proteins involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis and modification, cell envelope proteins with structural or general detoxification function, cytoplasmic proteins with unknown function and regulatory proteins. Analysis of the regulation of the expression of genes involved in the intrinsic resistance of L. monocytogenes to cephalosporins highlights the high complexity of control of the intrinsic resistance phenotype. The regulation of the transcription of the intrinsic resistome determinants involves the activity of eight regulators, namely LisR, CesR, LiaR, VirR, r B , r H , r L and PrfA, of which the most prominent role play LisR, CesR and r B. Furthermore, the vast majority of the intrinsic resistome determinants contribute to the tolerance of different stress conditions and virulence. A study indicates that O-acetyltransferase OatA is the most promising candidate for co-drug development since an agent targeting OatA should sensitize L. monocytogenes to certain antibiotics, therefore improving the efficacy of listeriosis treatment as well as food preservation measures.
Acta microbiologica Polonica
Acta microbiologica Polonica
Infection and Immunity
Streptococcus pneumoniae undergoes phase variation in colony morphology, which has been implicate... more Streptococcus pneumoniae undergoes phase variation in colony morphology, which has been implicated as a factor in the pathogenesis of pneumococcal disease. Phenotypic differences between opaque and transparent colony forms correlate with differences in rates of autolysis. This study examined whether differences in autolysis are caused by differences in expression of the major amidase, LytA, or the structure of its peptidoglycan substrate. No significant difference was detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis of stem peptides released after treatment of purified peptidoglycan with amidase. Differences in the rate of digestion of purified cell walls, furthermore, did not correlate with susceptibility to autolysis. Lower levels of autolysis in opaque variants, however, was associated with decreased levels of immunodetectable LytA on colony immunoblots and Western blots (immunoblots). Diminished cell-surface-associated LytA in opaque variants was also demonstrated by who...
Acta microbiologica Polonica
The amino acid and muropeptide compositions of murein (peptidoglycan) isolated from populations o... more The amino acid and muropeptide compositions of murein (peptidoglycan) isolated from populations of Caulobacter crescentus predominantly composed of swarmer or stalked cells were determined and compared with the structure of murein sacculi obtained from a population of unsegregated cells. It appears that in spite of vast morphological alterations in the course of the cell cycle, the murein composition of the various cell types is not markedly different.
Acta microbiologica Polonica
Physiological conditions that could provide maximal rates of autolysis of Listeria monocytogenes ... more Physiological conditions that could provide maximal rates of autolysis of Listeria monocytogenes were examined. L. monocytogenes was found to be refractory to most treatments that promote rapid autolysis in other bacteria. Best rates of autolysis were obtained after resuspending the cells in Tris-hydrochloride buffer at 37 degrees C with the pH optimum at 8.0. Autolysis was also efficiently promoted by the surfactant Triton X-100. Antibiotics that interfere with the biosynthesis of the cell wall murein (peptidoglycan) caused death of the cells without autolysis after prolonged incubation in the presence of the drug. Only nisin, which has been shown to bind in vitro to the murein precursors lipid I and lipid II brings about autolysis of L. monocytogenes cells, although with slower kinetics than in the case of Tris-HCl and Triton.
Medycyna doświadczalna i mikrobiologia
Whole cells or isolated membranes of Streptococcus pneumoniae were treated with labelled benzyl p... more Whole cells or isolated membranes of Streptococcus pneumoniae were treated with labelled benzyl penicillin and the penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) were visualized by fluorography after SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The PBP profiles obtained for strains sensitive and resistant to penicillin strongly differed depending not only on the concentrations of acrylamide and bis-acrylamide used in the separating gel but also on the batch used (different manufacturers). The latter was also true for sodium dodecyl sulfate.
Acta microbiologica Polonica, 1983