Luca Agostino Vitali

Bio: Luca Agostino Vitali is an academic researcher from University of Camerino. The author has contributed to research in topics: Essential oil & DPPH. The author has an hindex of 31, co-authored 91 publications receiving 2211 citations.

Late events of translation initiation in bacteria: a kinetic analysis

Abstract: Binding of the 50S ribosomal subunit to the 30S initiation complex and the subsequent transition from the initiation to the elongation phase up to the synthesis of the first peptide bond represent crucial steps in the translation pathway. The reactions that characterize these transitions were analyzed by quench‐flow and fluorescence stopped‐flow kinetic techniques. IF2‐dependent GTP hydrolysis was fast (30/s) followed by slow P i release from the complex (1.5/s). The latter step was rate limiting for subsequent A‐site binding of EF‐Tu·GTP·Phe‐tRNA Phe ternary complex. Most of the elemental rate constants of A‐site binding were similar to those measured on poly(U), with the notable exception of the formation of the first peptide bond which occurred at a rate of 0.2/s. Omission of GTP or its replacement with GDP had no effect, indicating that neither the adjustment of fMet‐tRNA fMet in the P site nor the release of IF2 from the ribosome required GTP hydrolysis.

Genetic Elements Carrying erm(B) in Streptococcus pyogenes and Association with tet(M) Tetracycline Resistance Gene

Abstract: This study was directed at characterizing the genetic elements carrying the methylase gene erm(B), encoding ribosome modification-mediated resistance to macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin B (MLS) antibiotics, in Streptococcus pyogenes. In this species, erm(B) is responsible for MLS resistance in constitutively resistant isolates (cMLS phenotype) and in a subset (iMLS-A) of inducibly resistant isolates. A total of 125 erm(B)-positive strains were investigated, 81 iMLS-A (uniformly tetracycline susceptible) and 44 cMLS (29 tetracycline resistant and 15 tetracycline susceptible). Whereas all tetracycline-resistant isolates carried the tet(M) gene, tet(M) sequences were also detected in most tetracycline-susceptible isolates (81/81 iMLS-A and 7/15 cMLS). In 2 of the 8 tet(M)-negative cMLS isolates, erm(B) was carried by a plasmid-located Tn917-like transposon. erm(B)- and tet(M)-positive isolates were tested by PCR for the presence of genes int (integrase), xis (excisase), and tndX (resolvase), associated with conjugative transposons of the Tn916 family. In mating experiments using representatives of different combinations of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics as donors, erm(B) and tet(M) were consistently cotransferred, suggesting their linkage in individual genetic elements. The linkage was confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and hybridization studies, and different elements, variably associated with the different phenotypes/genotypes, were detected and characterized by amplification and sequencing experiments. A previously unreported genetic organization, observed in all iMLS-A and some cMLS isolates, featured an erm(B)-containing DNA insertion into the tet(M) gene of a defective Tn5397, a Tn916-related transposon. This new element was designated Tn1116. Genetic elements not previously described in S. pyogenes also included Tn6002, an unpublished transposon whose complete sequence is available in GenBank, and Tn3872, a composite element resulting from the insertion of the Tn917 transposon into Tn916 [associated with a tet(M) gene expressed in some cMLS isolates and silent in others]. The high frequency of association between a tetracycline-susceptible phenotype and tet(M) genes suggests that transposons of the Tn916 family, so far typically associated solely with a tetracycline-resistant phenotype, may be more widespread in S. pyogenes than currently believed.

Transcriptome Remodeling Contributes to Epidemic Disease Caused by the Human Pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes

Abstract: For over a century, a fundamental objective in infection biology research has been to understand the molecular processes contributing to the origin and perpetuation of epidemics. Divergent hypotheses have emerged concerning the extent to which environmental events or pathogen evolution dominates in these processes. Remarkably few studies bear on this important issue. Based on population pathogenomic analysis of 1,200 Streptococcus pyogenes type emm89 infection isolates, we report that a series of horizontal gene transfer events produced a new pathogenic genotype with increased ability to cause infection, leading to an epidemic wave of disease on at least two continents. In the aggregate, these and other genetic changes substantially remodeled the transcriptomes of the evolved progeny, causing extensive differential expression of virulence genes and altered pathogen-host interaction, including enhanced immune evasion. Our findings delineate the precise molecular genetic changes that occurred and enhance our understanding of the evolutionary processes that contribute to the emergence and persistence of epidemically successful pathogen clones. The data have significant implications for understanding bacterial epidemics and for translational research efforts to blunt their detrimental effects. IMPORTANCE The confluence of studies of molecular events underlying pathogen strain emergence, evolutionary genetic processes mediating altered virulence, and epidemics is in its infancy. Although understanding these events is necessary to develop new or improved strategies to protect health, surprisingly few studies have addressed this issue, in particular, at the comprehensive population genomic level. Herein we establish that substantial remodeling of the transcriptome of the human-specific pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes by horizontal gene flow and other evolutionary genetic changes is a central factor in precipitating and perpetuating epidemic disease. The data unambiguously show that the key outcome of these molecular events is evolution of a new, more virulent pathogenic genotype. Our findings provide new understanding of epidemic disease.

New water-soluble polypyridine silver(I) derivatives of 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) with significant antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities

Abstract: The new series of silver(I) coordination polymers [Ag(N–N)(μ-PTA)]n(X)n (1, 2, 4–8, 10, 11) and discrete monomers [Ag(N–N)(PTA)2](X) (3, 9) {N–N = bpy (1–3), dtbpy (4), neocup (5, 6), phen (7–9), dione (10, 11); X = NO3 (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10), PF6 (2, 4, 6, 8, 11)} were generated by self-assembly reactions, in MeOH at ∼25 °C, of AgNO3 or AgPF6 with 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) and the corresponding polypyridines, namely 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy), 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine (dtbpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (neocup) and 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (dione). The compounds were obtained as air and light stable solids and characterized by IR, 1H and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy, ESI+-MS and elemental analyses. The crystal structure of 1 was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, revealing infinite one-dimensional (1D) linear chains driven by μ-PTA N,P-linkers. Apart from representing the first examples of the metal–PTA derivatives bearing polypyridine ligands, 1–11 also feature solubility in water (S25°C ≈ 4–18 mg mL−1). Selected compounds (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10) were thus tested for their biological properties and found to exhibit significant antibacterial and antifungal activities, screened in vitro against the standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus sanguinis, Staphylococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Furthermore, the compounds 5, 7, 9 and 10 show a pronounced antiproliferative activity against human malignant melanoma (A375), and the effects on the inhibition of tumor cells in vitro are in agreement with the DNA-binding studies.

Quantification of biofilm in microtiter plates: overview of testing conditions and practical recommendations for assessment of biofilm production by staphylococci.

Abstract: The details of all steps involved in the quantification of biofilm formation in microtiter plates are described. The presented protocol incorporates information on assessment of biofilm production by staphylococci, gained both by direct experience as well as by analysis of methods for assaying biofilm production. The obtained results should simplify quantification of biofilm formation in microtiter plates, and make it more reliable and comparable among different laboratories.

Efflux-Mediated Drug Resistance in Bacteria

Abstract: Drug efflux pumps play a key role in drug resistance and also serve other functions in bacteria. There has been a growing list of multidrug and drug-specific efflux pumps characterized from bacteria of human, animal, plant and environmental origins. These pumps are mostly encoded on the chromosome, although they can also be plasmid-encoded. A previous article in this journal provided a comprehensive review regarding efflux-mediated drug resistance in bacteria. In the past 5 years, significant progress has been achieved in further understanding of drug resistance-related efflux transporters and this review focuses on the latest studies in this field since 2003. This has been demonstrated in multiple aspects that include but are not limited to: further molecular and biochemical characterization of the known drug efflux pumps and identification of novel drug efflux pumps; structural elucidation of the transport mechanisms of drug transporters; regulatory mechanisms of drug efflux pumps; determining the role of the drug efflux pumps in other functions such as stress responses, virulence and cell communication; and development of efflux pump inhibitors. Overall, the multifaceted implications of drug efflux transporters warrant novel strategies to combat multidrug resistance in bacteria.