Characterization of a c-type lysozyme of Scophthalmus maximus: Expression,activity, and antibacterial effect

Lysozyme is a key component of the innate immune system and plays an important role in antibacterial infection. In this study, we analyzed the expression and activity of a chicken-type (c-type) lysozyme (named SmLysC) from turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). SmLysC is composed of 143 residues and shares 67–90% overall sequence identities with the c-type lysozymes of a number of teleost fish. SmLysC possesses a typical c-type lysozyme domain, which contains the conserved residues E50 and D67 that form the putative catalytic site. SmLysC expression was detected, in increasing order, in head kidney, gill, heart, muscle, brain, spleen, blood, and liver. Bacterial infection caused significant inductions of SmLysC expression in head kidney, spleen, and liver in a time-dependent manner. Immunoblot analysis indicated that SmLysC has a subcellular localization in the extracellular milieu. Recombinant SmLysC (rSmLysC) was able to bind to bacterial cells and inhibit bacterial growth. Enzyme assay showed that the optimal temperature and pH of rSmLysC were 37 °C and pH 6.0 respectively. In contrast to rSmLysC, the mutant protein rSmLysCM1, which bears alanine substitutions at E50 and D67, displayed drastically reduced bacteriolytic activity. rSmLysC was able to inhibit the growth of several fish bacterial pathogens in a manner that depended on the dose of the protein; however, Gram-positive bacteria were in general more sensitive to rSmLysC than Gram-negative bacteria. Together these results indicate that SmLysC is a functional lysozyme that is likely to participate in innate immune defense against extracellular bacterial pathogens, in particular those of Gram-positive nature.     

七鳃鳗g型溶菌酶的分子特征和抗菌活性

溶菌酶是先天免疫系统中对抗细菌病原体感染的一种关键蛋白．本研究从七鳃鳗中克隆g型溶菌酶基因. 其酶基因cDNA为701 bp（GenBank 序列号KP204854）,开放阅读框为555 bp,编码由184个氨基酸组成的多肽,理论分子质量为20.24 kD,等电点为5.48,含有1个半胱氨酸残基,无信号肽．实时荧光定量PCR分析表明,七鳃鳗g型溶菌酶基因在各组织中广泛表达,其中在肠中表达量最高．脂多糖（LPS）体内刺激七鳃鳗后发现,溶菌酶在口腔腺和头肾表达量显著升高．以溶壁微球菌和哈维弧菌为底物检测重组g型溶菌酶的活性时,均表现出抗菌活性,最适pH为7.5,最适温度为35℃．扫描电镜分析表明,重组酶能够使溶壁微球菌破裂．以上结果均表明,g型溶菌酶在七鳃鳗的先天免疫系统防御病菌感染中起到重要作用．     

Lysozyme activity in animal extracts after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

1. Lysozyme activity was detected after electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels containing 0.2% (W/V) autoclaved Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells as substrate. 2. Lysozyme activity appeared as clear lysis zones after incubation of opaque gels at 37 degrees C in buffered Triton X-100. 3. As low as 0.1 pg of purified hen egg white lysozyme could be detected after 16 hr incubation at pH 6.5. 4. Bands with lytic activity from kidney and pancreas acetone powders, bird's egg whites and vitelline membranes, animal sera and human saliva corresponded to c-type (Mr 14,500), g-type (Mr 20,500) or both lysozymes as far as molecular weight is concerned. 5. Some extracts, like porcine kidney, exhibited more than two bands. 6. Bands with lytic activity migrating at the level of g-type lysozymes were detected in some kidney and pancreas extracts.     

中国明对虾溶菌酶基因克隆、重组表达与性质分析

溶菌酶是机体先天免疫系统中一个重要的效应分子, 参与机体多种免疫反应, 在溶菌过程中形成一个水解体系, 破坏和消除侵入体内的病原, 从而实现机体的免疫防御。从中国明对虾中克隆得到了溶菌酶基因(称为FcLyz基因), 该基因全长709 bp, 其完整的阅读框为477 bp, 编码158个氨基酸, 前18个氨基酸(-1~-18)为信号肽, 成熟肽由140个氨基酸组成(1-140aa), 其分子量为16.2 kD。经SMART分析,该基因具有1个溶菌酶1(LYZ1)结构域(19-130aa)。半定量RT-PCR分析结果表明溶菌酶虽在多种组织中有较低水平的组成性表达, 但在细菌诱导的血细胞、心脏、肝胰腺和鳃等多种组织中表达上调。将中国明对虾溶菌酶基因的成熟肽亚克隆进原核表达载体pET-30a (+)中, 转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3), 再进行诱导表达和亲和纯化, 得到了纯化的重组溶菌酶, 并进行了抑菌活性检测。结果表明, 重组对虾溶菌酶对革兰氏阳性菌的抑菌能力较强, 最小抑菌浓度达到3.43 mmol/L, 但对革兰氏阴性菌抑制作用较小。上述结果表明, 该溶菌酶作为一种重要的免疫效应分子, 参与了对虾的免疫防御反应。     

中国明对虾溶菌酶基因克隆、重组表达与性质分析

溶菌酶是机体先天免疫系统中一个重要的效应分子, 参与机体多种免疫反应, 在溶菌过程中形成一个水解体系, 破坏和消除侵入体内的病原, 从而实现机体的免疫防御。从中国明对虾中克隆得到了溶菌酶基因(称为FcLyz基因), 该基因全长709 bp, 其完整的阅读框为477 bp, 编码158个氨基酸, 前18个氨基酸(-1~-18)为信号肽, 成熟肽由140个氨基酸组成(1-140aa), 其分子量为16.2 kD。经SMART分析,该基因具有1个溶菌酶1(LYZ1)结构域(19-130aa)。半定量RT-PCR分析结果表明溶菌酶虽在多种组织中有较低水平的组成性表达, 但在细菌诱导的血细胞、心脏、肝胰腺和鳃等多种组织中表达上调。将中国明对虾溶菌酶基因的成熟肽亚克隆进原核表达载体pET-30a (+)中, 转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3), 再进行诱导表达和亲和纯化, 得到了纯化的重组溶菌酶, 并进行了抑菌活性检测。结果表明, 重组对虾溶菌酶对革兰氏阳性菌的抑菌能力较强, 最小抑菌浓度达到3.43 mmol/L, 但对革兰氏阴性菌抑制作用较小。上述结果表明, 该溶菌酶作为一种重要的免疫效应分子, 参与了对虾的免疫防御反应。     

The peptidoglycan-degrading property of lysozyme is not required for bactericidal activity in vivo

Lysozyme is an abundant, cationic antimicrobial protein that plays an important role in pulmonary host defense. Increased concentration of lysozyme in the airspaces of transgenic mice enhanced bacterial killing whereas lysozyme deficiency resulted in increased bacterial burden and morbidity. Lysozyme degrades peptidoglycan in the bacterial cell wall leading to rapid killing of Gram-positive organisms; however, this mechanism cannot account for the protective effect of lysozyme against Gram-negative bacteria. The current study was therefore designed to test the hypothesis that the catalytic activity (muramidase activity) of lysozyme is not required for bacterial killing in vivo. Substitution of serine for aspartic acid at position 53 (D53S) in mouse lysozyme M completely ablated muramidase activity. Muramidase-deficient recombinant lysozyme (LysM(D53S)) killed both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in vitro. Targeted expression of LysM(D53S) in the respiratory epithelium of wild-type (LysM(+/+)/LysM(D53S)) or lysozyme M(null) mice (LysM(-/-)/LysM(D53S)) resulted in significantly elevated lysozyme protein in the airspaces without any increase in muramidase activity. Intratracheal challenge of transgenic mice with Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria resulted in a significant increase in bacterial burden in LysM(-/-) mice that was completely reversed by targeted expression of LysM(D53S). These results indicate that the muramidase activity of lysozyme is not required for bacterial killing in vitro or in vivo.     

cDNA cloning of the lysozyme of the white shrimp Penaeus vannamei

Lysozyme, an antibacterial protein, has been implicated in innate immunity in invertebrates, but its activity in shrimp remained to be determined. We cloned the white shrimp lysozyme cDNA using a PCR strategy and detected its activity in haemocytes using a lytic-zone assay against Micrococcus luteus. The cloning was based on a reported EST (dbEST BE18831). The deduced amino acid sequence resulted in 150 amino with 46% identity to hen egg white lysozyme. RT-PCR was used to detect lysozyme mRNA in haemocytes. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of the shrimp lysozyme showed that it belongs to the C-type family of lysozymes. Furthermore, the lysozyme amino acid sequence contained extra residues at its C-terminus, which are characteristic of marine invertebrates. This information will be useful in future studies on the molecular mechanisms of immunity in marine invertebrates.     

An inflammatory CC chemokine of Cynoglossus semilaevis is involved in immune defense against bacterial infection

Chemokines are a family of small cytokines that regulate leukocyte migration. Based on the arrangement of the first two cysteine residues, chemokines are classified into four groups called CXC(α), CC(β), C, and CX(3)C. In this study, we identified a CC chemokine, CsCCK1, from half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) and analyzed its biological activity. The deduced amino acid sequence of CsCCK1 contains 111 amino acid residues and is phylogenetically belonging to the CCL19/21/25 group of CC chemokines. CsCCK1 possesses a DCCL motif that is highly conserved among CC chemokines. Quantitative real time RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of CsCCK1 was relatively abundant in immune organs under normal physiological conditions and was upregulated by experimental infection of a bacterial pathogen. Purified recombinant CsCCK1 (rCsCCK1) induced chemotaxis in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of both tongue sole and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) in a dose-dependent manner. Mutation of the CC residues in the DCCL motif by serine substitution completely abolished the biological activity of rCsCCK1. When rCsCCK1, but not the mutant protein, was added to the cell culture of PBL, it enhanced cellular resistance against intracellular bacterial infection. Taken together, these results indicate that CsCCK1 is a functional CC chemokine whose biological activity depends on the DCCL motif and that CsCCK1 plays a role in host immune defense against bacterial infection.     

Identification and expression analysis of three c-type lysozymes in Oreochromis aureus

Lysozyme is an important molecule of innate immune system for the defense against bacterial infections. Three genes encoding chicken-type (c-type) lysozymes, C1-, C2-, C3-type, were obtained from tilapia Oreochromis aureus by RT-PCR and the RACE method. Catalytic and other conserved structure residues required for functionality were identified. The amino acid sequence identities between C1- and C2-type, C1- and C3-type, C2- and C3-type were 67.8%, 65.7% and 63.9%, respectively. Phylogenetic tree analyze indicated the three genes were firstly grouped to those of higher teleosteans, Pleuronectiformes and Tetraodontiformes fishes, and then clustered to those of lower teleosteans, Cypriniformes fishes. Bioinformatic analysis of mature peptide showed that the three genes possess typical sequence characteristics, secondary and tertiary structure of c-type lysozymes. The three tilapia c-type lysozymes mRNAs were mainly expressed in liver and muscle, and C1-type lysozyme also highly expressed in intestine. C1-type lysozyme mRNA was weakly expressed in stomach, C2- and C3-type mRNAs were weakly expressed in intestine. After bacterial challenge, up-regulation was obvious in kidney and spleen for C1-type lysozyme mRNA, while for C2- and C3-type lysozyme obvious increase were observed in stomach and liver, suggesting that C1-type lysozyme may mainly play roles in defense, while C2- and C3-type lysozyme mainly conduct digestive function against bacteria infection. All the three c-type recombinant lysozymes displayed lytic activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. These results indicated that three c-type lysozymes play important roles in the defense of O. aureus against bacteria infections.     

Triclosan-lysozyme complex as novel antimicrobial macromolecule: a new potential of lysozyme as phenolic drug-targeting molecule

A novel anti-infection strategy to alleviate antibiotic-resistance problem and non-specific toxicity associated with chemotherapy is explored in this study. It is based on utilizing a bacteriolytic enzyme (lysozyme) as a carrier to allow specific targeting of a potential phenolic antimicrobial drug (triclosan) to microbial cells. Lysozyme (LZ) was complexed, via electrostatic and hydrophobic condensation at alkaline pH, to various degrees with triclosan (TCS), a negatively charged phenolic antimicrobial that inhibits bacterial fatty acid synthesis. Fluorescence and absorbance spectra analysis revealed non-covalent association of TCS with the aromatic residues at the interior of LZ molecule. The conjugation greatly promoted the lytic activity of LZ as the degree of TCS derivatization increased. The complexation with LZ turned TCS into completely soluble in aqueous solution. TCS-LZ complexes showed significantly enhanced bactericidal activity against several strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria compared to the activity of TCS or LZ alone when tested at the same molar basis. Strikingly, TCS-LZ complex, but not LZ or TCS alone, exhibited unique specificity to scavenge superoxide radicals, generated by the natural xanthine/xanthine oxidase coupling system, without affecting the catalytic function of oxidase. This finding is the first to describe that the membrane disrupting function of lysozyme can be utilized to specifically target antimicrobial drug(s) to pathogen cells and heralding a fascinating opportunity for the potential candidacy of TCS-LZ as novel antimicrobial strategy for human therapy.