结核分枝杆菌EF4敲除菌株的构建

EF4是一个由 lepA 基因编码的与蛋白质翻译密切相关的延伸因子,在细菌中高度保守,但其确切功能和分子机制尚不清楚,在结核分枝杆菌中的功能至今未见报道。为探索EF4在结核分枝杆菌中的功能,需构建一株结核分枝杆菌 lepA 基因敲除株。本研究以结核分枝杆菌H37Ra全基因组DNA为模板,设计并通过聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)扩增 lepA 基因左、右臂,连接到p0004S质粒,构建同源重组质粒p0004S-Δ lepA 。然后,通过噬菌体体外包装,将p0004S-Δ lepA 质粒连接到phAE159质粒,构建phAE159-Δ lepA 噬菌体包装质粒。在耻垢分枝杆菌mc 2155中大量扩增噬菌体并受结核分枝杆菌侵染进行同源重组,筛选阳性克隆,从基因组和蛋白质表达水平检测该突变株中 lepA 基因及EF4蛋白表达。PCR结果显示,敲除株基因组中 lepA 基因已被潮霉素抗性基因成功替换,蛋白免疫印迹结果显示该敲除株中无EF4表达,表明其为成功构建的Ra Δ lepA 。生长曲线分析显示,正常培养条件下,结核分枝杆菌野生株与敲除株生长趋势一致。敲除株与野生株在菌落形态上有一定差异,相比于野生株,Ra Δ lepA 菌落颜色发黄,凸起偏厚,生长过程中生物膜皱褶较少。耐胁迫能力分析显示,与野生株相比,Ra Δ lepA 耐热、抗去垢剂、抗氧化能力无显著差异,但耐酸性环境能力明显增强。本研究利用噬菌体介导的重组法成功构建了结核分枝杆菌 lepA 基因敲除株,为后续研究结核分枝杆菌EF4的功能提供了重要基础。     

结核分枝杆菌生物膜形成相关基因的筛选与鉴定

目的:通过菌落表型变化并结合生物膜生长缺陷筛选并鉴定可能与生物膜形成相关基因.方法:利用带有Himarl转座子的MycoMarT7转座子系统建立结核分枝杆菌H37Ra随机插入突变库;筛选细菌表面结构发生变化和生物膜形成有变化的突变菌株;运用T-A克隆法并结合抗性标记挽救法获得突变菌株的随机插入基因侧翼序列从而鉴定突变基因,并运用生物信息学方法分析预测突变基因的功能.结果:通过菌落形态变化及生物膜缺陷表型筛选出39株突变株,成功鉴定其中16株突变株,涉及16个基因发生突变,其中5个与脂质代谢相关,4个与细胞壁合成相关、2个与中间代谢和呼吸作用相关、1个调节蛋白相关基因,1个毒力相关基因,1个PE/PPE家族基因,还有2个功能未知基因.结合生物膜形成缺陷分析,其中8个基因可能与H37Ra体外生物膜的形成相关.结论:成功构建库容量约为l×104结核分枝杆菌转座子随机插入突变文库,筛选获得生物膜生长受损突变株及可能与结核分枝杆菌生物膜形成相关的基因信息,为后续深入开展生物膜形成机制研究奠定基础.     

结核分枝杆菌蛋白Rv3425对细菌表型及毒力影响的研究

为探索蛋白Rv3425在结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,M. tuberculosis)中的功能,本研究以耻垢分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium smegmatis,M. smegmatis)为模式菌株,构建重组了耻垢分枝杆菌Ms-Rv3425。分别将构建菌株(Ms-Rv3425)、野生株(Ms)及空载对照(Ms-Pact)接种于7H9-OADC培养基中37 ℃培养,观察Ms-Rv3425与Ms及Ms-Pact之间在生长速率、菌落形态、生物膜以及聚集度方面的差异。分别用低pH值以及含有十二烷基磺酸钠(sodium dodecyl sulfate,SDS)、氨苄西林、异烟肼及利福平的培养基进行培养,计算存活率以分析抗逆和抗药能力;用上述压力条件培养结核分枝杆菌标准株H37Ra,分析Rv3425内源表达量的变化;进行THP-1细胞感染和BALB/c小鼠攻毒实验分析菌株的毒性变化。结果显示,与Ms及Ms-Pact相比,Ms-Rv3425的菌落形态更为粗糙且隆起,成膜及聚集能力增强;在压力条件下,Ms-Rv3425表现出更高的抗逆和抗药能力,H37Ra中Rv3425的表达量也显著上调;胞内存活率及小鼠致死率更高,各脏器病理损伤更为严重。综上所述,过表达Rv3425能够改变耻垢分枝杆菌的表型,提高抗逆性、抗药性和毒力。深入探讨PPE家族蛋白Rv3425的功能,将为结核病的防治带来新的视角。     

新型抗结核活性化合物H37Ra的耐药菌筛选及其菌落表型

ATB-152E和ATB-152J为本实验室前期研究获得的具有良好抗结核活性的两种结构类似的小分子化合物,本文就其作用靶标及耐药机制进行探索。采用含药平板涂板筛选以及平板划线培养法逐步提高化合物浓度,分别筛选出结核分枝杆菌ATB-152E和ATB-152J耐药菌株。选取有代表性的耐药菌株,用微孔法测定结核分枝杆菌的最小抑菌浓度,分别对它们的菌落形态、生物膜形成等表型进行观察并与野生株进行比较。通过不断提高化合物筛选浓度最终筛选到ATB-152E耐药菌株17株、ATB-152J耐药菌株15株,这两种化合物的耐药频率均为10^－7。生长表型结果显示,与野生株结核分枝杆菌相比,ATB-152E耐药菌菌落褶皱变多,ATB-152J耐药菌菌落形态更为扁平,褶皱变少。耐药菌的生物膜形成所需时间与野生株也存在差异,提示活性化合物耐药菌的突变可能导致细菌脂质代谢异常。ATB-152E和ATB-152J耐药菌的获得,为后续深入探索这两种具有良好抗结核活性化合物的作用机制奠定了基础。     

结核分枝杆菌核糖体蛋白丙氨酸乙酰转移酶过表达菌株的构建及分析

rimI基因编码的核糖体蛋白丙氨酸乙酰转移酶(ribosomal-protein-alanine acetyltransferase,RimI)为结核分枝杆菌GCN5相关N-乙酰转移酶家族成员,其在结核分枝杆菌中的生物学功能尚不十分清楚。为探索RimI的生物学特性及其对结核分枝杆菌致病性的影响,本研究以耻垢分枝杆菌为模式菌,构建过表达结核分枝杆菌rimI基因的重组菌株Msm∷pMV261-rimI。分别培养 Msm∷pMV261-rimI菌株和对照Msm∷pMV261菌株,分析两者生长速率、菌落形态和生物膜形成的差异,以及耐受低氧、低pH值、H₂O₂、二硫苏糖醇(dithiothreitol,DTT)和0.05%～1%十二烷基硫酸钠(sodium dodecyl sulfate,SDS)等逆环境的能力;并将两种菌株分别接种于鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7,观察两者在巨噬细胞内的存活能力。结果表明,相较于对照菌株,过表达rimI的菌株在生长前中期速率降低,生物膜早期成膜变缓,但不影响生物膜的后期成熟。同时,过表达rimI的菌株抵抗低氧、低pH值、H₂O₂等逆环境的能力增强,在巨噬细胞内的存活能力增强。结果提示,rimI基因对分枝杆菌的生物膜形成、抗逆性及细胞内生存具有重要作用,可能与结核分枝杆菌的毒力密切相关。     

核酸、核酸前体对结核分枝杆菌H37Ra和BCG生长的影响

在罗氏培基中添加嘧啶类化合物或其组合物,对结核分枝杆菌H37Ra和BCG菌株有明显的生长促进作用。这种生长促进作用在不利于生长的PH条件下更加明显。 种子斜面在4℃冰箱贮存的时间越久,嘧啶类化合物的生长促进作用越明显。鸟嘌呤和鸟嘌呤核苷酸对结核分枝杆菌的早期生长有促进作用。在罗氏培基中添加0．3—5mg/L的RNA或DNA,对菌株H37Ra和BCG的生长无刺激作用。     

金黄色葡萄球菌OatA基因敲除菌株及其回补菌株的构建

目的:构建金黄色葡萄球菌(金葡菌)Oat A基因敲除菌株及其回补菌株。方法:以p BT2为载体,构建金葡菌Oat A基因敲除质粒p BT2-△Oat A,经金葡菌RN4220修饰后电转入金葡菌USA300,利用p BT2载体对温度敏感的特点,在42℃多次传代,筛选出金葡菌Oat A基因敲除菌株。以p LI50为载体,构建p LI50-Oat A全基因回补质粒,电转入金葡菌RN4220,再次抽提后电转入敲除菌株△Oat A,获得基因回补菌株p Oat A。结果:成功构建基因敲除质粒p BT2-△Oat A,经RN4220修饰电转入USA300,经PCR及测序鉴定,获得了金葡菌Oat A敲除菌株△Oat A。经PCR及酶切鉴定,确认p LI50-Oat A回补质粒构建成功,通过金葡菌RN4220修饰后电转入敲除菌株△Oat A,获得基因敲除回补菌株p Oat A。结论:成功构建金黄色葡萄球菌Oat A基因敲除菌株及其回补菌株,为进一步研究金葡菌Oat A的功能及其作用机制奠定基础。     

新型隐球菌临床菌株中CNAG_01032基因的鉴定和功能研究

新型隐球菌是一种具有荚膜的重要临床致病真菌。本课题组在前期工作中发现CNAG_01032基因可能引起不同来源菌株的表型差异,本研究在此基础上以新型隐球菌临床来源菌株IFM56800（C1）、IFM56769（C2）为背景构建CNAG_01032基因敲除突变体,并检测突变株和野生型菌株经典毒力因子变化情况;使用API 20C AUX测试系统测试突变株和野生型菌株对19种糖的利用情况;使用尾静脉注射法感染BALB/c雌性小鼠进行致病性检测。结果显示：成功构建以临床株C1、C2为背景的CNAG-01032基因敲除突变株;突变株在37℃生长、黑色素产生与野生型菌株无显著差异,但荚膜厚度分别比C1、C2减少16.4%、18.2%;两基因敲除菌株均不能分解利用纤维二糖;致病性与野生型菌株无显著差异。新型隐球菌CNAG_01032基因可能参与临床来源菌株IFM56800、IFM56769的荚膜合成和纤维二糖的代谢。     

分枝杆菌glpX基因的功能

【目的】构建耻垢分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium smegmatis)glpX基因敲除株,研究其在生理代谢中的功能。【方法】利用分枝杆菌噬菌体Che9c重组系统构建耻垢分枝杆菌glpX基因敲除株;比较野生株及突变株在不同碳源培养条件下的生长差异;通过荧光实时定量PCR,比较野生株在以葡萄糖或油酸为唯一碳源培养下,glpX基因的表达水平。【结果】glpX突变株在以甘油或油酸为唯一碳源的培养基中无法生长;野生株在以油酸为唯一碳源培养下,glpX基因表达上调。【结论】glpX基因编码了分枝杆菌糖异生途径必需的和非冗余的果糖1,6-二磷酸酶(fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase,FBPase)。     

结核分枝杆菌毒素-抗毒素系统 maz EF6缺失突变株的构建及其表型的初步探讨

为构建结核分枝杆菌毒素‐抗毒素系统 m azEF6缺失突变株,并对其表型进行初步探讨,首先用聚合酶链反应（PCR）分别从H37Rv标准株和PUC‐19K质粒扩增出 mazEF6基因的同源臂及卡那霉素抗性基因kan ;然后应用融合PCR技术将 mazEF6基因的同源臂与 kan基因进行杂交拼接,获得目的融合片段,将该融合片段克隆于pMD‐19T（simple）载体形成自杀质粒pMD‐19T‐ΔmazEF6‐kan ,并将自杀质粒转化至大肠埃希菌DH5α中;最后利用电穿孔技术将自杀质粒电转至H37Rv标准株中,在卡那霉素抗性改良罗氏培养基上筛选H37Rv ΔmazEF6缺失突变株单个菌落,提取阳性菌株全基因组DNA为模板,PCR扩增克隆片段并测序。将所获得的H37Rv ΔmazEF6缺失突变株进行遗传稳定性检测后,对其表型进行初步研究。结果显示,该缺失株在15代内未发生回复性突变;与野生株相比,缺失株生长速度缓慢且细菌形态短小。本研究证实,融合PCR技术便于快速获得结核分枝杆菌缺失突变株;结核分枝杆菌在缺失毒素‐抗毒素系统 m azEF6基因后生存能力下降,这为进一步研究毒素‐抗毒素系统的作用奠定了基础。     

Identification of the mycothiol synthase gene (mshD) encoding the acetyltransferase producing mycothiol in actinomycetes

Mycothiol is the predominant thiol in most actinomycetes, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and appears to play a role analogous to glutathione, which is not found in these bacteria. The enzymes involved in mycothiol biosynthesis are of interest as potential targets for new drugs directed against tuberculosis. In this work we describe the isolation and characterization of a Tn 5 transposon mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis that is blocked in the production of mycothiol and accumulates its precursor, 1 D-myo-inosityl 2- L-cysteinylamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (Cys-GlcN-Ins). Cys-GlcN-Ins isolated from this mutant was used to assay for acetyl-CoA:Cys-GlcN-Ins acetyltransferase (mycothiol synthase, MshD) activity, which was found in wild-type cells, but not in the mutant. Sequencing outward of the DNA of the mutant strain from the site of insertion permitted identification of the mshD gene in the M. smegmatis genome, as well as the orthologous gene Rv0819 in the M. tuberculosis genome. Cloning and expression of mshD from M. tuberculosis (Rv0819) in Escherichia coli gave a transformant with MshD activity, demonstrating that Rv0819 is the mshD mycothiol biosynthesis gene.     

N-Acetyl-1-D-myo-inosityl-2-amino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside deacetylase (MshB) is a key enzyme in mycothiol biosynthesis

Mycothiol is a novel thiol produced only by actinomycetes and is the major low-molecular-weight thiol in mycobacteria. Mycothiol was previously shown to be synthesized from 1-D-myo-inosityl-2-amino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside by ligation with cysteine followed by acetylation. A novel mycothiol-dependent detoxification enzyme, mycothiol conjugate amidase, was recently identified in Mycobacterium smegmatis and shown to have a homolog, Rv1082, in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In the present study we found that a protein encoded by the M. tuberculosis open reading frame Rv1170, a homolog of Rv1082, possesses weak mycothiol conjugate amidase activity but shows substantial deacetylation activity with 1-D-myo-inosityl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (GlcNAc-Ins), a hypothetical mycothiol biosynthetic precursor. The availability of this protein enabled us to develop an assay for GlcNAc-Ins, which was used to demonstrate that GlcNAc-Ins is present in M. smegmatis at a level about twice that of mycothiol. It was shown that GlcNAc-Ins is absent in mycothiol-deficient mutant strain 49 of M. smegmatis and that this strain can concentrate GlcNAc-Ins from the medium and convert it to mycothiol. This demonstrates that GlcNAc-Ins is a key intermediate in the pathway of mycothiol biosynthesis. Assignment of Rv1170 as the gene coding the deacetylase in the M. tuberculosis genome represents the first identification of a gene of the mycothiol biosynthesis pathway. The presence of a large cellular pool of substrate for this enzyme suggests that it may be important in regulating mycothiol biosynthesis.     

A mycothiol synthase mutant of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has an altered thiol-disulfide content and limited tolerance to stress

Mycothiol (MSH) (acetyl-Cys-GlcN-Ins) is the major low-molecular-mass thiol in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. MSH has antioxidant activity, can detoxify a variety of toxic compounds, and helps to maintain the reducing environment of the cell. The production of MSH provides a potential novel target for tuberculosis treatment. Biosynthesis of MSH requires at least four genes. To determine which of these genes is essential in M. tuberculosis, we have been constructing targeted gene disruptions. Disruption in the mshC gene is lethal to M. tuberculosis, while disruption in the mshB gene results in MSH levels 20 to 100% of those of the wild type. For this study, we have constructed a targeted gene disruption in the mshD gene that encodes mycothiol synthase, the final enzyme in MSH biosynthesis. The mshD mutant produced approximately 1% of normal MSH levels but high levels of the MshD substrate Cys-GlcN-Ins and the novel thiol N-formyl-Cys-GlcN-Ins. Although N-formyl-Cys-GlcN-Ins was maintained in a highly reduced state, Cys-GlcN-Ins was substantially oxidized. In both the wild type and the mshD mutant, cysteine was predominantly oxidized. The M. tuberculosis mshD mutant grew poorly on agar plates lacking catalase and oleic acid and in low-pH media and had heightened sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. The inability of the mshD mutant to survive and grow in macrophages may be associated with its altered thiol-disulfide status. It appears that N-formyl-Cys-GlcN-Ins serves as a weak surrogate for MSH but is not sufficient to support normal growth of M. tuberculosis under stress conditions such as those found within the macrophage.     

Crystal structure of mycothiol synthase (Rv0819) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows structural homology to the GNAT family of N-acetyltransferases

Mycothiol is the predominant low-molecular weight thiol produced by actinomycetes, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The last reaction in the biosynthetic pathway for mycothiol is catalyzed by mycothiol synthase (MshD), which acetylates the cysteinyl amine of cysteine-glucosamine-inositol (Cys-GlcN-Ins). The crystal structure of MshD was determined in the presence of coenzyme A and acetyl-CoA. MshD consists of two tandem-repeated domains, each exhibiting the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT) fold. These two domains superimpose with a root-mean-square deviation of 1.7 A over 88 residues, and each was found to bind one molecule of coenzyme, although the binding sites are quite different. The C-terminal domain has a similar active site to many GNAT members in which the acetyl group of the coenzyme is presented to an open active site slot. However, acetyl-CoA bound to the N-terminal domain is buried, and is apparently not positioned to promote acetyl transfer. A modeled substrate complex indicates that Cys-GlcN-Ins would only fill a portion of a negatively charged channel located between the two domains. This is the first structure determined for an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of mycothiol.     

Association of mycothiol with protection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from toxic oxidants and antibiotics

Mycothiol, MSH or 1D-myo-inosityl 2-(N-acetyl-L-cysteinyl)amido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, is an unusual conjugate of N-acetylcysteine (AcCys) with 1D-myo-inosityl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (GlcN-Ins), and is the major low-molecular-mass thiol in mycobacteria. Mycothiol has antioxidant activity as well as the ability to detoxify a variety of toxic compounds. Because of these activities, MSH is a candidate for protecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis from inactivation by the host during infections as well as for resisting antituberculosis drugs. In order to define the protective role of MSH for M. tuberculosis, we have constructed an M. tuberculosis mutant in Rv1170, one of the candidate MSH biosynthetic genes. During exponential growth, the Rv1170 mutant bacteria produced approximately 20% of wild-type levels of MSH. Levels of the Rv1170 substrate, GlcNAc-Ins, were elevated, whereas those of the product, GlcN-Ins, were reduced. This establishes that the Rv1170 gene encodes for the major GlcNAc-Ins deacetylase activity (termed MshB) in the MSH biosynthetic pathway of M. tuberculosis. The Rv1170 mutant grew poorly on agar media lacking catalase and oleic acid, and had heightened sensitivities to the toxic oxidant cumene hydroperoxide and to the antibiotic rifampin. In addition, the mutant was more resistant to isoniazid, suggesting a role for MSH in activation of this prodrug. These data indicate that MSH contributes to the protection of M. tuberculosis from oxidants and influences resistance to two first-line antituberculosis drugs.     

Recombinase-based reporter system and antisense technology to study gene expression and essentiality in hypoxic nonreplicating mycobacteria

The study of the mechanisms used by Mycobacterium tuberculosis to survive in the absence of growth is hampered by the absence of appropriate genetic tools. Here, we report two strategies, a recombinase-based reporter system and an antisense technology, to study gene expression and essentiality in hypoxic nonreplicating mycobacteria. The recombinase-based reporter system relies on the resolution of an antibiotic marker flanked by the gammadelta-res sites. This system was developed to identify M. tuberculosis promoters, which are specifically expressed under anaerobic conditions. The antisense strategy was designed to study the role of a gene candidate during anaerobic survival. To validate this approach, the dosR, narK2 and rv2466c promoters were selected to drive dosR antisense mRNA expression in quiescent mycobacteria. The conditional knockout strains were found to be attenuated to adapt and survive under anaerobic conditions, as observed for the dosR knockout strain. Together, our work demonstrates that the recombinase-based reporter system and antisense technology represent two genetic tools useful for the identification and characterization of genes essential for the survival of hypoxic nonreplicating M. tuberculosis.     

Targeted mutagenesis of the Mycobacterium smegmatis mca gene, encoding a mycothiol-dependent detoxification protein

Mycothiol (MSH), a functional analogue of glutathione (GSH) that is found exclusively in actinomycetes, reacts with electrophiles and toxins to form MSH-toxin conjugates. Mycothiol S-conjugate amidase (Mca) then catalyzes the hydrolysis of an amide bond in the S conjugates, producing a mercapturic acid of the toxin, which is excreted from the bacterium, and glucosaminyl inositol, which is recycled back to MSH. In this study, we have generated and characterized an allelic exchange mutant of the mca gene of Mycobacterium smegmatis. The mca mutant accumulates the S conjugates of the thiol-specific alkylating agent monobromobimane and the antibiotic rifamycin S. Introduction of M. tuberculosis mca epichromosomally or introduction of M. smegmatis mca integratively resulted in complementation of Mca activity and reduced levels of S conjugates. The mutation in mca renders the mutant strain more susceptible to electrophilic toxins, such as N-ethylmalemide, iodoacetamide, and chlorodinitrobenzene, and to several oxidants, such as menadione and plumbagin. Additionally we have shown that the mca mutant is also more susceptible to the antituberculous antibiotic streptomycin. Mutants disrupted in genes belonging to MSH biosynthesis are also more susceptible to streptomycin, providing further evidence that Mca detoxifies streptomycin in the mycobacterial cell in an MSH-dependent manner.