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2 "Momen Askoura"
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Research Article
Enoxacin adversely affects Salmonella enterica virulence and host pathogenesis through interference with type III secretion system type II (T3SS-II) and disruption of translocation of Salmonella Pathogenicity Island-2 (SPI2) effectors
El-Sayed Khafagy, Gamal A. Soliman, Maged S. Abdel-Kader, Mahmoud M. Bendary, Wael A. H. Hegazy, Momen Askoura
J. Microbiol. 2025;63(2):e2410015.   Published online February 27, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2410015
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AbstractAbstract PDF
Salmonella enterica is a clinically significant oro-fecal pathogen that causes a wide variety of illnesses and can lead to epidemics. S. enterica expresses a lot of virulence factors that enhance its pathogenesis in host. For instance, S. enterica employs a type three secretion system (T3SS) to translocate a wide array of effector proteins that could change the surrounding niche ensuring suitable conditions for the thrive of Salmonella infection. Many antimicrobials have been recently introduced to overcome the annoying bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Enoxacin is member of the second-generation quinolones that possesses a considerable activity against S. enterica. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of enoxacin at sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) on S. enterica virulence capability and pathogenesis in host. Enoxacin at sub-MIC significantly diminished both Salmonella invasion and intracellular replication within the host cells. The observed inhibitory effect of enoxacin on S. enterica internalization could be attributed to its ability to interfere with translocation of the T3SS effector proteins. These results were further confirmed by the finding that enoxacin at sub-MIC down-regulated the expression of the genes encoding for T3SS-type II (T3SS-II). Moreover, enoxacin at sub-MIC lessened bacterial adhesion to abiotic surface and biofilm formation which indicates a potential anti-virulence activity. Importantly, in vivo results showed a significant ability of enoxacin to protect mice against S. enterica infection and decreased bacterial colonization within animal tissues. In nutshell, current findings shed light on an additional mechanism of enoxacin at sub-MIC by interfering with Salmonella intracellular replication. The outcomes presented herein could be further invested in conquering bacterial resistance and open the door for additional effective clinical applications.
Journal Article
Characterization and Comparative Genomic Analysis of vB_BceM_CEP1: A Novel Temperate Bacteriophage Infecting Burkholderia cepacia Complex
Momen Askoura, Eslam K Fahmy, Safya E Esmaeel, Wael A H Hegazy, Aliaa Abdelghafar
J. Microbiol. 2024;62(11):1035-1055.   Published online November 18, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00185-2
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AbstractAbstract
The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria imminently threatens public health and jeopardizes nearly all aspects of modern medicine. The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) comprises Burkholderia cepacia and the related species of Gram-negative bacteria. Members of the Bcc group are opportunistic pathogens responsible for various chronic illnesses, including cystic fibrosis and chronic granulomatous disease. Phage therapy is emerging as a potential solution to combat the antimicrobial resistance crisis. In this study, a temperate phage vB_BceM_CEP1 was isolated from sewage and fully characterized. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that vB_BceM_CEP1 belongs to the family Peduoviridae. The isolated phage demonstrated enhanced environmental stability and antibiofilm potential. One-step growth analysis revealed a latent period of 30 min and an average burst size of 139 plaque-forming units per cell. The genome of vB_BceM_CEP1 consists of 32,486 bp with a GC content of 62.05%. A total of 40 open reading frames were annotated in the phage genome, and none of the predicted genes was annotated as tRNA. Notably, genes associated with antibiotic resistance, host virulence factors, and toxins were absent from the vB_BceM_CEP1 genome. Based on its unique phenotype and phylogeny, the isolated phage vB_BceM_CEP1 is classified as a new temperate phage with lytic activity. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the diversity of Bcc phages.

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