一株来自蚯蚓的产纤溶酶蜡状芽孢杆菌Bacillus cereus的筛选及鉴定

对来自4个不同省份的5条蚯蚓的肠道及体表细菌进行分离,共获得122株细菌。通过脱脂奶粉平板法初筛,纤维蛋白平板法复筛,以透明圈为筛选标记,共筛选出产纤溶酶菌株12株,其中菌株SC-3-W-3的纤溶酶活力较高,达到了538.64 U/mL(相当于尿激酶的活力单位)。通过对其形态、培养、生理生化特征进行研究,发现其与蜡状芽孢杆菌Bacillus cereus Frankland的特征很相符。进一步对SC-3-W-3的16S rDNA序列及系统发育分析表明,该菌株与蜡状芽孢杆菌的同源性高达100%。综合生理生化及16S rDNA序列比对结果,将SC-3-W-3菌株鉴定为蜡状芽孢杆菌。     

一株芽孢杆菌的分离和鉴定

从中国农业科学院北京畜牧兽医研究所鸡舍附近土壤中分离到一株芽孢杆菌P-25,并进行了分子鉴定。通过形态鉴定、革兰氏染色、生理生化测定、16SrRNA序列分析和系统发育树构建,确定该菌株为蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus),其16SrRNAGenBank登录号为GU271135。     

两株对虾育苗用益生芽孢杆菌的筛选和鉴定

从土壤和虾池中分离到22株具有不同特征的芽孢杆菌,分别将各菌株对数期约5×10^8个细胞添加到500mL预先加有凡纳滨对虾（Litopenaeus vannamei）无节Ⅲ期幼体的水体中,各菌株在初始水体中含量均约为106个细胞/mL,根据各菌株对无节Ⅲ期到蚤状Ⅱ期幼体变态成活率的影响,从中初步筛选出10株对幼体变态成活有极显著（p〈0.01）效果的芽孢杆菌。进一步又从初筛到的10个菌株中复筛到2株对幼体变态成活最为明显的芽孢杆菌,菌株zou4和zou8。两菌株与复筛的其他8株芽孢杆菌相比,均显著（p〈0.05）促进幼体变态存活率。根据形态和生理生化特征,菌株zou4和zou8分别初步鉴定为坚强芽孢杆菌（Bacillus firmus）和蜡状芽孢杆菌（B.cereus）。为进一步确定zou4和zou8的分类地位,测定了两菌株的16S rRNA基因序列,分析了相关细菌16S rDNA序列的同源性,构建了系统发育树。结果表明菌株zou4和zou8分别与坚强芽孢杆菌和蜡状芽孢杆菌的同源性最高,相似值均为99%以上。系统发育树上zou4和zou8也分别与坚强芽孢杆菌和蜡状芽孢杆菌聚为一类。综合上述结果,芽孢杆菌zou4和zou8菌株分别被鉴定为坚强芽孢杆菌和蜡状芽孢杆菌。     

一株产纤维素酶细菌X10-1-2的鉴定

从土壤中筛选出来一株产纤维素酶的细菌,编号X10-1-2.该菌株为革兰氏阳性杆菌,可生成芽孢,好氧.最高生长温度为35～45℃,最低生长温度为10～20℃.在实验室根据其个体形态、菌落形态、生理生化特征作为分类依据,鉴定为蜡样芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus).     

B.t.c.cry 1C全长基因的克隆及其在增产菌中的表达

设计的一对引物,对苏云金芽孢杆菌科默尔亚种(Bacillus thuringiensis subsp．colmeri)15A3菌株中的cry1C基因进行PER扩增,得到包括结构基因,调节基因在内的全长为4．0kb的PCR产物。经两步克隆,将此基因连接至穿梭表达载体pHT315上,得到重组质粒pHT-1C。通过电转化将其导入一株增产菌蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus)9509菌株,SDS-PAGE检测到1条60kD左右的蛋白带,镜检观察到菱形晶体,生测结果表明,cry1C基因的导人使Bc9509菌株获得了对甜菜夜蛾的杀虫活性。     

一株高效纤维素降解菌株的分离鉴定及其酶学性质

从黄浦江淀山湖的水底沉积物中筛选分离得到一株产纤维素酶的菌株。经细菌形态观察,生理生化实验并结合16SrRNA序列分析,鉴定该菌为蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus),同时发现其在系统发育树中处于一个独立的分支,推测该菌为Bacillus属中一个新的亚种。对该菌株产酶及酶活特性进行了初步研究,发现纤维素酶的产生与细菌的生长密切相关。该菌株在37°C,pH7.0的条件下,发酵66h后纤维素酶活达到最高值4.58U/mL。     

猪血红蛋白降解菌株分离筛选与微生物特性

从多年被废弃畜禽血液浸染的土壤中,分离筛选出16株菌株。根据在酪蛋白/明胶平板上蛋白质水解圈比值大小,初步确定8株菌株为被选菌株;并分别在Hb发酵培养液中发酵72 h,测定蛋白酶活力、游离氨基酸含量、可溶性蛋白质含量、Hb降解率,最终确定一株菌株(编号为Lact5.Ⅲ)为所有被筛选出来的16株菌株中的最佳菌株。经过菌落形态观察初步确定为细菌,进一步测定生理、生化反应指标,鉴定该菌株为蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus)。     

地衣芽孢杆菌16S rRNA基因的TD-PCR扩增及系统发育分析

运用16SrRNA基因序列分析了中国工业微生物菌种保藏管理中心(CICC)保存的30株地衣芽孢杆菌的系统发育关系,结果显示:24株菌株位于地衣芽孢杆菌系统发育分支;3株菌株位于蜡状芽孢杆菌-苏云金芽孢杆菌系统发育分支;1株菌株位于枯草芽孢杆菌系统发育分支;2株菌株与其它地衣芽孢杆菌菌株间序列同源性为96.4%~97.4%,明显低于其它地衣芽孢杆菌菌株间同源性,分类地位不明确,有待进一步讨论。通过比较分析16SrRNA基因5′端500bp、3′端500bp以及其全基因的系统发育树,表明16SrRNA基因5′端500bp可以很好的代表全基因序列进行系统发育研究,可用于区分地衣芽孢杆菌、枯草芽孢杆菌以及蜡状芽孢杆菌分支。     

白蚁栖息环境中蜡状芽孢杆菌的分离及其纤维素酶活性分析

【目的】了解白蚁栖息环境中有无降解纤维素的微生物。【方法】以羧甲基纤维素钠为唯一碳源,利用刚果红染色,根据透明圈大小进行筛选。通过显微形态、革兰氏染色及16S rRNA基因序列分析对菌株进行鉴定。DNS法测定菌株产纤维素酶与生长周期的关系,并进一步分析纤维素酶性质。【结果】从台湾乳白蚁(Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki)栖息环境中筛选到一株具有较高纤维素酶活性,革兰氏阳性菌株TT15,16S rDNA序列分析鉴定为蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus Gd2T)。菌株培养前12 h没有纤维素酶活性,随着培养时间的增加,纤维素酶活性逐渐增大;当生长达到稳定期(48 h),酶活性达到最大并保持稳定。菌株TT15纤维素酶活性的最适pH和最适反应温度分别为5.0和50°C。【结论】从白蚁栖息环境中分离到一株具有较高纤维素酶活的蜡状芽孢杆菌TT15,可作为产细菌纤维素酶的优良菌株。     

抗动物病原菌芽孢杆菌的筛选、初步鉴定和抗菌活性

从鸡肠道分离、挑选的18株芽孢杆菌经培养特征、形态观察、生理生化实验,初步被鉴定为枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilus)、地衣芽孢杆菌(Bacillus licheniformis)、蜡状芽孢杆菌(Bacillus cereus)、巨大芽孢杆菌(Bacillus megaterium)和凝结芽孢杆菌(Bacillus coagulans)。同时测定了它们对5种常见动物病原菌大肠杆菌(E.coli)、金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus)、肠炎沙门氏菌(Salmonella typhimurium)、猪链球菌(Streptococcus suis)、奇异变形杆菌(Proteus mirabilis)的抑菌活性,其中有4株芽孢杆菌对5种病原菌都有抑制作用。还分别测定了它们产木聚糖酶(从0.895 U1到3.239 U1)和纤维素酶活性(分别为0.391 U2和0.465 U2)。结果表明,芽孢杆菌分离株BC17、BC32、BC106、BC228、BC247和BC261具有作为益生菌的开发潜力。     

The autolytic phenotype of the Bacillus cereus group

AIM: To determine the autolytic phenotype of five species in the Bacillus cereus group. METHODS AND RESULTS: The autolytic rate of 96 strains belonging to five species in the B. cereus group was examined under starvation conditions at pH 6, 6.5 and 8.5 in different buffers. The autolytic rate was strain-dependent with a wide variability at pH 6, but higher and more uniform at pH 6.5. At pH 8.5, and respect to the extent of autolysis at pH 6.5, it was relatively low for most of the strains with the lowest values between 13 and 52% in Bacillus mycoides and Bacillus pseudomycoides. Peptidoglycan hydrolase patterns evaluated by renaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using cells of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. tolworthi HD125 as an indicator, revealed complex profiles with lytic bands of about 90, 63, 46, 41, 38, 32, 28 and 25 kDa in B. cereus, B. thuringiensis and Bacillus weihenstephanensis. Bacillus mycoides and B. pseudomycoides had simpler profiles with lytic bands of 63, 46 and 38 kDa. Changes in the autolytic pattern were observed for cells harvested at the stationary phase of growth (72 h) showing an increase in the intensity of the 25 kDa band in the case of B. cereus, B. thuringiensis and B. weihenstephanensis, while no changes were observed for B. mycoides. Using Micrococcus lysodeicticus and Listeria monocytogenes as indicators lytic activity was retained by proteins of 63, 46, 38, 32 and 25 kDa and a new one of about 20 kDa in B. mycoides. Growth in the different media did not affect the autolytic pattern. NaCl abolished the activity of all the peptidoglycan hydrolases except for those of B. mycoides and B. weihenstephanensis. Lytic activity was retained in the presence of MgCl(2), MnCl(2) and EDTA and increased at basic pH. CONCLUSIONS: Bacillus cereus/B. thuringiensis/B. weihenstephanensis showed a high extent of autolysis around neutral pH, even though they presented relatively complex autolysin profiles at alkaline pH. Bacillus mycoides/B. pseudomycoides had a higher extent of autolysis at acidic pH and a simpler autolysin pattern. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Information on the autolytic phenotype expand the phenotypic characterization of the different species in the B. cereus group.     

Psychrotolerant species from the Bacillus cereus group are not necessarily Bacillus weihenstephanensis

Twenty-six strains of Bacillus cereus from different sources were determined to be either mesophilic or psychrotrophic by growth at 6 and 42 degrees C. The strains were also screened by two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods designed to discriminate between mesophilic and psychrotrophic types. Seventeen of the 26 strains were able to grow at 6 degrees C, but only four conformed to the new psychrotolerant species Bacillus weihenstephanensis. Among the 26 strains were two which caused outbreaks of food poisoning in Norway, and three others that were isolated from food suspected of causing illness. The presence of the gene components encoding production of enterotoxins Nhe, Hbl, EntT and a recently described cytotoxin K was determined by PCR. All the strains possessed genes for at least one of these toxins, and 19 of the 26 strains were cytotoxic in a Vero cell assay. We conclude that there are psychrotrophic B. cereus strains which cannot be classified as B. weihenstephanensis, and that intermediate forms between the two species exist. No correlation between cytotoxicity and the growth temperature of the strains was found.     

Diversity of commensal Bacillus cereus sensu lato isolated from the common sow bug (Porcellio scaber, Isopoda)

Although Bacillus cereus sensu lato are important both from an ecological and an economical point of view, little is known about their population structure, ecology, and relationships with other organisms. In the present work, the genotypic similarity of arthropod-borne B. cereus s.l. isolates, and their symbiotic relationship with the host are assessed. Bacilli of this group were recovered from the digestive tracts of sow bugs (Porcellio scaber) collected in three closely located sites. Their genotypic diversity was investigated using pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) following the whole-genome DNA digestions with NotI and AscI, and PCR amplification of virulence genes. The majority of the sow-bug Bacillus cereus sensu stricto isolates originating from the same but also from different sites displayed identical PFGE patterns, virulence gene content and enterotoxicity, indicating strong genetic and genomic relationships. The sow-bug Bacillus mycoides/Bacillus pseudomycoides strains displayed a higher diversity. The isopod-B. cereus s.l. relationship was also evaluated using antibiotic-resistant derivatives of B. cereus s.s., B. mycoides/B. pseudomycoides and Bacillus thuringiensis reintroduced into sow bugs. Both spores and vegetative cells of B. cereus s.l. were recovered from sow bugs over a 30-day period, strongly suggesting that these bacteria are natural residents of terrestrial isopods.     

Sequence diversity of the Bacillus thuringiensis and B. cereus sensu lato flagellin (H antigen) protein: comparison with H serotype diversity

We set out to analyze the sequence diversity of the Bacillus thuringiensis flagellin (H antigen [Hag]) protein and compare it with H serotype diversity. Some other Bacillus cereus sensu lato species and strains were added for comparison. The internal sequences of the flagellin (hag) alleles from 80 Bacillus thuringiensis strains and 16 strains from the B. cereus sensu lato group were amplified and cloned, and their nucleotide sequences were determined and translated into amino acids. The flagellin allele nucleotide sequences for 10 additional strains were retrieved from GenBank for a total of 106 Bacillus species and strains used in this study. These included 82 B. thuringiensis strains from 67 H serotypes, 5 B. cereus strains, 3 Bacillus anthracis strains, 3 Bacillus mycoides strains, 11 Bacillus weihenstephanensis strains, 1 Bacillus halodurans strain, and 1 Bacillus subtilis strain. The first 111 and the last 66 amino acids were conserved. They were referred to as the C1 and C2 regions, respectively. The central region, however, was highly variable and is referred to as the V region. Two bootstrapped neighbor-joining trees were generated: a first one from the alignment of the translated amino acid sequences of the amplified internal sequences of the hag alleles and a second one from the alignment of the V region amino acid sequences, respectively. Of the eight clusters revealed in the tree inferred from the entire C1-V-C2 region amino acid sequences, seven were present in corresponding clusters in the tree inferred from the V region amino acid sequences. With regard to B. thuringiensis, in most cases, different serovars had different flagellin amino acid sequences, as might have been expected. Surprisingly, however, some different B. thuringiensis serovars shared identical flagellin amino acid sequences. Likewise, serovars from the same H serotypes were most often found clustered together, with exceptions. Indeed, some serovars from the same H serotype carried flagellins with sufficiently different amino acid sequences as to be located on distant clusters. Species-wise, B. halodurans, B. subtilis, and B. anthracis formed specific branches, whereas the other four species, all in the B. cereus sensu lato group, B. mycoides, B. weihenstephanensis, B. cereus, and B. thuringiensis, did not form four specific clusters as might have been expected. Rather, strains from any of these four species were placed side by side with strains from the other species. In the B. cereus sensu lato group, B. anthracis excepted, the distribution of strains was not species specific.     

Genetic relationship in the 'Bacillus cereus group' by rep-PCR fingerprinting and sequencing of a Bacillus anthracis-specific rep-PCR fragment

AIMS: To evaluate the genetic relationship in the Bacillus cereus group by rep-PCR fingerprinting. METHODS AND RESULTS: A collection of 112 strains of the six species of the B. cereus group was analysed by rep-PCR fingerprinting using the BOX-A1R primer. A relative genetic distinctness was found among the species. Cluster analysis of the rep-PCR patterns showed clusters of B. thuringiensis strains quite separate from those of B. cereus strains. The B. anthracis strains represented an independent lineage in a B. cereus cluster. The B. mycoides, B. pseudomycoides and B. weihenstephanensis strains were clustered into three groups at some distance from the other species. Comparison of sequences of AC-390, a typical B. anthracis rep-PCR fragment, from 27 strains of B. anthracis, B. cereus, B. thuringiensis and B. weihenstephanensis, representative of different clusters identified by rep-PCR fingerprinting, confirmed that B. anthracis diverges from its related species. CONCLUSIONS: The genetic relationship deduced from the rep-PCR patterns indicates a relatively clear separation of the six species, suggesting that they can indeed be considered as separate units. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: rep-PCR fingerprinting can make a contribution in the clarification of the genetic relationships between the species of the B. cereus group.     

PCR assay of the groEL gene for detection and differentiation of Bacillus cereus group cells

Strains of species in the Bacillus cereus group are potentially enterotoxic. Thus, the detection of all B. cereus group strains is important. As 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis cannot adequately differentiate species of the B. cereus group, we explored the potential of the groEL gene as a phylogenetic marker. A phylogenetic analysis of the groEL sequences of 78 B. cereus group strains revealed that the B. cereus group strains were split into two major clusters, one including six B. mycoides and one B. pseudomycoides (cluster II) and the other including two B. mycoides and the rest of the B. cereus group strains (cluster I). Cluster I was further differentiated into two subclusters, Ia and Ib. The sodA gene sequences of representative strains from different clusters were also compared. The phylogenetic tree constructed from the sodA sequences showed substantial similarity to the tree constructed from the groEL sequences. Based on the groEL sequences, a PCR assay for detection and identification of B. cereus group strains was developed. Subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis verified the PCR amplicons and the differentiation of the B. cereus group strains. RFLP with MboI was identical for all the B. cereus group strains analyzed, while RFLP with MfeI or PstI classified all B. cereus and B. thuringiensis strains into two groups. All cluster II B. mycoides and B. pseudomycoides strains could be discriminated from other B. cereus group bacteria by restriction analysis with TspRI.     

Enterotoxigenic profiles and polymerase chain reaction detection of Bacillus cereus group cells and B. cereus strains from foods and food-borne outbreaks

Bacillus cereus is one of the important food pathogens. Since B. cereus group cells, such as B. cereus, B. thuringiensis, B. anthracis and B. mycoides, share many phenotypical properties and a high level of chromosomal sequence similarity, it is interesting to investigate the virulence profiles for B. cereus group cells, including B. cereus strains isolated from foods and samples associated with food-poisoning outbreaks. For this investigation, the presence of enterotoxin genes, such as those of haemolysin BL, B. cereus enterotoxin T and enterotoxin FM, were assayed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Meanwhile, their enterotoxin activities were assayed using the BCET-RPLA kit, haemolytic patterns on sheep blood agar and their cytotoxicity to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Results showed that there were 12 enterotoxigenic profiles for the 98 B. cereus group strains collected. In addition, if any of the three types of enterotoxins was present in the B. cereus group cells, these cells were shown to be cytotoxic to the CHO cells. Similar enterotoxigenic profiles could be found among strains of B. cereus, B. mycoides and B. thuringiensis. Thus, all B. cereus group strains may be potentially toxigenic and the detection of these cells in foods is important. We thus designed PCR primers, termed Ph1/Ph2, from the sphingomyelinase gene of B. cereus cells. These primers were specific for all B. cereus group strains and could be used for the detection of B. cereus cells contaminated in food samples.     

Conjugative transfer, stability and expression of a plasmid encoding a cry1Ac gene in Bacillus cereus group strains

The plasmid pHT73 containing cry1Ac and tagged with an erythromycin resistance gene was transferred from Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki KT0 to several Bacillus cereus group strains by conjugation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and phase contrast microscopy showed that the transconjugants containing plasmid pHT73 could express Cry1Ac toxin and produce bipyramidal crystalline inclusion bodies during sporulation. The study demonstrated that pHT73 could be transferred to B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, several B. cereus strains and Bacillus mycoides. Under non-selective conditions, the stability of the pHT73 plasmid in the transconjugants was found to be 58.2-100% after 100 generations and 4-96% after 200 generations. The variations are mainly caused by the choice of receptor strain.     

Phenotypic and genotypic comparisons of 23 strains from the Bacillus cereus complex for a selection of known and putative B. thuringiensis virulence factors

Sixteen Bacillus thuringiensis, four Bacillus cereus and three Bacillus anthracis isolates were screened for a selection of known and putative B. thuringiensis virulence factors. PCR primers were designed to detect genes for phosphatidylcholine specific phospholipase C, phosphatidylinositol specific phospholipase C, immune inhibitor A, vegetative insecticidal protein 3A, a protein proposed to be involved in capsule synthesis, a newly identified Ser/Thr kinase homologue and enterotoxin entS. Motility, the presence of flagella, haemolysis, chitinase and lecithinase production were also evaluated. The widely varying profiles of the 23 strains from the complex provide a pool of different genotypes that can help to identify factors involved in pathogenicity.