Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of ebselen: role of the yeast plasma membrane H+-ATPase

Ebselen (2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one) is a selenium-containing antioxidant demonstrating anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective properties in mammalian cells and cytotoxicity in lower organisms. The mechanism underlying the antimicrobial activity of ebselen remains unclear. It has recently been proposed that, in lower organisms like yeast, the plasma membrane H+-ATPase (Pma1p) could serve as a potential target for this synthetic organoselenium compound. Using yeast and bacteria, the present study found ebselen to inhibit microbial growth in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and yeast and Gram-positive bacteria to be more sensitive to this action (IC50 approximately 2-5 microM) than Gram-negative bacteria (IC50 < 80 microM). Washout experiments and scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed ebselen to possess fungicidal activity. In addition, ebselen was found to inhibit medium acidification by PMA1-proficient haploid yeast in a concentration-dependent manner. Additional studies comparing PMA1 (+/-) and PMA1 (+/+) diploid yeast cells revealed the mutant to be more sensitive to treatment with ebselen than the wild type. Ebselen also inhibited the ATPase activity of Pma1p from S. cerevisiae in a concentration-dependent manner. The interaction of ebselen with the sulfhydryl-containing compounds L-cysteine and reduced glutathione resulted in the complete and partial prevention, respectively, of the inhibition of Pma1p ATPase activity by ebselen. Taken together, these results suggest that the fungicidal action of ebselen is due, at least in part, to interference with both the proton-translocating function and the ATPase activity of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase.     

辣椒镰孢根腐病防病促生细菌的筛选及其效应

【目的】筛选辣椒(Capsicum annuum L.)根腐病防病促生细菌并明确其防病促生效应。【方法】采集健康辣椒根围土壤样品,以辣椒根腐病病原真菌茄镰孢(Fusarium solani)和尖镰孢(Fusarium oxysporum)为指示菌,采用平板对峙法筛选生防细菌,采用选择性培养基筛选溶无机磷、溶有机磷、固氮菌和解钾菌等促生菌,钼锑抗比色法测定溶磷量,凯氏定氮法测定固氮量,火焰原子吸收光谱法测定解钾量。对特性良好组合的菌株进行16S rDNA序列分析鉴定并制作菌剂,最后采用盆栽法测定菌剂防病促生效果。【结果】共筛选得到323株特性良好的功能菌株,拮抗菌78株,溶有机磷菌87株,溶无机磷菌107株,固氮菌128株,解钾菌123株,部分菌株同时具有多个功能特性。互作组合得到6个特性良好的菌株组合,包括8株功能菌株,鉴定发现XP271和XP181为枯草芽胞杆菌(Bacillus subtilis),XP125为特基拉芽胞杆菌(Bacillus tequilensis),XP236为耐盐芽胞杆菌(Bacillus halotolerans),XP79为巨大芽胞杆菌(Bacillus ...     

马奶酒样乳杆菌ZW3中WANG_1291基因的表达

【目的】马奶酒样乳杆菌ZW3含有一段长度为14.4 kb的胞外多糖合成基因簇,包含17个与胞外多糖合成相关的基因(WANG_1283?WANG_1299),主要分析17个基因在马奶酒样乳杆菌ZW3生长过程中不同时间段的表达量,探究其中一个表达量发生变化的基因对乳酸菌产胞外多糖的影响。【方法】通过半定量RT-PCR实验,对基因簇上各基因的表达量进行分析;通过构建含有表达量变化基因的重组乳酸乳球菌,比较重组菌与野生菌的产胞外多糖差异。【结果】经分析,WANG_1284、WANG_1286、WANG_1287、WANG_1288、WANG_1290、WANG_1291、WANG_1292、WANG_1294、WANG_1296、WANG_1297、WANG_1298、WANG_1299这12个基因在菌体生长的50 h和60 h (产糖量上升阶段)表达量最高,推测这些基因在多糖聚合过程中起作用。从这12个基因中选出一个表达量发生明显变化的基因WANG_1291做进一步研究。将WANG_1291插入乳酸菌表达载体pMG36e中,构建了重组表达载体pMG36e-1291。将构建的重组表达载体转化到乳酸乳球菌WH-C1中,得到重组菌株。测定重组菌与野生菌生长特性,发现重组菌与野生菌之间的生长速度存在一定差异。然后利用苯酚-硫酸法测得重组乳酸乳球菌的胞外多糖产量是野生菌的2.1倍,胞外多糖产量有了明显的提高。【结论】确定WANG_1291基因是调控马奶酒样乳杆菌ZW3产胞外多糖的关键基因之一。     

Isolation of New Delhi metallo‐β‐lactamase 1‐producing Vibrio cholerae non‐O1, non‐O139 strain carrying ctxA,st and hly genes in southern Vietnam

Vibrio cholerae non‐O1, non‐O139 (VC_NAG) organisms are universally present in the aquatic environment and regarded as non‐pathogenic bacteria. However, considering that they do occasionally induce gastroenteritis, a study of their virulence and antibiotic resistance genes is important. The presence of enteropathogenic genes, including ctxA, VC_NAG‐specific heat‐stable toxin gene (st), hemolysin (hly), and zona occludens toxin (zot) was determined by PCR in 100 VC_NAG strains isolated in southern Vietnam in 2010–2013 from 94 environmental and six human origins. These 100 VC_NAG strains were also tested phenotypically and genotypically for the presence of the New Delhi metallo‐β‐lactamase (NDM‐1). Of the 100 VC_NAG strains tested, six were positive for ctxA; five from the environment and one of human origin. The st gene was detected in 17 isolates, 15 and two of which were of environmental and human origins, respectively. Gene hly was detected in 19 VC_NAG strains examined, two of which were isolated from humans and 17 from environments. The zot gene was not detected in any of the strains tested. Three VC_NAG strains of environmental origin were confirmed to produce NDM‐1 and the bla_NDM‐1 gene was detected in those strains by PCR. Of note, one of the three NDM‐1‐producing VC_NAG strains was confirmed to carry ctxA, st and hly genes concurrently. This is the first report of isolation of NDM‐1‐producing VC_NAG strains in Vietnam.     

Significance of oxygen supply in production of a novel antibiotic by Pseudomonas sp. SJT25

A new agricultural antibiotic, 2-heptyl-5-hexylfuran-3-carboxylic acid (HHCA), was recently discovered, but its further application was limited due to its low production titer. In shake flask fermentation, the effect of initial K(L)a within the range of 2.12-18.87 h?1 on HHCA production was investigated. The cell growth and glycerol consumption were faster at a higher initial K(L)a value, but the maximum production (14.43 mg/L) was attained at an initial K(L)a value of 12.46 h?1. The oxygen supply information was further applied to a 2-L bubble column bioreactor (BCB) by varying initial K(L)a from 1.45 to 30.18 h?1, and the hyperproduction of HHCA was achieved at a relatively low initial K(L)a around 5-10 h?1. The control of oxygen supply is considered to be an important strategy to enhance HHCA production, and the information obtained will be useful to production of this powerful new antibiotic on a large scale.     

Expression, purification and analysis of the activity of enzymes from the pentose phosphate pathway

RNAs, more than ever before, are increasingly viewed as biomolecules of the future, in the versatility of their functions and intricate three-dimensional folding. To effectively study them by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, structural biologists need to tackle two critical challenges of spectral overcrowding and fast signal decay for large RNAs. Stable-isotope nucleotide labeling is one attractive solution to the overlap problem. Hence, developing effective methods for nucleotide labeling is highly desirable. In this work, we have developed a facile and streamlined source of recombinant enzymes from the pentose phosphate pathway for making such labeled nucleotides. The Escherichia coli (E. coli) genes encoding ribokinase (RK), adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT), xanthine/guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (XGPRT), and uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRT) were sub-cloned into pET15b vectors. All four constructs together with cytidine triphosphate synthetase (CTPS) and human phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase isoform 1 (PRPPS) were transformed into the E. coli BL21(AI) strain for protein over-expression. The enzyme preparations were purified to >90% homogeneity by a one-step Ni-NTA affinity chromatography, without the need of a further size-exclusion chromatography step. We obtained yields of 1530, 22, 482, 3120, 2120 and 2280 units of activity per liter of culture for RK, PRPPS, APRT, XGPRT, UPRT and CTPS, respectively; the specific activities were found to be 70, 22, 21, 128, 144 and 113 U/mg, respectively. These specific activities of these enzyme constructs are comparable to or higher than those previously reported. In addition, both the growth conditions and purification protocols have been streamlined so that all the recombinant proteins can be expressed, purified and characterized in at most 2 days. The availability and reliability of these constructs should make production of fully and site-specific labeled nucleotides for making labeled RNA accessible and straightforward, to facilitate high-resolution NMR spectroscopic and other biophysical studies.     

Antigenic diversity among Portuguese clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori

Background: The human gastroduodenal pathogen, Helicobacter pylori, is characterized by an unusual extent of genetic heterogeneity. This dictates differences in the antigenic pattern of strains resulting in heterogeneous human humoral immune responses. Here, we examined the antigenic variability among a group of 10 strains isolated from Portuguese patients differing in age, gender, and H. pylori‐associated gastric diseases. Material and Methods: Immunoassays were performed on two‐dimensional electrophoresis gels obtained for the proteome of each strain, using a commercial pool of antibodies produced in rabbit, against the whole cell lysate of an Australian H. pylori strain. Relevant proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Results: Immunoproteomes of the Portuguese strains showed no correlation between the number of antigenic proteins or the antigenic profile, and the disease to which each strain was associated. The Heat shock protein B was the unique immunoreactive protein common to all of them. Additionally, seven proteins were found to be antigenic in at least 80% of strains: enoyl‐(acyl‐carrier‐protein) reductase (NADH); Catalase; Flagellin A; 2 isoforms of alkyl hydroperoxide reductase; succinyl‐CoA transferase subunit B; and an unidentified protein. These proteins were present in the proteome of all tested strains, suggesting that differences in their antigenicity are related to antigenic variance. Conclusions: This study showed evidence of the variability of antigenic pattern among H. pylori strains. We believe that this fact contributes to the failure of anti‐H. pylori vaccines and the low accuracy of serological tests based on a low number of proteins or antigens of only one strain.     

In vitro assay of the antimicrobial activity of kephir against bacterial and fungal strains

Kephir is a fermented carbonated refreshing milk, with a slightly acidic aromatic taste and creamy foam composition which contains lactobacilli, leuconostocci, acetic acid bacteria, lactostreptococci and yeasts. Recent studies have demonstrated its antibacterial, immunostimulating, antitumoral and cholesterol-lowering activities.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of kephir against Bacillus subtilis spp. spizizenii ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. The kephir fermented for 24 h and 48 h, as well and after 7 days preservation at 4–8 °C was tested by in vitro disk diffusion method. The intensity of the antimicrobial activity was interpreted by comparison with two antibiotics, i.e. ampicillin and neomycin.

Results

The antimicrobial activity of 24 h as well as 48 fermented kephir, fresh or after 7 days preservation at 4–8 °C was similar and observed against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, E. faecalis and S. enteritidis. For E. coli, E. faecalis and S. enteritidis the antimicrobial activity was superior to both tested antibiotics and for B. subtilis and S. aureus to one antibiotic. The tested products exhibited no activity against P. aeruginosa and C. albicans.

Conclusion

Kephir is exhibiting large spectrum and strong antibacterial activity probably due to the complex viable probiotic strains association producing antimicrobial substances.     

田间栽培喜树不同品系枝叶喜树碱产量动态分析

采用高效液相色谱法和生物量法,以四川种源的普通喜树为对照,对生长季内喜树新品系海喜1号不同冠层枝叶喜树碱产量进行了测定。结果表明：由于海喜1号枝叶喜树碱含量、生物量均高于普通喜树,其产量更加显著地高于普通喜树;虽然海喜1号幼嫩的上层枝叶喜树碱含量高于中层和下层,但由于生物量偏低,产量明显低于中下层枝叶;虽然基于喜树碱含量较高（即优质为目标时）,采收期应确定为6月份,但为了达到持续产量,在6月份可采收上层枝叶,7~10月以适度透光为方法连续采收中下部枝叶,11月份,即生长季末采收冠层下部全部1/3枝叶。     

A model for pathogen population structure with cross-protection depending on the extent of overlap in antigenic variant repertoires

The persistence of discrete antigenic types among pathogens with multiple immunogenic loci can be explained by the action of immune-mediated competition. It has previously been shown that pathogen populations will self-organize into non-overlapping subsets of antigenic variants if cross-protection between pathogen types sharing any variants is high. Here, we examine the critical question of whether such strain structure will emerge if the degree of immune-mediated competition is dependent on the number of variants shared between pathogen types, rather than in an all-or-nothing manner. Our analysis uncovers a progression from no strain structure through to discrete stable strain structure through intermediate partially structured states. This suggests that the number of loci or epitope regions required to detect linkage disequilibrium (as a manifestation of stable discrete strain structure) in pathogen populations correlates inversely with the strength of immune selection.