Éditeur(s) : Soc General Microbiology
Résumé : The Plasmodium falciparum kinome includes a family of four protein kinases (Pfnek-1 to -4) related to the NIMA (never-in-mitosis) family, members of which play important roles in mitosis and meiosis in eukaryotic cells. Only one of these, Pfnek-1, which we previously characterized at the biochemical level, is expressed in asexual parasites. The other three (Pfnek-2, -3 and -4) are expressed predominantly in gametocytes, and a role for nek-2 and nek-4 in meiosis has been documented. Here we show by reverse genetics that Pfnek-1 is required for completion of the asexual cycle in red blood cells and that its expression in gametocytes in detectable by immunofluorescence in male (but not in female) gametocytes, in contrast with Pfnek-2 and Pfnek-4. This indicates that the function of Pfnek-1 is non-redundant with those of the other members of the Pfnek family and identifies Pfnek-1 as a potential target for antimalarial chemotherapy. A medium-throughput screen of a small-molecule library provides proof of concept that recombinant Pfnek-1 can be used as a target in drug discovery.
Microbiology-sgm (1350-0872) (Soc General Microbiology), 2011-10 , Vol. 157 , P. 2785-2794

Droits : 2011 SGM Printed in Great Britain / This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00175/28578/26965.pdf
DOI:10.1099/mic.0.049023-0
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00175/28578/

Éditeur(s) : Wiley-blackwell
Résumé : Aims Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are industrially valuable molecules with numerous useful properties. This study describes the techniques used for the identification of a novel Vibrio bacterium and preliminary characterization of its EPS. Methods and Results Bioprospection in marine intertidal areas of New Caledonia followed by screening for EPS producing brought to selection of the isolate NC470. Phylogenetic analysis (biochemical tests, gene sequencing and DNADNA relatedness) permitted to identify NC470 as a new member of the Vibrio genus. The EPS was produced in batch fermentation, purified using the ultrafiltration process and analysed by colorimetry, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and HPLC-size exclusion chromatography. This EPS exhibits a high N-acetyl-hexosamines and uronic acid content with a low amount of neutral sugar. The molecular mass was 672x103Da. These data are relevant for possible technological exploitation. Conclusions We propose the name Vibrio neocaledonicus sp. nov for this isolate NC470, producing an EPS with an unusual sugar composition. Comparison with other known polymers permitted to select applications for this polymer. Significance and Impact of the Study This study contributes to evaluate the marine biodiversity of New Caledonia. It also highlights the biotechnological potential of New Caledonia marine bacteria.
Journal Of Applied Microbiology (1364-5072) (Wiley-blackwell), 2013-06 , Vol. 114 , N. 6 , P. 1702-1712

Droits : 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00144/25501/24036.pdf
DOI:10.1111/jam.12184
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00144/25501/