Properties of a Novel PBP2A Protein Homolog from Staphylococcus aureus Strain LGA251 and Its Contribution to the ��-Lactam-resistant Phenotype

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains show strain-to-strain variation in resistance level, in genetic background, and also in the structure of the chromosomal cassette (SCCmec) that carries the resistance gene mecA. In contrast, strain-to-strain variation in the sequence of the mecA determinant was found to be much more limited among MRSA isolates examined so far. The first exception to this came with the recent identification of MRSA strain LGA251, which carries a new homolog of this gene together with regulatory elements mecI/mecR that also have novel, highly divergent structures. After cloning and purification in Escherichia coli, PBP2A_LGA, the protein product of the new mecA homolog, showed aberrant mobility in SDS-PAGE, structural instability and loss of activity at 37 °C, and a higher relative affinity for oxacillin as compared with cefoxitin. The mecA homolog free of its regulatory elements was cloned into a plasmid and introduced into the background of the β-lactam-susceptible S. aureus strain COL-S. In this background, the mecA homolog expressed a high-level resistance to cefoxitin (MIC = 400 μg/ml) and a somewhat lower resistance to oxacillin (minimal inhibitory concentration = 200 μg/ml). Similar to PBP2A, the protein homolog PBP2A_LGA was able to replace the essential function of the S. aureus PBP2 for growth. In contrast to PBP2A, PBP2A_LGA did not depend on the transglycosylase activity of the native PBP2 for expression of high level resistance to oxacillin, suggesting that the PBP2A homolog may preferentially cooperate with a monofunctional transglycosylase as the alternative source of transglycosylase activity.     

The Bactericidal Action of Peroxides; An E.P.R. Spin-Trapping Study

E.P.R. spin trapping has been employed to study radical production during the bactericidal action of three peroxide compounds (peracetic acid, 4-percarboxy-N-isobutyltrimellitimide and magnesium monoperoxyphthalate) upon both Gram negative (Escherichia Coll) and Gram positive (Staphylococcus Aureus) bacteria. Use of the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) has allowed direct detection of both carbon-centred and hydroxyl radicals, which are produced at varying rates for the different bacteria/peracid systems studied. The inhibition of bactericidal action, by DMPO and two antioxidants, Vitamin C and Trolox C, indicates that radicals are the lethal species and evidence is presented which suggests that radical production is internal to the bacterial cell. Hydroxyl radicals are believed to be the lethal species. The effect of added iron chelators and haem protein inhibitors indicates that iron species and haem proteins in particular are involved. A marked variation is found in observed hydroxyl-radical adduct signals with both the nature and concentration of peracid. A strong inverse correlation is found between the concentration of the observed radical adduct signal and the relative strength of the peroxide as a bactericide; use of a stable nitroxide as a radical scavenger confirms that strong bactericides produce radicals at a much faster rate than weak bactericides. Plots of radical generation versus time are correlated with % bacterial kill, offering further evidence that hydroxyl radicals are the lethal species.     

2,5-二氨基-1,4-苯醌类化合物的抑菌活性

通过稀释和测量抑菌圈大小的方法,测定了10种不同氨基醌对大肠杆菌、枯草芽孢杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌的生长抑制性。这些醌的DMSO溶液对三种菌的抑制程度随浓度的提高,效果越明显。当浓度达500 mg/L时,对三种细菌的生长完全抑制。在同样条件下,这些醌的DMSO溶液对大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌的抑菌效果比枯草杆菌好,大肠杆菌对2,5-二氨基-1,4-苯醌类的敏感度略大于金黄色葡萄球菌。     

微卫星标记分析罗非鱼群体的遗传潜力

利用25个微卫星标记,对奥利亚罗非鱼2个群体["夏奥1号"(ZA)、广西群体(GA)]和尼罗罗非鱼4个群体[埃及品系(ZN)、88品系(XN)、广西群体(GN)、美国品系(MN)]进行检测。共检测到7 775个扩增片段,长度在100~400 bp;等位基因数3~8个不等,共计143个等位基因;平均每个基因座扩增得到5.72个等位基因。各群体平均观测杂合度(H o)在0.7253~0.8160之间,平均期望杂合度(He)在0.5146~0.6834之间,平均多态信息含量(PIC)在0.4212~0.6105之间,平均有效等位基因数(A e)在2.20~3.23之间。ZA与GA遗传相似系数最高(0.9130),ZA与ZN遗传相似系数最低(0.4352)。总的说来,4个尼罗罗非鱼群体的遗传潜力较高,2个奥利亚罗非鱼群体的遗传潜力适中。     

静脉毒瘾者金黄色葡萄球菌性感染性右心内膜炎(附2例报告及文献复习)

本文在国内首次报道２例静脉毒瘾者金黄色葡萄球菌性感染性右心内膜炎（ＳＩＲＥＤ）,其临床特点：①常合并有肝炎病毒感染;②确诊有赖于心脏超声检查发现三尖瓣赘生物、细菌的毒血症状及血培养的结果;③治疗应根据药敏结果选择２至３种敏感的抗生素联用,其剂量应比常规量大２至３倍,疗程６至８周或更长;④有效治疗后,该病预后良好