https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12809/60 2026-06-24T16:44:53Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12809/11222 Comparative in silico characterization of virulence factors in major Brucella species reveals potential targets for vaccine and drug target discovery Yalçın, Semiha; Özgen, Arzu Background and Aim: Brucellosis is a globally significant zoonotic disease that causes reproductive failure in animals and chronic infection in humans, resulting in substantial economic and public health burdens. The pathogenicity of Brucella species is largely mediated by virulence determinants such as the type IV secretion system and lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic machinery. Despite extensive studies on individual components, a comparative and integrative understanding of conserved virulence factors across major Brucella species remains limited. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive in silico characterization of key virulence proteins across representative Brucella species to identify potential targets for vaccine and antimicrobial development. Materials and Methods: Nine virulence-associated proteins (VirB3, VirB5, VirB7, WbkA, WbkB, WbkC, FabZ, gmd, and lpxC) from five major Brucella species were analyzed using bioinformatics approaches. Analyses included physicochemical characterization, subcellular localization prediction, conserved domain and motif identification, multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, and protein-protein interaction network construction. Publicly available databases and tools such as NCBI, ProtParam, DeepLoc, MEME, MEGA11, and STRING were utilized. Results: Subcellular localization analysis revealed that VirB5 is extracellular and VirB7 is outer membrane-associated, whereas most other proteins were cytoplasmic or membrane-associated. Conserved motif analysis identified three shared motifs, particularly in VirB5 and WbkB, indicating functional conservation across species. Phylogenetic and sequence alignment analyses demonstrated high conservation of virulence proteins among the selected Brucella species. Protein-protein interaction networks highlighted VirB3, VirB5, VirB7, WbkC, FabZ, gmd, and lpxC as key interaction hubs. lpxC showed strong connectivity with lipid A biosynthesis proteins, suggesting its central functional role. Conclusion: This integrative in silico analysis identified conserved virulence proteins with potential translational relevance. VirB5 and VirB7 emerged as promising candidates for subunit vaccine development due to their extracellular or membrane localization and conserved motifs, while lpxC was identified as a potential antimicrobial target because of its central role in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. These findings provide a rational framework for future experimental validation and support the development of improved control strategies against brucellosis. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12809/11054 The effect of intranasal Medetomidine/Ketamine and Diazepam/Ketamine combinations on tear production and intraocular pressure in dogs Bulut, Osman; Yaygıngül, Rahime To determine the effect of intranasal medetomidine/ketamine and diazepam/ketamine combinations on tear production and intraocular pressure in dogs. The animal material included 28 dogs of different breeds, ages, weights and genders that were brought to the surgery department of the Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine for simple anesthesia indications but were otherwise healthy ocularly. In a crossover design, the dogs were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 7 dogs. Animals in the first group were given 50 mu g/kg of medetomidine and 10 mg/kg of ketamine intramuscularly (MEK-IM). The second group of animals was given 50 mu g/kg of medetomidine and 10 mg/kg of ketamine intranasally (MEK-IN). The third group received 10 mg/kg of ketamine and 0.3 mg/kg of diazepam intramuscularly (DK-IM). The fourth group received 10 mg/kg of ketamine and 0.3 mg/kg of diazepam intanasally (DK-IN). Comparison of the data of more than two groups was done by ANOVA one-way test. The results of the study showed that MEK-IN and DK-IN combinations significantly decreased tear secretion and intraocular pressure in dogs. The decrease in tear secretion was more pronounced with the MEK-IN combination than with the DK-IN. The decrease in intraocular pressure was more pronounced with the MEK-IN combination than with the DKIN. These results suggest that MEK-IN and DK-IN combinations can be used as pre-anesthetics in dogs to reduce tear secretion and intraocular pressure. Further studies are needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these combinations in clinical settings. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12809/11005 Evaluation of Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) Essential Oil as a Digestive Tract Regulator in Broilers Bülbül, Tuba; Özdemir, Vural; Bülbül, Aziz The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) essential oil on duodenal and colonic contractions of broilers in vitro. For this purpose, 10 broiler intestines (42 days old) obtained from a slaughterhouse were brought to the laboratories by immersed in Krebs solution (NaCl, 118 mmol/L; KCl, 4.7 mmol/L; CaCl2, 2.5 mmol/L; MgSO4, 1 mmol/L; KH2 PO4, 1 mmol/L; glucose, 11 mmol/L; NaHCO3, 25 mmol/L) at +4°C. Isolated duodenal and colon tissue strips were placed in a four-channel, isolated organ bath system, where they were exposed to Krebs solution aerated with a gas mixture of 95% O2-5% CO2, at 39°C. The effect of peppermint essential oil (PEO) obtained by hydrodistillation method on spontaneous duodenum and colon contractions was evaluated in the concentration range of 0.1-1000 μg/mL. Subsequently, the effects of 300 and 1000 μg/mL PEO were reevaluated on acetylcholine-induced contractions after incubation with Nω-Nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, NOS inhibitor) and Methylene Blue (MB, cGC inhibitor). It was determined that the PEO dose-dependently decreased the amplitude of spontaneous and acetylcholine-induced contractions in both isolated tissues. This relaxant effect persisted after L-NNA and MB incubations. In conclusion, PEO induced relaxation in isolated duodenum and colon intestinal smooth muscles not through the nitric oxide-sGMP pathway. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12809/10994 Meeting Contemporary Challenges: Development of Nanomaterials for Veterinary Medicine Danchuk, Oleksii; Levchenko, Anna; Mesquita, Rochelly da Silva; Danchuk, Vyacheslav; Cengiz, Şeyda; Cengiz, Mehmet; Grafov, Andriy In recent decades, nanotechnology has been rapidly advancing in various fields of human activity, including veterinary medicine. The review presents up-to-date information on recent advancements in nanotechnology in the field and an overview of the types of nanoparticles used in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, their characteristics, and their areas of application. Currently, a wide range of nanomaterials has been implemented into veterinary practice, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostic devices, feed additives, and vaccines. The application of nanoformulations gave rise to innovative strategies in the treatment of animal diseases. For example, antibiotics delivered on nanoplatforms demonstrated higher efficacy and lower toxicity and dosage requirements when compared to conventional pharmaceuticals, providing a possibility to solve antibiotic resistance issues. Nanoparticle-based drugs showed promising results in the treatment of animal parasitoses and neoplastic diseases. However, the latter area is currently more developed in human medicine. Owing to the size compatibility, nanomaterials have been applied as gene delivery vectors in veterinary gene therapy. Veterinary medicine is at the forefront of the development of innovative nanovaccines inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses. The paper provides a brief overview of current topics in nanomaterial safety, potential risks associated with the use of nanomaterials, and relevant regulatory aspects. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z