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- Barocchi, M A, et al.
(author)
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A pneumococcal pilus influences virulence and host inflammatory responses
- 2006
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 103:8, s. 2857-2862
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality world-wide. The initial event in invasive pneumococcal disease is the attachment of encapsulated pneumococci to epithelial cells in the upper respiratory tract. This work provides evidence that initial bacterial adhesion and subsequent ability to cause invasive disease is enhanced by pili, long organelles able to extend beyond the polysaccharide capsule, previously unknown to exist in pneumococci. These adhesive pili-like appendages are encoded by the pneumococcal rlrA islet, present in some, but not all, clinical isolates. Introduction of the rlrA islet into an encapsulated rlrA-negative isolate allowed pilus expression, enhanced adherence to lung epithelial cells, and provided a competitive advantage upon mixed intranasal challenge of mice. Furthermore, a pilus-expressing rlrA islet-positive clinical isolate was more virulent than a nonpiliated deletion mutant, and it out-competed the mutant in murine models of colonization, pneumonia, and bacteremia. Additionally, piliated pneumococci evoked a higher TNF response during systemic infection, compared with nonpiliated derivatives, suggesting that pneumococcal pili not only contribute to adherence and virulence but also stimulate the host inflammatory response.
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- Blomberg, C, et al.
(author)
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Pattern of Accessory Regions and Invasive Disease Potential in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- 2009
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In: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1537-6613 .- 0022-1899. ; 199, s. 1032-1042
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. The invasive disease potential (IDP) of Streptococcus pneumoniae differs between serotypes, but the reason for this is unknown. Methods. A total of 47 pneumococcal isolates from 13 serotypes with different IDPs in humans that belonged to 37 multilocus sequence types were compared by whole genome microarrays and mutant analyses. Results. Approximately 34% of the genes were variable, including 95 genes previously shown by signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) to be required for invasive disease in mice. Many variable genes were localized to 41 accessory regions (ARs), of which 24 contained genes previously identified by STM as required for invasive disease. Only AR6 and AR34 were preferentially found in isolates of serotypes with high IDPs. Neither AR6, which carries a gene previously identified by STM as required for invasive disease and encodes a 6-phospho-beta glucosidase, nor the putative adhesin expressed by AR34 was required for mouse virulence in TIGR4. Conclusions. Pneumococci possess a repertoire of ARs that differ between clones and even between isolates of the same clone. The ARs required for invasive disease in humans may be redundant, as no unique pattern distinguished the most invasive clones from others. The ARs that contained genes previously identified by STM as required for virulence in mice were frequently absent from invasive human isolates. Only 1 AR (AR6) was present in almost all isolates from the serotypes with the highest IDP (1, 4, and 7F), whereas it was missing from many others.
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- Sjoestroem, K., et al.
(author)
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Clonal success of piliated penicillin nonsusceptible pneumococci
- 2007
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 104:31, s. 12907-12912
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Antibiotic resistance in pneumococci is due to the spread of strains belonging to a limited number of clones. The Spain(9v)-3 clone of sequence type (ST)156 is one of the most successful clones with reduced susceptibility to penicillin [pneumococci nonsusceptible to penicillin (PNSP)]. In Sweden during 2000-2003, a dramatic increase in the number of PNSP isolates was observed. Molecular characterization of these isolates showed that a single clone of sequence type ST156 increased from 40% to 80% of all serotype 14, thus causing the serotype expansion. Additionally, during the same time period, we examined the clonal composition of two serotypes 9V and 19F: all 9V and 20% of 19F isolates belonged to the clonal cluster of ST156, and overall approximate to 50% of all PNSP belonged to the ST156 clonal cluster. Moreover, microarray and PCR analysis showed that all ST156 isolates, irrespective of capsular type, carried the rlrA pilus islet. This islet was also found to be present in the penicillin-sensitive ST162 clone, which is believed to be the drug-susceptible ancestor of ST156. Competitive experiments between related ST156 serotype 19F strains confirmed that those containing the rlrA pilus islet were more successful in an animal model of carriage. We conclude that the pilus island is an important biological factor common to ST156 isolates and other successful PNSP clones. In Sweden, a country where the low antibiotic usage does not explain the spread of resistant strains, at least 70% of all PNSP isolates collected during year 2003 carried the pilus islet.
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- Öhlander, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Delineation and character of the Archaean-Proterozoic boundary in northern Sweden
- 1993
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In: Precambrian Research. - 0301-9268 .- 1872-7433. ; 64:1-4, s. 67-84
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Before the deposition of a Proterozoic cover and the repeated Proterozoic reworking of the older rocks, the presently exposed Archaean areas in northern Sweden formed part of a coherent craton. In the present study, we have used Sm---Nd isotopic analyses of Proterozoic granitoids and metavolcanics to delineate the Archaean palaeoboundary. In a regional context, the transition from strongly negative εNd(t) values in the northeast to positive values in the southwest is distinct, and approximately defines the border of the old craton. The Archaean palaeoboundary extends in a WNW direction, and is subparallel to the longitudinal axis of the Skellefte sulphide ore district but it is situated ≈ 100 km farther to the north. The ≈ 1.9 Ga old granitoids on the two sides of the palaeoboundary were all formed in compressional environments, but those situated to the north have higher contents of LILE and LREE at similar contents of Si. This indicates that they were generated in an area with thicker crust and supports the location of the Archaean-Proterozoic palaeoboundary. There is no simple correlation between the Archaean palaeoboundary, as defined by the isotopic results, and any of the major fracture systems as interpreted from regional geophysical measurements. Reflection seismic work indicates that juvenile volcanic-arc terrains to the south have been thrust onto the Archaean craton. Possible thrust faults have been identified from aeromagnetic measurements. Rifting of the Archaean craton created a passive margin ≈ 2.0 Ga ago. Spreading shifted to convergence with subduction beneath the Archaean continent ≈ 1.9 Ga ago. Subsequently, the resulting juvenile volcanic arc collided with the old continent, and the Archaean palaeoboundary as existing today was formed by a collision characterized by overthrusting. The boundary then was disturbed by later deformation predominantly along NNE-trending fracture systems.
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- Berthelsen, A., et al.
(author)
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Recording marine airgun shots at offsets between 300 and 700 km
- 1991
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In: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 18:4, s. 645-648
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper demonstrates that - under favorable conditions - by using multichannel recording and subsequent stacking of adjacent records marine airgun shots have been detected at offset distances up to 700 km, the maximum offset at which the authors attempted to record data.^Besides a powerful airgun array, a low noise environment at the recording site and the elimination of static shifts are the prerequisites to obtain refracted and reflected arrivals from the crust and upper mantle at such large offsets.^Primary arrivals detected at offsets between 400 and 700 km image the upper mantle from 70 to about 120 km depth.^Stacking of neighboring shots and/or receivers successfully increases the signal-to-noise ratio, if the traces have been corrected for offset differences, which requires knowledge of the apparent phase velocities.^The data presented here were collected in autumn 1989 during the BABEL Project on the Baltic Shield.
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