Stimulation of growth and sporulation of Clostridium perfringens by its homologous enterotoxin

C. perfringens enterotoxin shortened the lag phase and time of onset of sporulation of the same organism in a dose-dependent manner. The toxin stimulated macromolecular synthesis of pre-exponential phase cells.     

苏云金芽胞杆菌Sigma K在大肠杆菌中的表达与纯化

【目的】在大肠杆菌中表达纯化苏云金芽胞杆菌HD73的转录调控因子Sigma K(σK)。【方法】PCR扩增出苏云金芽胞杆菌HD73中sig K基因的ORF(Open reading frame)装载到带有His标签的表达载体p ET21b上,转入到表达菌株BL21(DE3)中获得重组菌株BL21(p ETsig K),通过SDS-PAGE、镍柱亲和纯化、阴离子交换纯化和凝胶迁移实验(EMSA)等方法对Sigma K蛋白进行提取、纯化和生物活性分析。【结果】正确表达出大小约为27 k D的His-Sigma K蛋白,并获得了纯化的蛋白。EMSA结果表明纯化的His-Sigma K蛋白可以与受其控制的cry1Ac基因启动子结合。【结论】表达和纯化了His-Sigma K蛋白,His-Sigma K具有与受其控制的启动子结合的功能。     

Molecular genetics and the initiation of solventogenesis in Clostridium beijerinckii (formerly Clostridium acetobutylicum) NCIMB 8052

Abstract: A physical map of the Clostridium beijerinckii (formerly Clostridium acetobutylicum ) NCIMB 8052 chromosome has been constructed, encompassing about 90 rare restriction sites. The 14 rrn operons together with 40 genes have been assigned positions on the map. Genetic analysis and gene transfer have been developed in this organism to enable in vivo analysis of the roles of cloned genes using marker replacement technology. Experiments using the available genetic tools have shown that spo0A plays a cardinal role in controlling several aspects of the transition from exponential growth to stationary phase in C. beijerinckii . These include initiation of sporulation, accumulation of the storage polysaccharide, granulose, and production of acetone and butanol. Several C. beijerinckii and C. acetobutylicum genes concerned with fermentative metabolism, whose expression is modulated at the onset of solventogenesis, contain sequence motifs resembling 0A boxes in their 5' regulatory regions. This invites the speculation that they are under direct control of Spo0A, and additional data are now required to test this prediction.     

Expression of dnaK and groESL operons during sporulation of Bacillus megaterium

Expression of the dnaK and groEL genes during sporulation was assayed by determination of their mRNA levels by Northern blotting and compared with the relative level and rate of synthesis of the corresponding proteins. The ability of sporulating cells to respond to a heat shock by an increase in dnaK and groEL expression was determined at the same time. Synthesis of DnaK and GroEL encoding mRNAs during sporulation in non-shocked cells was low suggesting that this kind of cytodifferentiation was not accompanied by enhanced synthesis of these chaperones. Also the ability of sporulating cells to respond to a heat shock by stimulating their synthesis substantially decreased during the reversible and dropped to negligible values during the irreversible sporulation phase. Nevertheless, some dependence of the heat shock response on sporulation exists because sporulation suppression by mutation or by netropsin treatment further decreased the cells' capacity to respond to a heat shock.     

The diverse sporulation characteristics of Clostridium difficile clinical isolates are not associated with type

Clostridium difficile causes diarrhoeal diseases ranging from asymptomatic carriage to a fulminant, relapsing, and potentially fatal colitis. Endospore production plays a vital role in transmission of infection, and in order to cause disease these spores must then germinate and return to vegetative cell growth. Type BI/NAP1/027 strains of C. difficile have recently become highly represented among clinical isolates and are associated with increased disease severity. It has also been suggested that these 'epidemic' types generally sporulate more prolifically than 'non-epidemic' strains, although the few existing reports are inconclusive and encompass only a small number of isolates. In order to better understand any differences in sporulation rates between epidemic and non-epidemic C. difficile types, we analysed these characteristics using 14 C. difficile clinical isolates of a variety of types. Sporulation rates varied greatly between individual BI/NAP1/027 isolates, but this variation did not appear to be type-associated. Furthermore, a number of BI/NAP1/027 spores appeared to form colonies with a lower frequency than specific non-BI/NAP1/027 strains. The data suggest that (i) careful experimental design is required in order to accurately quantify sporulation; and (ii) current evidence cannot link differences in sporulation rates with the disease severity of the BI/NAP1/027 type.     

Disruption of a sigma factor gene, sigF, affects an intermediate stage of spore pigment production in Streptomyces aureofaciens

The Streptomyces aureofaciens sigF gene encodes a sigma factor. By integrative transformation, via double cross-over, a stable null mutant of sigF gene was obtained. This mutation appeared to have no obvious effect on vegetative growth, but affected the late stage of spore maturation. Microscopic examination showed that spores were deformed, and spore wall was thinner, compared with the wild-type spores. The spore pigment of sigF mutant was green, compared to wild-type grey-pink spore pigmentation. The plasmid-born wild-type sigF gene complemented the mutation after transformation of the mutant strain.     

A型产气荚膜梭菌α毒素基因的高效表达

用NooI/EcoRI酶切含α毒素基因质粒pXCPA02,回收1.2kb的α毒素基因片段,通过T4 DNA连接酶,将回收的α毒素基因片段与经NcoI/Eco RI酶切的表达载体pET-28c连接,转化至受体菌BI21(DE3)中,经NcoI/EcoRI,BamHI/Eco RI和NcoI/BamHI/Eco RI酶切反应鉴定和核苷酸序列分析证实,获得的表达质粒aXETA02含有α毒素基因,而且阅读框架是正确的.重组菌株BL21(DE3),(pXETA02)经IPTG诱导后,其表达产物经ELISA检测和SDS-PAGE分析,结果表明重组菌株可以高效表达α毒素蛋白,该蛋白占菌体总蛋白相对含量的36.83%.     

CRISPR‐based genome editing and expression control systems in Clostridium acetobutylicum and Clostridium beijerinckii

Solventogenic clostridia are important industrial microorganisms that produce various chemicals and fuels. Effective genetic tools would facilitate physiological studies aimed both at improving our understanding of metabolism and optimizing solvent productivity through metabolic engineering. Here we have developed an all‐in‐one, CRISPR‐based genome editing plasmid, pNICKclos, that can be used to achieve successive rounds of gene editing in Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 and Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 with efficiencies varying from 6.7% to 100% and 18.8% to 100%, respectively. The plasmid specifies the requisite target‐specific guide RNA, the gene encoding the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 nickase and the genome editing template encompassing the gene‐specific homology arms. It can be used to create single target mutants within three days, with a further two days required for the curing of the pNICKclos plasmid ready for a second round of mutagenesis. A S. pyogenes dCas9‐mediated gene regulation control system, pdCASclos, was also developed and used in a CRISPRi strategy to successfully repress the expression of spo0A in C. acetobutylicum and C. beijerinckii. The combined application of the established high efficiency CRISPR‐Cas9 based genome editing and regulation control systems will greatly accelerate future progress in the understanding and manipulation of metabolism in solventogenic clostridia.     

C型产气荚膜梭菌α毒素基因的克隆与表达

利用PCR技术,从C型产气荚膜梭菌染色体基因组中扩增了1．2kb的α毒素基因,将纯化的PCR产物与载体pGEM-T连接,转化至受体菌JM109中,经NcoI／EcoRI和BamHI／EcoRI酶切鉴定及核苷酸序列测定证实,重组质粒pXCPAl中含有α毒素全基因。随后用NcoI／EcoRI酶切质粒pXCPAl,回收α毒素基因片段,插入到事先经同样酶切处理的载体pET-28c中相应酶切位点,构建了表达质粒pETXAl,经NcoI／EcoRI和BamHI／EcoRI酶切鉴定及核苷酸序列测定证实,表达质粒含有α毒素基因且基因序列和阅读框架正确。重组菌株BL21(DE3)(pETXAl)表达产物经ELISA检测和SDS-PAGE分析,重组菌株表达的α毒素蛋白能够被α毒素单抗识别,其表达量占菌体总蛋白相对含量的16．28％。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌Sigma54和CcpA共同调控的基因鉴定

【目的】通过综合分析苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)HD73菌株Sigma54缺失突变体的转录组数据和蜡样芽胞杆菌(Bacillus cereus)ATCC 14579菌株CcpA缺失突变体的转录组数据,并进行启动子与CcpA蛋白的体外结合验证,明确Bt HD73菌株中Sigma54和CcpA共同调控的基因,丰富了对微生物的代谢调控网络的认识。【方法】以转录组测序结果为基础,通过基因同源性的比对在Bt HD73菌株中寻找受Sigma54和CcpA共同调控的基因,在这些基因中找到具有cre序列的启动子,通过凝胶阻滞验证这些启动子与CcpA蛋白的结合。【结果】Bt HD73菌株中有31个基因受Sigma54和CcpA共同调控,其中14个基因的启动子序列包含cre序列,这些启动子都可以与CcpA蛋白发生体外结合。【结论】Bt HD73菌株中有14个基因直接受CcpA的调控,同时其转录受Sigma54的控制。