Production and Characterization of N- and C-terminally Truncated Mtx2: a Mosquitocidal Toxin from Bacillus sphaericus

Mosquitocidal toxin 2 (Mtx2) is a mosquito-larvicidal protein produced during vegetative stage of Bacillus sphaericus. The toxin consists of 292 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 31.8 kDa. To determine the active core region of the toxin, amino acids at N- and C-termini were sequentially removed. Deletion up to 23 amino acids from the N-terminus (Met1-Tyr23) did not significantly affect protein production and the toxin activity, whereas removal of 26 amino acids from the N-terminus (Met1-Lys26) completely abolished toxicity even though the protein production remained unchanged. Deletion of only 5 amino acids from the C-terminal end yielded the protein that could not be solubilized and rendered the toxin inactive. The results demonstrated that the C-terminal end of Mtx2 is required for proper folding and toxicity. Amino acids at the N-terminus up to Tyr23 did not play a significant role in protein production and toxicity whereas amino acids between Thr24 and Lys26 are required for full toxicity.     

Solvent extracts of the red seaweed Gracilaria fisheri prevent Vibrio harveyi infections in the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon

Vibriosis is a common bacterial disease that can cause high mortality and morbidity in farmed shrimp. Since compounds from seaweed have been reported to have anti-bacterial and immunostimulant activity, this study was conducted to determine whether solvent extracts from the red seaweed Gracilaria fisheri might be a possible alternative for prevention and treatment of shrimp vibriosis caused by Vibrio harveyi. Seaweed extracts prepared using ethanol, methanol, chloroform and hexane were evaluated for anti-V. harveyi activity by the disc-diffusion method. The ethanol, methanol and chloroform extracts showed activity against a virulent strain of V. harveyi with potency (minimal inhibitory concentrations in the range of 90-190 μg ml(-1)) equivalent to the antibiotic norfloxacin. The ethanol extract was not toxic to the brine shrimp Artemia salina when it was fed to them for enrichment prior to their use, in turn, as feed for postlarvae of Penaeus monodon. Postlarvae fed with these enriched Artemia gave significantly lower mortality than control postlarvae after challenge with V. harveyi. In addition, P. monodon juveniles injected with the ethanol extract showed a significant increase in the total number of haemocytes and an increased proportion of semi-granulocytes and granulocytes when compared to control shrimp. The activities of phenoloxidase and superoxide dismutase were also increased, with an accompanying increase in superoxide anion production. When these juvenile shrimp were challenged with V. harveyi, mortality was markedly reduced compared to that of control shrimp. The results indicated that ethanol extracts of G. fisheri had immunostimulant and antimicrobial activity that could protect P. monodon against V. harveyi.     

Development of a one-step immunochromatographic strip test using gold nanoparticles for the rapid detection of Salmonella typhi in human serum

An immunochromatographic strip test using gold nanoparticles was developed for the rapid detection of Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) in human serum. The strip test based on the principle of sandwich immunoassay by the specific binding of antigens from S. typhi O901 and antibody of S. typhi O901 on a nitrocellulose membrane. Antibody-gold nanoparticle conjugate was used as the label and was coated onto a glass fiber membrane, which was used as a conjugate pad. To create a test and control zone, antibody of S. typhi O901 and an anti-IgG were dotted on the nitrocellulose membrane, respectively. Positive samples were displayed as red dots at the test and control zones of the nitrocellulose membrane, while negative samples resulted in a red dot only in the control zone. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 1.14×10(5) cfu mL(-1), which could be visually detected by the naked eye within 15 min. This strip test provided a lower detection limit and analysis time than a dot blot immunoassay (8.88×10(6) cfu mL(-1) for LOD and 110 min for reaction time). In addition, our immunochromatographic strip test was employed to detect S. typhi in human serum effectively, with high accuracy. This strip test offers great promise for a rapid, simple and low-cost analysis of S. typhi.     

Dissecting the roles of a strictly conserved tyrosine in substrate recognition and catalysis by pseudouridine 55 synthase

Sequence alignment of the TruA, TruB, RsuA, and RluA families of pseudouridine synthases (PsiS) identifies a strictly conserved aspartic acid, which has been shown to be the critical nucleophile for the PsiS-catalyzed formation of pseudouridine (Psi). However, superposition of the representative structures from these four families of enzymes identifies two additional amino acids, a lysine or an arginine (K/R) and a tyrosine (Y), from a K/RxY motif that are structurally conserved in the active site. We have created a series of Thermotoga maritima and Escherichia coli pseudouridine 55 synthase (Psi55S) mutants in which the conserved Y is mutated to other amino acids. A new crystal structure of the T. maritima Psi55S Y67F mutant in complex with a 5FU-RNA at 2.4 A resolution revealed formation of 5-fluoro-6-hydroxypseudouridine (5FhPsi), the same product previously seen in wild-type Psi55S-5FU-RNA complex structures. HPLC analysis confirmed efficient formation of 5FhPsi by both Psi55S Y67F and Y67L mutants but to a much lesser extent by the Y67A mutant when 5FU-RNA substrate was used. However, both HPLC analysis and a tritium release assay indicated that these mutants had no detectable enzymatic activity when the natural RNA substrate was used. The combined structural and mutational studies lead us to propose that the side chain of the conserved tyrosine in these four families of PsiS plays a dual role within the active site, maintaining the structural integrity of the active site through its hydrophobic phenyl ring and acting as a general base through its OH group for the proton abstraction required in the last step of PsiS-catalyzed formation of Psi.     

5-Methylcytosine containing CG decamer as Z-DNA embedded sequence for a potential Z-DNA binding protein probe

Abstract

Attempting to elucidate biological significance of the left-handed Z-DNA is a research challenge due to Z-DNA potential role in many diseases. Discovery of Z-DNA binding proteins has ignited the interest in search for Z-DNA functions. Biosensor with Z-DNA forming probe can be useful to study the interaction between Z-DNA conformation and Z-DNA binding proteins. In this study, 5-methylcytosine (^mC) containing CG decamers were characterized for their suitability to form Z-DNA and to be used in Z-DNA forming probe. The 5′-thiol oligonucleotide embedded with 5′-^mCG^mCG^mCG^mCG^m CG-3′ was designed and developed as a potential Z-DNA forming probe for Z-DNA binding protein screening.     

Conformational change of pseudouridine 55 synthase upon its association with RNA substrate

Pseudouridine 55 synthase (Ψ55S) catalyzes isomerization of uridine (U) to pseudouridine (Ψ) at position 55 in transfer RNA. The crystal structures of Thermotoga maritima Ψ55S, and its complex with RNA, have been determined at 2.9 and 3.0 Å resolutions, respectively. Structural comparisons with other families of pseudouridine synthases (ΨS) indicate that Ψ55S may acquire its ability to recognize a stem–loop RNA substrate by two insertions of polypeptides into the ΨS core. The structure of apo-Ψ55S reveals that these two insertions interact with each other. However, association with RNA substrate induces substantial conformational change in one of the insertions, resulting in disruption of interaction between insertions and association of both insertions with the RNA substrate. Specific interactions between two insertions, as well as between the insertions and the RNA substrate, account for the molecular basis of the conformational change.