Les bactéries du genre Flavobacterium sont retrouvées dans des types d’habitats très divers. Ce genre contient trois espèces ichtyopathogènes : columnare, branchiophilum et psychrophilum qui est responsable de pertes économiques importantes pour l’élevage des salmonidés. Un projet de séquençage et de comparaison des génomes de plusieurs flavobactéries pathogènes de poissons ainsi qu’isolées de différents environnements a été mis en place pour améliorer les connaissances sur ce genre. Les objectifs étaient l’identification des déterminants de virulence et la caractérisation de différents marqueurs moléculaires des traits phénotypiques associés à leur mode de vie. L’analyse des génomes de F. psychrophilum a permis de mettre en évidence une diversité des structures chromosomiques au sein de l’espèce et d’identifier des cibles moléculaires prometteuses pour le développement de tests de diagnostic ainsi que des cibles vaccinales potentielles. Le génome de F. branchiophilum a permis d’identifier des mécanismes moléculaires de virulence originaux. Les caractéristiques du génome de F. indicum révèlent un mode de vie environnemental : sa petite taille et ses faibles capacités de dégradation des bio-polymères suggèrent que F. indicum est adapté à une niche écologique restreinte. Ces nouvelles données ont permis de caractériser in silico des marqueurs moléculaires de caractères phénotypiques. En particulier, un groupe de gènes (dnd) rare et responsable d’une modification étonnante de la molécule d’ADN a été décrit pour la première fois chez les Flavobacteriaceae. Ce projet a permis d’enrichir les connaissances sur les bactéries du genre Flavobacterium et a contribué au développement d’outils pour la santé animale. / Flavobacterium species occur in a wide range of habitats. This genus includes three fish-pathogenic species, namely F. columnare, F. branchiophilum and F. psychrophilum. The latter is responsible for serious economic losses for salmonids farming in France and worlwide. A comparative genomics project including several fish-pathogenic flavobacteria as well as various environmental species has been set up in order to improve the knowledge on this poorly studied genus. Our aims were the identification of virulence determinants associated with pathogenicity and the characterization of various molecular elements reflecting phenotypes associated with their life-style. Analysis of the genomes of several F. psychrophilum isolates revealed the diversity of chromosomal structures within the species and identified in silico promising molecular targets for the development of diagnostic tests as well as potential vaccines targets. Analysis of the F. branchiophilum genome enabled to identify particular molecular virulence mechanisms. The features of the F. indicum genome reflected its environmental lifestyle : its small size and its limited bio-polymers degrading abilities suggested that F. indicum is adapted to a quite narrow ecological niche. These new data have allowed the in silico identification of many molecular elements reflecting phenotypic traits. In particular, a rare gene cluster (dnd) responsible for an unusual DNA structure modification was described for the first time within members of the family Flavobacteriaceae. This project enriched the knowledge on Flavobacterium species and contributed to the development of tools for animal health.

Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv and Cons Biol) / The human population in sub-Saharan Africa has been increasing due to decreases in mortality rates and increases in average human age; in turn increasing poverty and pressure placed on agriculture and agricultural production. However, livestock production in South Africa, and globally, is declining due to disease and parasite prevalence, lack of feed, poor breeding, marketing management, change in nutrition in both livestock and humans, rapid urbanization, encroachment on wildlife and unfavourable climatic conditions brought about by global change. One unintended consequence has been the emergence and spread of transboundary animal diseases and, more specifically, the resurgence and emergence of zoonotic disease. Zoonotic diseases are sicknesses transmissible from animals to humans, resulting from direct contact or environmental reservoirs. Previous studies have identified small-scale farmers as the group most prevalent to contracting zoonotic diseases, especially those working in a communal dispensation. Therefore, this study focused on the communal farming area of Steinkopf in the semi-arid Namaqualand region of South Africa. Steinkopf is one of the largest Act 9 areas, with communal land tenure and a mixed farming system, sheep and goats, on about 759 ha. Steinkopf is divided into two rainfall regions, the Succulent Karoo (winter rainfall region) and the Nama Karoo (summer rainfall region). This study aims to identify and characterise the bacterial microbial communities found in the topsoil layer and faecal matter (dung) within the winter and summer rainfall regions of Steinkopf communal rangeland using Next-generation sequencing. Further, the aim is to assess whether pathogenic bacteria are present within the rangeland and what their potential impact on the local farming community might be if present. A high-throughput sequencing technique (Next-generation sequencing) was used to amplify 16S rRNA targeting the V3-V4 hypervariable regions. The phylotypes produced were 37 phyla, 353 families and 634 genera of which the most abundant bacterial phyla were Planctomycetes, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and the most abundant genera were Gemmata, Akkermansia and Arthrobacter. Alpha diversity indices showed a variation in species diversity, evenness and richness between soil and dung samples, it shows a higher species richness, evenness and unique OTUs detected in summer soil samples and at natural water holes. Through these analysis soil samples were regarded as superior to dung samples within this particular environment and for this particular study. Natural water holes were identified as a safer option when compared to man-made water holes as there are natural systems in place that combat the spread and growth of harmful bacterial microbes. It was found that seasonality has a great impact on the development and growth of environmental bacterial microbiota and that the current randomness of grazing routes and migrations within the Steinkopf communal rangeland is not a detriment but instead acts as a benefits to environmental and livestock health. Furthermore, a total of three pathogenic bacteria were identified however, they occurred at relatively low abundances. It can thus be concluded that this study thoroughly describes the usefulness of using a high-throughput sequencing technique such as Next-generation sequencing when amplifying a small sample size in order to achieve a large volume of information; and that currently the Steinkopf communal rangeland is not subjected to or at risk of a potential zoonotic threat.

Abstract not available

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Supervisor: Dr. Christian Baron. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-101).

Ball State University LibrariesLibrary services and resources for knowledge buildingMasters ThesesThere is no abstract available for this thesis.

The six major drainage basins of Indiana were sampled for Aeromonas hydrophila. Daring the summer of 1979 a statewide mean of 53 colony forming units (W u) per ml with a range of 0-383 was obtained using membrane filter techniques and Rimler-Shotts differential media. Density values were correlated with the following physico-chemical water quality parameters: temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity. Temperature showed the highest significant correlation when regressed with Gru, accounting for 25% of the variation during the statewide survey. Four sites on the White River, Delaware County, Indiana, were sampled biweekly, in the same manner as the statewide surrey, for cne year to determine seasonal variatic± in A:. hydrophila densities. The mean varied from a low of 2 CFC ml-1 in the winter months , a summer high in July of 205 CFU ml-1. No significant correlations could be found between CFU and water quality parameters during summer months. Antibiotic sensitivities were performed on 112 environmental isolates. All were resistant to ampicillin and carbenicillin and all but seven were resistant to cephalothin.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Ball State University LibrariesLibrary services and resources for knowledge buildingMasters ThesesThere is no abstract available for this thesis.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010. / Committee Chair: Patricia Sobecky; Committee Member: Eric Stabb; Committee Member: Jim Spain; Committee Member: Roger Wartell; Committee Member: Thomas DiChristina. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

The conditions by which the production, in liquid media, of hemolytic activity by growing cells of T. hyodysenteriae and T. innocens are described. / From a ribonucleic acid added culture broth of T. hyodysenteriae, two hemolysins are shown in the supernatant. For each of them, a purification scheme allowing the obtention of an homogeneous hemolytic preparation by gel filtration and electrophoresis, is proposed. One hemolysin is associated with ribonucleic acid (HN) while the later is associated with bovine serum albumin (HP). They share some properties: their synthesis is blocked by chloramphenicol, they do not have proteolytic or phospholipasic activities, they are insensitive to oxygen and their activity does not require bivalent cations or is sensitive to EDTA's action; they are lytic to all red blood cell's type tested. They differ by the size of their apparent molecular weight, their mode of action, the stability of their activity to temperature and different pH and, their pattern of sensitivity to proteolytic enzymes. / The isolation of a non-hemolytic mutant strain of T. hyodysenteriae and its use in a ligated ileal loop model in rabbit has shown that there is a relation between the loss of the hemolytic activity and the loss of the enterotoxic activity.