HIV protease inhibitors attenuate adherence of Candida albicans to epithelial cells in vitro

The cagA gene is a key marker for the Helicobacter pylori cag pathogenicity island (PAI), which may vary in composition in different strains with insertion sequence mediated interruptions and deletions of genes. While presence of cagA has been associated with increased risk for peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer, the precise link with virulence is controversial. We investigated H. pylori from dyspeptics in one location in England (mid-Essex) with reference to the prevalence and distribution by age cohort of different cag PAI forms to determine if presence of the insertion element IS605 had a modifying effect on the severity of associated disease. H. pylori isolated from gastric biopsies over a 4-year period were screened by specific PCR assays for the presence of cagA, cagD, cagE and virD4 genes in the cag PAI, and for the presence of IS605 in the PAI and elsewhere in the genome. Most (68%) of the 166 isolates of H. pylori contained a PAI based on detection of cagA whereas 29% had no detectable PAI using multiple loci. The cagA+ genotype frequencies were similar in the peptic ulcer and non-ulcer dyspepsia-gastritis groups (79% vs. 74%) whereas frequencies in the NUD-oesophagitis and normal mucosa groups were lower (58%) but not significantly different (P>0.41). Genomic IS605 inserts were present at an overall frequency of 32% and were widely distributed with respect to patient age and disease severity. The combined cagA+/IS- strain genotype was common but not significantly associated with PUD compared to endoscopically normal mucosa (P> or =0.807). We concluded that presence of the IS605 element, whether in cagA+ or cagA- strains of H. pylori, did not systematically modify the severity of associated disease in the study population.     

细菌转录起始调控机制*

原核生物同一种群的每个细胞都是和外界环境直接接触的,它们主要通过开启或关闭某些基因的表达来适应环境条件。所以,环境因子往往是调控的效应因子,必须严格调控转录来确保细胞对环境改变做出有效且充分的反应。原核生物基因的表达受多种因素的调控,而对于大多数细菌来说,调控基因表达的关键步骤是启动子识别和RNA聚合酶启动转录。在细菌的细胞中,可以通过调节RNA聚合酶的活性以及改变RNA聚合酶对启动子的结合来优化基因的转录过程以适应不同环境变化。总结了目前已发现的参与细菌细胞转录调节的各类因子,从这些因子对启动子的作用、RNA聚合酶的作用以及两者的相互作用等方面阐述它们调控基因表达的分子机制。总结多种基因调控的作用,加深对转录起始过程的认识,希望能对未来调控转录起始过程来实现目标基因的高效表达和不利基因的抑制表达提供思路,为以后的工业菌株改造提供依据。     

幽门螺杆菌cag PAI编码的Ⅳ型分泌系统

幽门螺杆菌(Helicobacter pylori,H.pylori)是定植于人胃部特定的病原菌,感染呈全球分布,感染率高达50%以上。现已证实它是轻度胃炎,消化性溃疡及胃癌的主要病因。Ⅰ型H.pylori菌株含有一个约40kb的特殊基因片段,即cag致病岛(cytotoxin associated gene pathogenicity island,cag PAI),该片段只出现于致病相关菌株,基因呈高密度分布并编码一个分泌转运系统称为Ⅳ型分泌系统(type Ⅳ secretion system,TFSS),通过转运相关毒素而参与H.pylori诱导上皮细胞细胞内的酪氨酸磷酸化、细胞骨架重排、基垫结构形成、活化核转录因子NF-κB、诱导促炎细胞因子白细胞介素-8的表达等,故在H.pylori的致病中起着关键作用。近年来,研究者们致力于研究Ⅳ型分泌系统的功能,但是对于这个装置是如何转运蛋白进入宿主细胞的确切机制还是知之甚少,因此,对Ⅳ型分泌系统的研究将有助于进一步明确H.pylori致病机制,并为临床诊断和治疗提供新的靶点。     

异源表达的幽门螺杆菌cag4蛋白有溶菌糖基转移酶活性

摘要【目的】构建融合基因原核表达载体pET-28a- cag4,并表达重组融合蛋白cag4,分析重组融合蛋白的酶活性,为新型抗生素（或是抗菌药物）的研发提供作用靶位。【方法】本研究利用PCR技术从幽门螺杆菌NCTC11637中克隆了cag4基因;经T-A克隆,酶切鉴定,构建了原核表达载体pET-28a- cag4;经测序鉴定正确后,转化进入大肠埃希菌 BL21(DE3)进行异源表达。利用IPTG体外诱导后,经SDS-PAGE和Western Bolt鉴定目的蛋白表达后,采用Ni2＋-NTA柱在变性条件下纯化目的蛋白,并对重组蛋白进行透析复性处理。将SDS煮沸法获得的溶壁微球菌肽聚糖掺入SDS-PAGE作为底物,进行酶谱分析。【结果】在大肠埃希菌 BL21(DE3)中获得高效表达的重组蛋白; 经SDS-PAGE和Western Bolt鉴定表达后,采用Ni2＋-NTA柱在变性条件下纯化,并进行透析复性处理。将SDS煮沸法获得的溶壁微球菌肽聚糖掺入SDS-PAGE作为底物,进行酶谱分析,表明目的蛋白具有明显的肽聚糖水解活性; 通过监测浊度下降速率,比较其在不同pH条件下活性的变化,即?A/（min?mg protein）,结果表明,幽门螺杆菌cag4蛋白具有溶菌糖基转移酶活性。【结论】幽门螺杆菌cag4蛋白具有溶菌糖基转移酶活性。