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We have synthesized and structurally characterized three tetra-(ptolyl)antimony(III)-containing heteropolytungstates, [{(p-tolyl)Sb III } 4 (A-α-XW 9 O 34 ) 2 ] n− [X = P V (1-P), As V (1-As), or Ge IV (1-Ge)], in aqueous solution using conventional, one-pot procedures. The polyanions 1-P, 1-As, and 1-Ge were fully characterized in the solid state and in solution and were shown to be soluble and stable in aqueous medium at pH 7. Biological studies demonstrated that all three polyanions possess significant antibacterial and antitumor activities. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of 1-P, 1-As, and 1-Ge were determined against four kinds of bacteria, including the two pathogenic bacteria strains, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus. The three novel polyanions also showed high cytotoxic potency in the human cell lines A549 (non-small cell lung cancer), CH1/ PA-1 (ovarian teratocarcinoma), and SW480 (colon carcinoma).

The potential spread of infectious diseases in response to climate change and rising sea surface temperatures in temperate regions has been a growing concern for the past several decades. Extreme heat waves in the North Atlantic and North Sea regions have been correlated with an increase in human Vibrio infections; of particular concern to human health are Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. While these species are well-known to cause disease in humans, most environmental strains are not pathogenic. Studying not only the behavior of the pathogenic strains, but that of non-pathogenic environmental isolates, may better elucidate their ecological relationship in their native microbiome and the dispersal of these species in coastal regions. Using red fluorescent protein-tagged and gentamycin-resistant V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus strains, we investigated whether increasing temperatures confer greater competitive fitness to these species when incubated within a natural North Sea water sample still containing its microbiome in a small-scale niche investigation. Increased incubation temperatures alone did not confer a competitive advantage to V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus. The microbial community could limit Vibrio growth at all temperatures. To the best of our knowledge, we also demonstrate the first (albeit unintentional) genetic modification of multiple species of marine bacteria through the introduction of a genetically modified V. vulnificus strain into a natural water sample in a contained system.

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World-wide increases in Vibrio-associated diseases have been reported in aquaculture and humans in co-occurrence with increased sea surface temperatures. Twelve species of Vibrio are known to cause disease in humans, but three species dominate the number of human infections world-wide: Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. Fluorescent protein (FP)-labelled bacteria have been used to make great progress through in situ studies of bacterial behavior in mixed cultures or within host tissues. Currently, FP-labelling methods specific for Vibrio species are still limited by time-consuming counterselection measures that require the use of modified media and temperatures below the optimal growth temperature of many Vibrio species. Within this study, we used a previously reported R6K-based suicide delivery vector and two newly constructed transposon variants to develop a tailored protocol for FP-labelling V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus environmental isolates within two days of counterselection against the donor Escherichiacoli. This herein presented protocol worked universally across all tested strains (30) with a conjugation efficiency of at least two transconjugants per 10,000 recipients.