细菌II型毒素-抗毒素系统活性的调控

细菌毒素-抗毒素系统(Toxin-antitoxin system,TA)由稳定的毒素和不稳定的抗毒素构成,几乎存在于所有细菌中。已证明染色体编码的II型TA系统作为胁迫反应因子,通过毒素作用于不同的细胞靶点来调控重要的细胞活动过程,使细菌适应不同的环境胁迫。因此,毒素活性的调控是II型TA系统介导细菌适应性胁迫反应的关键。本文总结了II型TA系统毒素活性调控机制的研究进展,并介绍了作者近年来对模式蓝藻Synechocystis sp.PCC6803中II型TA毒素活性调控的研究结果。     

铜绿假单胞菌毒力因子及调控机制的研究进展

铜绿假单胞菌(Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PA)是临床常见的革兰阴性菌之一,分布广泛且可引起多种感染。PA可分泌大量的毒力因子,包括脂多糖(lipopolysaccharide, LPS)、鼠李糖脂(rhamnolipid)、外毒素A(exotoxin A)、蛋白酶(proteinase)、生物膜(biofilm)和Ⅲ型分泌系统(type III secretion system, T3SS)等,且PA毒力机制较复杂。在PA感染过程中,群体感应系统(quorum-sensing, QS)和双组分系统(two-component systems, TCS)扮演着重要的角色,调控PA生物膜的形成和毒力因子的产生。现就PA毒力因子的研究进展及调控机制作一概述。     

细菌全局性调控因子CsrA的结构与功能

碳存储调控因子A (carbon storage regulator, CsrA) 是一种RNA结合蛋白,在细菌的碳代谢、生物被膜形成、运动性、病原菌毒力、群体感应、环二鸟苷酸信号合成、应激感应等多种生理过程中具有重要调节功能,是全局性调控蛋白.它通过与靶标mRNA的特异结合,抑制其翻译或增强其稳定性来调控下游基因的表达,属于转录后调控因子的范畴.CsrA蛋白的表达与活性受碳存储调控(Csr)系统本身多个自主调节回路的精密控制：　一些小的非编码RNA (snmRNAs,如CsrB/C）作为拮抗因子与CsrA二聚体结合并抑制其活性;而这些snmRNAs在体内又可在CsrD的辅助下被核糖核酸内切酶E和多核苷酸磷酸化酶降解,释放CsrA的活性.当前,对于Csr系统的调节作用、调控通路与机制的研究是细菌学研究的热点,本文综述了该蛋白及Csr系统的结构、功能和作用机制的最新研究进展.     

毒素-抗毒素系统的调控、生理功能及应用

毒素-抗毒素（toxin-antitoxin,TA）系统是由抗毒素及其同源毒素组成的小遗传元件,毒素可以抑制细胞生长或诱导细胞死亡,抗毒素则可以中和毒素的毒性。根据TA系统的组成和抗毒素的作用方式,TA系统可分为Ⅰ～Ⅷ型共八类,其中Ⅱ型TA系统存在最广泛,调控机制研究得最清楚。TA系统可以维持质粒等遗传元件的稳定性,同时在压力应激、促进生物膜形成、维持细菌致病力、抗噬菌体等方面都扮演着重要角色。研究TA系统的调控与生理功能能丰富人们对于生物多样性的认知,对于微生物资源的开发和利用具有重要的科学意义与应用价值。基于毒素和抗毒素的特点,TA系统被应用于生物医学领域和生物技术领域。本文综述了TA系统的分类、调控机制、生理功能和应用并简单描述了TA系统目前研究面临的问题和未来展望。     

植物病原细菌毒性调控网络的研究进展

植物病原细菌通过复杂和精细的全局性调控网络来协调多个层面的毒性决定因子。在不同的植物病原细菌中,这些全局性的毒性调控网络控制着细菌的侵染策略、存活以及在面临寄主植物防卫系统的互作环境中实现成功侵染的病程。本文详细分析了植物病原细菌4个重要属(假单胞菌属、果胶杆菌属、黄单胞菌属和雷尔氏菌属)的模式病原菌主要的毒性调控系统,包括群体感应系统、双组分调控系统、转录激活调控子以及转录后、翻译后的调控机制。在此基础上,重点评价了一些模式菌株全局性毒性调控机制的异同点,总结了一些最新的研究进展,并绘制了精细的网络调控图。这些分析表明,虽然一些相同的调控系统控制着病原菌的毒性,但是在不同种以及种下的亚种或者致病变种中这些调控机制功能各异,对于病原菌全毒性的贡献也存在着明显的差异。     

艰难拟梭菌毒素致病机制及毒素基因调控的研究进展

艰难拟梭菌(Clostridioides difficile)是一种产芽孢的革兰氏阳性专性厌氧杆菌,是引起抗生素相关性腹泻的主要致病菌。艰难拟梭菌产生的毒素A和毒素B在其致病过程中发挥关键作用。毒素发挥毒性作用依赖其4个功能结构域:葡萄糖基转移酶结合域、半胱氨酸蛋白酶结合域、易位域和受体结合域。毒素的受体结合域识别并结合细胞表面受体,介导毒素内吞并形成内体。经过自体催化切割,毒素将真正的毒性片段——葡萄糖基转移酶结合域释放到胞浆中,葡萄糖基转移酶能够失活宿主肠上皮细胞内的GTP酶导致细胞骨架解聚和坏死,进而引起腹泻和伪膜性结肠炎等临床症状。艰难拟梭菌毒素产生受致病基因座内及基因座外许多调控因子的调节。tcdR和tcdC基因位于致病基因座内,对毒素基因的表达分别起促进和抑制作用,而基因座外如spo0A、codY等基因则通过抑制tcdR的表达从而间接影响毒素蛋白产生。本文将重点介绍艰难拟梭菌毒素的致病过程和影响毒素基因表达的分子调控机制,以期为开发针对毒素的治疗手段提供新思路。     

艰难拟梭菌毒素致病机制及毒素基因调控的研究进展

艰难拟梭菌(Clostridioides difficile)是一种产芽孢的革兰氏阳性专性厌氧杆菌,是引起抗生素相关性腹泻的主要致病菌。艰难拟梭菌产生的毒素A和毒素B在其致病过程中发挥关键作用。毒素发挥毒性作用依赖其4个功能结构域：葡萄糖基转移酶结合域、半胱氨酸蛋白酶结合域、易位域和受体结合域。毒素的受体结合域识别并结合细胞表面受体,介导毒素内吞并形成内体。经过自体催化切割,毒素将真正的毒性片段——葡萄糖基转移酶结合域释放到胞浆中,葡萄糖基转移酶能够失活宿主肠上皮细胞内的GTP酶导致细胞骨架解聚和坏死,进而引起腹泻和伪膜性结肠炎等临床症状。艰难拟梭菌毒素产生受致病基因座内及基因座外许多调控因子的调节。tcdR和tcdC基因位于致病基因座内,对毒素基因的表达分别起促进和抑制作用,而基因座外如spo0A、codY等基因则通过抑制tcdR的表达从而间接影响毒素蛋白产生。本文将重点介绍艰难拟梭菌毒素的致病过程和影响毒素基因表达的分子调控机制,以期为开发针对毒素的治疗手段提供新思路。     

黄曲霉菌主要真菌毒素次级代谢与调控的研究进展

黄曲霉菌(Aspergillus flavus)是一种腐生型好氧真菌,其次级代谢产生的黄曲霉毒素(Aflatoxin,AFT)是一种强致癌性剧毒物质。黄曲霉菌侵染农作物导致相关农产品黄曲霉毒素的污染,危及食品安全及人和动物的健康。黄曲霉菌有8条染色体,基因组大小约37 Mb,含有13 000多个功能基因,55个次级代谢基因簇,其中只明确了AFT、环匹阿尼酸(Cyclopiazonic acid,CPA)和黄曲霉震颤素(Aflatrem)3个次级代谢基因簇的特征。次级代谢基因簇的表达受不同环境条件、次级代谢调控因子、酶活性、复杂的脂氧合物转导信号及群体密度效应的调控。LaeA和VeA是抑制AFT、CPA和黄曲霉震颤素等真菌毒素生物合成的次级代谢调控因子,抑制加氧酶类(Ppo和Lox)的表达则能促进真菌毒素的合成,而其氧化产物(脂氧合物)则是真菌-寄主互作的重要信号分子。群体密度和水解酶类也影响黄曲霉菌的次级代谢,群体密度高能降低黄曲霉毒素的生成量而增加分生孢子的形成;α-淀粉酶、果胶酶、蛋白酶等酶活性的改变可以影响黄曲霉菌分生孢子萌发、菌丝生长,以及真菌毒素的次级代谢。本文系统评述了黄曲霉主要真菌毒素的次级代谢与调控的研究进展。此外,对黄曲霉次级代谢物的研究也做了进一步的评述和讨论。     

病原菌效应因子调控宿主泛素化修饰的研究进展北大核心

泛素化(ubiquitination)是真核细胞内广泛存在的蛋白质翻译后修饰方式,参与并调控DNA修复、细胞周期、免疫应答、信号通路等真核细胞内几乎所有的生命活动。同时,细胞通过去泛素化酶(deubiquitinases,DUBs)使泛素化修饰成为可逆过程,保证了泛素化系统及其相关生理过程的动态平衡。病原菌感染过程中,宿主细胞可通过泛素化修饰发挥抗细菌感染作用。然而,病原菌可编码并分泌效应因子,靶向宿主泛素(ubiquitin,Ub)系统并调控宿主泛素化修饰过程,干扰宿主细胞的免疫应答,从而促进细菌存活与毒力。本文概述了重要病原菌利用效应因子调控宿主细胞泛素化修饰的研究进展,有助于全面理解病原菌调控宿主泛素化修饰促进感染的机制。     

肺炎链球菌粘附和毒力因子A研究进展

肺炎链球菌（Streptococcus pneumoniae,SP）普遍定植于呼吸道,是人类重要的侵袭性病原菌之一,是社区获得性肺炎、中耳炎、脑膜炎、菌血症、鼻窦炎的主要病原菌。肺炎链球菌粘附和毒力因子A（pneumococcal adherence and virulence factor A,PavA）是肺炎链球菌早期感染和侵袭过程中关键的毒力因子。体外试验表明,缺失PavA的肺炎链球菌的突变株其粘附和侵入上皮细胞和内皮细胞的能力明显下降。作为一种保护性抗原,其诱导的细胞和体液免疫可以有效的抵抗肺炎链球菌的感染,是肺炎链球菌新一代疫苗的候选蛋白。但是,PavA在肺炎链球菌与人肺上皮细胞交互对话中作用机制的研究尚属空白,本文就肺炎链球菌粘附和毒力因子A得最新研究进展作一综述。     

The two faces of Janus: virulence gene regulation by CovR/S in group A streptococci

The group A streptococcus (GAS) causes a variety of human diseases, including toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis, which are both associated with significant mortality. Even the superficial self-limiting diseases caused by GAS, such as pharyngitis, impose a significant economic burden on society. GAS can cause a wide spectrum of diseases because it elaborates virulence factors that enable it to spread and survive in different environmental niches within the human host. The production of many of these virulence factors is directly controlled by the activity of the CovR/S two-component regulatory system. CovS acts in one direction as a kinase primarily to activate the response regulator CovR and repress the expression of major virulence factors and in the other direction as a phosphatase to permit gene expression in response to environmental changes that mimic conditions found during human infection. This Janus-like behaviour of the CovR/S system is recapitulated in the binding of CovR to the promoters that it directly regulates. Interactions between different faces of the CovR DNA binding domain appear to depend upon DNA sequence, leading to the potential for differential regulation of virulence gene expression.     

The Mga virulence regulon: infection where the grass is greener

Co-ordinate regulation of virulence gene expression in response to different host environments is central to the success of the group A streptococcus (GAS, Streptococcus pyogenes) as an important human pathogen. Mga represents a ubiquitous stand-alone virulence regulator that controls genes (Mga regulon) whose products are necessary for adherence, internalization and host immune evasion. Mga highly activates a core set of virulence genes, including its own gene, by directly binding to their promoters. Yet, Mga also influences expression of over 10% of the GAS genome, primarily genes and operons involved in metabolism and sugar utilization. Expression of the Mga regulon is influenced by conditions that signify favourable growth conditions, presumably allowing GAS to take advantage of promising new niches in the host. The ability of Mga to respond to growth signals clearly involves regulation of mga expression via global regulatory networks such as RALPs, Rgg/RopB and the catabolite control protein CcpA. However, the presence of predicted PTS regulatory domains (PRDs) within Mga suggests an intriguing model whereby phosphorylation of Mga by the PTS phosphorelay might link growth and sugar utilization with virulence in GAS. As Mga homologues have been found in several important Gram-positive pathogens, the Mga regulon could provide a valuable paradigm for increasing our understanding of global virulence networks in bacteria.     

A new rapid and cost-effective method for detection of phages, ICEs and virulence factors encoded by Streptococcus pyogenes

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) is a human pathogen that causes diseases of various intensity, from mild strep throat to life threatening invasive infections and postinfectional sequelae. S. pyogenes encodes multiple, often phage encoded, virulence factors and their presence is related to severity of the disease. Acquisition of mobile genetic elements, carrying virulence factors, as phages or ICEs (integrative and cojugative elements) has been shown previously to promote selection of virulent clones. We designed the system of eight low volume multi- and one singleplex PCR reactions to detect genes encoding twenty virulence factors (spd3, sdc, sdaB, sdaD, speB, spyCEP, scpA, mac, sic, speL, K, M, C, I, A, H, G, J, smeZ and ssa) and twenty one phage and ICE integration sites described so far for S. pyogenes. Classification of strains based on the phage and virulence factors absence or presence, correlates with PFGE MLST and emm typing results. We developed a novel, fast and cost effective system that can be used to detect GAS virulence factors. Moreover, this system may become an alternative and effective system to differentiate between GAS strains.     

Role of serine/threonine phosphatase (SP-STP) in Streptococcus pyogenes physiology and virulence

Reversible phosphorylation is the key mechanism regulating several cellular events in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, signal transduction is perceived to occur primarily via the two-component signaling system involving histidine kinases and cognate response regulators. Although an alternative regulatory pathway controlled by the eukaryote-type serine/threonine kinase (Streptococcus pyogenes serine/threonine kinase; SP-STK) has been shown to modulate bacterial growth, division, adherence, invasion, and virulence in group A Streptococcus (GAS; S. pyogenes), the precise role of the co-transcribing serine/threonine phosphatase (SP-STP) has remained enigmatic. In this context, this is the first report describing the construction and characterization of non-polar SP-STP mutants in two different strains of Type M1 GAS. The STP knock-out mutants displayed increased bacterial chain lengths in conjunction with thickened cell walls, significantly reduced capsule and hemolysin production, and restoration of the phenotypes postcomplementation. The present study also reveals important contribution of cognately regulated-reversible phosphorylation by SP-STK/SP-STP on two major response regulators of two-component systems, WalRK and CovRS. We also demonstrate a distinct role of SP-STP in terms of expression of surface proteins and SpeB in a strain-specific manner. Further, the attenuation of virulence in the absence of STP and its restoration only in the complemented strains that were generated by the use of a low copy plasmid and not by a high copy one emphasize not only the essential role of STP in virulence but also highlight the tightly regulated SP-STP/SP-STK-mediated cognate functions. SP-STP thus is an important regulator of GAS virulence and plays a critical role in GAS pathogenesis.