鉴定痢疾杆菌毒力基因的SW480细胞模型构建

信号标签诱变技术（STM）是一种在体内高通量筛选病原体毒力基因的新方法,在应用时的一个先决条件是要建立合适的体内筛选系统。为将该技术应用于福氏痢疾杆菌,我们使用三个福氏痢疾杆菌菌株进行了预试验：通过同源重组构建而成的带有氯霉素抗性且aroA和virG基因失活的突变株RC426;因在侵袭质粒上自发缺失3个基因座(ipaBCDA, invA 和 virG)的另一减毒突变株T32,其曾被用作福氏痢疾杆菌的口服疫苗;还有具侵袭宿主细胞能力的野生性菌株2457T。将RC426、T32和2457T混合后侵袭结肠细胞系SW480,不同时间回收经侵袭后细胞裂解液中的菌体并统计。结果显示在侵袭12h内回收到减毒突变株的量与野生有毒株存在显著性差异,表明SW480 细胞系可用于痢疾杆菌的STM研究。Abstract: Signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) is a novel technology with high throughput screening ability to identify virulent genes of pathogen in vivo. An appropriate animal or cell line model is one of prerequisites by exploiting this technique. In order to apply STM to Shigella flexneri, RC426 was constructed as an attenuated mutant with chloramphenicol resistance and aroA and virG genes inactivated by homologous recombination; Another attenuated strain T32 was used as an oral S. flexneri 2a vaccine due to a spontaneous deletion in three loci (ipaBCDA, invA and virG) on the virulence plasmid. The wild type strain 2457T had the invasion ability into host cells. The three strains, RC426, T32 and 2457T, were mixed together to invade colon cancer cell line SW480, and the distinct strains were recovered and counted from cell lysates of invaded SW480 in different time. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences between the amounts of two attenuated strains recovered and that of virulent strain within 12h invasion, indicating SW480 was a suitable cell model for applying STM to screen virulent genes of Shigella flexneri.     

cDNA array analysis of the differential expression change in virulence-related genes during the development of resistance in Candida albicans

Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated fungus in immunocompromised patients associated with mucosal and deep-tissue infections, To investigate the correlation between virulence and resistance on a gene expression profile in C. albicans, we examined the changes in virulence-related genes during the development of resistance in C, albicans from bone marrow transplant patients using a constructed cDNA array representing 3096 unigenes. In addition to the genes known to be associated with azole resistance,16 virulence-related genes were identified, whose differential expressions were newly found to be associated with the resistant phenotype. Differential expressions for these genes were confirmed by RT-PCR independently. Furthermore, the up-regulation of EFG1, CPH2, TEC1, CDC24, SAP10, ALS9, SNF1, SP072 and BDF1, and the down-regulation of RAD32, IPF3636 and UB14 resulted in stronger virulence and invasiveness in the resistant isolates compared with susceptible ones. These findings provide a link between the expression of virulence genes and development of resistance during C. albicans infection in bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients, where C. albicans induces hyphal formation and expression change in multiple virulence factors.     

Characterization of Wheat Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Markers Associated with the H11 Hessian Fly Resistance Gene

In Tunisia, the Hessian fly Mayetiola destructor Say is a major pest of durum wheat （Triticum durum Desf.） and bread wheat （T. aestivum L.）. Genetic resistance is the most efficient and economical method of control of this pest. To date, 31 resistance genes, designated H1-H31, have been identified in wheat. These genes condition resistance to the insect genes responsible for virulence. Using wheat cultivars differing for the presence of an individual Hessian fly resistance gene and random amplified polymorphic DNA （RAPD） analysis, we have identified a polymorphic 386-bp DNA marker （Xgmib1-1A.1） associated with the H11 Hessian fly resistance gene. Blast analysis showed a high identity with a short region in the wild wheat （T. monococcum） genome, adjacent to the leaf rust resistance Lr10 gene. A genetic linkage was reported between this gene （Lr10） and Hessian fly response in wheat. These data were used for screening Hessian fly resistance in Tunisian wheat germplasm. Xgmib1-1A.1-like fragments were detected in four Tunisian durum and bread wheat varieties. Using these varieties in Hessian fly breeding programs in Tunisia would be of benefit in reducing the damage caused by this fly.     

Allelic Polymorphism,Gene Duplication and Balancing Selection of MHC Class ⅡB Genes in the Omei Treefrog(Rhacophorus omeimontis)

The worldwide declines in amphibian populations have largely been caused by infectious fungi and bacteria. Given that vertebrate immunity against these extracellular pathogens is primarily functioned by the major histocompatibility complex(MHC) class Ⅱ molecules, the characterization and the evolution of amphibian MHC class Ⅱ genes have attracted increasing attention. The polymorphism of MHC class Ⅱ genes was found to be correlated with susceptibility to fungal pathogens in many amphibian species, suggesting the importance of studies on MHC class Ⅱ genes for amphibians. However, such studies on MHC class Ⅱ gene evolution have rarely been conducted on amphibians in China. In this study, we chose Omei treefrog(Rhacophorus omeimontis), which lived moist environments easy for breeding bacteria, to study the polymorphism of its MHC class Ⅱ genes and the underlying evolutionary mechanisms. We amplified the entire MHC class ⅡB exon 2 sequence in the R. omeimontis using newly designed primers. We detected 102 putative alleles in 146 individuals. The number of alleles per individual ranged from one to seven, indicating that there are at least four loci containing MHC class ⅡB genes in R. omeimontis. The allelic polymorphism estimated from the 102 alleles in R. omeimontis was not high compared to that estimated in other anuran species. No significant gene recombination was detected in the 102 MHC class ⅡB exon 2 sequences. In contrast, both gene duplication and balancing selection greatly contributed to the variability in MHC class ⅡB exon 2 sequences of R. omeimontis. This study lays the groundwork for the future researches to comprehensively analyze the evolution of amphibian MHC genes and to assess the role of MHC gene polymorphisms in resistance against extracellular pathogens for amphibians in China.     

影响动物肉质性状主要候选基因的研究进展

随着分子生物学在动物遗传育种中的应用,对数量性状主效基因的研究成为必然。本文对影响肉质的脂肪酸结合蛋白基因、肥胖基因、leptin 基因、黑素皮质受体基因、脂蛋白脂酶基因、激素敏感脂酶基因的国内外研究状况加以综述。 Progress in Candidate Genes Influencing Meat Quality Traits in Chickens QIU Xue-mei1,3,LI Ning1,DEND Xue-mei2,WU Chang-xin2 1.The National Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology,China Agricultural University,Beijing 100094,China; 2.College of Animal Science and Technology,China Agricultural University,Beijing 100094,China; 3.College of Animal Science and Technology,Heilongjiang August First Land Reclamation University,Mishan 158308,China Abstract:As the molecular biology has been applied in animal genetics and breeding,it is important that we research major genes on quantitative traits for animal breeding by transgenic technology.In this paper,the research advance of FABP genes,obese gene,leptin gene,MCRs genes,LPL gene,HSL gene affecting meat quality in animals are reviewed. Key words：animal; meat quality; candidate gene     

Genome-wide screens to identify genes of human pathogenic Yersinia species that are expressed during host infection

An obvious goal in the study of bacteria that cause human disease is to identify the bacterial genes required for growth within the host. Historically, this has presented a significant technological challenge. However, with this goal in mind, the in vivo expression technology (IVET) and signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) techniques were developed during the 1990s. These techniques have been used to identify virulence genes in the three human pathogenic Yersinia species, Y. enterocolitica, Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis, using variations of their mouse models of infection. In this review, each of these studies is described individually, including the pertinent details of how each was done, and a brief discussion of the genes identified. In addition, the results of these IVET and STM screens are compared, and the striking lack of overlap between the genes identified is discussed. Most of these studies were only recently published, which means that there have been few follow-up studies on some of the novel virulence genes identified. However, the Y. enterocolitica hreP, rscR and psp genes have become the subject of further studies, which are also summarized here. Finally, I briefly describe the use of the genome-wide (but not in vivo) technology, subtractive hybridization, to identify Yersinia virulence genes.     

Lessons from signature-tagged mutagenesis on the infectious mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria

Studies on the genetic basis of bacterial pathogenicity have been undertaken for almost 30 years, but the development of new genetic tools in the past 10 years has considerably increased the number of identified virulence factors. Signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) is one of the most powerful general genetic approaches, initially developed by David Holden and colleagues in 1995, which has now led to the identification of hundreds of new genes requested for virulence in a broad range of bacterial pathogens. We have chosen to present in this review, the most recent and/or most significant contributions to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity among over 40 STM screens published to date. We will first briefly review the principle of the method and its major technical limitations. Then, selected studies will be discussed where genes implicated in various aspects of the infectious process have been identified (including tropism for specific host and/or particular tissues, interactions with host cells, mechanisms of survival and persistence within the host, and the crossing of the blood brain barrier). The examples chosen will cover intracellular as well as extracellular Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens.     

细菌毒力基因体内表达检测技术研究进展

病原菌入侵宿主是一个及其复杂的过程。为了深入了解病原菌的致病机理,人们需要鉴定那些在感染过程中特异表达的细菌毒力基因。为此,多种体内实验模型被建立起来分析细菌在宿主体内的基因表达,它们包括了体内表达技术、信号标签突变技术、差异荧光诱导、体外转座进行基因组分析和作图技术以及体内诱导抗原技术等。文章对目前运用的这些研究方法进展进行综述,并讨论了它们的优点与不足。     

Reduced amounts of LPS affect both stress tolerance and virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin

Signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) is a widely used technique for identification of virulence genes in bacterial pathogens. While this approach often generates a large number of mutants with a potential reduction in virulence a major task is subsequently to determine the mechanism by which the mutations influence virulence. Presently, we have characterised a Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin STM mutant that, in addition to having reduced virulence, was also impaired when growing under various stress conditions. The mutation mapped to the manC (rfbM) gene of the O-antigen gene cluster involved in O-antigen synthesis. The O-antigen is a component of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) forming a unique constituent of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. While mutations in the O-antigen genes usually eliminate the entire O-antigen side chain we found that the transposon mutant produced intact O-antigen, however, the mutation reduced the amount of LPS.     

Identification of Brucella melitensis 16M genes required for bacterial survival in the caprine host

Brucella species are gram-negative bacteria which belong to alpha-Proteobacteria family. These organisms are zoonotic pathogens that induce abortion and sterility in domestic mammals and chronic infections in humans known as Malta fever. The virulence of Brucella is dependent upon its ability to enter and colonize the cells in which it multiplies. The genetic basis of this aspect is poorly understood. Signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) was used to identify potential Brucella virulence factors. PCR amplification has been used in place of DNA hybridization to identify the STM-generated attenuated mutants. A library of 288 Brucella melitensis 16M tagged mini-Tn5 Km2 mutants, in 24 pools, was screened for its ability to colonize spleen, lymph nodes and liver of goats at three weeks post-i.v. infection. This comparative screening identified 7 mutants (approximately 5%) which were not recovered from the output pool in goats. Some genes were known virulence genes involved in biosynthesis of LPS (lpsA gene) or in intracellular survival (the virB operon). Other mutants included ones which had a disrupted gene homologous to flgF, a gene coding for the basal-body rod of the flagellar apparatus, and another with a disruption in a gene homologous to ppk which is involved in the biosynthesis of inorganic polyphosphate (PolyP) from ATP. Other genes identified encoded factors involved in DNA metabolism and oxidoreduction metabolism. Using STM and the caprine host for screening, potential virulence determinants in B. melitensis have been identified.     

Identification of Streptococcus agalactiae virulence genes in the neonatal rat sepsis model using signature-tagged mutagenesis

Group B streptococcal (GBS) infections are the most common cause of bacterial sepsis in the immediate newborn period. Apart from the capsule, the factors required for survival of GBS in the host are not well defined. In this study, signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis (STM) was used to identify genes required for growth and survival of GBS in a neonatal rat sepsis infection model. Approximately 1600 transposon mutants were screened in pools of 80 mutants, and approximately 120 mutants defective for survival in the animal host were identified. We successfully cloned and sequenced DNA flanking the transposon insertions from 92 of the mutants. Fifty per cent of the mutants had transposon insertions in genes with homologues in the public databases, whereas the remaining 50% had transposon insertions in genes with unknown function. A significant proportion of the avirulent mutants had transposon insertions in genes encoding transport-associated or regulatory proteins or in genes involved in cell surface metabolism, emphasizing the significance of these functions for in vivo survival of GBS. Overall, STM analysis revealed GBS genomic loci that encode a wide variety of functional gene classes, underscoring the diversity of bacterial processes required for the infection process. Currently, the function of the genes identified during the screening can only be inferred by homology to previously described genes. However, a number of the genes identified in this study have been shown to correlate with virulence in other pathogens. A virulence of a subset of mutants identified during the screening was confirmed by performing competitive index assays and lethal dose assays. This represents the first report of a genome-wide scan for virulence factors in GBS. The identified genes will further our understanding of the pathogenesis of GBS infections and may represent targets for intervention or lead to the development of novel therapies.     

Genome-wide identification of novel genomic islands that contribute to Salmonella virulence in mouse systemic infection

Salmonella pathogenicity islands are inserted into the genome by horizontal gene transfer and are required for expression of full virulence. Here, we performed tRNA scanning of the genome of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and compared it with that of nonpathogenic Escherichia coli in order to identify genomic islands that contribute to Salmonella virulence. Using deletion analysis, we identified four genomic islands that are required for virulence in the mouse infection model. One of the newly identified pathogenicity islands was the pheV- tRNA-located genomic island, which is comprised of 26 126 bp, and encodes 22 putative genes, including STM3117–STM3138. We also showed that the pheV tRNA-located genomic island is widely distributed among different nontyphoid Salmonella serovars. Furthermore, genes including STM3118–STM3121 were identified as novel virulence-associated genes within the pheV- tRNA-located genomic island. These results indicate that a Salmonella -specific pheV- tRNA genomic island is involved in Salmonella pathogenesis among the nontyphoid Salmonella serovars.     

Adaptation of signature-tagged mutagenesis to Escherichia coli K1 and the infant-rat model of invasive disease

With the exception of the polysialic acid capsule (K1 antigen), little is known about other virulence factors needed for systemic infection by Escherichia coli K1, the leading cause of Gram-negative neonatal meningitis in humans. In this work, the functional genomics method of signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) was adapted to E. coli K1 and the infant-rat model to identify non-capsule virulence genes. Validation of the method was demonstrated by the failure to recover a reconstructed acapsular mutant from bacterial pools used to systemically infect 5-day-old rats. Three new genes required for systemic disease were identified from a total of 192 mutants screened by STM (1.56% hit rate). Gut colonization, Southern blot hybridization, mixed-challenge infection, and DNA sequence analyses showed that the attenuating defects in the mutants were associated with transposon insertions in rfaL (O antigen ligase), dsbA (thiol:disulfide oxidoreductase), and a new gene, puvA (previously unidentified virulence gene A), with no known homologues. The results indicate the ability of STM to identify novel systemic virulence factors in E. coli K1.     

Construction of replicative and integrative plasmids for setting up the in vivo expression technology in Helicobacter pylori

Some pathogenic factors of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium involved in peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, have already been identified using either global or particular approach, but there are still some orphan genes and unidentified pathogenic factors. One of the methods used successfully for the identification of virulence genes of many pathogens is the in vivo expression technology. We describe here the construction and sequences of three different plasmids, one integrative and two replicatives, for the identification of virulence genes by using in vivo expression technology in H. pylori, and of potential use in other bacteria such as Campylobacter spp. Moreover, the use of the green fluorescent protein could allow to classify the genes according to the strength of their expression and to identify those which are repressed upon interaction with gastric mucosa.