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Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research
Research Guide
What is Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research?
Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research is the study of taxonomy, molecular characterization, genomic analysis, virulence factors, biofilm formation, epidemiology, and food safety aspects of Cronobacter sakazakii and related Enterobacteriaceae, particularly in the context of neonatal infections linked to infant formula.
This field encompasses 27,462 published works focused on bacterial pathogens like Cronobacter sakazakii within the Enterobacteriaceae family. Research addresses outbreak investigation, strain typing via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and plasmid DNA extraction methods essential for genomic studies. Key techniques include alkaline lysis for plasmid screening and nucleic acid purification protocols adapted for bacterial analysis.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Cronobacter sakazakii Genomic Analysis
Researchers in this sub-topic perform whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and phylogenomic studies of Cronobacter sakazakii strains from diverse sources. They investigate genetic diversity, plasmid content, and mobile genetic elements contributing to pathogenicity and persistence.
Cronobacter sakazakii Virulence Factors
This sub-topic examines bacterial adhesins, toxins, secretion systems, and iron acquisition mechanisms that facilitate Cronobacter sakazakii invasion of neonatal intestinal epithelium and blood-brain barrier crossing. Studies use mutagenesis and infection models to quantify virulence contributions.
Cronobacter sakazakii Biofilm Formation
Researchers investigate quorum sensing, extracellular matrix components, and surface attachment strategies enabling Cronobacter sakazakii biofilms in powdered infant formula processing equipment. They test anti-biofilm agents and environmental stressors affecting biofilm resilience.
Cronobacter sakazakii Detection Methods
This area develops PCR-based, chromogenic media, and biosensor assays for rapid, specific detection of Cronobacter sakazakii in powdered and reconstituted infant formula. Validation studies compare method sensitivities against official standards.
Cronobacter sakazakii Epidemiology Outbreaks
Epidemiologists analyze global case clusters, strain subtyping via PFGE/MLST, and source attribution linking clinical isolates to contaminated infant formula batches. They model transmission dynamics and risk factors in neonatal intensive care settings.
Why It Matters
Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research supports food safety by characterizing Cronobacter sakazakii contamination in infant formula, which causes severe neonatal infections. Tenover et al. (1995) in "Interpreting chromosomal DNA restriction patterns produced by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis: criteria for bacterial strain typing" established criteria for strain typing that enable epidemiological tracking of outbreaks, as used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Edwards and Ewing (1972) in "Identification of Enterobacteriaceae" provides foundational methods for distinguishing these pathogens in clinical and food samples, directly impacting public health responses to infections. Birnboim and Doly (1979) in "A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinant plasmid DNA" facilitates virulence factor analysis through efficient plasmid isolation from Enterobacteriaceae, aiding in the development of detection protocols for contaminated products.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Identification of Enterobacteriaceae." by Edwards and Ewing (1972) provides foundational identification methods essential for understanding taxonomy before advancing to molecular techniques.
Key Papers Explained
Birnboim and Doly (1979) in "A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinant plasmid DNA" establishes plasmid isolation basics, which Tenover et al. (1995) in "Interpreting chromosomal DNA restriction patterns produced by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis: criteria for bacterial strain typing" builds upon for chromosomal typing in epidemiology. Boom et al. (1990) in "Rapid and simple method for purification of nucleic acids" extends nucleic acid handling, while Versalovic et al. (1991) in "Distribution of repetitive DNA sequences in eubacteria and application to finerpriting of bacterial enomes" applies repetitive elements for fingerprinting, connecting to Kado and Liu (1981) in "Rapid procedure for detection and isolation of large and small plasmids." Edwards and Ewing (1972) in "Identification of Enterobacteriaceae." anchors classical taxonomy.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Research applies established molecular tools like pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and plasmid extraction to Cronobacter sakazakii virulence and biofilms, with no recent preprints or news reported in the last six or twelve months.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinan... | 1979 | Nucleic Acids Research | 14.8K | ✓ |
| 2 | Interpreting chromosomal DNA restriction patterns produced by ... | 1995 | Journal of Clinical Mi... | 8.2K | ✓ |
| 3 | Rapid and simple method for purification of nucleic acids | 1990 | Journal of Clinical Mi... | 5.3K | ✓ |
| 4 | Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. | 1985 | Annals of Internal Med... | 4.9K | ✕ |
| 5 | Distribution of repetitive DNA sequences in eubacteria and app... | 1991 | Nucleic Acids Research | 3.2K | ✓ |
| 6 | Rapid procedure for detection and isolation of large and small... | 1981 | Journal of Bacteriology | 2.8K | ✓ |
| 7 | The Quantitative Measurement of DNA Hybridization from Renatur... | 1970 | European Journal of Bi... | 2.6K | ✓ |
| 8 | Manual of Methods for General Bacteriology | 1981 | Journal of Clinical Pa... | 2.4K | ✓ |
| 9 | Fluorescent-oligonucleotide probing of whole cells for determi... | 1990 | Journal of Bacteriology | 2.2K | ✓ |
| 10 | Identification of Enterobacteriaceae. | 1972 | — | 2.0K | ✕ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What methods are used for plasmid DNA extraction in Enterobacteriaceae research?
Birnboim and Doly (1979) describe a rapid alkaline extraction procedure in "A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinant plasmid DNA" that yields pure plasmid DNA from bacterial cells suitable for restriction enzyme digestion and gel electrophoresis analysis. This method processes 100 or more clones per day. It relies on alkaline lysis to separate plasmid DNA from chromosomal DNA.
How is bacterial strain typing performed in Cronobacter epidemiology?
Tenover et al. (1995) in "Interpreting chromosomal DNA restriction patterns produced by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis: criteria for bacterial strain typing" define criteria for analyzing pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns to distinguish bacterial strains. The approach from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports outbreak investigations. It interprets restriction fragment differences to determine strain relatedness.
What techniques purify nucleic acids for Cronobacter genomic analysis?
Boom et al. (1990) in "Rapid and simple method for purification of nucleic acids" present a protocol using guanidinium thiocyanate for lysing cells and binding nucleic acids to silica particles. This method isolates DNA and RNA from bacterial samples like serum or urine equivalents. It inactivates nucleases for reliable small-scale purification.
How are Enterobacteriaceae identified in research?
Edwards and Ewing (1972) in "Identification of Enterobacteriaceae" outline standard procedures for distinguishing members of this family through biochemical tests and morphology. These methods form the basis for clinical and food safety identification. The manual supports accurate taxonomy in infection studies.
What role do repetitive DNA sequences play in bacterial fingerprinting?
Versalovic et al. (1991) in "Distribution of repetitive DNA sequences in eubacteria and application to finerpriting of bacterial enomes" use PCR amplification of repetitive elements for genome fingerprinting across eubacteria including Enterobacteriaceae. Consensus oligonucleotides enable slot blot hybridization for strain differentiation. This assesses evolutionary conservation in pathogens like Cronobacter.
What is the current scale of research in this area?
The field includes 27,462 works on Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter, centered on Cronobacter sakazakii infections from infant formula. Growth data over the past five years is not available. Studies emphasize virulence, biofilms, and food safety.
Open Research Questions
- ? How do pulsed-field gel electrophoresis criteria from Tenover et al. apply to tracking Cronobacter sakazakii outbreaks in infant formula?
- ? What adaptations of alkaline plasmid extraction improve detection of virulence plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae biofilms?
- ? Can repetitive DNA sequences identified by Versalovic et al. differentiate Cronobacter strains more effectively than existing taxonomy?
- ? How do nucleic acid purification methods enhance genomic analysis of neonatal infection sources?
- ? What gaps remain in linking chromosomal restriction patterns to Cronobacter epidemiology?
Recent Trends
The field maintains 27,462 works with no specified five-year growth rate; foundational papers like Tenover et al. with 8181 citations continue dominating strain typing for Enterobacteriaceae epidemiology.
1995No recent preprints from the last six months or news coverage in the past twelve months indicate steady reliance on methods from Birnboim and Doly (1979, 14848 citations) and Boom et al. (1990, 5266 citations) for genomic work on Cronobacter sakazakii.
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