新型隐球酵母铜应答转录因子Cuf1与荚膜的生物合成的相关性研究

摘要：【目的】新型隐球酵母是人类条件致病真菌,主要感染免疫缺陷患者。该酵母最显著的特征是细胞外包被主要的致病因子-多糖荚膜,其调控机制复杂。本文研究旨在阐述编码铜依赖转录因子的CUF1基因对其荚膜生物合成的负调控作用。【方法】以野生型菌株为对照,对CUF1缺失的突变菌株进行菌落形态观察、荚膜墨汁染色的显微观察、细胞聚沉试验以及荚膜定量分析。【结果】与野生型菌株相比,Δcuf1突变株产生的菌落更粘,显微镜下亦可明显观察到荚膜更厚。同样数量的细胞,突变株聚沉平衡后体积更大。此外,荚膜粗提物定量称重分析也证明突     

禽多杀性巴氏杆菌C48-3株ompH基因敲除突变株的构建及其生物学功能

[目的]探讨ompH基因在禽多杀性巴氏杆菌致病过程中的作用.[方法]利用同源重组原理构建中间为四环素抗性基因,两侧为ompH基因上下游同源序列同源的敲除载体pWSK29△ompH,将敲除载体电击转入C48-3株感受态细胞中,通过四环素抗性和菌落PCR筛选ompH基因的敲除突变株,并通过组合PCR、逆转录PCR和DNA测序对突变株进行验证.用生物学功能实验比较野生株、互补株和突变株在生长速率、荚膜结构、粘着能力和致病性等方面的差异.[结果]组合PCR、逆转录PCR和DNA测序结果证实ompH基因的敲除突变株C48-3△ompH构建成功,电镜观察结果证实ompH基因的缺陷影响细菌的荚膜合成能力,粘附实验结果显示与野生株C48-3和互补株C48-3C相比突变株C48-3△ompH对CEF细胞的粘附能力显著降低(P＜0.01),而小鼠毒力实验结果表明突变株C48-3△ompH的致病性相对减弱.[结论]本实验构建的突变株C48-3△ompH,为进一步研究多杀性巴氏杆菌的致病机理奠定基础.     

酵母海藻糖酶缺失突变株的构建及其耐性

[目的]构建酵母海藻糖酶缺失突变株,并进行耐性分析,进一步研究海藻糖与酵母耐性之间的关系,为商业生产打下一定的基础.[方法]利用同源重组的方法,敲除了编码酸性海藻糖酶的ATH1基因和中性海藻糖酶的NTH1基因,构建了酸性海藻糖酶缺失突变株(△ath1)、中性海藻糖酶缺失突变株(△nth1)和双缺失突变株(△ath1△nth1),并进行了耐性分析.[结果]结合PCR和Southernblot的结果,验证了突变株构建的正确.所有突变株的海藻糖积累量和细胞密度均高于亲本,冷冻、高温、高糖和酒精耐性提高了.[结论]说明海藻糖含量与酵母耐性有一定的相关性.突变株耐性的改善,表明它们在酿造和烘焙产业中具有潜在的商业价值.     

产志贺毒素大肠杆菌O18 XZ113 株主要毒力基因eaeA、stx2、ehxA 突变株的构建及其对小鼠的致病作用

[目的]探讨毒力基因eaeA、stx2、ehxA与产志贺毒素大肠杆菌O18致病力的关系.[方法]利用λ-Red重组系统,构建STEC XZ113株eaeA、stx2、ehxA基因缺失突变株并进行一系列生物学特性的研究.[结果]细胞粘附试验表明突变株XZ113△eaeA对HEp-2细胞的粘附能力明显降低;Vero细胞毒素试验表明突变株XZ113 △stx2失去了使Vero细胞发生病变的能力;溶血活性试验表明突变株XZ113△ehxA无法在血平板上产生溶血圈,丢失了溶血能力.回复株在以上表型方面与野生株XZ113一致;与亲本株的体外竞争试验结果表明,突变株竞争力减弱,体内竞争结果表明突变株XZ1 13△eaeA被中度致弱;突变株XZ113 △stx2和突变株XZ113△ehxA被高度致弱.[结论]stx2、ehxA基因在STEC O18 XZ113株的致病过程中发挥着更为重要的作用.     

产单核细胞李斯特菌actA/plcB缺失株的构建及其生物学特性

产单核细胞李斯特菌的毒力因子与该菌在细胞间扩散、传播有着直接的关系,其中肌动蛋白聚集因子ActA是细菌由细胞浆扩散至相邻细胞所必须的因子,而广谱磷脂酶C则参与具有双层膜吞噬体的裂解过程.[方法]本研究中利用同源重组技术成功构建了毒力因子ActA和PC-PLC双缺失的突变株,[目的]并对突变株的毒力和免疫应答潜能进行评价.[结果]Western blot和磷脂酶活性测定实验,分别从蛋白质水平上证实actA和plcB基因的缺失.突变株的毒力显著降低,对小鼠半数致死剂量比野生型菌株提高约10 3倍,但仍然保持较好地诱导T细胞应答的能力,并且能完全保护野生型细菌致死剂量的攻击.实验结果不仅表明ActA和PC-PLC是产单核细胞李斯特菌的重要毒力因子,而且证实安全性提高的突变株依然保持有较强地诱导细胞免疫应答的能力.[结论]因此,该突变株的获得不仅对李斯特菌病的预防具有重要作用,而且为构建预防人类和动物疫病的疫苗载体奠定了基础,此外对于阐明LM毒力因子的致病机理与免疫保护作用提供了条件.     

假单胞菌M18株pltZ基因转录阻抑藤黄绿菌素ABC转运系统

假单胞菌(Pseudomonassp .)M18株的藤黄绿菌素(Pyoluteorin ,Plt )生物合成基因簇下游存在一个Plt生物合成负调控基因pltZ和一个负责Plt分泌及自身抗性的ABC(ATP_bindingcassette)转运系统基因簇。利用启动子探针载体pME6 0 15和pME6 5 2 2分别构建ABC转运基因pltH与lacZ的翻译和转录融合表达质粒pHZLF和pHZCF ,分别引入野生型假单胞菌M18株和pltZ突变菌株M18Z。半乳糖苷酶活性的测定结果表明:在pltZ突变株M18Z中,pltH’-‘lacZ翻译融合表达水平约比野生型提高3 7～8 4倍,pltH’‘lacZ转录融合表达水平显著提高了2 8～7 4倍,表明pltZ能在转录水平上阻抑PltABC转运系统的表达,pltZ很可能通过阻抑PltABC转运系统的表达,间接地负调控Plt的生物合成     

BldM对密旋链霉菌Act12形态发育及抗生素合成的调控

【目的】以多效生防菌株——密旋链霉菌(Streptomyces pactum) Act12为研究材料，探究转录因子BldM对生防链霉菌Act12形态发育及抗生素合成的调控作用。【方法】通过基因工程手段构建bldM基因缺失突变株△bldM及过表达突变株OE-bldM，利用扫描电镜观察、抑菌实验、高效液相色谱检测和实时荧光定量PCR探究缺失突变株△bldM及过表达突变株OE-bldM与野生型(wild) Act12在形态发育、生长速率、寡霉素产量及抗病原菌能力等方面的差异。【结果】经测序验证bldM基因缺失突变体△bldM及过表达突变体OE-bldM均构建成功，其中△bldM寡霉素D产量明显降低且无法形成气生菌丝，而过表达突变株OE-bldM的气生菌丝更加密集，产孢更为丰富。与野生型菌株相比，OE-bldM的寡霉素D产量增加了23%，编码寡霉素核心合成酶基因的转录水平上调了2-3倍，抑菌活性显著增强。【结论】全局性转录调控因子BldM不但能影响Act12气生菌丝及孢子形成，并且参与正调控Act12寡霉素的合成，本研究结果为转录因子BldM的调控功能进行了新的挖掘和补充，并为后续深入研究密旋...     

钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株构建及其缺失对精氨酸生物合成途径相关基因转录水平的影响

[目的]钝齿棒杆菌AS 1.542中argR基因编码的蛋白ArgR在精氨酸生物合成途径中扮演负调控的角色,但其对相关基因在转录水平的影响还未见报道.因此,本课题组构建了钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株,并在转录水平上比较野生株与缺失株精氨酸生物合成途径相关基因的变化.[方法]采用无痕敲除的方法构建了钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株,并采用荧光定量PCR方法分析缺失株和野生株精氨酸生物合成途径相关基因在转录水平的变化.[结果]利用pK18mobsacB质粒中蔗糖致死基因sacB反向筛选标记及PCR方法成功筛选到钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株;荧光定量PCR结果表明,argR基因缺失株精氨酸生物合成途径中相关基因在转录水平获得大量提高,平均约上调162.13倍.[结论]钝齿棒杆菌精氨酸生物合成途径的相关基因受负调控蛋白ArgR的显著调控,但其基因的敲除并没有引起精氨酸产量发生明显的变化.     

白念珠菌铁通透酶基因CaFTH1的功能研究

[目的]白念珠菌CaFTH1是一种铁通透酶编码基因.为了研究CaFTH1对胞内铁代谢和液泡功能的影响,构建fth1△/△单基因缺失菌株和fth1△/△fet33△/△双基因缺失菌株.[方法]利用生物信息学软件对CaFTH1进行序列比对和分析;通过实时荧光定量PCR技术研究铁离子丰度对CaFTH1表达的影响;利用PCR介导的同源重组方法构建基因缺失菌株;利用原子吸收光谱方法测定基因缺失菌株胞内铁含量的变化,并对基因缺失菌株在缺铁条件和菌丝诱导条件下的生长状况进行研究;通过代谢转换实验,研究CaFTH1对细胞液泡功能的影响.[结果]序列比对结果表明白念珠菌CaFth1蛋白属于铁通透酶Ftr1超家族,与酿酒酵母液泡膜蛋白ScFth1具有最高的同源性.铁匮乏条件会诱导CaFTH1的表达,而富铁条件则会抑制其表达.白念珠菌CaFTH1的缺失会导致胞内铁含量的降低,fth1△/△突变菌株基础上CaFET33的缺失则会进一步降低胞内铁含量.在缺铁条件下,fth1△/△fet33△/△双基因缺失菌株在一定程度上表现出代谢转换能力的缺陷.另外,在某些固体菌丝诱导培养条件下,fth1△/△fet33△/△缺失菌株菌落表面形成褶皱能力显著增强;而在液体菌丝诱导条件下,则表现为增强的菌丝聚集能力.[结论]CaFTH1是一种低铁应答基因,在维持白念珠菌胞内铁离子稳态及液泡功能方面具有重要作用.CaFTH1和CaFET33基因的双缺失会对白念珠菌的菌落形态和菌丝聚集产生影响.     

假单胞菌GP72 rpeB突变株的构建及其对吩嗪类抗生素合成的调控

[目的]绿针假单胞菌GP72是一株可生产吩嗪类抗生素吩嗪-1-羧酸(PCA)及2-羟基吩嗪(2-OH-PHZ)的生防假单胞菌.RpeA/RpeB双元调控系统是其双元调控系统中的一组,本文旨在研究这一系统中的应答调控子(RR)RpeB对于PCA及2-OH-PHZ的生物合成影响.[方法]通过生物信息学分析获得了rpeA/rpeB双元调控系统的序列,并从GP72中扩增出rpeB基因,通过同源重组技术构建卡那霉素抗性片段插入突变rpeB的突变菌株GP72BN.利用发酵实验、rpeB基因回补实验及荧光定量PCR实验,验证rpeB对于吩嗪类抗生素合成及相关基因表达的调控作用.[结果]在KMB培养基中,rpeB突变株的PCA产量下降为野生型的49.5％,2-OH-PHZ产量下降为野生型的67.3％.rpeB基因的回补可以在一定程度上回复PCA及2-OH-PHZ的产量.荧光定量PCR实验结果表明,rpeB突变株中群体感应系统基因phzI/phzR及吩嗪合成基因簇基因phzE转录水平均显著下调,而PCA转化为2-OH-PHZ的修饰基因phzO转录水平变化不显著.[结论]RpeB正调控PCA与2-OH-PHZ合成途径的表达.RpeB很可能是通过调控群体感应基因phzI/phzR和phz基因簇的表达,从而影响PCA的合成,并间接调控其衍生物2-OH-PHZ的合成.     

Systematic capsule gene disruption reveals the central role of galactose metabolism on Cryptococcus neoformans virulence

The polysaccharidic capsule is the main virulence factor of Cryptococcus neoformans. It primarily comprised of two polysaccharides: glucuronoxylomannan (GXM, 88% of the capsule mass) and galactoxylomannan (GalXM, 7% of the capsule mass). We constructed a large collection of mutant strains in which genes potentially involved in capsule biosynthesis were deleted. We used a new post-genomic approach to study the virulence of the strains. Primers specific for unique tags associated with the disruption cassette were used in a real-time PCR virulence assay to measure the fungal burden of each strain in different organs of mice in multi-infection experiments. With this very sensitive assay, we identified a putative UDP-glucose epimerase (Uge1p) and a putative UDP-galactose transporter (Ugt1p) essential for C. neoformans virulence. The uge1Delta and ugt1Delta strains are temperature sensitive and do not produce GalXM but synthesize a larger capsule. These mutant strains (GalXM negative, GXM positive) are not able to colonize the brain even at the first day of infection whereas GXM-negative strains (GalXM positive) can still colonize the brain, although less efficiently than the wild-type strain.     

Methylation of glycosylated sphingolipid modulates membrane lipid topography and pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans

In previous studies we showed that the replication of Cryptococcus neoformans in the lung environment is controlled by the glucosylceramide (GlcCer) synthase gene (GCS1), which synthesizes the membrane sphingolipid GlcCer from the C9-methyl ceramide. Here, we studied the effect of the mutation of the sphingolipid C9 methyltransferase gene (SMT1), which adds a methyl group to position 9 of the sphingosine backbone of ceramide. The C. neoformans Δsmt1 mutant does not make C9-methyl ceramide and, thus, any methylated GlcCer. However, it accumulates demethylated ceramide and demethylated GlcCer. The Δsmt1 mutant loses more than 80% of its virulence compared with the wild type and the reconstituted strain. Interestingly, growth of C. neoformans Δsmt1 in the lung was decreased and C. neoformans cells were contained in lung granulomas, which significantly reduced the rate of their dissemination to the brain reducing the onset of meningoencephalitis. Thus, using fluorescent spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy we compared the wild type and Δsmt1 mutant and found that the altered membrane composition and GlcCer structure affects fungal membrane rigidity, suggesting that specific sphingolipid structures are required for proper fungal membrane organization and integrity. Therefore, we propose that the physical structure of the plasma membrane imparted by specific classes of sphingolipids represents a critical factor for the ability of the fungus to establish virulence.     

The role of the hexose transporter in the chloroplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana L.

The metabolism of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana L. and its mutant TC265 were compared in order to reveal the role of the chloroplast glucose transporter. Plants were grown in a 12-h photoperiod. From 20 to 40 days after germination, starch per gram fresh weight of shoot in the mutant was four times that in the wild type. The extent of this difference did not alter during this period. Stereological analysis showed that the chloroplasts in the mutant were larger than those in the wild type; the thylakoids appeared to be distorted by the high starch content. [U-¹⁴C]Glucose and [U-¹⁴C]glycerol were supplied, separately, to excised leaves in the dark. [U-¹⁴C]Glucose was a good precursor of sucrose in the wild type and mutant; [U-¹⁴C]glycerol was a poor precursor of sucrose in both. The distribution of ¹⁴C in the wild type was used to calculate that the net flux was from hexose monophosphates to triose phosphates, not vice versa. During the first 4 h of the night the sugar content (75% sucrose, 20% glucose) of the leaves of the mutant dropped sharply, and at all times during the night it was less than that of the wild-type leaves. This drop in sugar coincided with a decrease in the rate of respiration. The growth rate of the mutant was less than that of the wild type. Addition of sucrose restored the rate of respiration at night and increased the rate of growth. It is argued that a major function of the glucose transporter in Arabidopsis chloroplasts is export of the products of starch breakdown that are destined for sucrose synthesis at night.We thank Professor C.R. Somerville for his generous gift of seed of the Arabidopsis mutant TC265. We are also grateful to Mr B. Chapman for assistance with the preparation of the sections for electron microscopy. R.N.T. thanks the Science and Engineering Research Council for a studentship.     

Cryptococcal xylosyltransferase 1 (Cxt1p) from Cryptococcus neoformans plays a direct role in the synthesis of capsule polysaccharides

The opportunistic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans causes serious disease in humans and expresses a prominent polysaccharide capsule that is required for its virulence. Little is known about how this capsule is synthesized. We previously identified a beta1,2-xylosyltransferase (Cxt1p) with in vitro enzymatic activity appropriate for involvement in capsule synthesis. Here, we investigate C. neoformans strains in which the corresponding gene has been deleted (cxt1Delta). Loss of CXT1 does not affect in vitro growth of the mutant cells or the general morphology of their capsules. However, NMR structural analysis of the two main capsule polysaccharides, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and galactoxylomannan (GalXM), showed that both were missing beta1,2-xylose residues. There was an approximately 30% reduction in the abundance of this residue in GXM in mutant compared with wild-type strains, and mutant GalXM was almost completely devoid of beta1,2-linked xylose. The GalXM from the mutant strain was also missing a beta1,3-linked xylose residue. Furthermore, deletion of CXT1 led to attenuation of cryptococcal growth in a mouse model of infection, suggesting that the affected xylose residues are important for normal host-pathogen interactions. Cxt1p is the first glycosyltransferase with a defined role in C. neoformans capsule biosynthesis, and cxt1Delta is the only strain identified to date with structural alterations of the capsule polysaccharide GalXM.