表皮葡萄球菌基因删除突变株构建方法的研究

目的 探讨高效的表皮葡萄球菌基因删除突变株构建方法。方法 分别应用2种不同的穿梭质粒pMAD和pBT2,连接目的基因表皮葡萄球菌双组分信号转导系统arlS、saeRS和lytS的上下游片段,构建重组质粒,电转入金黄色葡萄球菌RN4220后转入表皮葡萄球菌1457,利用抗性和生物标志筛选出针对特定目的基因的突变株SE1457-ΔarlS、SE1457-ΔsaeRS和SE1457-ΔlytS,比较2种方法的优、缺点。结果 利用pMAD和pBT2分别构建基因删除同源重组质粒pMAD-ΔsaeRS、pBT2-ΔarlS和pBT2-ΔlytS,并均获得相应的表皮葡萄球菌基因删除突变株。在筛选过程中,以pMAD为载体构建基因删除突变株,仅需1轮抗性/蓝白斑筛选过程即获突变株;而以pBT2为载体构建基因删除突变株筛选方法,需经过5~10轮的筛选才可获得突变株。基因删除突变株经聚合酶链反应(PCR)和测序等鉴定确认。与野生株相比,SE1457-ΔarlS突变株的生物膜形成能力降低90.96%,而SE1457-ΔsaeRS和SE1457-ΔlytS株的生物膜形成能力略有增加。结论 以pMAD载体构建表皮葡萄球菌突变株比较快速和简便。     

ArlR反应调节蛋白在表皮葡萄球菌不同生长期表达的检测

表皮葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus epidermidis,SE)是寄居在人体和黏膜表面的条件致病菌,因可在医疗植入材料表面形成生物膜(biofilm)而具有致病性。细菌双组分信号转导系统可调控生物膜形成,但其调控机制在SE中研究甚少。本课题对arlRS双组分信号转导系统的反应蛋白ArlR在细菌不同生长期的表达情况进行初步研究。首先构建ArlR原核表达质粒,用纯化重组ArlR免疫小鼠,获得多克隆抗-ArlR抗体,免疫Dot方法检测结果显示小鼠抗-ArlR血清效价>1∶100000。进一步采用蛋白免疫印迹法检测ArlR在SE1457野生株不同生长期中的表达水平,结果显示,ArlR在2h表达量较低,到4h达高峰,6～10h表达量较4h降低。利用反转录实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应检测arlR基因在不同生长期的转录水平,结果显示相应时间点ArlR蛋白表达水平与arlR基因转录水平一致。本研究结果为后期研究双组分信号转导系统arlRS对SE生物膜形成的影响奠定基础。     

Zn2+ 螯合剂DTPA（二乙基三胺五乙酸）对人工关节假体感染后表皮 葡萄球菌生物膜形成及相关基因表达的影响

目的:探讨DTPA对人工关节假体(prosthetic joints infection,PJI)感染后表皮葡萄球菌生物膜形成及所需基因聚集相关蛋白(AAP)基因表达的影响。方法:构建新西兰大白兔假体感染表皮葡萄球菌生物膜模型,随机分为实验组(n=25)和对照组(n=25),对照组只注射细菌,实验组在注入细菌的同时,注射DTPA,分别于注射后第2、4、6、8、16天灌洗、收集膝关节液,采用RT-PCR方法检测不同时间点目的基因AAP基因表达的变化。对不同时间点的假体感染动物行膝关节假体扫描电镜和假体周围组织学观察。结果:DTPA可以显著抑制AAP基因的表达,扫描电镜观察第2、4、6、8、16天实验组较对照组假体表面粘附表皮葡萄球菌明显减少(P<0.05),生物膜明显受抑制。实验组假体周围组织炎性反应较对照组明显减轻。结论:DTPA可以抑制表皮葡萄球菌生物膜形成中相关蛋白AAP基因的表达,可能抑制生物膜的形成。     

金黄色葡萄球菌持留菌形成机制的研究进展

金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus)是一种重要的院内感染致病菌,是导致人类各类感染最重要的病原体之一。金黄色葡萄球菌耐药问题一直是临床慢性感染治疗的最大障碍。随着细菌耐药机制研究的不断深入,研究者发现持留菌可能是导致疾病的持续性和复发性感染的真正原因。近年来持留菌的存在引起的耐药问题被高度重视,金黄色葡萄球菌持留菌的基本特征和形成机制的研究对临床上更好地控制耐药及感染问题具有重要的意义。为此,本文将从金黄色葡萄球菌持留菌的特性、生物膜、能量代谢、基因调控等多方面对金黄色葡萄球菌持留菌进行系统全面的综述。     

对硝基苯酚对细菌产生持留菌的影响及其相关机制

【目的】研究对硝基苯酚(PNP)对大肠杆菌和铜绿假单胞菌产生持留菌的影响,并对转录组进行分析,阐明对硝基苯酚影响持留菌形成的相关机制。【方法】采用氧氟沙星抗生素探究对硝基苯酚对细菌产生持留菌的影响,并通过检测细菌自溶情况和呼吸抑制剂羰酰氰氯苯腙(CCCP)对持留菌比例的影响,然后通过转录组分析其相关基因的表达,最后通过实时荧光定量PCR和反义核酸进行相关功能基因的验证。【结果】PNP可以通过抑制大肠杆菌和铜绿假单胞菌的呼吸作用使其产生持留菌的比例增加,PNP不同浓度、作用不同时间和作用不同生长时期的菌体都会影响细菌产生持留菌的比例。PNP和呼吸抑制剂CCCP均能够抑制2个菌体的自溶情况,包括溶解氧含量的变化、蛋白质降解情况、细胞尺寸的变化和RNA完整性。转录组分析和实时荧光定量PCR实验结果表明加入PNP后,cyo A、app C两个基因在大肠杆菌和铜绿假单胞菌中的表达量均显著下降,再通过反义核酸抑制cyo A、app C的表达发现持留菌的比例和原始菌株相比均有所增加。【结论】PNP可以通过抑制细胞呼吸作用来增加细菌产生持留菌的比例。     

金黄色葡萄球菌sdhCAB操纵子影响持留菌形成机制的研究

持留菌是细菌群体中的一小部分细菌,可耐受致死浓度抗生素的处理,是引起慢性感染的重要原因。金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus,S. aureus)作为常见致病菌,有重要临床意义。分别敲除sdhA和sdhB后,金黄色葡萄球菌持留菌形成水平下降,但sdhCAB操纵子对持留菌形成的作用及机制尚不明确。本研究敲除sdh操纵子,通过酸压力、氧化压力、热压力及抗生素压力实验检测敲除株的持留菌水平,转录组测序检测敲除株的代谢通路变化,高通量微生物细胞表型检测评估敲除株的代谢水平变化。结果显示,敲除sdhCAB或sdhAB后,金黄色葡萄球菌对酸压力、氧化压力的耐受能力均下降;而在抗生素压力、热压力条件下,分别仅sdhCAB敲除株、sdhAB敲除株耐受能力下降。转录组测序发现,sdhCAB敲除后三羧酸循环、甲烷代谢通路及聚合酶Ⅳ等基因表达上调,耐药相关基因、氨基酸代谢基因、糖类代谢基因、卟啉代谢基因及一些转运体基因等表达下调,提示这些通路的基因参与sdhCAB影响持留菌形成的过程。此外,高通量微生物细胞表型检测发现,敲除sdhCAB可降低金黄色葡萄球菌对琥珀酸、柠檬酸、糖原、L-天冬氨酸等64种碳源的代谢。结果提示,sdhCAB操纵子对金黄色葡萄球菌持留菌形成水平有重要影响。本研究初步阐明了sdhCAB操纵子影响持留菌形成的可能机制,为研究和治疗金黄色葡萄球菌慢性感染提供了新的思路。     

表皮葡萄球菌vraSR-srrAB突变株的构建及生物学表型

【背景】形成生物被膜是表皮葡萄球菌的主要致病方式,双组分系统(two-component regulatory system, TCS) VraSR和SrrAB与细菌的生长、生物被膜形成等多种生物学表型密切相关。敲除表皮葡萄球菌SE1457 vraSR后细胞壁变薄,生物被膜形成量降低,而敲除srrAB后生长进入稳定期的时间延长,生物被膜形成量也降低,且TCS-VraSR和SrrAB均通过ica途径调控表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜的形成。ica操作子是表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜形成的重要调节元件,由icaADBC这4个开放阅读框(openreadingframe,ORF)和1个转录方向相反的icaR组成,IcaR是icaADBC的抑制子。【目的】探索TCS-VraSR和SrrAB协同调控表皮葡萄球菌生长及生物被膜形成中的作用,为防控表皮葡萄球菌引起的持续性感染奠定基础。【方法】构建pKOR1-ΔvraSR重组质粒,经大肠杆菌DC10B修饰后转入ΔsrrAB,通过同源重组在ΔsrrAB突变株的基础上进一步敲除vraSR基因,疑似ΔvraSR-srrAB突变株经PCR、RT-PCR和测序验证。检测Δvra...     

细菌持留与抗生素表型耐药机制

持留菌是细菌群体中一小部分具有表型耐药的细菌。自1944年被发现后,近几十年来因其在慢性持续性感染和生物膜感染中的重要作用而得到越来越多的重视。已有的研究结果表明,细菌持留的机理复杂,涉及的相关信号通路有毒素-抗毒素系统、细胞能量代谢及蛋白核酸合成等生理状态的降低、DNA保护修复系统、蛋白酶系统、反式翻译、外排泵系统等。虽然不同细菌的持留机理有一定的相似性和保守性,但不同细菌的持留机制也存在差异,如毒素-抗毒素系统在大肠埃希菌(Escherichia coli)中的过度激活可导致持留菌增加,但在金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus)中却并无相同作用。本文从持留菌的研究历史出发,综述了当前对革兰氏阴性菌和阳性菌的持留机制方面的研究进展,同时探讨了在持留菌相关感染疾病方面的治疗策略,以期为更好地解决持留菌带来的问题,缩短治疗时间提供新的思路。     

金诺芬对表皮葡萄球菌及其生物膜的影响

目的研究金诺芬对表皮葡萄球菌及其生物膜的作用。方法利用微量稀释法药敏试验检测金诺芬对表皮葡萄球菌浮游菌生长的影响,并利用结晶紫染色和激光共聚焦显微镜观察金诺芬对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜形成的影响。结果金诺芬对表皮葡萄球菌的MIC和MBC分别为0.125～0.250μg/mL和2.000～4.000μg/mL。同时,4μg/mL金诺芬还能显著抑制表皮葡萄球菌标准菌株和临床菌株生物膜的形成(P0.05)。通过激光共聚焦显微镜观察发现金诺芬能有效抑制生物膜的形成,降低生物膜的聚集,并增加死亡细菌的比例。结论金诺芬能显著抑制表皮葡萄球菌浮游菌的增殖和生物膜的形成。     

亚抑菌浓度的穿心莲内酯及与红霉素联用影响表皮葡萄球菌生物膜形成的初步研究

目的 观察亚抑菌浓度(亚-MIC)穿心莲内酯及其与红霉素联用对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜形成的影响.方法 连续稀释法测定穿心莲内酯和红霉素对表皮葡萄球菌的MIC;棋盘格法测定穿心莲内酯和红霉素联用对表皮葡萄球菌悬浮菌的作用;体外构建表皮葡萄球菌生物膜,XTT减低法评价亚-MIC穿心莲内酯及与红霉素联用对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜内细菌代谢及初始黏附能力的影响,扫描电镜观察用药后表皮葡萄球菌形态和生物膜结构改变.结果 穿心莲内酯对表皮葡萄球菌悬浮菌的MIC大于1000 mg/L,穿心莲内酯和红霉素联用对表皮葡萄球菌悬浮菌的FIC指数(联合抑菌分数)＞2;亚抑菌浓度穿心莲内酯对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜黏附及膜内菌代谢均有抑制作用;穿心莲内酯和红霉素联用对表皮葡萄球菌的黏附能力的影响表现为协同作用,对悬浮菌和膜内菌代谢作用表现为拮抗.结论 亚抑菌浓度穿心莲内酯对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜黏附及膜内菌代谢均有抑制作用;穿心莲内酯和红霉素联用对表皮葡萄球菌悬浮菌及膜内菌代谢存在拮抗,提示临床治疗表皮葡萄球菌感染时应避免同时使用这两种药物.     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.