Host genes affect intestinal colonisation of newly hatched chickens by Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of food-borne gastro-enteritis and infection can be followed by severe clinical complications, such as the autoimmune neuropathy Guillain–Barré syndrome. Poultry meat is considered to be a common source of infection, with most flocks infected from 2 to 3 weeks of age. We have examined the effect of host genetics on the colonisation levels of C. jejuni in chickens. Chicks from different inbred lines were challenged with 10⁷ to 10⁸ cfu of C. jejuni 14N or C. jejuni 81–176 on the day of hatch and levels of bacterial colonisation measured over a period of 2–3 weeks. We consistently observed a 10- to 100-fold difference between four inbred lines in the number of C. jejuni organisms present in the cloaca or in the caeca, with the greatest differences detected between line N, which carried relatively high bacterial levels, and line 6₁, which carried relatively low numbers of bacteria. Amongst the four lines studied, major histocompatibility complex did not appear to be a major factor in determining the resistance. The difference in numbers of cloacal bacteria was observed as soon as 24 h after challenge and was still present at the end of the experiment. Lines N and 6₁ were chosen to analyse the mode of inheritance of the genetic differences in response to this infection. Challenge of progeny from reciprocal (N×6₁) and (6₁×N) F1 crosses and from (N×6₁) F1×N backcrosses with C. jejuni 14N revealed that the difference in bacterial numbers was inherited in a manner consistent with the resistance (low bacterial numbers) controlled by a single autosomal dominant locus. These data suggest that it might be possible to identify the genes responsible by genetic mapping and candidate gene analysis.     

Influence of tetracycline exposure on tetracycline resistance and the carriage of tetracycline resistance genes within commensal Escherichia coli populations

AIMS: To assess the influence of incremental tetracycline exposure on the genetic basis of tetracycline resistance within faecal Escherichia coli. METHODS AND RESULTS: Through the adoption of a novel combination of multiple breakpoint selection, phenotypic characterization and the application of a polymerase chain reaction based gene identification system it proved possible to monitor the influence of antibiotic exposure on resistance gene possession. Using tetracycline as a case study a clear hierarchy was revealed between tet genes, strongly influenced by host antimicrobial exposure history. CONCLUSIONS: The antimicrobial exposure regime under which an animal is produced affects both the identity and magnitude of resistance gene possession of a selected bacterial population within its enteric microflora. Among the ramifications associated with such resistance gene selection is the degree of resistance conferred and the carriage of linked resistance determinants. This selection is applied by exposure to antibiotic concentrations well below recognized minimum inhibitory tetracycline concentration breakpoints widely adopted to characterize bacterial 'susceptibility'. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study confirms the ability of minimal antibiotic exposure to select for the continued persistence of resistance genes within the enteric microflora. It is clearly demonstrated that different antimicrobial regimes select for different resistance genes, the implications of which are discussed.     

Effects of Orally Administered Tetracycline on the Intestinal Community Structure of Chickens and on tet Determinant Carriage by Commensal Bacteria and Campylobacter jejuni

There is a growing concern that antibiotic usage in animal production has selected for resistant food-borne bacteria. Since tetracyclines are common therapeutic antibiotics used in poultry production, we sought to evaluate the effects of oral administration on the resistance of poultry commensal bacteria and the intestinal bacterial community structure. The diversity indices calculated from terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of 16S rRNA amplicons did not indicate significant changes in the cecal bacterial community in response to oxytetracycline. To evaluate its effects on cultivable commensals, Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter spp. were isolated from the cecal droppings of broiler chickens. Enterococcus spp. and E. coli expressed tetracycline MICs of >8 μg/ml and harbored a variety of tet resistance determinants regardless of the tetracycline exposure history of the birds. The enterococcal isolates possessed tetM (61%), tetL (25.4%), and tetK (1.3%), as well as tetO (52.5%), the determinant known to confer a tetracycline resistance phenotype in Campylobacter jejuni. E. coli isolates harbored tetA (32.2%) or tetB (30.5%). Tetracycline MICs remained at <2 μg/ml for Campylobacter isolates before and after tetracycline treatment of the chickens, even though isolates expressing MICs of >16 μg/ml were commonly cultured from flocks that did not receive oxytetracycline. The results imply that complex ecological and genetic factors contribute to the prevalence of antibiotic resistance arising from resistance gene transfer in the production environment.     

Plasmid-mediated tetracycline resistance in Campylobacter jejuni: expression in Escherichia coli and identification of homology with streptococcal class M determinant

Plasmid pUA466, a 45-kilobase transmissible tetracycline resistance plasmid from Campylobacter jejuni was mapped with AvaI, AvaII, BclI, HincII, PstI, XhoI, and XbaI. The resistance determinant was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and was homologous with a class M determinant from Streptococcus spp.     

Effects of commensal bacteria on intestinal morphology and expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the gnotobiotic pig

A germ-free neonatal pig model was established to determine the effects of bacterial colonization by different species on small intestinal morphology and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression. Two experimental groups of 16 pigs were aseptically delivered by cesarian section and allocated into 4 gnotobiotic isolators. Pigs were either maintained germ-free (GF), or were orally inoculated with either a single strain of nonpathogenic Escherichia coli (EC) or Lactobacillus fermentum (LF) or conventionalized with adult porcine feces (CV). After 13 days tissue samples were collected at 5 regions corresponding to 5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 95% of the small intestine (SI) length. In Experiment 2, the GF isolator became contaminated with Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE). In general, intestinal responses to bacterial colonization were similar among GF, LF, and SE pigs, and intestinal responses in EC pigs were more similar to CV pigs. Responses to bacterial colonization were most pronounced in the distal SI regions (50%-95%), suggesting that nonmicrobial factors may be more important in the proximal SI. Relative to CV pigs, the distal intestines of GF, LF, and SE pigs were characterized by long villi, shallow crypts, increased relative intestinal mass, and decreased lamina propria cellularity, whereas SI morphology was intermediate in EC pigs. Relative expression of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta ) and IL-6 generally increased distally in the SI and was highest in EC and CV pigs. We observed regional variation in SI morphology and proinflammatory cytokine expression, which differed with bacterial species. This study demonstrates that bacterial species differentially affect intestinal morphology and expression of proinflammatory cytokines and suggests that neonatal bacterial colonization patterns may have long-term effects on intestinal health and development.     

Cloning and expression of the erythromycin resistance determinant from Campylobacter jejuni in Escherichia coli

The erythromycin resistance gene (Em^r) from Campylobacter jejuni ABA94 plasmid DNA was cloned into the pUC18 vector and then expressed in Escherichia coli. The location of the Em^r determinant on the chimeric plasmid was determined by restriction endonuclease mapping within a 0.8-kb EcoRI fragment. This fragment then hybridized to the 78-kb plasmid DNA but not to the 3.3-or 12.6-kb plasmid DNA of Campylobacter jejuni ABA94. Em^r in Campylobacter jejuni is therefore probably plasmid-mediated.The authors are with the Department of Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Malaya, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia     

Inhibition of colonisation of the alimentary tract in young chickens with Campylobacter jejuni by pre-colonisation with strains of C. jejuni

Strains of Campylobacter jejuni, isolated from human gastro-intestinal infection and inoculated orally into 1-day-old chicks, colonised the alimentary tract (caecum) well. There was evidence of invasion from the intestine to the spleen. Oral inoculation with some but not all strains of C. jejuni 24 h earlier (within 12 h of hatching) prevented establishment by challenge strains administered orally 1 day later. One strain which was less able to colonise the gut was less inhibitory than other strains. Precolonisation of newly hatched chicks with a strain of Salmonella typhimurium had no inhibitory effect on establishment by the challenge strain of C. jejuni and may even have exacerbated it. Inhibition of multiplication of a nalidixic acid-resistant mutant of a C. jejuni strain was prevented when it was added to a stationary-phase broth culture of the antibiotic-sensitive parent strain and the mixed culture re-incubated.     

蜜蜂成虫工蜂肠道可培养细菌群落结构分析

【目的】研究2种蜜蜂(健康意大利蜜蜂和健康中华蜜蜂)成虫工蜂肠道可培养细菌的群落结构组成。【方法】利用16S r RNA基因的聚合酶链式反应-变性梯度凝胶电泳(PCR-DGGE)分析技术,结合菌落形态观察和生理生化特征鉴定细菌种类。【结果】从2种蜜蜂成虫工蜂肠道200株可培养细菌得到18种不同细菌遗传型,分属于肠杆菌科(Enterobacteriaceae)、弧菌科(Vibrionaceae)和肠球菌科(Enterococcaceae)3个科。其中肠杆菌科是肠道可培养细菌最优势的细菌种类。同样以序列相似性大于97%的菌株归为相同细菌种类为标准,找到了2种蜜蜂可培养细菌的共有菌种,结合菌落形态观察和生理生化特征鉴定,确定肠道可培养细菌为肠杆菌属8株,克雷伯氏菌属1株,肠球菌属2株,以及气单胞菌属1株。【结论】通过研究健康意大利蜜蜂和中华蜜蜂成虫工蜂肠道可培养细菌群落结构组成,可为开展蜜蜂的微生态研究提供基础性资料。     

Intestinal carriage of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli among cattle from South-western Norway and comparative genotyping of bovine and human isolates by amplified-fragment length polymorphism

In a survey conducted in 1999–2001, the carriage of thermotolerant Campylobacter s in cattle was investigated, and the genetic diversity of C. jejuni within one herd was examined and compared with human isolates. C. jejuni, C. coli and other thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. were isolated from intestinal contents from 26%, 3% and 2% of 804 cattle, respectively. The carriage rate was higher in calves (46%) than in adults (29%). Twenty-nine C. jejuni isolates from one herd and 31 human isolates from the study area were genotyped with amplified-fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Eighty-three % of the bovine isolates fell into three distinct clusters with 95–100% similarity, persistent in the herd for 5–10 months. Among human isolates, 58% showed >90% similarity with bovine isolates. The results show that cattle are a significant and stable reservoir for C. jejuni in the study area. Transmission between individuals within the herd may be sufficient to maintain a steady C. jejuni population independent of environmental influx. The results of this study have provided new information on C. jejuni and C. coli transmission, and also on the carriage in cattle, genotypes stability and similarity between bovine and human isolates.     

Signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis studies demonstrate the dynamic nature of cecal colonization of 2-week-old chickens by Campylobacter jejuni

We have constructed plasmids to be used for in vitro signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) of Campylobacter jejuni and used these to generate STM libraries in three different strains. Statistical analysis of the transposon insertion sites in the C. jejuni NCTC 11168 chromosome and the plasmids of strain 81-176 indicated that their distribution was not uniform. Visual inspection of the distribution suggested that deviation from uniformity was not due to preferential integration of the transposon into a limited number of hot spots but rather that there was a bias towards insertions around the origin. We screened pools of mutants from the STM libraries for their ability to colonize the ceca of 2-week-old chickens harboring a standardized gut flora. We observed high-frequency random loss of colonization proficient mutants. When cohoused birds were individually inoculated with different tagged mutants, random loss of colonization-proficient mutants was similarly observed, as was extensive bird-to-bird transmission of mutants. This indicates that the nature of campylobacter colonization in chickens is complex and dynamic, and we hypothesize that bottlenecks in the colonization process and between-bird transmission account for these observations.     

Symbiotic bacteria as a determinant of plant community structure and plant productivity in dune grassland

Symbiotic interactions are thought to play a key role in ecosystems. Empirical evidence for the impact of symbiotic bacteria on plant communities is, however, extremely scarce because of experimental constraints. Here, in three complementary experiments, we show that nitrogen-fixing rhizobia bacteria act as a determinant of plant community structure and diversity. Grassland microcosms inoculated with a mixture of rhizobia had a higher above-ground plant productivity (+35%), contained more nitrogen (+85%) and had significant higher community evenness (+34%) than control microcosms without rhizobia. Moreover, three of the four studied legume species required rhizobia to successfully coexist with other plant species. In contrast, the growth and survival of three grass and five forb species were not affected by the presence or absence of rhizobia. Finally, our results also showed that the legume species largely relied on symbiotically fixed nitrogen, both in the field and in the microcosms. This indicates that results in the microcosms are indicative for processes occurring in the field. It is concluded that symbiotic interactions between plants and prokaryotes can contribute to plant productivity, plant community structure and acquisition of limiting resources in legume-rich grassland communities.     

Genotyping of Campylobacter jejuni strains from Danish broiler chickens by restriction fragment length polymorphism of the LPS gene cluster

AIMS: To apply and evaluate LG (LPS genes) genotyping, which is a genotyping method based on a cluster of genes involved in the synthesis of surface lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in Campylobacter species, for typing of Campylobacter jejuni isolates obtained from Danish broiler chickens. Furthermore, the LG genotyping method was used to study the genetic stability of four C. jejuni strains after gastrointestinal passage through experimentally infected chickens. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the present study, the LG genotyping method was modified with respect to the restriction enzymes used. To validate the method, 63 Penner serotype reference strains and 107 C. jejuni chicken isolates, representing the most common Penner serotypes of C. jejuni in Danish poultry, were selected for typing. The method was successfully used for typing all isolates and the LG genotype profiles were reproducible. There were no changes in the LG genotype of the C. jejuni strains obtained after experimental passage through chickens. CONCLUSIONS: All C. jejuni strains obtained from broiler chickens were typeable by the LG genotyping method. Application of the RsaI restriction enzyme improved the method in terms of ease and consistency of analyses and increase of discriminatory power. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The LG genotyping method is a valuable tool for typing C. jejuni isolates obtained from poultry. However, the association between Penner serotyping based on passive haemagglutination of heat-stable antigens and LG genotyping was low when applied to poultry isolates. This is in contrast to previous studies on isolates of human origin that reported a high correlation between results obtained by the two typing methods (Shi et al. 2002).