肌醇、唾液酸及岩藻糖代谢途径对嗜水气单胞菌致病性的影响

【目的】调查肌醇、唾液酸以及岩藻糖代谢途径在嗜水气单胞菌感染宿主过程中对细菌致病性的影响。【方法】采用同源重组技术分别缺失嗜水气单胞菌NJ-35株的肌醇代谢相关基因iolC、唾液酸代谢相关基因nanA和岩藻糖代谢相关基因fucK,测定各缺失株对斑马鱼的半数致死量(LD_(50));将野生株与缺失株共感染鲫鱼,统计野生株和缺失株在不同组织中的细菌载量。【结果】各代谢相关基因的缺失均成功阻断了菌株对相应底物的降解能力。iolC的缺失导致菌株对斑马鱼的LD50升高近12倍,而nanA和fucK的缺失对LD50没有明显影响。野生株与iolC缺失株共感染鲫鱼,肝脏、脾脏和肾脏中野生株的载量显著高于缺失株,表现出明显的生长优势;nanA和fucK缺失株与野生株共感染鲫鱼,野生株和缺失株载量在各组织中均无明显差异。【结论】肌醇代谢途径在嗜水气单胞菌感染致病过程中发挥重要作用,而唾液酸和岩藻糖代谢途径对细菌无明显影响。     

嗜水气单胞菌cpxRA缺失株构建及生物学特性研究

为了探讨Cpx系统在嗜水气单胞菌生长及毒力等方面发挥的作用, 利用融合PCR和基因同源重组原理, 以自杀质粒pRE112为载体构建缺失57—1879 bp序列的cpxR-A基因簇突变株 Δcpx, 然后比较缺失株和野生株在生长、生物膜形成、应激耐受及毒力等生物学特性方面的差异。普通PCR及荧光定量PCR结果验证了突变株中cpxRA基因簇片段的部分缺失, 表明突变株构建成功; 生物学特性研究结果显示, 突变株在形态、生长、生物膜形成及毒力等方面与野生株没有显著差异, 两者主要在应对高渗透压、SDS (十二烷基磺酸钠)刺激及含有EDTA (乙二胺四乙酸二钠)或多黏菌素B环境表现不同。结果表明Cpx双组分系统在嗜水气单胞菌应对外界刺激方面扮演着重要角色, 但在毒力方面则可能处于次要地位。     

嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌D2株smp基因缺失株的构建及鉴定

为深入研究smp基因的功能,需构建嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌D2株smp基因缺失株。首先,PCR扩增D2株smp基因上游、下游片段作为上下游同源臂,同时扩增获得氯霉素抗性(cat)基因,采用SOE-PCR方法将各片段连接,然后双酶切后克隆入自杀质粒pEX18Tc,构建获得重组自杀质粒pEX18Tc-Δsmp/cat,并转化入大肠埃希菌SM10λpir。通过接合将重组自杀质粒转入嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌D2野生株,经同源重组以cat基因替换野生株的smp基因,链霉素和氯霉素双抗培养基筛选接合子,15%蔗糖选择培养基筛选smp基因缺失株。PCR、酶切和测序验证重组自杀质粒pEX18Tc-Δsmp/cat构建正确,缺失株的分泌蛋白经12%SDS-PAGE证实嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌D2株smp基因缺失株失去表达SMP蛋白的能力。结果显示成功获得smp基因缺失的嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌D2株,为进一步研究其功能和胞外分泌途径奠定基础。     

嗜水气单胞菌非核糖体肽合成酶基因功能研究

非核糖体肽是微生物体内一类具有天然生物活性的次生代谢物,由非核糖体肽合成酶催化生成。而AHA2474和AHA2476是嗜水气单胞菌ATCC7966中两个编码非核糖体肽合成酶的基因。利用同源重组技术分别构建了AHA2474、AHA2476基因缺失株,并对其生理特性进行测定。结果表明,与野生株相比,缺失株的溶血性和胞外蛋白酶活性均显著增强,而产铁能力明显减弱;在缺铁条件下,缺失株的生长能力较弱,补充铁离子后又能恢复生长。同时在过氧化氢应激下ΔAHA2474菌株具有更大的耐受性。以上研究结果提示AHA2474和AHA2476基因可能通过影响铁离子动态平衡过程来调控该菌的生理特性,同时也表明非核糖体肽在该菌致病性方面起作用,为探究该菌的致病机制及防治策略提供理论依据。     

嗜水气单胞菌ntrC调控的生理功能及其机制研究

[目的] NtrC是一种与DNA结合的转录调控因子,在激活氮同化基因的转录和维持氮源供应中具有重要作用,本研究拟探究其对嗜水气单胞菌生理功能的影响及其作用机理。[方法] 本研究采用同源重组方法构建了嗜水气单胞菌ATCC 7966 ntrC的缺失株,并以野生株为对照,对缺失株的生理表型进行测定和分析,利用定量蛋白质组学技术比较野生株和ntrC缺失株的蛋白表达差异。[结果] 发现敲除ntrC基因后,嗜水气单胞菌在缺氮、渗透压、重金属离子、氧化以及不同抗生素胁迫下的耐受性都发生显著变化,且这些表型在其补救菌株中均能得到恢复。定量蛋白质组学分析发现,野生株和ntrC缺失株的差异表达蛋白可能参与氨基酸生物合成、抗坏血酸和醛糖酸盐等代谢通路的调控。[结论] 本研究阐明了ntrC在嗜水气单胞菌中的重要作用及其对细菌生物学功能的影响,探讨了ntrC直接或间接调控的蛋白与生理表型之间的联系,研究结果可为未来水产致病菌的防治提供理论支持。     

诸氏鲻虾虎鱼出血病病原鉴定及传播途径分析

目的分离鉴定诸氏鲻虾虎鱼(Mugilogobius chulae)出血病病原,并探讨其传播途径,为虾虎鱼微生物质量控制提供技术依据。方法从患出血病虾虎鱼肝脏取样分离病原菌,经菌落形态、生化特性和分子特征鉴定细菌,回归感染确定其致病性,并采用双重PCR方法对虾虎鱼、轮虫、卤虫、水进行嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)检测。结果分离到1株优势菌PYMc15-1,该菌株API生化反应结果与嗜水气单胞菌一致,gry B序列与Gen Bank上的嗜水气单胞菌相应基因序列同源性最高;根据已知序列构建gry B分子系统进化树,分离株PYMc15-1与嗜水气单胞菌聚类;分离株PYMc15-1溶血素基因(hly A)和气溶素基因(aer A)检测结果阳性,对虾虎鱼半致死剂量(median lethal dose,LD_(50))为每尾1. 2×104cfu。野生虾虎鱼、卤虫和野生轮虫致病性嗜水气单胞菌检测出现阳性结果,虾虎鱼封闭群、室内培育的轮虫以及海水样品致病性嗜水气单胞菌检测均为阴性。结论嗜水气单胞菌可自然感染虾虎鱼;野生虾虎鱼和生物饵料是其潜在传播媒介,引进虾虎鱼和生物饵料时应检测该病原。     

尿道致病性大肠杆菌U17株rstA缺失株降低对小鼠的致病性

【目的】探究双组份系统RstA/RstB中效应基因rstA对尿道致病性大肠杆菌毒力的影响。【方法】利用λRed重组系统构建UPEC U17 rstA缺失株U17ΔrstA,并构建相应的回复株,通过体内外试验评价rstA基因缺失对UPEC毒力的影响。【结果】生长曲线的测定结果显示,在LB普通培养基中,缺失株生长速度与野生株相似,但在LB贫铁培养基中,缺失株生长速度较野生株相比明显下降;体外环境应激试验结果显示,缺失株在强酸、强碱、高渗透压、尿素、氧化应激等环境压力下的生存能力与野生株相似;菌株生物被膜检测结果显示,缺失株的生物被膜形成能力与野生株相当;荧光定量PCR检测结果显示,rstA基因在贫铁环境下的表达水平较正常条件下显著上调,暗示贫铁环境可能是rstA发挥效应的刺激信号。6周龄BALB/c小鼠尿道感染试验结果显示,rstA缺失株在尿液、膀胱、肾脏中的带菌量显著低于野生株,而回复株毒力恢复至野生株水平,表明rstA缺失能显著降低UPECU17的毒力。【结论】rstA与尿道致病性大肠杆菌的致病性相关,为潜在的毒力因子。     

嗜水气单胞菌中类组蛋白HupB生理功能的研究北大核心

【目的】DNA结合蛋白HU蛋白是一类组蛋白样蛋白,其参与细菌DNA的重组与修复,在细菌的转录调控中发挥重要作用,但目前该蛋白对细菌生理功能的影响尚不完全清楚。为了更好地理解HU蛋白,本研究探讨HupB的生理功能。【方法】以嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)ATCC7966为研究材料,利用同源重组技术构建编码HU蛋白β亚基的hupB基因缺失菌株,并对其常见生理表型进行测定。【结果】hupB基因缺失菌株的溶血性、胞外蛋白酶活性和运动性均显著增强,而生物被膜形成能力显著下降,并且ΔhupB::hupB菌株中生物被膜形成能力恢复。进一步利用基于label-free的定量蛋白质组学技术比较了野生株和ΔhupB突变株的差异表达蛋白,发现235个蛋白表达上升,224个蛋白表达下降。生物信息学分析显示hupB敲除后导致蛋白质翻译、生物被膜生成以及信号转导等多个生物过程相关蛋白表达发生变化。【结论】研究结果表明嗜水气单胞菌HupB蛋白能显著影响细菌生物被膜形成能力,以上研究为更好地探究嗜水气单胞菌HupB蛋白对细菌生理功能的调控机制提供理论基础。     

一种检测大鲵致病性嗜水气单胞菌的四重PCR法

建立一种快速诊断致病性嗜水气单胞菌的PCR法。根据嗜水气单胞菌的16S rDNA、外膜蛋白、溶血素及丝氨酸蛋白酶基因设计4对引物,经PCR反应条件优化后进行检测。结果表明,仅嗜水气单胞菌呈阳性,其检测敏感性高,可检测100 fg的DNA模板。20株大鲵源嗜水气单胞菌经四重PCR法检测时,有18株呈阳性。其中,毒力基因种类较多的阳性菌株经人工感染试验和胞外产物活性检测时显示出较高的致病性。利用该PCR法进行的其他检测中,还发现33份人工感染样本全部呈阳性,34份疑似样本有21份呈阳性,说明四重PCR法可应用于临床检测。本研究建立的四重PCR法具有高度敏感性和特异性,可用于嗜水气单胞菌快速诊断。     

嗜水气单胞菌铁载体的提纯及特性分析

提纯了嗜水气单胞菌（Ａｈ）Ｊ１ 株的铁载体（ｓｉｄｅｒｏｐｈｏｒｅ） ,并对其特性进行了初步分析。Ａｈ Ｊ１ 株的培养上清液经聚酰胺柱层析、双蒸水洗脱、乙酸乙脂沉淀和真空冻干,获得白色粉末。用ＣＡＳ法及Ａｒｎｏｗ 法检测均为阳性,证实为铁载体,含有２ ,３二羟基苯甲酸（２ ,３ＤＨＢ） 功能团,属酚盐类铁载体。高压液相色谱分析表明,此种铁载体仅含甘氨酸、赖氨酸及色氨酸。上述纯化的铁载体,在体外培养条件下能促进产铁载体为弱阳性的Ａｈ Ｎ９ａ 株的生长,且能对抗ＥＤＤＡ 对细菌生长的抑制作用,显示铁载体能促进细菌的增殖,在细菌的感染致病过程中可能起重要作用。     

Cloning, mutagenesis, and nucleotide sequence of a siderophore biosynthetic gene (amoA) from Aeromonas hydrophila.

Many isolates of the Aeromonas species produce amonabactin, a phenolate siderophore containing 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHB). An amonabactin biosynthetic gene (amoA) was identified (in a Sau3A1 gene library of Aeromonas hydrophila 495A2 chromosomal DNA) by its complementation of the requirement of Escherichia coli SAB11 for exogenous 2,3-DHB to support siderophore (enterobactin) synthesis. The gene amoA was subcloned as a SalI-HindIII 3.4-kb DNA fragment into pSUP202, and the complete nucleotide sequence of amoA was determined. A putative iron-regulatory sequence resembling the Fur repressor protein-binding site overlapped a possible promoter region. A translational reading frame, beginning with valine and encoding 396 amino acids, was open for 1,188 bp. The C-terminal portion of the deduced amino acid sequence showed 58% identity and 79% similarity with the E. coli EntC protein (isochorismate synthetase), the first enzyme in the E. coli 2,3-DHB biosynthetic pathway, suggesting that amoA probably encodes a step in 2,3-DHB biosynthesis and is the A. hydrophila equivalent of the E. coli entC gene. An isogenic amonabactin-negative mutant, A. hydrophila SB22, was isolated after marker exchange mutagenesis with Tn5-inactivated amoA (amoA::Tn5). The mutant excreted neither 2,3-DHB nor amonabactin, was more sensitive than the wild-type to growth inhibition by iron restriction, and used amonabactin to overcome iron starvation.     

Melanization and pathogenicity in the insect, Tenebrio molitor, and the crustacean, Pacifastacus leniusculus, by Aeromonas hydrophila AH-3

Aeromonas hydrophila is the most common Aeromonas species causing infections in human and other animals such as amphibians, reptiles, fish and crustaceans. Pathogenesis of Aeromonas species have been reported to be associated with virulence factors such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), bacterial toxins, bacterial secretion systems, flagella, and other surface molecules. Several mutant strains of A. hydrophila AH-3 were initially used to study their virulence in two animal species, Pacifastacus leniusculus (crayfish) and Tenebrio molitor larvae (mealworm). The AH-3 strains used in this study have mutations in genes involving the synthesis of flagella, LPS structures, secretion systems, and some other factors, which have been reported to be involved in A. hydrophila pathogenicity. Our study shows that the LPS (O-antigen and external core) is the most determinant A. hydrophila AH-3 virulence factor in both animals. Furthermore, we studied the immune responses of these hosts to infection of virulent or non-virulent strains of A. hydrophila AH-3. The AH-3 wild type (WT) containing the complete LPS core is highly virulent and this bacterium strongly stimulated the prophenoloxidase activating system resulting in melanization in both crayfish and mealworm. In contrast, the ΔwaaE mutant which has LPS without O-antigen and external core was non-virulent and lost ability to stimulate this system and melanization in these two animals. The high phenoloxidase activity found in WT infected crayfish appears to result from a low expression of pacifastin, a prophenoloxidase activating enzyme inhibitor, and this gene expression was not changed in the ΔwaaE mutant infected animal and consequently phenoloxidase activity was not altered as compared to non-infected animals. Therefore we show that the virulence factors of A. hydrophila are the same regardless whether an insect or a crustacean is infected and the O-antigen and external core is essential for activation of the proPO system and as virulence factors for this bacterium.     

Genetic analysis of petrobactin transport in Bacillus anthracis

Iron acquisition mechanisms play an important role in the pathogenesis of many infectious microbes. In Bacillus anthracis, the siderophore petrobactin is required for both growth in iron‐depleted conditions and for full virulence of the bacterium. Here we demonstrate the roles of two putative petrobactin binding proteins FatB and FpuA (encoded by GBAA5330 and GBAA4766 respectively) in B. anthracis iron acquisition and pathogenesis. Markerless deletion mutants were created using allelic exchange. The ΔfatB strain was capable of wild‐type levels of growth in iron‐depleted conditions, indicating that FatB does not play an essential role in petrobactin uptake. In contrast, ΔfpuA bacteria exhibited a significant decrease in growth under low‐iron conditions when compared with wild‐type bacteria. This mutant could not be rescued by the addition of exogenous purified petrobactin. Further examination of this strain demonstrated increased levels of petrobactin accumulation in the culture supernatants, suggesting no defect in siderophore synthesis or export but, instead, an inability of ΔfpuA to import this siderophore. ΔfpuA spores were also significantly attenuated in a murine model of inhalational anthrax. These results provide the first genetic evidence demonstrating the role of FpuA in petrobactin uptake.     

Amonabactin, a novel tryptophan- or phenylalanine-containing phenolate siderophore in Aeromonas hydrophila.

Aeromonas hydrophila 495A2 excreted two forms of amonabactin, a new phenolate siderophore composed of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, lysine, glycine, and either tryptophan (amonabactin T) or phenylalanine (amonabactin P). Supplementing cultures with L-tryptophan (0.3 mM) caused exclusive synthesis of amonabactin T, whereas supplements of L-phenylalanine (0.3 to 30 mM) gave predominant production of amonabactin P. The two forms of amonabactin were separately purified by a combination of production and polyamide column chromatographic methods. Both forms were biologically active, stimulating growth in iron-deficient medium of an amonabactin-negative mutant. Of 43 additional siderophore-producing isolates of the Aeromonas species that were tested, 76% (19 of 25) of the A. hydrophila isolates were amonabactin positive, whereas only 19% (3 of 16) of the A. sobria isolates and all (3 of 3) of the A. caviae isolates produced amonabactin, suggesting a predominant synthesis of amonabactin in certain Aeromonas species.     

Complete type III secretion system of a mesophilic Aeromonas hydrophila strain

We have investigated the existence and genetic organization of a functional type III secretion system (TTSS) in a mesophilic Aeromonas strain by initially using the Aeromonas hydrophila strain AH-3. We report for the first time the complete TTSS DNA sequence of an Aeromonas strain that comprises 35 genes organized in a similar disposition as that in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using several gene probes, we also determined the presence of a TTSS in clinical or environmental strains of different Aeromonas species: A. hydrophila, A. veronii, and A. caviae. By using one of the TTSS genes (ascV), we were able to obtain a defined insertion mutant in strain AH-3 (AH-3AscV), which showed reduced toxicity and virulence in comparison with the wild-type strain. Complementation of the mutant strain with a plasmid vector carrying ascV was fully able to restore the wild-type toxicity and virulence.     

Secretion, but not overall synthesis, of catecholate siderophores contributes to virulence of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) use siderophores to sequester iron during infection. Enterobactin and salmochelins are catecholate siderophores produced by some ExPEC strains and other pathogenic enterobacteria. Siderophore export and synthesis mutants of avian ExPEC strain χ7122 were tested in a chicken infection model. In single-strain infections, siderophore-negative (ΔentDΔiuc), ΔentS and ΔentSΔiroC export mutants were attenuated in tissues and blood, whereas the ΔiroC export mutant was only attenuated in blood. Interestingly, the ΔentD mutant, producing only aerobactin, retained full virulence, and loss of entD in the ΔentSΔiroC mutant restored virulence. LC-MS/MS quantification of siderophores in export mutants demonstrated that loss of entS impaired enterobactin and mono-glucosylated enterobactin secretion, whereas loss of iroC impaired di- and tri-glucosylated enterobactin secretion. Loss of entS and/or iroC resulted in intracellular accumulation and increased secretion of siderophore monomers. Catecholate siderophore export mutants also demonstrated decreased fitness in a co-challenge infection model. By contrast, catecholate siderophore synthesis mutants (ΔentD and ΔiroB) competed as well as the wild-type strain. Results establish that EntS and IroC mediate specific export of catecholate siderophores and the role of these exporters for ExPEC virulence is contingent on enterobactin synthesis, which is not required when other siderophores like aerobactin are functional.     

Siderophore production of a periplasmic transport binding protein kinase gene defective mutant of Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1

A non-magnetic mutant, NMA61, of the magnetic bacterium Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 was generated by transposon mutagenesis to identify genes involved in magnetosome synthesis. The genomic region of NMA61 interrupted by a Mini-Tn5 transposon was analyzed. The transposon was inserted in an open reading frame (ORF) coding for a periplasmic transport binding protein kinase gene homologue. Three adjacent ORFs and a promoter were identified upstream, indicating that the sequences comprised an operon. Phenotype characterizations showed that the growth inhibition imposed by the exogenous non-assimilable iron chelator nitrilotriacetate was relieved in wild type but not in NMA61, by the addition of the isolated wild type siderophore. Higher concentration of siderophores accumulated in the culture medium of NMA61 than in wild type. These data suggest that the interrupted periplasmic transport binding protein kinase gene homologue is required for siderophore transport into M. magneticum AMB-1.