The HtrA Protease from Streptococcus pneumoniae Digests Both Denatured Proteins and the Competence-stimulating Peptide

The HtrA protease of Streptococcus pneumoniae functions both in a general stress response role and as an error sensor that specifically represses genetic competence when the overall level of biosynthetic errors in cellular proteins is low. However, the mechanism through which HtrA inhibits development of competence has been unknown. We found that HtrA digested the pneumococcal competence-stimulating peptide (CSP) and constituted the primary extracytoplasmic CSP-degrading activity in cultures of S. pneumoniae. Mass spectrometry demonstrated that cleavage predominantly followed residue Phe-8 of the CSP-1 isoform of the peptide within its central hydrophobic patch, and in competition assays, both CSP-1 and CSP-2 interacted with HtrA with similar efficiencies. More generally, analysis of β-casein digestion and of digestion within HtrA itself revealed a preference for substrates with non-polar residues at the P1 site. Consistent with a specificity for exposed hydrophobic residues, competition from native BSA only weakly inhibited digestion of CSP, but denaturation converted BSA into a strong competitive inhibitor of such proteolysis. Together these findings support a model in which digestion of CSP by HtrA is reduced in the presence of other unfolded proteins that serve as alternative targets for degradation. Such competition may provide a mechanism by which HtrA functions in a quality control capacity to monitor the frequency of biosynthetic errors that result in protein misfolding.     

Structural characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 9A capsule polysaccharide reveals role of glycosyl 6-O-acetyltransferase wcjE in serotype 9V capsule biosynthesis and immunogenicity

The putative capsule O-acetyltransferase gene wcjE is highly conserved across various Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes, but the role of the gene in capsule biosynthesis and bacterial fitness remains largely unclear. Isolates expressing pneumococcal serotype 9A arise from precursors expressing wcjE-associated serotype 9V through loss-of-function mutation to wcjE. To define the biosynthetic role of 9V wcjE, we characterized the structure and serological properties of serotype 9V and 9A capsule polysaccharide (PS). NMR data revealed that both 9V and 9A PS are composed of an identical pentasaccharide repeat unit, as reported previously. However, in sharp contrast to previous studies on 9A PS being devoid of any O-acetylation, we identified O-acetylation of α-glucuronic acid and α-glucose in 9A PS. In addition, 9V PS also contained -CH(2) O-acetylation of β-N-acetylmannosamine, a modification that disappeared following in vitro recombinatorial deletion of wcjE. We also show that serotyping sera and monoclonal antibodies specific for 9V and 9A bound capsule PS in an O-acetate-dependent manner. Furthermore, IgG and to a lesser extent IgM from human donors immunized with serotype 9V PS displayed stronger binding to 9V compared with 9A PS. We conclude that serotype 9V wcjE mediates 6-O-acetylation of β-N-acetylmannosamine. This PS modification can be selectively targeted by antibodies in immunized individuals, identifying a potential selective advantage for wcjE inactivation and serotype 9A emergence.     

Rapid detection of blaIMP-6 by amplification refractory mutation system

Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant to almost all ß-lactams except imipenem designated as ISMRK (imipenem-susceptible meropenem-resistant Klebsiella) is emerging in Japan. All ISMRK carries bla_IMP-6 which differs from bla_IMP-1 by only a single nucleotide at position 640. We devised a rapid detection system of bla_IMP-6 by using ARMS PCR.     

Biochemical, Genetic, and Serological Characterization of Two Capsule Subtypes among Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 20 Strains: DISCOVERY OF A NEW PNEUMOCOCCAL SEROTYPE

The bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae expresses one of over 90 structurally distinct polysaccharide (PS) capsule serotypes. Prior PS structural analyses of the vaccine-associated serotype 20 do not agree with reports describing the genes that mediate capsule synthesis. Furthermore, using immunized human sera-based assays, serological differences were recently noted among strains typed as serotype 20. We examined the capsule structures of two serologically dissimilar serotype 20 strains, 20α and 20β, by extensive biochemical analysis. 20α PS was composed of the previously described serotype 20 hexasaccharide repeat unit, whereas the 20β PS was composed of a novel heptasaccharide repeat unit containing an extra branching α-glucose residue. Genetic analysis of the subtypes revealed that 20α may have arisen from a 20β progenitor following loss of function mutation to the glycosyltransferase gene whaF. Conventional serotyping methods using rabbit polyclonal or mouse monoclonal antibodies were unable to distinguish the subtypes. However, genetic analysis of multiple "serotype 20" clinical isolates revealed that all strains contain the 20β genotype. We propose naming bacteria that express the previously described 20α capsule structure 20A and bacteria that express the novel 20β capsule structure 20B, a new pneumococcal serotype.     

Simultaneous production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid and 1,3-propanediol from glycerol by a recombinant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae

In this study, an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) was over-expressed in Klebsiella pneumoniae for simultaneous production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) and 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO). Various genes encoding ALDH were cloned and expressed in K. pneumoniae, and expression of Escherichia colialdH resulted in the highest 3-HP titer in anaerobic cultures in shake flasks. Anaerobic fed-batch culture of this recombinant strain was further performed in a 5-L reactor. The 3-HP concentration and yield reached 24.4 g/L and 0.18 mol/mol glycerol, respectively, and at the same time 1,3-PDO achieved 49.3 g/L with a yield of 0.43 mol/mol in 24 h. The overall yield of 3-HP plus 1,3-PDO was 0.61 mol/mol. Over-expression of the E. coli AldH also reduced the yields of by-products except for lactate. This study demonstrated the possibility of simultaneous production of 3-HP and 1,3-PDO by K. pneumoniae under anaerobic conditions without supply of vitamin B₁₂.     

儿童肺炎支原体咽拭子快速液体培养结果分析

目的分析儿童肺炎支原体（MP）咽拭子快速液体培养的结果及与患儿年龄以及季节的关系,为临床诊断、治疗肺炎支原体感染提供依据。方法选取深圳市宝安区人民医院1217例急性呼吸道感染的患儿,采用咽拭子快速液体培养基进行筛查,观察其阳性率。结果在1217例患儿中,共检出阳性281例,阳性率为23．09％。〈1岁、1～3岁、3～6岁和6～14岁各年龄组的阳性率分别为15．13％、26．52％、28．31％和18．07％;不同季节MP感染率分别为春23．75％,夏20．11％,秋18．61％,冬29．72％。1～3岁,3—6岁小儿感染率明显高于6—14和〈1岁儿童（P〈0．01）;冬春季阳性率较夏秋季高。结论MP快速液体培养鉴定对MP诊断具有重要的临床诊断价值。肺炎支原体感染全年均可发病,好发于冬季,以3—6岁小儿多见。     

连续12年产超广谱β-内酰胺酶肺炎克雷伯菌感染分布及耐药性分析

目的了解产超广谱β-内酰胺酶（ESBLs）肺炎克雷伯菌（KPN）的临床分布及耐药性,为临床合理选用抗菌药物提供依据。方法用常规方法,结合法国梅里埃公司的自动化细菌鉴定分析仪分离鉴定细菌;用K-B纸片扩散法进行药敏试验;用双纸片协同筛选法和酶抑制剂增强纸片法检测ESBLs。对中国医科大学附属盛京医院1999年1月至2010年12月期间临床分离的产ESBLs和非产ESBLs KPN菌株的临床分布及其耐药趋势进行回顾性分析。结果 KPN的ESBLs检出率分别从1999年的19.82%上升至2010年的49.34%;KPN主要分离于痰占52.4%,其次是血液占17.74%,主要来源于外科病区和新生儿病区;产ESBLs菌和非产ESBLs菌对阿米卡星、左氧氟沙星等非β-内酰胺酶类抗菌药物的耐药率均显著增高,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0.01）,对亚胺培南和美罗培南都保持高度敏感,耐药率均低于2%。结论 12年间ESBLs检出率总体呈上升趋势,产ESBLs肺炎克雷伯菌表达对包括非β-内酰胺类在内的抗菌药物多重耐药,对碳青霉烯类抗菌药物仍保持高度敏感性。     

社区与医院感染中肺炎克雷伯杆菌和大肠埃希菌耐药性分析

目的探讨社区和医院感染中肺炎克雷伯杆菌和大肠埃希菌产ESBLs的情况及耐药特性。方法采用体外扩散确证试验检测ESBLs,同时用Micro scan wat RA way-40系统全自动细菌鉴定/药敏分析仪及K-B琼脂扩散法进行细菌鉴定和体外药敏试验。结果社区感染标本中分离出肺炎克雷伯杆菌79株,产ESBLs20株,阳性率为25.3%,大肠埃希菌177株,产ESBLs27株,阳性率为15.3%;医院感染标本中分离出肺炎克雷伯杆菌82株,产ES-BLs33株,阳性率为40.2%,大肠埃希菌135株,产ESBLs42株,阳性率为31.1%,社区与医院感染菌株产ESBLs比较差异均有统计学意义(P均<0.05);ESBLs阳性菌株对多种抗生素耐药,其耐药性明显高于ESBLs阴性菌株。结论肺炎克雷伯杆菌和大肠埃希菌产ESBLs菌株在临床分离率较高,医院感染标本要显著高于社区感染标本,并且对多种抗生素具有高度耐药性,产ESBLs菌株耐药性显著高于不产ESBLs菌株,临床上应加强对ESBLs的控制,以防感染流行。     

CTX-M-3型超广谱β-内酰胺酶的表达、纯化及多克隆抗体的制备

目的 将肺炎克雷伯菌所产CTX-M-3型超广谱β-内酰胺酶(extended-spectrum β-lactamase,ESBLs)进行表达、纯化及其多克隆抗体的制备.方法 将保存的重组质粒pET-28a(+)/CTX-M-3在大肠埃希菌BL21( DE3)中原核表达.IPTG诱导CTX-M-3融合蛋白表达,利用镍琼脂糖凝胶亲和柱层析纯化蛋白,用纯化的CTX-M-3型ESBLs酶蛋白免疫小鼠制备多克隆抗体.结果 可溶性检测表明表达产物以可溶性形式(上清中)和包涵体形式(沉淀中)两种形式存在.通过蛋白表达条件的优化实验,SDS-PAGE电泳结果显示18℃,0.8 mmol/L IPTG诱导24 h的CTX-M-3重组蛋白的可溶性表达最佳.SDS-PAGE电泳和Western-blot检测表明获得纯化的重组32 kD蛋白.免疫获得的CTX-M-3型ESBLs酶蛋白抗血清的效价为1∶32.结论 pET-28a(+)/CTX-M-3表达载体在大肠埃希菌BL21( DE3)中表达,用His亲和层析柱纯化可获得高纯度可溶性的重组蛋白,成功制备了效价较高的抗CTX-M-3型ESBLs酶蛋白多克隆抗体.