1. One-step RT-droplet digital PCR : a breakthrough in the quantification of waterborne RNA virusesNejc Rački, Dany Morisset, Ion Gutiérrez-Aguirre, Maja Ravnikar, 2014, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Water contamination by viruses has an increasing worldwide impact on human health, and has led to requirements for accurate and quantitative molecular tools. Here, we report the first one-step reverse-transcription droplet digital PCR-based absolute quantification of a RNA virus (rotavirus) in different types of surface water samples. This quantification method proved to be more precise and more tolerant to inhibitory substances than the benchmarking reverse-transcription real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), and needs no standard curve. This new tool is fully amenable for the quantification of viruses in the particularly low concentrations usually found in water samples.
Ključne besede: waterborne virus, quantification, droplet digital PCR, real-time PCR, digital PCR Objavljeno v DiRROS: 04.03.2025; Ogledov: 351; Prenosov: 198
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2. Reverse transcriptase droplet digital PCR shows high resilience to PCR inhibitors from plant, soil and water samplesNejc Rački, Tanja Dreo, Ion Gutiérrez-Aguirre, Andrej Blejec, Maja Ravnikar, 2014, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background
Detection and quantification of plant pathogens in the presence of inhibitory substances can be a challenge especially with plant and environmental samples. Real-time quantitative PCR has enabled high-throughput detection and quantification of pathogens; however, its quantitative use is linked to standardized reference materials, and its sensitivity to inhibitors can lead to lower quantification accuracy. Droplet digital PCR has been proposed as a method to overcome these drawbacks. Its absolute quantification does not rely on standards and its tolerance to inhibitors has been demonstrated mostly in clinical samples. Such features would be of great use in agricultural and environmental fields, therefore our study compared the performance of droplet digital PCR method when challenged with inhibitors common to plant and environmental samples and compared it with quantitative PCR.
Results
Transfer of an existing Pepper mild mottle virus assay from reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR to reverse transcription droplet digital PCR was straight forward. When challenged with complex matrices (seeds, plants, soil, wastewater) and selected purified inhibitors droplet digital PCR showed higher resilience to inhibition for the quantification of an RNA virus (Pepper mild mottle virus), compared to reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR.
Conclusions
This study confirms the improved detection and quantification of the PMMoV RT-ddPCR in the presence of inhibitors that are commonly found in samples of seeds, plant material, soil, and wastewater. Together with absolute quantification, independent of standard reference materials, this makes droplet digital PCR a valuable tool for detection and quantification of pathogens in inhibition prone samples. Ključne besede: PCR amplification, inhibition, qPCR, droplet digital PCR, environmental samples Objavljeno v DiRROS: 02.08.2024; Ogledov: 603; Prenosov: 332
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3. Methacrylate monolith chromatography as a tool for waterborne virus removalNejc Rački, Petra Kramberger, Andrej Steyer, Jernej Gašperšič, Aleš Štrancar, Maja Ravnikar, Ion Gutiérrez-Aguirre, 2015, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Enteric viruses are commonly present in environmental waters and represent the major cause of waterborne infections and outbreaks. Since traditional wastewater treatments fail to remove enteric viruses in the water purification process, they are released daily into environmental waters. Monolithic supports have enabled chromatography to enter the field of virology. They have been successfully used in virus purification and concentration. In this work quaternary amine (QA) methacrylate monoliths were exploited to remove enteric viruses from wastewater treatment plant effluent. Expectedly, chromatographic processing of such a complex medium was troublesome, even for monoliths, characterized by extremely large pore dimensions. This problem was solved by introducing a pre-step chromatography using hydroxyl (OH) methacrylate monoliths. This way, molecules, that would hinder virus binding to the anion-exchanger monolith, were removed. As a result, the OH pre-column reduced backpressure increase on the subsequent anion-exchanger column, and increased both QA column binding capacity and life time. Wastewater effluent samples were successfully purified from five waterborne enteric viruses (rotavirus, norovirus genogroup I and II, astrovirus, sapovirus), below the detection limit of RT-qPCR. The breakthrough of the rotavirus binding capacity was not reached for concentrations that significantly exceeded those expected in effluent waters. The obtained results confirm that methacrylate monoliths can be a valuable tool for simultaneous removal of different waterborne viruses from contaminated water sources. Ključne besede: monolith chromatography, waterborne, virus, removal, wastewater, qPCR Objavljeno v DiRROS: 26.07.2024; Ogledov: 698; Prenosov: 334
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4. Enhanced detection of pathogenic enteric viruses in coastal marine environment by concentration using methacrylate monolithic chromatographic supports paired with quantitative PCRMukundh Narayanan Balasubramanian, Nejc Rački, José Gonçalves, Katarina Kovač, Magda Tušek-Žnidarič, Valentina Turk, Maja Ravnikar, Ion Gutiérrez-Aguirre, 2016, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Currently, around 50% of the world's population lives in towns and cities within 100 km of the coast. Monitoring of viruses that are frequently present in contaminated coastal environments, such as rotavirus (RoV) and norovirus (NoV), which are also the major cause of human viral gastroenteritis, is essential to ensure the safe use of these water bodies. Since exposure to as few as 10–100 particles of RoV or NoV may induce gastrointestinal disease, there is a need to develop a rapid and sensitive diagnostic method for their detection in coastal water samples. In this study, we evaluate the application of methacrylate monolithic chromatographic columns, commercially available as convective interaction media (CIM®), to concentrate pathogenic enteric viruses from saline water samples prior to virus quantification by one-step reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Using RoV and NoV as model enteric viruses, we present our results on the most effective viral concentration conditions from saline water matrices using butyl (C4) hydrophobic interaction monolithic support (CIM® C4). C4 monolithic columns exhibit a good capacity to bind both RoV and NoV and both viruses can be eluted in a single step. Our protocol using a 1 ml C4 column enables processing of 400 ml saline water samples in less than 60 min and increases the sensitivity of RoV and NoV detection by approximately 50-fold and 10-fold respectively. The protocol was also scaled up using larger capacity 8 ml C4 columns to process 4000 ml of seawater samples with concentration factors of 300-fold for RoV and 40-fold for NoV, without any significant increase in processing time. Furthermore, C4 monolithic columns were adapted for field use in an on-site application of RoV concentration from seawater samples with performance equivalent to that of the reference laboratory setup. Overall, the results from successful deployment of CIM C4 columns for concentration of rotavirus and norovirus in seawater samples reiterate the utility of monolithic supports as efficient, scalable and modular preparative tools for processing environmental water samples to enhance viral detection using molecular methods. Ključne besede: rotavirus, norovirus, seawater, fecal contamination, qPCR, sewage Objavljeno v DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Ogledov: 726; Prenosov: 323
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5. Use of hydrodynamic cavitation in (waste)water treatmentMatevž Dular, Tjaša Griessler Bulc, Ion Gutiérrez-Aguirre, Ester Heath, Tina Kosjek, Aleksandra Krivograd-Klemenčič, Martina Oder, Martin Petkovšek, Nejc Rački, Maja Ravnikar, Andrej Šarc, Brane Širok, Mojca Zupanc, Miha Žitnik, Boris Kompare, 2016, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: The use of acoustic cavitation for water and wastewater treatment (cleaning) is a well known procedure. Yet, the use of hydrodynamic cavitation as a sole technique or in combination with other techniques such as ultrasound has only recently been suggested and employed.
In the first part of this paper a general overview of techniques that employ hydrodynamic cavitation for cleaning of water and wastewater is presented.
In the second part of the paper the focus is on our own most recent work using hydrodynamic cavitation for removal of pharmaceuticals (clofibric acid, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, carbamazepine), toxic cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa), green microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris), bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) and viruses (Rotavirus) from water and wastewater.
As will be shown, hydrodynamic cavitation, like acoustic, can manifest itself in many different forms each having its own distinctive properties and mechanisms. This was until now neglected, which eventually led to poor performance of the technique. We will show that a different type of hydrodynamic cavitation (different removal mechanism) is required for successful removal of different pollutants.
The path to use hydrodynamic cavitation as a routine water cleaning method is still long, but recent results have already shown great potential for optimisation, which could lead to a low energy tool for water and wastewater cleaning. Ključne besede: wastewater, cleaning, hydrodynamic cavitation, pharmaceuticals, cyanobacteria, microalgae, viruses, Legionella bacteria Objavljeno v DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Ogledov: 624; Prenosov: 354
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6. Newly isolated bacteriophages from the Podoviridae, Siphoviridae, and Myoviridae families have variable effects on putative novel Dickeya spp.Špela Alič, Tina Mikuletič, Magda Tušek-Žnidarič, Maja Ravnikar, Nejc Rački, Matjaž Peterka, Tanja Dreo, 2017, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Soft rot pathogenic bacteria from the genus Dickeya cause severe economic losses in orchid nurseries worldwide, and there is no effective control currently available. In the last decade, the genus Dickeya has undergone multiple changes as multiple new taxa have been described, and just recently a new putative Dickeya species was reported. This study reports the isolation of three bacteriophages active against putative novel Dickeya spp. isolates from commercially produced infected orchids that show variable host-range profiles. Bacteriophages were isolated through enrichment from Dickeya-infected orchid tissue. Convective interaction media monolith chromatography was used to isolate bacteriophages from wastewaters, demonstrating its suitability for the isolation of infective bacteriophages from natural sources. Based on bacteriophage morphology, all isolated bacteriophages were classified as being in the order Caudovirales, belonging to three different families, Podoviridae, Myoviridae, and Siphoviridae. The presence of three different groups of bacteriophages was confirmed by analyzing the bacteriophage specificity of bacterial hosts, restriction fragment length polymorphism and plaque morphology. Bacteriophage BF25/12, the first reported Podoviridae bacteriophage effective against Dickeya spp., was selected for further characterization. Its genome sequence determined by next-generation sequencing showed limited similarity to other characterized Podoviridae bacteriophages. Interactions among the bacteriophages and Dickeya spp. were examined using transmission electron microscopy, which revealed degradation of electron-dense granules in response to bacteriophage infection in some Dickeya strains. The temperature stability of the chosen Podoviridae bacteriophage monitored over 1 year showed a substantial decrease in the survival of bacteriophages stored at -20∘C over longer periods. It showed susceptibility to low pH and UV radiation but was stable in neutral and alkaline pH. Furthermore, the stability of the tested bacteriophage was also connected to the incubation medium and bacteriophage concentration at certain pH values. Finally, the emergence of bacteriophage-resistant bacterial colonies is highly connected to the concentration of bacteriophages in the bacterial environment. This is the first report on bacteriophages against Dickeya from the Podoviridae family to expand on potential bacteriophages to include in bacteriophage cocktails as biocontrol agents. Some of these bacteriophage isolates also showed activity against Dickeya solani, an aggressive strain that causes the soft rot of potatoes, which indicates their broad potential as biocontrol agents. Ključne besede: bacteriophages, genome sequencing, resistance development, convective interaction media monolith chromatography Objavljeno v DiRROS: 25.07.2024; Ogledov: 689; Prenosov: 405
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7. Filling the gaps in diagnostics of Pepino mosaic virus and Potato spindle tuber viroid in water and tomato seeds and leavesNataša Mehle, Polona Kogovšek, Nejc Rački, Tjaša Jakomin, Ion Gutiérrez-Aguirre, Petra Kramberger, Maja Ravnikar, 2017, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Waterborne and seedborne Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) and Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) pose serious threats to tomato production due to seed transmission and mechanical transmission, coupled with their long-term stability outside the host plant. Therefore, rapid and sensitive diagnostic procedures are needed to prevent the spread of these quarantine pathogens. In particular, water and seed contamination are difficult to detect and confirm without efficient concentration methods. This study presents procedures that improve detection of PSTVd from tomato seeds and leaf tissue, and PepMV from water and tomato leaf tissue. For efficient concentration of PepMV from water samples, a procedure was optimized using convective interaction media monolithic chromatography columns, which provides concentration by three orders of magnitude. For concentration of PSTVd from seed extracts, an easy-to-use and efficient method was developed based on RNA binding to positively charged anion-exchange resin beads that provides up to 100-fold more sensitive detection in comparison with procedures without a concentration step. This thus allows confirmation of RT-qPCR results with sequencing of RT-PCR products in samples with low viroid levels. In addition, reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays for detection of PSTVd and PepMV were optimized and adapted to both laboratory and on-site testing requirements. This allows rapid detection of these pathogens in crude leaf homogenates, in under 30 min. These procedures of concentration and detection are shown to be efficient and to fill the gaps in diagnostics of PepMV and PSTVd, especially when these pathogens are present at low levels in difficult matrices such as water and seeds. Ključne besede: PSTVd, PepMV, seeds, water, concentration, loop-mediated isothermal amplification Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Ogledov: 700; Prenosov: 324
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