长柄石杉芽胞及芽胞植株形态研究

为研究石杉属植物芽胞形态特征以及芽胞在石杉属植物无性繁殖中的作用,对野外采集和移栽后新生的长柄石杉（Huperzia javanica）芽胞体、芽胞的形态特征、芽胞萌发形成芽胞植株的过程进行了描述,并对芽胞和芽胞残体发生数量进行计数。结果表明,芽胞体由芽胞和芽托部组成,前者是6个小叶围住的小芽,后者为具有6个鳞状叶的柄状体;芽胞脱落后一周开始萌发并进一步发育为芽胞植株;芽胞体发生枝条上平均有5个芽胞发生;芽胞发生具有一定程度的周期性,可以据此估计石杉植株株龄和生长速度。     

艰难梭菌的研究进展

艰难梭菌为革兰阳性厌氧芽胞杆菌,可引起艰难梭菌相关性腹泻,导致一系列肠道感染症状和相关临床表现。近年来由于高致病株的出现、菌株耐药性的增加,艰难梭菌感染在全球呈蔓延趋势。本文就艰难梭菌的耐药机制、检测技术、防治及国内感染现状等作一简要综述。     

益生芽胞杆菌肠道微生态学研究进展

芽胞杆菌作为微生态制剂的一种重要来源细菌,在维护人和动物肠道健康、促进微生态平衡方面起着重要的作用。但是对于益生芽胞杆菌的作用机制却知之甚少。近年来,人们对芽胞杆菌在肠道微生物调控方面做了大量的基础研究,随着芽胞杆菌肠道分子微生态学研究的不断深入,人们发现芽胞杆菌的芽孢能够在体内迅速萌发增殖,从而起到免疫促进、改善肠道菌群以及相关的代谢酶活性等生理作用。本文从芽胞杆菌在胃肠道中的分布与定植、芽胞杆菌在胃肠道中的增殖以及芽胞杆菌与肠道菌群之间的关系等三个方面综述了益生芽胞杆菌对肠道微生态的调控作用的最新研究进展,为指导芽胞杆菌作为微生态制剂机制研究和应用提供一定的理论参考。     

苏云金杆菌Bt4.0718不同时期比较转录组揭示芽胞和杀虫伴胞晶体形成机制

【目的】苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt)在形成芽胞的过程中产生大量杀虫晶体蛋白(insecticidal crystal proteins, ICPs)，是目前应用最广泛、最安全的微生物杀虫剂的主要菌株资源。本研究旨在比较Bt 3个重要时期的转录组，进一步探究芽胞和杀虫伴胞晶体的形成机制，为高效工程菌的构建奠定理论基础。【方法】选取高毒力Bt4.0718菌株营养生长中期(T1-10h)、芽胞形成前期(T2-20 h)、芽胞形成后期(T3-32 h)进行比较转录组分析，对代表性差异基因进行实时荧光定量PCR(real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, qRT-PCR)验证、特定功能基因的敲除和表型分析验证。【结果】差异表达基因数量分别为2 147个(T2/T1)、1 861个(T3/T1)、1 708个(T3/T2)。T1时期，培养基中营养相对丰富，主要为芽胞和杀虫伴胞晶体形成做准备。芽胞形成重要调控基因kinA/D、spo0A/F、sigE高水平转录对菌体的生长发育具有重要作用，Cry1Ac、碳源、能源贮藏物聚...     

苏云金芽胞杆菌clpP基因缺失对碱刺激敏感性的影响

[目的]比较苏云金芽胞杆菌与枯草芽胞杆菌在碱性培养条件下生长情况,明确clpp基因在碱刺激条件下的作用.[方法]采用同源重组技术敲除苏云金芽胞杆菌HD73菌株clpP基因,通过在不同pH下生长曲线的测定明确了clpP基因缺失突变体对碱性环境的敏感性,测定clpp基因的缺失对芽胞形成率、芽胞萌发效率和盐胁迫的影响.[结果]苏云金芽胞杆菌在碱刺激后,当培养基pH值为8.9-9.1时可以恢复生长,而枯草芽胞杆菌在pH值为8.2-8.4时可以恢复生长,说明苏云金芽胞杆菌对碱性环境适应能力更强,这有助于作为病原菌的Bt适应昆虫中肠的碱性环境.clpp基因缺失对芽胞形成率和萌发效率没有明显的影响.在将培养基中NaOH终浓度调节至30 mmol/L NaOH时,clpp基因缺失突变体的生长较出发菌株慢.说明ClpP在苏云金芽胞杆菌对碱性环境的适应过程中具有重要作用.     

感受态还是芽胞？细胞命运决定的遗传调控网络

枯草芽胞杆菌作为一般认为安全(GRAS,Generally recognized as safe)菌株,被广泛应用于饲料、食品、生物防治等领域,同时,枯草芽胞杆菌作为表达宿主在工业酶的应用中扮演重要角色。然而,低效的芽胞形成率与感受态效率极大限制了枯草芽胞杆菌的应用潜力。尽管已有大量关于芽胞形成与感受态形成的分子遗传机制的研究报道,但是通过遗传改造提高枯草芽胞杆菌芽胞形成率与感受态效率的研究报道并不多。可能的原因是芽胞形成与感受态形成作为枯草芽胞杆菌生长后期两个主要的发育事件,受胞内复杂的遗传调控机制操纵,且两个遗传通路之间存在相互调控关系,对遗传改造工作形成挑战。随着基因工程与代谢工程研究的不断发展,积累了大量关于细胞生长、代谢与发育等方面的遗传信息,通过综合这些遗传信息构建细胞遗传调控网络,用于指导生产实践,已经成为当前研究的热点之一。基于此,本文简要概述了枯草芽胞杆菌芽胞形成和感受态形成的遗传通路,初步探讨了芽胞形成与感受态形成之间的遗传调控网络,及细胞在生长后期的遗传决定机制,并讨论了该遗传调控网络对枯草芽孢杆菌及其近缘种应用研究的指导作用。     

艰难梭菌研究现状

艰难梭菌(Clostridium difficile,CD)是产芽胞革兰阳性厌氧菌,产毒素艰难梭菌可导致艰难梭菌感染(Clostridium difficile infection,CDI)。产毒素艰难梭菌已被公认是抗菌药物相关性腹泻最常见的病原体,也是发达国家最常见的导致住院患者腹泻感染的原因之一。高毒力菌株导致全世界范围内CDI的发病率和死亡率增加。如何快速而准确地检测CD一直是备受关注的问题,国内外多推荐两步法和三步法进行检测。艰难梭菌治疗的一线用药是甲硝唑、万古霉素以及非达霉素,应用粪便微生物移植(faecal microbiota transplantation,FMT)也可作为治疗轻度或严重复发CDI(recurrence Clostridium difficile infection,rCDI)的可选方法。艰难梭菌的芽胞能抵抗不良环境,但抗菌药物的使用,医院环境的复杂性和医务工作者的手等因素会导致艰难梭菌易于传播,因此医疗机构应加强艰难梭菌的预防。本文主要对艰难梭菌的流行病学、致病机制、检测及治疗进行综述。     

需氧芽胞杆菌芽胞核心组分的研究现状

芽胞核心作为芽胞的原生质体,实际上是处于休眠状态的细胞,其化学组化比较复杂,核酸,蛋白质,水,无机离子以及有机小分子共同构成芽胞核心特有的“内环境”各种化学组分的含量及存在的形式均与芽胞工能特性尤其抗性密切相关,对它们的深入研究有助于进一步揭示芽胞抗生的有关机制,本文综述对需氧芽胞杆菌核心组分研究。     

枯草杆菌的芽胞在肉鸡肠道中的生活状态和分布

目的探讨枯草芽胞杆菌的芽胞在肉鸡肠道中的生活状态和分布。方法以20日龄AA肉鸡为研究对象,饲喂枯草芽胞菌剂,分别测定鸡粪中芽胞数量和鸡肠道不同部位的活菌数量。结果饲喂3h后,鸡粪中开始检测到芽胞的存在,24h达到最高值,直至饲喂120h后,肠道内的芽胞基本排除。排出芽胞总量为饲喂芽胞总数的3．0倍左右,同时研究还表明：芽胞在实验肉鸡的十二指肠2内开始萌发,并进行了繁殖,在小肠的后端,即小肠3和小肠4,活菌数量达到高峰。结论部分芽胞进入小肠后即可开始萌发,并进行生长繁殖,而且在肠道内有短暂滞留。     

双组份系统YvcPQ抑制苏云金芽胞杆菌的芽胞形成

【目的】探究双组份系统YvcPQ影响芽胞形成的机制。【方法】利用β-半乳糖苷酶活性实验验证YvcP对芽胞形成抑制因子KapD的调控作用;通过无痕基因敲除并分别比较突变株与出发菌株的芽胞产率,研究YvcPQ及KapD对芽胞形成的影响;应用细菌单杂交实验、EMSA实验和实时荧光定量PCR技术探究转录调控因子AbrB对yvcPQ操纵子的转录调节。【结果】YvcP可以正调控kapD的表达,从而抑制芽胞形成;yvcPQ不能受YvcP的自调控,而是受AbrB转录激活。【结论】调控因子AbrB能够通过正调控yvcPQ操纵子的转录来提高细胞内YvcP的含量,进而增强YvcP对芽胞形成抑制因子编码基因kapD的表达,最终抑制芽胞的形成。     

Spores of Clostridium difficile clinical isolates display a diverse germination response to bile salts

Clostridium difficile spores play a pivotal role in the transmission of infectious diarrhoea, but in order to cause disease spores must complete germination and return to vegetative cell growth. While the mechanisms of spore germination are well understood in Bacillus, knowledge of C. difficile germination remains limited. Previous studies have shown that bile salts and amino acids play an important role in regulating the germination response of C. difficile spores. Taurocholate, in combination with glycine, can stimulate germination, whereas chenodeoxycholate has been shown to inhibit spore germination in a C. difficile clinical isolate. Our recent studies of C. difficile sporulation characteristics have since pointed to substantial diversity among different clinical isolates. Consequently, in this study we investigated how the germination characteristics of different C. difficile isolates vary in response to bile salts. By analysing 29 isolates, including 16 belonging to the BI/NAP1/027 type, we show that considerable diversity exists in both the rate and extent of C. difficile germination in response to rich medium containing both taurocholate and glycine. Strikingly, we also show that although a potent inhibitor of germination for some isolates, chenodeoxycholate does not inhibit the germination, or outgrowth, of all C. difficile strains. Finally, we provide evidence that components of rich media may induce the germination of C. difficile spores, even in the absence of taurocholate. Taken together, these data suggest that the mechanisms of C. difficile spore germination in response to bile salts are complex and require further study. Furthermore, we stress the importance of studying multiple isolates in the future when analysing the nutrients or chemicals that either stimulate or inhibit C. difficile spore germination.     

Mapping interactions between germinants and Clostridium difficile spores

Germination of Clostridium difficile spores is the first required step in establishing C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD). Taurocholate (a bile salt) and glycine (an amino acid) have been shown to be important germinants of C. difficile spores. In the present study, we tested a series of glycine and taurocholate analogs for the ability to induce or inhibit C. difficile spore germination. Testing of glycine analogs revealed that both the carboxy and amino groups are important epitopes for recognition and that the glycine binding site can accommodate compounds with more widely separated termini. The C. difficile germination machinery also recognizes other hydrophobic amino acids. In general, linear alkyl side chains are better activators of spore germination than their branched analogs. However, L-phenylalanine and L-arginine are also good germinants and are probably recognized by distinct binding sites. Testing of taurocholate analogs revealed that the 12-hydroxyl group of taurocholate is necessary, but not sufficient, to activate spore germination. In contrast, the 6- and 7-hydroxyl groups are required for inhibition of C. difficile spore germination. Similarly, C. difficile spores are able to detect taurocholate analogs with shorter, but not longer, alkyl amino sulfonic acid side chains. Furthermore, the sulfonic acid group can be partially substituted with other acidic groups. Finally, a taurocholate analog with an m-aminobenzenesulfonic acid side chain is a strong inhibitor of C. difficile spore germination. In conclusion, C. difficile spores recognize both amino acids and taurocholate through multiple interactions that are required to bind the germinants and/or activate the germination machinery.     

Bile salts and glycine as cogerminants for Clostridium difficile spores

Spore formation by Clostridium difficile is a significant obstacle to overcoming hospital-acquired C. difficile-associated disease. Spores are resistant to heat, radiation, chemicals, and antibiotics, making a contaminated environment difficult to clean. To cause disease, however, spores must germinate and grow out as vegetative cells. The germination of C. difficile spores has not been examined in detail. In an effort to understand the germination of C. difficile spores, we characterized the response of C. difficile spores to bile. We found that cholate derivatives and the amino acid glycine act as cogerminants. Deoxycholate, a metabolite of cholate produced by the normal intestinal flora, also induced germination of C. difficile spores but prevented the growth of vegetative C. difficile. A model of resistance to C. difficile colonization mediated by the normal bacterial flora is proposed.     

艰难梭菌基因编辑技术研究进展

艰难梭菌Clostridioesdifficile是一种革兰氏阳性、产芽孢、专性厌氧细菌,是医院相关性腹泻的主要病原体。近年来,随着强毒株的出现(如核糖体027型),其流行性与致死率逐年上升,因此对艰难梭菌生理、生化特征及致病机制的研究受到广泛重视。艰难梭菌生理、生化特征及致病机制研究又以建立其稳定、高效的基因编辑方法为必要前提。借助基因编辑工具,研究者可以扰动艰难梭菌核心生物学过程,在分子水平研究其分子致病机制。如Clos Tron技术在艰难梭菌毒素A (Toxin A)和毒素B (Toxin B)与其致病力关系的研究中起到了关键作用。文中以时间为主线综述了艰难梭菌基因编辑技术的发展历程和最新进展,并对艰难梭菌基因编辑技术未来的研究方向进行展望。     

Progesterone analogs influence germination of Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium difficile spores in vitro

Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium difficile are closely related anaerobic Gram-positive, spore-forming human pathogens. C. sordellii and C. difficile form spores that are believed to be the infectious form of these bacteria. These spores return to toxin-producing vegetative cells upon binding to small molecule germinants. The endogenous compounds that regulate clostridial spore germination are not fully understood. While C. sordellii spores require three structurally distinct amino acids to germinate, the occurrence of postpregnancy C. sordellii infections suggests that steroidal sex hormones might regulate its capacity to germinate. On the other hand, C. difficile spores require taurocholate (a bile salt) and glycine (an amino acid) to germinate. Bile salts and steroid hormones are biosynthesized from cholesterol, suggesting that the common sterane structure can affect the germination of both C. sordellii and C. difficile spores. Therefore, we tested the effect of sterane compounds on C. sordellii and C. difficile spore germination. Our results show that both steroid hormones and bile salts are able to increase C. sordellii spore germination rates. In contrast, a subset of steroid hormones acted as competitive inhibitors of C. difficile spore germination. Thus, even though C. sordellii and C. difficile are phylogenetically related, the two species' spores respond differently to steroidal compounds.     

Toxigenic C. difficile induced inflammatory marker expression by human intestinal epithelial cells is asymmetrical

Clostridium difficile infection of the intestinal epithelium and consequent pseudomembranous colitis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Pathogenesis has been ascribed exclusively to toxin production. Using in vitro models of human intestinal epithelial layers, we show that exposure to toxigenic C. difficile upregulates epithelial expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1, two molecules important in neutrophil chemoattraction and adhesion and subsequent inflammation. IL-8 production was also stimulated by toxin-containing supernatants. C difficile induced IL-8 release was inhibited by specific antiserum. Increased ICAM-1 expression only occurred after basolateral exposure to C. difficile while apical exposure had no effect on ICAM-1 expression. However, transepithelial electrical resistance was impaired by apical exposure to bacterial suspensions. We suggest that apical exposure to C. difficile induces changes in epithelial layer integrity which allows the bacteria and/or the toxin access to the basolateral compartment where pathogenic inflammatory mechanisms are activated.     

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 mediates recognition of Clostridium difficile and induces neutrophil recruitment and protection against the pathogen

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive obligate anaerobic pathogen that causes pseudomembranous colitis in antibiotics-treated individuals. However, host immune protective mechanisms against C. difficile are largely unknown. In this study, we show that C. difficile possesses potent stimulatory activity for nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (Nod1), an intracellular pattern recognition molecule that senses bacterial peptidoglycan-related molecules. Nod1(-/-), but not Nod2(-/-), mice exhibited increased lethality in response to C. difficile intestinal infection despite comparable levels of intestinal damage and epithelial permeability in Nod1(-/-) and control mice. The enhanced lethality was accompanied by impaired C. difficile clearance, increased bacterial translocation, and elevated levels of endotoxin and IL-1β in the serum of Nod1(-/-) mice. Histological and flow cytometric analyses revealed that Nod1(-/-) mice had defective recruitment of neutrophils, but not macrophages, to the intestine after C. difficile infection. The reduced recruitment of neutrophils correlated with impaired production of CXCL1, but not CCL2, XCL1, and other cytokines/chemokines, in infected Nod1(-/-) mice. The influx of neutrophils also was reduced when C. difficile was administered i.p., suggesting that Nod1 directly recognizes C. difficile to induce the recruitment of neutrophils to the infected site. These results indicate that Nod1 regulates host susceptibility to C. difficile and suggest that Nod1-mediated neutrophil recruitment is an important immune response against the enteric pathogen.     

Clostridium difficile in association with sporadic diarrhoea.

A total of 154 patients admitted to an infectious diseases unit were included in a year''s prospective survey of sporadic diarrhoeal disease. Stools from 19 of them yielded Clostridium difficile, generally on more than one occasion. Twelve of these patients were assessed as having a severe or moderately severe gastrointestinal illness: Cl difficile was the only pathogen isolated from 10 of them, and two had an associated salmonella infection. Seven had had a recent course of antibiotics, but five had not taken antibiotics. Faeces from seven patients with moderate or mild gastrointestinal illness yielded Cl difficile, and two of these patients also had an associated salmonella infection. Two patients in this group had no antibiotic history. From these findings, the occurrence of C difficile in faeces could not be described as antibiotic-associated. Faecal Cl difficile cytotoxin was detected in only six patients, and generally at low levels. In such patients a more relevant pathogenic index might take account of the numbers of Cl difficile present and of their toxigenic potential.     

Protective Role of Commensals against Clostridium difficile Infection via an IL-1β-Mediated Positive-Feedback Loop

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive obligate anaerobic pathogen that causes pseudomembranous colitis in antibiotic-treated individuals. Commensal bacteria are known to have a significant role in the intestinal accumulation of C. difficile after antibiotic treatment, but little is known about how they affect host immunity during C. difficile infection. In this article, we report that C. difficile infection results in translocation of commensals across the intestinal epithelial barrier that is critical for neutrophil recruitment through the induction of an IL-1β-mediated positive-feedback loop. Mice lacking ASC, an essential mediator of IL-1β and IL-18 processing and secretion, were highly susceptible to C. difficile infection. ASC(-/-) mice exhibited enhanced translocation of commensals to multiple organs after C. difficile infection. Notably, ASC(-/-) mice exhibited impaired CXCL1 production and neutrophil influx into intestinal tissues in response to C. difficile infection. The impairment in neutrophil recruitment resulted in reduced production of IL-1β and CXCL1 but not IL-18. Importantly, translocated commensals were required for ASC/Nlrp3-dependent IL-1β secretion by neutrophils. Mice lacking IL-1β were deficient in inducing CXCL1 secretion, suggesting that IL-1β is the dominant inducer of ASC-mediated CXCL1 production during C. difficile infection. These results indicate that translocated commensals play a crucial role in CXCL1-dependent recruitment of neutrophils to the intestine through an IL-1β/NLRP3/ASC-mediated positive-feedback mechanism that is important for host survival and clearance of translocated commensals during C. difficile infection.     

人艰难梭菌感染的致病机制与防治策略研究进展

艰难梭菌是一种非常重要的医院感染病原菌,其感染占抗菌素相关腹泻的10．25％,占抗菌素相关肠炎的50．75％,占抗菌素相关伪膜炎的90．100％。而且越来越多的证据表明艰难梭菌的感染与其它疾病,如活性关节炎、婴儿突发性死亡、溶血性尿毒症、坏死性肠炎、希施斯普龙病等有关。更糟糕的是艰难梭菌存在着复发性感染,15—20％的病人在成功治愈后会复发。近年来,随着强毒株的出现,艰难梭菌的感染率和发病率逐年上升,病情也越来越严重,由艰难梭菌感染引起的死亡率也成倍增加。到目前为止,艰难梭菌发病率升高的原因及其致病机制还有待进一步研究。由于艰难梭菌是一种孢子产生菌,对大部分抗菌素都有抗性,目前用于艰难梭菌防治的主要抗菌素甲硝唑和万古霉素的治疗效果也在不断下降,所以正确认识艰难梭菌的感染与流行,进一步了解其致病机制,寻找新的替代疗法已是迫在眉睫。本文对艰难梭菌感染和流行的病因进行了较为全面的分析,对其致病机制进行了深入的总结,并探讨了艰难梭菌防治的最新策略和方法,将有利于更好的认识和研究艰难梭菌,为艰难梭菌的防治提供新思路。