Phylogenetic Relationships of Cryptosporidium Parasites Based on the 70-Kilodalton Heat Shock Protein (HSP70) Gene

We have characterized the nucleotide sequences of the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) genes of Cryptosporidium baileyi, C. felis, C. meleagridis, C. muris, C. serpentis, C. wrairi, and C. parvum from various animals. Results of the phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of several genetically distinct species in the genus Cryptosporidium and eight distinct genotypes within the species C. parvum. Some of the latter may represent cryptic species. The phylogenetic tree constructed from these sequences is in agreement with our previous results based on the small-subunit rRNA genes of Cryptosporidium parasites. The Cryptosporidium species formed two major clades: isolates of C. muris and C. serpentis formed the first major group, while isolates of C. felis, C. meleagridis, C. wrairi, and eight genotypes of C. parvum formed the second major group. Sequence variations were also observed between C. muris isolates from ruminants and rodents. The HSP70 gene provides another useful locus for phylogenetic analysis of the genus Cryptosporidium.     

Phylogenetic Analysis of Cryptosporidium Parasites Based on the Small-Subunit rRNA Gene Locus

Biological data support the hypothesis that there are multiple species in the genus Cryptosporidium, but a recent analysis of the available genetic data suggested that there is insufficient evidence for species differentiation. In order to resolve the controversy in the taxonomy of this parasite genus, we characterized the small-subunit rRNA genes of Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium baileyi, Cryptosporidium muris, and Cryptosporidium serpentis and performed a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Cryptosporidium. Our study revealed that the genus Cryptosporidium contains the phylogenetically distinct species C. parvum, C. muris, C. baileyi, and C. serpentis, which is consistent with the biological characteristics and host specificity data. The Cryptosporidium species formed two clades, with C. parvum and C. baileyi belonging to one clade and C. muris and C. serpentis belonging to the other clade. Within C. parvum, human genotype isolates and guinea pig isolates (known as Cryptosporidium wrairi) each differed from bovine genotype isolates by the nucleotide sequence in four regions. A C. muris isolate from cattle was also different from parasites isolated from a rock hyrax and a Bactrian camel. Minor differences were also detected between C. serpentis isolates from snakes and lizards. Based on the genetic information, a species- and strain-specific PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism diagnostic tool was developed.     

Evidence for Mucin-Like Glycoproteins That Tether Sporozoites of Cryptosporidium parvum to the Inner Surface of the Oocyst Wall

Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, which are spread by the fecal-oral route, have a single, multilayered wall that surrounds four sporozoites, the invasive form. The C. parvum oocyst wall is labeled by the Maclura pomifera agglutinin (MPA), which binds GalNAc, and the C. parvum wall contains at least two unique proteins (Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein 1 [COWP1] and COWP8) identified by monoclonal antibodies. C. parvum sporozoites have on their surface multiple mucin-like glycoproteins with Ser- and Thr-rich repeats (e.g., gp40 and gp900). Here we used ruthenium red staining and electron microscopy to demonstrate fibrils, which appear to attach or tether sporozoites to the inner surface of the C. parvum oocyst wall. When disconnected from the sporozoites, some of these fibrillar tethers appear to collapse into globules on the inner surface of oocyst walls. The most abundant proteins of purified oocyst walls, which are missing the tethers and outer veil, were COWP1, COWP6, and COWP8, while COWP2, COWP3, and COWP4 were present in trace amounts. In contrast, MPA affinity-purified glycoproteins from C. parvum oocysts, which are composed of walls and sporozoites, included previously identified mucin-like glycoproteins, a GalNAc-binding lectin, a Ser protease inhibitor, and several novel glycoproteins (C. parvum MPA affinity-purified glycoprotein 1 [CpMPA1] to CpMPA4). By immunoelectron microscopy (immuno-EM), we localized mucin-like glycoproteins (gp40 and gp900) to the ruthenium red-stained fibrils on the inner surface wall of oocysts, while antibodies to the O-linked GalNAc on glycoproteins were localized to the globules. These results suggest that mucin-like glycoproteins, which are associated with the sporozoite surface, may contribute to fibrils and/or globules that tether sporozoites to the inner surface of oocyst walls.Cryptosporidium parvum and the related species Cryptosporidium hominis are apicomplexan parasites, which are spread by the fecal-oral route in contaminated water and cause diarrhea, particularly in immunocompromised hosts (1, 12, 39, 47). The infectious and diagnostic form of C. parvum is the oocyst, which has a single, multilayered, spherical wall that surrounds four sporozoites, the invasive forms (14, 27, 31). The outermost layer of the C. parvum oocyst wall is most often absent from electron micrographs, as it is labile to bleach used to remove contaminating bacteria from C. parvum oocysts (27). We will refer to this layer as the outer veil, which is the term used for a structure with an identical appearance on the surface of the oocyst wall of another apicomplexan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii (10). At the center of the C. parvum oocyst wall is a protease-resistant and rigid bilayer that contains GalNAc (5, 23, 43). When excysting sporozoites break through the oocyst wall, the broken edges of this bilayer curl in, while the overall shape of the oocyst wall remains spherical.The inner, moderately electron-dense layer of the C. parvum oocyst wall is where the Cryptosporidium oocyst wall proteins (Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein 1 [COWP1] and COWP8) have been localized with monoclonal antibodies (4, 20, 28, 32). COWPs, which have homologues in Toxoplasma, are a family of nine proteins that contain polymorphic Cys-rich and His-rich repeats (37, 46). Finally, on the inner surface of C. parvum oocyst walls are knob-like structures, which cross-react with an anti-oocyst monoclonal antibody (11).Like other apicomplexa (e.g., Toxoplasma and Plasmodium), sporozoites of C. parvum are slender, move by gliding motility, and release adhesins from apical organelles when they invade host epithelial cells (1, 8, 12, 39). Unlike other apicomplexa, C. parvum parasites are missing a chloroplast-derived organelle called the apicoplast (1, 47, 49). C. parvum sporozoites have on their surface unique mucin-like glycoproteins, which contain Ser- and Thr-rich repeats that are polymorphic and may be modified by O-linked GalNAc (4-7, 21, 25, 26, 30, 32, 34, 35, 43, 45). These C. parvum mucins, which are highly immunogenic and are potentially important vaccine candidates, include gp900 and gp40/gp15 (4, 6, 7, 25, 26). gp40/gp15 is cleaved by furin-like proteases into two peptides (gp40 and gp15), each of which is antigenic (42). gp900, gp40, and gp15 are shed from the surface of the C. parvum sporozoites during gliding motility (4, 7, 35).The studies presented here began with electron microscopic observations of C. parvum oocysts stained with ruthenium red (23), which revealed novel fibrils or tethers that extend radially from the inner surface of the oocyst wall to the outer surface of sporozoites. We hypothesized that at least some of these fibrillar tethers might be the antigenic mucins, which are abundant on the surface of C. parvum sporozoites. To test this hypothesis, we used mass spectroscopy to identify oocyst wall proteins and sporozoite glycoproteins and used deconvolving and immunoelectron microscopy (immuno-EM) with lectins and anti-C. parvum antibodies to directly label the tethers.     

Fine Structure of the Oocyst Wall of Eimeria nieschulzi

SYNOPSIS. Oocysts of Eimeria nieschulzi from the laboratory rat, Rattus, norvegicus , were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Oocysts had a rough outer wall with apparent random depressions. The oocyst wall is composed of 2 layers: an osmiophilic outer layer consisting of a rough external and smooth internal surface, and a relatively thick, electron-lucent inner layer. The outer layer is composed of a dense, coarsely granular matrix. The inner layer consists of homogeneous fine granular material interspersed with coarse osmiophilic granules and contains one closely applied membrane on the outermost surface. Several raised lenticular areas are seen on the coarse outer surface of the inner layer. These layers are 102 (75–128) and 176 (135–204) nm thick, respectively.
The sporocyst wall is thin, consisting of 3 to 4 unit membranes, and measures 27 (18–34) nm thick.     

小菜蛾线粒体复合物Ⅲ铁硫蛋白基因5'上游调控区域的克隆及序列分析

利用Tail-PCR技术克隆了小菜蛾线粒体复合物Ⅲ铁硫蛋白亚基的基因组DNA序列,全长5 013 bp,GenBank 登录号为HM210791.研究表明,该基因具有3个内含子,大小分别为96 bp、577 bp和549 bp,且其内含子两端具有典型的GT-AG结构.生物信息学分析表明,该基因5'上游调控区域不仅包括TATA-box等启动子核心序列,而且含有BR-C Z4、Hb、Dfd、CF2-Ⅱ和HSF等转录因子结合位点.进一步鉴定了该基因的转录起始位点、启动子序列和CPG岛区域.为小菜蛾线粒体复合物Ⅲ铁硫蛋白亚基的转录调控机制和具体的生理功能研究提供一定基础.     

Detection of a Single Viable Cryptosporidium parvum Oocyst in Environmental Water Concentrates by Reverse Transcription-PCR

Volume 62, no. 9, p. 3386, column 1, last line: "(specific gravity, 2.10) and centrifuging the mixture at 2,000 x g for 10 min" should read "(specific gravity, 1.10) and centrifuging the mixture at 1,050 x g for 10 min." Page 3387, column 1, line 16: "25 cycles at 90(deg)C for 5 min" should read "25 cycles at 90(deg)C for 5 s." [This corrects the article on p. 3385 in vol. 62.].     

Quantitative Flow Cytometric Evaluation of Maximal Cryptosporidium parvum Oocyst Infectivity in a Neonate Mouse Model

The importance of waterborne transmission of Cryptosporidium parvum to humans has been highlighted by recent outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis. The first step in a survey of contaminated water currently consists of counting C. parvum oocysts. Data suggest that an accurate risk evaluation should include a determination of viability and infectivity of counted oocysts in water. In this study, oocyst infectivity was addressed by using a suckling mouse model. Four-day-old NMRI (Naval Medical Research Institute) mice were inoculated per os with 1 to 1,000 oocysts in saline. Seven days later, the number of oocysts present in the entire small intestine was counted by flow cytometry using a fluorescent, oocyst-specific monoclonal antibody. The number of intestinal oocysts was directly related to the number of inoculated oocysts. For each dose group, infectivity of oocysts, expressed as the percentage of infected animals, was 100% for challenge doses between 25 and 1,000 oocysts and about 70% for doses ranging from 1 to 10 oocysts/animal. Immunofluorescent flow cytometry was useful in enhancing the detection sensitivity in the highly susceptible NMRI suckling mouse model and so was determined to be suitable for the evaluation of maximal infectivity risk.     

一个新的Br蛋白基因部分序列测定及分析

从新疆北部艾比湖分离纯化到极端嗜盐古生菌AB1,采用PCR方法扩增了其16S rRNA基因（16S rDNA）和编码螺旋C至螺旋G的细菌视紫红质（bacteriorhodopsin,Br）蛋白基因片段,并测定了基因的核苷酸序列。基于16S rDNA序列的同源性比较及系统发育学研究表明,AB1是Natronococcus属中新成员。通过对菌株AB1的Br蛋白亲水性分析表明,AB1的Br蛋白与已报道Br蛋白有类似的超二级结构,进一步的蛋白质序列聚合比对结果表明,AB1中Br蛋白螺旋C至螺旋G的氨基酸序列与其他菌株差异明显。研究结果表明菌株AB1的Br蛋白是一种新的Br蛋白。Abstract: A strain of halophilic archaeum AB1 was isolated and purified from Aibi Lake located in the north of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Partial DNA fragment encoding a bateriorhodopsin (Br) protein as well as 16S rRNA of AB1 was amplified by PCR, and their nucleotide sequences were determined subsequently. On the basis of homology and phylognetic analysis about 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA), it could be speculated that the strain AB1 is a novel member of the genus Natronococcus. The hydrophathy analysis of Br fragment revealed that the AB1 Br had a transmembrane heptahelical structure similar to that of other Brs. On the other hand, homology alignment using the deduced partial amino acid sequence of Br protein of AB1 with other Br proteins showed that AB1 Br protein is obviously different to others. These facts indicated that the Br in halophilic archaeum AB1 is a new Br protein.     

细胞质雄性不育高粱叶绿体 ndh D 基因的序列变异

片段SAAU－02 700特异地扩增自7种具可育细胞质的高粱材料的总DNA,含有叶绿体psa C(88bp)和ndh D(192bp)基因的部分序列。该片段与Eco Ri HindⅢ酶切的总DNA,线粒体DNA和叶绿体DNA杂交,在总DNA中获得了0.74kb的杂交带,而在叶绿体中获得0.74kb和0．45kb两条杂交带。与线粒体DNA无杂交;与经Hae Ⅲ酶切的总DNA杂交,在不育系中获得4．9kb的杂交带,而保持系的杂交带为4．45kb。参考GenBank中高粱的近缘物种玉米叶绿体基因组的序列,构建了ndh D基因区的酶切位点图谱,借此分析得出高粱不育系的叶绿体ndh D基因序列已发生改变。这种变异与高粱细胞质雄性不育反生的关系正在探讨中。     

一个新的Br蛋白基因部分序列测定及分析

从新疆北部艾比湖分离纯化到极端嗜盐古生菌AB1,采用PCR方法扩增了其165 rRNA基因(16S rDNA)和编码螺旋C至螺旋G的细菌视紫红质(bacteriorhodopsin,Br)蛋白基因片段,并测定了基因的核苷酸序列。基于16S rDNA序列的同源性比较及系统发育学研究表明,AB1是Natronococcus属中新成员。通过对菌株AB1的Br蛋白亲水性分析表明,AB1的Br蛋白与已报道Br蛋白有类似的超二级结构,进一步的蛋白质序列聚合比对结果表明,AB1中Br蛋白螺旋C至螺旋G的氨基酸序列与其他菌株差异明显。研究结果表明菌株AB1的Br蛋白是一种新的Br蛋白。     

家蝇卵黄蛋白基因的克隆与结构序列分析

家蝇卵黄蛋白基因编码的卵黄蛋白是家蝇胚胎发育的重要营养来源 .根据 3种家蝇卵黄蛋白cDNA保守序列设计引物 ,用PCR技术从家蝇基因组DNA中扩增到大小为 76 8bp的mdYP1基因的部分DNA片段 .经地高辛标记成特异性探针 ,从构建的家蝇基因组文库中筛选出一个阳性克隆 ,并从该克隆中分离到大小为 3991bp的mdYP1基因组基因 .序列分析显示 ,该基因组序列含有约1 6kb的 5′ 上游区和 1 0kb的 3′ 下游区 ,编码区由一个 6 1bp的内含子和大小分别为 2 2 2bp和10 2 8bp的 2个外显子组成 .5′ 上游区含有典型的CAAT TATA盒 .     

Sequence Analysis of a 32-kb Region Including the Major Ribosomal Protein Gene Clusters from Alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. Strain C-125

Forty-one open reading frames (ORFs) were identified in a 32-kb DNA fragment of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. C-125. A similarity search using the BSORF database found 37 ORFs with significant sequence similarity to B. subtilis RNA polymerase subunits, elongation factor G, elongation factor Tu, and ribosomal proteins. Each ORF product showed more than 70% identity to those of B. subtilis. Gene organization in the region of str, S10, spc, and the α cluster was highly conserved among three strains, C-125, B. subtilis, and B. stearothermophilus.     

水稻蜡质基因5’端上游顺序中的核蛋白结合区

通过ｗｘ基因转录起始点上游２１２０ｂｐ长的ＤＮＡ序列的测定,用不同的限制性内切酶对此片段进行消化,获得１５个大小不同的ＤＮＡ片段并构建成不同的亚克隆。这些片段经３２Ｐ标记后分别做探针同水稻不同组织来源的核蛋白进行凝胶滞后实验和特异的竞争实验,表明ＨｉｎｆＩａ－２、ＨｉｎｆＩｃ－１、ＨｉｎｆＩｃ－２、ＨｉｎｆＩｄ、ＲｓａＩａ和ＲｓａＩｅ（ＲｓａＩａ片段与ＨｉｎｆＩａ、ＨｉｎｆＩｃ片段重叠）片段能与从未成熟的水稻种子中抽提的核蛋白结合。     

已建株鼻咽癌细胞的PLUNC基因启动子区序列多态性分析

目的检测人类标准鼻咽癌细胞中是否存在已知的PLUNC基因启动子-437bp-＋87bp区域的单核苷酸多态性（SNP）。以便进一步探索SNP与鼻咽癌的关系。方法采用PCR产物直接测序的方法,对7株体外培养的鼻咽癌细胞基因组DNA的PLUNC基因启动子区进行序列分析。结果发现7株PLUNC基因的启动子区皆存在已知的3个SNP位点（1888、2128和N2）和未知一个突变位点（N1）,其测观杂合度分别为85．7％、100％、100％和28．6％。其中3个已知SNP位点在筛查的细胞株中均存在T-C的突变,而且SUNE-1鼻咽癌细胞株的1888位点基因型为突变纯合子CC型。结论体外培养的标准鼻咽癌细胞株中存在已知的3个SNP位点（1888、2128和N2）的突变现象,且突变率为100％;1888位点鼻咽癌易患型（CC型）已在体外稳定建株;首次发现启动子-195bp区域N1突变位点。     

Sequence Polymorphism in the β-Tubulin Gene Reveals Heterogeneous and Variable Population Structures in Cryptosporidium parvum

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of isolates of Cryptosporidium parvum has revealed two subgroups, termed H and C. The limited resolution of the RFLP method precludes an in-depth study of the genetic structure of C. parvum populations. Published C. parvum restriction polymorphisms lie within protein-coding regions known to be more homogeneous than noncoding sequences. To better assess the degrees of heterogeneity between and within C. parvum isolates, sequence polymorphism in the β-tubulin intron, the only C. parvum intron described to date, was investigated. In contrast to the two genotypes distinguished by multilocus RFLP, several alleles were detected by sequence and RFLP analysis of the β-tubulin intron and adjacent exon 2. Isolates carrying different β-tubulin alleles were found. Significantly, one of the β-tubulin alleles present in two geographically unrelated isolates combined features of C- and H-type isolates, suggesting that it might have arisen from a recombination event. A comparison of multiple samples of a calf-propagated laboratory isolate showed that the ratio of different β-tubulin alleles fluctuated during serial passage.