Multiphasic approach reveals genetic diversity of environmental and patient isolates of Mycobacterium mucogenicum and Mycobacterium phocaicum associated with an outbreak of bacteremias at a Texas hospital

Between March and May 2006, a Texas hospital identified five Mycobacterium mucogenicum bloodstream infections among hospitalized oncology patients using fluorescence high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of mycolic acids. Isolates from blood cultures were compared to 16 isolates from environmental sites or water associated with this ward. These isolates were further characterized by hsp65, 16S rRNA, and rpoB gene sequencing, hsp65 PCR restriction analysis, and molecular typing methods, including repetitive element PCR, random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of large restriction fragments. Three of five patient isolates were confirmed as M. mucogenicum and were in a single cluster as determined by all identification and typing methods. The remaining two patient isolates were identified as different strains of Mycobacterium phocaicum by rpoB sequence analysis. One of these matched an environmental isolate from a swab of a hand shower in the patient's room, while none of the clinical isolates of M. mucogenicum matched environmental strains. Among the other 15 environmental isolates, 11 were identified as M. mucogenicum and 4 as M. phocaicum strains, all of which were unrelated by typing methods. Although the 16S rRNA gene sequences matched for all 14 M. mucogenicum isolates, there were two each of the hsp65 and rpoB sequevars, seven PCR typing patterns, and 12 PFGE patterns. Among the seven M. phocaicum isolates were three 16S rRNA sequevars, two hsp65 sequevars, two rpoB sequevars, six PCR typing patterns, and six PFGE patterns. This outbreak represents the first case of catheter-associated bacteremia caused by M. phocaicum and the first report of clinical isolates from a U.S. hospital. The investigation highlights important differences in the available typing methods for mycobacteria and demonstrates the genetic diversity of these organisms even within narrow confines of time and space.     

Coordinated control of self-renewal and differentiation of neural stem cells by Myc and the p19ARF–p53 pathway

The modes of proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) are coordinately controlled during development, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we show that the protooncoprotein Myc and the tumor suppressor p19^ARF regulate both NSC self-renewal and their neuronal and glial fate in a developmental stage–dependent manner. Early-stage NSCs have low p19^ARF expression and retain a high self-renewal and neurogenic capacity, whereas late-stage NSCs with higher p19^ARF expression possess a lower self-renewal capacity and predominantly generate glia. Overexpression of Myc or inactivation of p19^ARF reverts the properties of late-stage NSCs to those of early-stage cells. Conversely, inactivation of Myc or forced p19^ARF expression attenuates self-renewal and induces precocious gliogenesis through modulation of the responsiveness to gliogenic signals. These actions of p19^ARF in NSCs are mainly mediated by p53. We propose that opposing actions of Myc and the p19^ARF–p53 pathway have important functions in coordinated developmental control of self-renewal and cell fate choices in NSCs.     

Stabilization of native and double <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-amino acid oxidases from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodosporidium toruloides</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonopsis variabilis</Emphasis> by immobilization on streptavidin-coated magnetic beads

Double d-amino acid oxidases (dRtDAO and dTvDAO) were previously genetically constructed by linking the C-terminus of one subunit of their corresponding native DAOs from Rhodosporidium toruloides and Trigonopsis variabilis (RtDAO and TvDAO) to the N-terminus of the other identical subunit. We have now immobilized these double DAOs and their native counterparts onto streptavidin-coated magnetic beads through the interaction between biotin and streptavidin. The catalytic efficiencies (k_cat/K_M) of immobilized DAOs toward d-alanine and cepharosporin C remained similar to those of their soluble forms, except the catalytic efficiency of immobilized TvDAO toward d-alanine was decreased by 56%. After immobilization, the T_m value for RtDAO was shifted 15°C higher to 60°C, while those for dRtDAO, TvDAO and dTvDAO were increased by 5–8°C to 56, 60 and 60°C, respectively. In the presence of 10 mM H₂O₂, immobilized RtDAO, dRtDAO, TvDAO and dTvDAO exhibited half-lives of about 8, 10, 3 and 5 h, respectively, giving 16-, 10-, 6- and 7-fold greater stability than their soluble forms, respectively. Therefore, immobilization through biotin–streptavidin affinity binding enhances the thermal and oxidative stability of native and double DAOs studied, especially RtDAO. The additive stabilizing effect of subunit fusion and immobilization was more pronounced in the case of RtDAO than TvDAO.     

Total recovery of resources and energy from rice straw using microwave-induced pyrolysis

This article presents the application of microwave-induced pyrolysis to total recovery of resources and energy from rice straw. The microwave power and particle size of feedstock were both key parameters affecting the performance of microwave-induced pyrolysis. Under 400-500W microwave power, the reduction of fixed carbon in the biomass was significant. From the experimental results of specific surface area, zeta potential, and Cu(2+) adsorption, the applications of solid residues in the water and wastewater treatment could be expected. The major compositions in gaseous product were H(2), CO(2), CO, CH(4) of 55, 17, 13, 10vol.%, respectively. The high H(2) content might imply that microwave-induced pyrolysis of biomass waste has the potential to produce the H(2)-rich fuel gas. Alkanes, polars, and low-ringed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were three primary kinds of compounds in the liquid product.     

人源性抗HBsAg Fab抗体的发酵生产研究

为了适应工业生产的需要,利用fed—batch方法,重组人源性抗HBsAg Fab抗体酵母工程菌在30L发酵罐中进行了高密度发酵,发酵最适温度30℃,pH值范围5．0～5．3,溶氧范围20％～30％。发酵液OD600值达到300时开始诱导,甲醇最佳诱导浓度为10mL／L。重组人源性抗HBsAg Fab抗体经离子交换层析纯化,纯化产品经SDS-PAGE、Western blot进行分析和ELISA方法进行活性测定。结果显示,重组Fab抗体在Fed-batch发酵系统中可高效表达,经过192h的发酵生产,重组人源性抗HBsAg Fab抗体的表达量可达412mg／L。发酵上清经过离子交换层析纯化,获得纯度为95％的重组Fab抗体,该Fab抗体经ELISA分析具有较高的HBsAg抗原亲和力和特异性。结果证实可以通过高密度发酵毕赤酵母工程菌来高效生产重组人源性抗HBsAg Fab抗体,为后续的工业化生产应用奠定了基础。     

Expanding the Repertoire of Gene Tools for Precise Manipulation of the Clostridium difficile Genome: Allelic Exchange Using pyrE Alleles

Sophisticated genetic tools to modify essential biological processes at the molecular level are pivotal in elucidating the molecular pathogenesis of Clostridium difficile, a major cause of healthcare associated disease. Here we have developed an efficient procedure for making precise alterations to the C. difficile genome by pyrE-based allelic exchange. The robustness and reliability of the method was demonstrated through the creation of in-frame deletions in three genes (spo0A, cwp84, and mtlD) in the non-epidemic strain 630Δerm and two genes (spo0A and cwp84) in the epidemic PCR Ribotype 027 strain, {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"R20291","term_id":"774925","term_text":"R20291"}}R20291. The system is reliant on the initial creation of a pyrE deletion mutant, using Allele Coupled Exchange (ACE), that is auxotrophic for uracil and resistant to fluoroorotic acid (FOA). This enables the subsequent modification of target genes by allelic exchange using a heterologous pyrE allele from Clostridium sporogenes as a counter-/negative-selection marker in the presence of FOA. Following modification of the target gene, the strain created is rapidly returned to uracil prototrophy using ACE, allowing mutant phenotypes to be characterised in a PyrE proficient background. Crucially, wild-type copies of the inactivated gene may be introduced into the genome using ACE concomitant with correction of the pyrE allele. This allows complementation studies to be undertaken at an appropriate gene dosage, as opposed to the use of multicopy autonomous plasmids. The rapidity of the ‘correction’ method (5–7 days) makes pyrE ⁻ strains attractive hosts for mutagenesis studies.     

Interplay of Troponin- and Myosin-Based Pathways of Calcium Activation in Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle: The Use of W7 as an Inhibitor of Thin Filament Activation

To investigate the interplay between the thin and thick filaments during calcium activation in striated muscle, we employed n-(6-aminohexyl) 5-chloro-1-napthalenesulfonamide (W7) as an inhibitor of troponin C and compared its effects with that of the myosin-specific inhibitor, 2,3-butanedione 2-monoxime (BDM). In both skeletal and cardiac fibers, W7 reversibly inhibited ATPase and tension over the full range of calcium activation between pCa 8.0 and 4.5, resulting in reduced calcium sensitivity and cooperativity of ATPase and tension activations. At maximal activation in skeletal fibers, the W7 concentrations for half-maximal inhibition (K_I) were 70–80 μM for ATPase and 20–30 μM for tension, nearly >200-fold lower than BDM (20 mM and 5–8 mM, respectively). When W7 (50 μM) and BDM (20 mM) were combined in skeletal fibers, the ATPase and tension-pCa curves exhibited lower apparent cooperativity and maxima and higher calcium sensitivity than expected from two independent activation pathways, suggesting that the interplay between the thin and thick filaments varies with the level of activation. Significantly, the inhibition of W7 increased the ATPase/tension ratio during activation in both muscle types. W7 holds much promise as a potent and reversible inhibitor of thin filament-mediated calcium activation of skeletal and cardiac muscle contraction.     

Resting Energy Expenditure: Systematic Organization and Critique of Prediction Methods

There are many published methods for predicting resting energy expenditure (REE) from measured body composition. Although these published reports extend back almost a century, new related studies appear on a regular basis. It remains unclear what the similarities and differences are among these various methods and what, if any, advantages the newly introduced REE prediction models offer. These issues led us to develop an organizational system for REE prediction methods with the goal of clarifying prevailing ambiguities in the field. Our classification scheme is founded on body composition level (whole‐body, tissue‐organ, cellular, and molecular) and related components as the REE predictor variables. Each existing REE prediction method by body composition must belong to one body composition level. The suggested classification system, founded on a conceptual basis, highlights similarities and differences among the diverse REE‐body composition prediction methods, provides a framework for teaching REE‐body composition relationships, and identifies important future research opportunities.     

植物抗细菌病害基因工程研究进展和展望

综述了利用基因工程提高植物对细菌病害抗性的各种方法,包括利用非植物抗菌蛋白,抑制细菌的致病或毒性因子,增强植物本身的抗病能力和人工诱导侵染点细胞程序化坏死。这些方法的成功都与抗菌化合物的作用机制及植物和病原细菌之间的相互作用的分子生物学的研究密切相关,还展望了这些方法的应用前景。