Pathogen–pathogen interactions: a comparative study of Escherichia coli interactions with the clinical and environmental isolates of Acanthamoeba

In this study, we compared the interactions of invasive and non-invasive strains of E. coli with clinical and environmental isolates of Acanthamoeba. The environmental isolate of Acanthamoeba exhibited significantly higher association with E. coli compared with the clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba. The ratio of E. coli per amoebae was more than 8-fold higher in the environmental isolate compared with the clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba. Interestingly, non-pathogenic environmental Acanthamoeba showed uptake and/or survival of the non-invasive E. coli. In contrast, clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba did not support uptake and/or survival of non-invasive E. coli. Using several mutants derived from K1, we demonstrated that outer membrane protein A (OmpA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are crucial bacterial determinants responsible for E. coli K1 interactions and in the intracellular survival of E. coli in Acanthamoeba. The use of Acanthamoeba as a model to study E. coli K1 pathogenesis and to understand bacterial immune evasion strategies is discussed further.     

Evaluation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells as food source for Balamuthia mandrillaris

Balamuthia mandrillaris is a recently identified free-living protozoan pathogen that can cause fatal granulomatous encephalitis in humans. Recent studies have shown that B. mandrillaris consumes eukaryotic cells such as mammalian cell cultures as food source. Here, we studied B. mandrillaris interactions with various eukaryotic cells including, monkey kidney fibroblast-like cells (COS-7), human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) and Acanthamoeba (an opportunistic protozoan pathogen) as well as prokaryotes, Escherichia coli. B. mandrillaris exhibited optimal growth on HBMEC compared with Cos-7 cells. In contrast, B. mandrillaris did not grow on bacteria but remained in the trophozoite stage. When incubated with Acanthamoeba trophozoites, B. mandrillaris produced partial Acanthamoeba damage and the remaining Acanthamoeba trophozoites underwent encystment. However, B. mandrillaris were unable to consume Acanthamoeba cysts. Next, we observed that B. mandrillaris-mediated Acanthamoeba encystment is a contact-dependent process that requires viable B. mandrillaris. In support, conditioned medium of B. mandrillaris did not stimulate Acanthamoeba encystment nor did lysates of B. mandrillaris. Overall, these studies suggest that B. mandrillaris target Acanthamoeba in the trophozoite stage; however, Acanthamoeba possess the ability to defend themselves by forming cysts, which are resistant to B. mandrillaris. Further studies will examine the mechanisms associated with food selectivity in B. mandrillaris.     

双组分系统rcsC基因影响禽致病性大肠杆菌的致病性及相关生物学特性

【目的】双组分系统Rcs感受外界环境变化,并调控细菌的适应性及生存等。本文探讨Rcs双组分系统传感器激酶RcsC对禽致病性大肠杆菌(avian pathogenic Escherichia coli,APEC)相关生物学特性及致病性的影响。【方法】采用Red同源重组的方法构建rcsC基因缺失株,并利用互补质粒构建互补株,然后比较野生株、基因缺失株与互补株的生长特性、运动性、生物被膜、凝集沉淀能力、致病力及毒力基因转录水平的差异。【结果】rcsC基因缺失不影响APEC的生长速度,然而,缺失RcsC导致APEC的运动能力升高、生物被膜形成能力降低和凝集能力增强。凝集试验结果显示rcsC基因有助于APEC的凝集沉降。细胞黏附入侵结果表明,rcsC在APEC侵袭DF-1细胞过程中发挥作用,而对黏附能力无影响。动物感染试验结果表明rcsC基因缺失能显著降低APEC的毒力。荧光定量PCR检测结果表明,rcsC基因缺失株中ompA、aatA、fyuA和luxS基因的转录水平均显著降低,而fimC和tsh基因的转录水平显著升高。【结论】RcsC参与调控APEC的运动性、生物被膜形成、凝集沉降和致病力。     

The capsule plays an important role in Escherichia coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba

Escherichia coli K1 is shown to bind to, associate with, invade and survive inside Acanthamoeba, but the precise mechanisms associated with these events are unclear. We have previously shown that outer membrane protein A and lipopolysaccharide are critical bacterial determinants involved in E. coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba. Using an isogenic K1 capsule-deletion mutant (lacking the neuDB genes cluster that is necessary for the production of cytoplasmic precursors to the exopolysaccharide capsule), we observed that the capsule modulates and enhances E. coli K1 association and survival inside Acanthamoeba. The capsule-deletion mutant exhibited significantly reduced association compared with the wild type strain, E44. Similarly, the K1 capsule-deletion mutant exhibited limited ability for invasion/uptake by and survival inside Acanthamoeba. Next, we determined whether E. coli K1 survive inside Acanthamoeba during the encystment process and that viable bacteria can be isolated from the mature cysts. Using encystment assays, our findings revealed that E. coli K1, but not its capsule-deletion mutant, exhibit survival inside Acanthamoeba cysts. We believe this is the first demonstration that the K1 capsule plays an important role in E. coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba.     

毒力基因yqeH功能分析及对禽致病性大肠杆菌致病性的影响

【背景】禽致病性大肠杆菌(avian pathogenic Escherichia coli,APEC)可引起禽类急性或亚急性感染,在近年新发现的大肠杆菌Ⅲ型分泌系统2 (Escherichia coli type III secretion system 2,ETT2)中,毒力基因yqeH对其致病性的影响尚不明确。【目的】探究yqeH在APEC致病过程中的作用,为后期深入研究ETT2致病机制奠定基础。【方法】利用Red同源重组技术构建yqeH缺失株ΔyqeH及其回复株CΔyqeH,通过运动性、生物被膜形成能力、抗逆性、抗血清杀菌能力等试验分析yqeH对APEC生物学功能的影响,并通过细胞黏附、侵袭试验、致病力测定及荧光定量PCR检测细胞炎性因子转录水平,探究yqeH对APEC感染宿主的影响。【结果】构建了缺失株ΔyqeH和回复株CΔyqeH;生物学特性试验结果表明,与野生株APEC81相比,缺失株ΔyqeH生物被膜形成能力、运动能力降低,对酸、碱、渗透压、氧化休克的耐受力降低,抗血清杀菌能力及致病力显著降低;与野生株APEC81相比,缺失株ΔyqeH对鸡气管黏膜上皮细胞的黏附及侵袭能...     

c-di-GMP对大肠杆菌生物膜调控的研究进展

大肠杆菌生物膜是由聚集于特定介质上的大肠杆菌菌体细胞相互黏附并分泌胞外基质聚合物(extracellular polymeric substances,EPS)而产生的一种结构复杂的膜状聚集物。感染宿主后的致病性大肠杆菌在形成生物膜后会极大地逃避免疫系统以及环境中各种有害因素对其的影响,对宿主造成持续甚至致命的伤害。环二鸟苷酸(cyclic diguanosine monophosphate,c-di-GMP)是广泛存在于细菌中的第二信使,在调节生物膜形成过程中起到至关重要的作用。基于此,本文对近些年来有关c-di-GMP对大肠杆菌生物膜形成过程中菌体的运动、黏附以及EPS产生机制的研究进行了综述,以期为从c-di-GMP角度抑制大肠杆菌生物膜提供依据和思路。     

毒力岛基因ibeT有助于大肠杆菌抵抗人脑微血管内皮细胞溶酶体的降解

大肠杆菌是导致新生儿细菌性脑膜炎最常见的革兰氏阴性致病菌．为探讨毒力岛基因ibeT在大肠杆菌K1株致病过程中的作用,构建了ibeT基因缺失的大肠杆菌K1株,细菌在细胞内存活试验结果显示,ibeT基因缺失抑制了大肠杆菌K1株在人脑微血管内皮细胞中的生长．利用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜观察到,在细菌侵袭进入人脑微血管内皮细胞后,与野生型相比,ibeT基因缺失突变株较多地滞留在溶酶体内;透射电镜结果进一步显示,ibeT基因缺失使大肠杆菌K1株逃逸ECV(含有大肠杆菌的囊泡)的能力发生了下降,继而使其在细胞浆内的复制减少．利用体外模拟的弱酸性环境,检测大肠杆菌菌体胞内的缓冲容量,发现ibeT基因缺失突变株菌体胞内的缓冲能力较野生型低．这些结果提示,在大肠杆菌K1株侵袭进入人脑微血管内皮细胞后,ibeT基因有利于大肠杆菌降解ECV膜,避免与溶酶体融合,进而促使大肠杆菌逃逸进入细胞浆并进行复制．     

花生根瘤菌Bradyrhizobium sp.MM6 Ⅲ型分泌系统的结构和功能

【目的】探究花生根瘤菌Bradyrhizobium sp.MM6的Ⅲ型分泌系统(T3SS)的结构及其在根瘤菌与不同宿主建立共生关系中的作用。【方法】同源比对分析菌株MM6的T3SS基因簇的结构特征,并采用三亲本接合转移的方法构建T3SS调节基因ttsI突变菌株;通过蛭石结瘤和石蜡切片实验,比较突变体与野生型的共生固氮表型差异。【结果】经预测,MM6的T3SS基因簇编码区长约34.1 kb,可分为3个区域,包含10个保守结构基因和8个效应蛋白基因,与B.diazoefficiens USDA110相应基因的序列相似性为83%–93%;成功构建了MM6的ttsI突变株;ttsI突变株与野生型分别与花生(S523和Y45)、野大豆和大豆中黄57结瘤,ttsI突变体在花生中的总瘤数显著增加(P<0.05),根瘤中含菌细胞更多;ttsI突变体在野大豆中平均每株植物增加4个根瘤,根瘤中含菌细胞更多,地上部干重相比野生型MM6显著增加(P<0.05);在大豆中黄57中,野生型MM6能形成红色的有效根瘤,ttsI突变体不结瘤,且植株叶片发黄,地上部干重相比野生型MM6显著降低(P<0.05)。【结论】MM6的T3SS在花生和野大豆共生体系中起着有害的作用,而在大豆中黄57的共生体系中起着有利的作用。     

Expression and processing of Vibrio anguillarum zinc-metalloprotease in Escherichia coli

The extracellular zinc-metalloprotease of Vibrio anguillarum is a secreted virulence factor. It is synthesized from the empA gene as a 611-residue preproprotease and processed to the active mature protease (EmpA) with concomitant secretion via the type II secretion pathway. Active EmpA has been found only in the V. anguillarum culture supernatant and the process of the activation seems to vary depending on strains analyzed. To better understand the mechanism of EmpA export and processing, the empA gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli strains. Expression of empA did not have toxic effect on bacterial growth. Rupturing E. coli TOP10 cells by heating in gel-loading buffer resulted in activation of EmpA and severe proteolysis of the samples. In contrast, the same treatment of the E. coli MC4100A strain did not lead to the general proteolysis. In this strain, EmpA was exported into the periplasm via the Sec pathway. The periplasmic EmpA was detected in two active conformations. Therefore, in E. coli processing of EmpA precursor to an active enzyme did not require secretion to the media and the help of other V. anguillarum protein. Like in V. anguillarum, heterologous expression of empA in E. coli showed strain-specific activation process.     

Development and characterization of a potent producer of penicillin G amidase by mutagenization

Summary The penicillin G amidase (PGA) activity of a parent strain of E. coli (PCSIR-102) was enhanced by chemical mutagenization with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). After screening and optimization, a penicillinase deficient mutant (MNNG-37) was isolated and found effective for the production of penicillin G amidase as compared to the parent strain of E. coli (PCSIR-102). Penicillin G amidase activity of MNNG-37 appeared during an early stage of growth, whereas PCSIR-102 did not exhibit PGA activity due to the presence of penicillinase enzyme which inhibits the activity of enzyme PGA. However, MNNG-37 gave a three-fold increase in enzyme activity (231 IU mg⁻¹) as compared to PCSIR-102 (77 IU mg⁻¹) in medium containing 0.15 and 0.1% concentrations of phenylacetic acid, respectively which was added after 6 h of cultivation. The difference in K _m values of the enzyme produced by parent strain PCSIR-102 (0.26 mM) and mutant strain MNNG-37 (0.20 mM) is significant (1.3-fold increase in K _m value) which may show the superiority of the latter in terms of better enzyme properties.     

酿酒酵母表达和纯化功能性的铁载体合成蛋白PchE

[目的] 利用酿酒酵母表达系统,通过乙醇脱氢酶启动子异源表达细菌源的铁载体合成蛋白PchE,并与来源于枯草芽孢杆菌的泛酰化酶Sfp同宿主共表达,探索真核表达体系表达具有生化活性的细菌源蛋白。[方法] 从大肠杆菌BAP 1染色体上扩增sfp基因,将pchE基因及串联的pchE与sfp基因分别构建到酵母-大肠杆菌穿梭质粒pXW55中,各自转化酿酒酵母BJ5464-npgA表达,经过亲和层析和离子交换层析纯化蛋白,利用HPLC检测细菌源与酵母源表达的PchE在体外重构生化反应中的催化活性。[结果] 利用酿酒酵母表达系统可以获得高纯度的原核蛋白PchE。真菌源的泛酰化基因NpgA和细菌源的Sfp,均可泛酰化修饰PchE,合成中间产物HPT-Cys。[结论] 在酿酒酵母Saccharomyces cerevisiae BJ5464-npgA表达系统中,首次证明真菌源的泛酰化基因NpgA和细菌源的Sfp,均可泛酰化修饰细菌源的非核糖体肽合酶。比较酵母和细菌宿主的目标蛋白表达,证明酵母表达的巨大蛋白PchE的纯度更高,非特异性条带减少,推测酵母宿主可能更适合表达纯化功能性的巨型蛋白质。     

Chlamydial endocytobionts of free-living amoebae differentially affect the growth rate of their hosts

Bacteria closely related to chlamydiae live and multiply as endocytobionts within free-living amoebae, making these amoebae potential vehicles of new emerging bacterial pathogens of humans. Hartmannella vermiformis containing endobiotic Neochlamydia hartmannellae grew more rapidly than those without endobionts, whilst Acanthamoeba sp. harbouring the Parachlamydia-related endocytobiont UWE25 multiplied more slowly than those without endobionts. The cause for the opposite effect of chlamydial endocytobionts on the growth of their host cells remains unknown.     

Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding phosphoketolase in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leuconostoc mesenteroides</Emphasis> isolated from kimchi

The gene encoding phosphoketolase, which is 2749 bp long and contains 814 amino acid polypeptides with a total molecular mass of 91.9 kDa, was cloned from Leuconostoc mesenteroides C7 (LMC7) and expressed in Escherichia coli. It exhibited a homology of >58% with phosphoketolases from other lactic acid bacteria. The phosphoketolase of LMC7 belongs to the xylulose 5-phosphate (X5P)/fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) phosphoketolase (Xfp) family, which is an enzyme with dual specificity for X5P and F6P. The members of this family contain typical thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) binding sites as reported for other TPP-dependent enzymes, and several highly conserved regions as signature patterns for phosphoketolases. The plasmid pGPK containing the Xfp gene (xfp) exhibits phosphoketolase activity in E. coli. The specific activities of the enzyme from E. coli BL21 and E. coli EC101 harboring xfp were 0.28 and 0.14 units/mg, respectively. They both exhibited a 1.5-fold increase in the production of acetic acid from acetyl phosphate compared with their corresponding original strain.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Effect of aPMR1 disruption on the processing of heterologous glycoproteins secreted in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae

TheSaccharomyces cerevisiae PMR1 gene encodes a Ca²⁺-ATPase localized in the Golgi. We have investigated the effects ofPMR1 disruption inS. cerevisiae on the glycosylation and secretion of three heterologous glycoproteins, human α₁-antitrypsin (α₁-AT), human antithrombin III (ATHIII), andAspergillus niger glucose oxidase (GOD). Thepmr1 null mutant strain secreted larger amounts of ATHIII and GOD proteins per a unit cell mass than the wild type strain. Despite a lower growth rate of thepmr1 mutant, two-fold higher level of human ATHIII was detected in the culture supernatant from thepmr1 mutant compared to that of the wild-type strain. Thepmr1 mutant strain secreted α₁-AT and the GOD proteins mostly as core-glycosylated forms, in contrast to the hyperglycosylated proteins secreted in the wild-type strain. Furthermore, the core-glycosylated forms secreted in thepmr1 mutant migrated slightly faster on SDS-PAGE than those secreted in themnn9 deletion mutant and the wild type strains. Analysis of the recombinant GOD with anti-α1,3-mannose antibody revealed that GOD secreted in thepmr1 mutant did not have terminal α1,3-linked mannoses unlike those secreted in themnn9 mutant and the wild type strains. The present results indicate that thepmr1 mutant, with the super-secretion phenotype, is useful as a host system to produce recombinant glycoproteins lacking high-mannose outer chains.     

Isolation of a DNA polymerase I (polA) mutant of Rhizobium leguminosarum that has significantly reduced levels of an IncQ-group plasmid

A population of Tn5 mutagenised Rhizobium leguminosarum cells was screened for mutants affected in protein secretion by introducing a plasmid carrying the Erwinia chrysanthemi prtB gene and screening for mutants defective in secretion of the protease PrtB. One such mutant (A301) also appeared to be defective in secretion of the R. leguminosarum nodulation protein NodO. Genetic analysis showed that the defect in A301 was caused by the Tn5 insertion. However the DNA sequence adjacent to the site of Tn5 insertion had significant homology to the Escherichia coli polA gene, which encodes DNA polymerase I. The mutant A301 showed increased sensitivity to ultraviolet light, a characteristic of polA mutants of E. coli. The apparent defect in secretion by A301 was due to a large decrease in the copy number of the IncQ group replicon on which prtB and nodO were cloned and this decreased the total amounts of PrtB or NodO protein synthesised and secreted by the polA mutant. The polA mutant had a lower growth rate than the parent strain on both rich and minimal media, but there was no obvious effect of the polA mutation on the symbiosis of R. leguminosarum bv. viciae with pea.     

Molecular characterisation of ABC transporter type FtsE and FtsX proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Elicitation of drug resistance and various survival strategies inside host macrophages have been the hallmarks of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a successful pathogen. ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) transporter type proteins are known to be involved in the efflux of drugs in bacterial and mammalian systems. FtsE, an ABC transporter type protein, in association with the integral membrane protein FtsX, is involved in the assembly of potassium ion transport proteins and probably of cell division proteins as well, both of which being relevant to tubercle bacillus. In this study, we cloned ftsE gene of M. tuberculosis, overexpressed and purified. The recombinant MtFtsE-6xHis protein and the native MtFtsE protein were found localized on the membrane of E. coli and M. tuberculosis cells, respectively. MtFtsE-6xHis protein showed ATP binding in vitro, for which the K42 residue in the Walker A motif was found essential. While MtFtsE-6xHis protein could partially complement growth defect of E. coli ftsE temperature-sensitive strain MFT1181, co-expression of MtFtsE and MtFtsX efficiently complemented the growth defect, indicating that the MtFtsE and MtFtsX proteins might be performing an associated function. MtFtsE and MtFtsX-6xHis proteins were found to exist as a complex on the membrane of E. coli cells co-expressing the two proteins.     

Cellulose biosynthesis pathway is a potential target in the improved treatment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acanthamoeba</Emphasis> keratitis

Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic protozoan pathogen that can cause blinding keratitis as well as fatal granulomatous encephalitis. One of the distressing aspects in combating Acanthamoeba infections is the prolonged and problematic treatment. For example, current treatment against Acanthamoeba keratitis requires early diagnosis followed by hourly topical application of a mixture of drugs that can last up to a year. The aggressive and prolonged management is due to the ability of Acanthamoeba to rapidly adapt to harsh conditions and switch phenotypes into a resistant cyst form. One possibility of improving the treatment of Acanthamoeba infections is to inhibit the ability of these parasites to switch into the cyst form. The cyst wall is partially made of cellulose. Here, we tested whether a cellulose synthesis inhibitor, 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB), can enhance the effects of the antiamoebic drug pentamidine isethionate (PMD). Our findings revealed that DCB can block Acanthamoeba encystment and may improve the antiamoebic effects of PMD. Using in vitro assays, the findings revealed that DCB enhanced the inhibitory effects of PMD on Acanthamoeba binding to and cytotoxicity of the host cells, suggesting the cellulose biosynthesis pathway as a novel target for the improved treatment of Acanthamoeba infections.     

Conditions that influence bacterial luminescence in the presence of blood serum

Conditions that influence the luminescence of natural and recombinant luminescent bacteria in the presence of blood serum were studied. In general, blood serum quenched the luminescence of the marine Photobacterium phosphoreum and the recombinant Escherichia coli strains harboring the luminescent system genes of Photobacterium leiognathi, but enhanced the luminescence of the soil bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens Zm1 and the recombinant E. coli strain harboring the lux operon of P. luminescens Zm1. The quenching effect of blood serum increased with its concentration and the time and temperature of incubation. The components of blood serum that determine the degree and specificity of its action on bacterial luminescence were identified.__________Translated from Mikrobiologiya, Vol. 74, No. 2, 2005, pp. 191–197.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Deryabin, Polyakov.     

水稻内生菠萝泛菌YJ76吲哚产量上调突变株的鉴定及生理性状

菠萝泛菌(Pantoea ananatis)YJ76是从水稻"越富"品种中分离的优势内生菌,与宿主水稻互作时具有多种促生作用,其分泌的吲哚作为细菌种内及种间的信号分子参与调控多种生理生化行为。[目的]筛选获得与吲哚调控相关的突变株,鉴定突变位点并研究突变基因对菌株的生存适应性以及对宿主水稻定殖和促生的影响,为研究吲哚调控通路奠定基础。[方法]用双亲本接合法构建YJ76的mTn5转座子插人突变文库,以染色体步移TAIL-PCR技术鉴定突变基因,最后探究基因突变对菌体产生的影响。[结果]筛选到1株吲哚产量大幅上升的YJ76突变株M04,鉴定突变位点为一个长度195 bp未报道过的新基因,将其命名为ipc(indole production control),基因突变后增强了YJ76对重金属、四环素和酸的抗性,也增强了菌体对宿主水稻定殖和促生的能力。[结论]吲哚产量上调的ipc突变株能够提高菌体生存适应性并增强其对宿主水稻定殖和促生的能力。