Occurrence of Helicobacter species other than H. hepaticus in laboratory mice and rats in Sweden

The aim of this study was to determine which Helicobacter species other than H. hepaticus colonize laboratory mice and rats in Sweden. We analyzed 63 intestinal samples from mice and 42 intestinal samples from rats by partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Previously these samples had been found positive for Helicobacter species but negative for H. hepaticus in a polymerase chain reaction screening assay at the National Veterinary Institute in Sweden. H. ganmani, H. typhlonius, H. rodentium, an uncharacterized Helicobacter species ('hamster B'), and a possibly novel species were detected in mice. The possibly novel species was most closely related to H. apodemus strain YMRC 000216 (98.3% sequence similarity). Two different Helicobacter species were detected in rats: H. ganmani and H. rodentium. H. ganmani colonization of rats has not previously been reported.     

Congenic strains of mice susceptible and resistant to mouse hepatitis virus.

A congenic strain of C3HSS mice, which is histocompatible with C3H mice but differs from them in susceptibility to mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), has been developed by introducing the gene for susceptibility to the MHV-PRI virus from the PRI mice. This was accomplished by continual back-crossing of the hybrids to the C3H mice, but at the same time by selection of susceptibility by use of macrophage culture tests. After 20 back-crosses, a strain homozygous for susceptibility was produced by brother-sister mating of individual mice whose potential for carrying the recessive gene for resistance was tested in progeny. Since the original choice of mice for breeding was based on in vitro macrophage susceptibility, and since highly susceptible mice were developed on the same basis, it seems evident that macrophage susceptibility is an integral aspect of mouse susceptibility. The continued production of almost 50% susceptible mice in the back-crosses is further evidence of the dominant one-locus explanation of genetic susceptibility to this agent. Incomplete penetrance may also be present in 8 and 9 week old mice of the C3HSS strain since there was a sharp decrease in susceptibility of these mice even though their macrophages in culture maintained full susceptibility.     

Thermus thermophilus TMY isolated from silica scale taken from a geothermal power plant

Aims:  To identify an extreme thermophile, strain TMY, isolated from silica scale from the geothermal electric power plant and to examine microdiversity of Thermus thermophilus strains.
Materials and Results:  The isolated strain TMY was identified by morphological, biochemical and physiological tests. Phylogenetic comparison of the strain and other Thermus strains with 16S rDNA analysis, RAPD and ERIC-PCR fingerprinting were performed. Strain TMY was closely related to strain which was isolated from a hot spring in New Zealand and shown to belong to the Japanese Thermus cluster. However, there were considerable genetic differences between strain TMY and other Thermus species using DNA fingerprinting.
Conclusions:  Based on morphological, physiological and genetic properties, strain TMY could be a strain of T. thermophilus . The distinct properties of strain TMY suggest that microdiversity of T. thermophilus strains should be considered.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The results of this study have demonstrated genetic diversity within T. thermophilus strains, which were previously masked by an almost identical 16S rDNA sequence. RAPD and ERIC-PCR could be potential methods for distinguishing between Thermus strains.     

Organ specificity, colonization and clearance dynamics in vivo following oral challenges with the murine pathogen Citrobacter rodentium

Citrobacter rodentium belongs to a family of human and animal enteric pathogens that includes the clinically significant enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). These pathogens use attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions to colonize the host gastrointestinal tract. In this study we have used bioluminescence imaging (BLI) to investigate the organ specificity, dynamics of colonization and clearance of mice by C. rodentium in situ and in real time. The bioluminescent C. rodentium derivative, strain ICC180, expresses the luxCDABE operon from the entemopathogenic nematode symbiont Photorhabdus luminescens and light levels accurately reflect bacterial numbers both in vitro and in vivo. We have demonstrated that primary colonization of the mouse by C. rodentium takes place within the caecum, specifically within the specialized patch of lymphoid tissue known as the caecal patch. Following colonization of the caecum C. rodentium established a colonic infection. Clearance of C. rodentium ICC180 parallels the colonization dynamics, i.e. the caecum was first to be cleared followed by the colon. A bioluminescent eae (encoding the outer membrane adhesin intimin) C. rodentium mutant failed to establish long-term colonization, although low levels of bacteria could be recovered for up to 3 days post challenge from the caecum.     

Altering host resistance to infections through microbial transplantation

Host resistance to bacterial infections is thought to be dictated by host genetic factors. Infections by the natural murine enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium (used as a model of human enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic E. coli infections) vary between mice strains, from mild self-resolving colonization in NIH Swiss mice to lethality in C3H/HeJ mice. However, no clear genetic component had been shown to be responsible for the differences observed with C. rodentium infections. Because the intestinal microbiota is important in regulating resistance to infection, and microbial composition is dependent on host genotype, it was tested whether variations in microbial composition between mouse strains contributed to differences in "host" susceptibility by transferring the microbiota of resistant mice to lethally susceptible mice prior to infection. Successful transfer of the microbiota from resistant to susceptible mice resulted in delayed pathogen colonization and mortality. Delayed mortality was associated with increased IL-22 mediated innate defense including antimicrobial peptides Reg3γ and Reg3β, and immunono-neutralization of IL-22 abrogated the beneficial effect of microbiota transfer. Conversely, depletion of the native microbiota in resistant mice by antibiotics and transfer of the susceptible mouse microbiota resulted in reduced innate defenses and greater pathology upon infection. This work demonstrates the importance of the microbiota and how it regulates mucosal immunity, providing an important factor in susceptibility to enteric infection. Transfer of resistance through microbial transplantation (bacteriotherapy) provides additional mechanisms to alter "host" resistance, and a novel means to alter enteric infection and to study host-pathogen interactions.     

Characterization of cytotoxin-producing Aeromonas caviae (strain HT10) isolated from a sulfur spring in Orissa, India

During a study of microbial diversity, a bacterial strain designated HT10, was isolated from sediment collected from an unexplored sulfur spring at Athamallik, Orissa, India. Various biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed that strain HT10 is Aeromonas caviae. The growth temperature of this strain ranged from 12 to 43 degrees C and the optimum temperature was 30 degrees C. The strain HT10 showed cytotoxic and alpha-hemolytic activity. This is the first report on the isolation of Aeromonas caviae from sulfur spring.     

貂源绿脓杆菌的分离鉴定及其致病性

为了揭示绿脓杆菌对水貂的致病性,本研究采用细菌分离培养方法、形态学观察、生化试验、药敏试验与16S rDNA测序等技术,对2013年在山东省诸城、文登与临沂采集的43份发病水貂肺组织进行了细菌分离鉴定。结果分离到的5株细菌均为绿脓杆菌（分别命名为F1、F5、F6、F8、F10）,分离率为11.6%。所分离的5株绿脓杆菌之间的核酸同源性为 98.9 %～99.7 %; F5、F6、F8、F10与F1在一个大的分支上。用F1株对小鼠与水貂分别进行接种攻毒,建立绿脓杆菌对小鼠与水貂的致病性研究动物模型。F1在小鼠肺部含量较高,半数致死量（LD₅₀）为 1.6×10⁶CFU/mL,对小鼠有较强的致病力;F1对水貂的LD₅₀为3.2×10⁷CFU/mL,接种3.2×10⁸CFU/mL菌液的水貂在接种后的20-44h内全部死亡,其他感染组的水貂仅表现一过性的精神不振、食欲稍有下降,这表明绿脓杆菌对水貂具有一定的致病力。     

Efficiency alleles of the Pctr1 modifier locus for plasmacytoma susceptibility

The susceptibility of BALB/c mice to pristane-induced plasmacytomas is a complex genetic trait involving multiple loci, while DBA/2 and C57BL/6 strains are genetically resistant to the plasmacytomagenic effects of pristane. In this model system for human B-cell neoplasia, one of the BALB/c susceptibility and modifier loci, Pctr1, was mapped to a 5.7-centimorgan (cM) chromosomal region that included Cdkn2a, which encodes p16(INK4a) and p19(ARF), and the coding sequences for the BALB/c p16(INK4a) and p19(ARF) alleles were found to be polymorphic with respect to their resistant Pctr1 counterparts in DBA/2 and C57BL/6 mice (45). In the present study, alleles of Pctr1, Cdkn2a, and D4Mit15 from a resistant strain (BALB/cDAG) carrying DBA/2 chromatin were introgressively backcrossed to the susceptible BALB/c strain. The resultant C.DAG-Pctr1 Cdkn2a D4Mit15 congenic was more resistant to plasmacytomagenesis than BALB/c, thus narrowing Pctr1 to a 1.5-cM interval. Concomitantly, resistant C57BL/6 mice, from which both gene products of the Cdkn2a gene have been eliminated, developed pristane-induced plasma cell tumors over a shorter latency period than the traditionally susceptible BALB/cAn strain. Biological assays of the p16(INK4a) and p19(ARF) alleles from BALB/c and DBA/2 indicated that the BALB/c p16(INK4a) allele was less active than its DBA/2 counterpart in inducing growth arrest of mouse plasmacytoma cell lines and preventing ras-induced transformation of NIH 3T3 cells, while the two p19(ARF) alleles displayed similar potencies in both assays. We propose that the BALB/c susceptibility/modifier locus, Pctr1, is an "efficiency" allele of the p16(INK4a) gene.     

Saccharomyces boulardii ameliorates Citrobacter rodentium-induced colitis through actions on bacterial virulence factors

Saccharomyces boulardii has received increasing attention as a probiotic effective in the prevention and treatment of infectious and inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the ameliorating effects of S. boulardii on Citrobacter rodentium colitis in vivo and identify potential mechanisms of action. C57BL/6 mice received 2.5 x 10(8) C. rodentium by gavage on day 0, followed by S. boulardii (25 mg; 5 x 10(8) live cells) gavaged twice daily from day 2 to day 9. Animal weights were monitored until death on day 10. Colons were removed and assessed for epithelial barrier function, histology, and myeloperoxidase activity. Bacterial epithelial attachment and type III secreted proteins translocated intimin receptor Tir (the receptor for bacterial intimin) and EspB (a translocation apparatus protein) required for bacterial virulence were assayed. In infected mice, S. boulardii treatment significantly attenuated weight loss, ameliorated crypt hyperplasia (234.7 +/- 7.2 vs. 297.8 +/- 17.6 microm) and histological damage score (0.67 +/- 0.67 vs. 4.75 +/- 0.75), reduced myeloperoxidase activity (2.1 +/- 0.4 vs. 4.7 +/- 0.9 U/mg), and attenuated increased mannitol flux (17.2 +/- 5.0 vs. 31.2 +/- 8.2 nm.cm(-2).h(-1)). The ameliorating effects of S. boulardii were associated with significantly reduced numbers of mucosal adherent C. rodentium, a marked reduction in Tir protein secretion and translocation into mouse colonocytes, and a striking reduction in EspB expression and secretion. We conclude that S. boulardii maintained colonic epithelial barrier integrity and ameliorated inflammatory sequelae associated with C. rodentium infection by attenuating C. rodentium adherence to host epithelial cells through putative actions on the type III secretion system.     

一株引起马来甜龙竹组培污染内生菌的分离与鉴定

【目的】对一株引起马来甜龙竹组培污染内生菌的分离与鉴定。【方法】采用改良的NA培养基分离纯化菌株,并通过菌体的形态结构观察、生理生化试验及其16SrDNA序列同源性分析对其进行鉴定。【结果】菌株SWFU01的形态特征及生理生化试验结果与解淀粉芽孢杆菌[Bacillus amyloliquefaciens(Fukumoto)Priest et al.]的描述基本相同;16S rDNA序列分析表明,该菌株与解淀粉芽孢杆菌JS在同一系统发育分支,其同源性为99.28%。【结论】综合形态学特征、生理生化特征以及16S rDNA序列分析的研究结果,菌株SWFU01被鉴定为解淀粉芽孢杆菌。     

一株拮抗番茄叶霉病菌的放线菌筛选、鉴定及发酵条件研究

菌株xjy是一株从新疆棉田土壤中筛选出的对番茄叶霉病菌(Fulviafulva)有较强拮抗作用的放线菌,其对23种常见植物病原真菌和6种细菌有较好的抑制效果,抗菌谱广。其形态特征、培养特性、生理生化特性、细胞壁组分与放线菌中的淡紫灰链霉菌(Streptomyces lavendulae)相同,16SrDNA序列同源性达99.6%。研究发现该菌的摇瓶发酵配方和培养条件为:大豆粉2%、葡萄糖2%、NaCl0.8%、CaCO30.2%、(NH4)2SO40.32%,起始pH7.0、28℃、180r/mim、摇瓶培养6d,这些结果为该菌株今后的应用、抗生素的分离提纯和产业化提供了实验依据。     

一株产红色素菌株及对其红色素结构的鉴定

从土壤中分离到一株产红色素的细菌H31,根据该菌株的16S rDNA序列与GenBank中已有序列比对的结果,并结合菌落形态和常规生理生化鉴定方法对该菌株进行鉴定,结果表明:该菌在细菌分类学上属于肠杆菌科,其与黏质沙雷氏菌(Serratia marcescens)同源性最高,但该菌株生理生化实验中的赖氨酸脱羧酶、鸟氨酸脱羧酶以及精氨酸双水解酶实验与报道的S. marcescens的结果不一致,为一株新的黏质沙雷氏菌S. marcescens H31。通过紫外光谱、质谱和核磁共振等方法分析,确定其产生的红色素为灵菌红素。     

一株具有抗肿瘤活性的海洋放线菌的分离和鉴定

海洋放线菌ACMA006的发酵产物具有很强的抗肿瘤活性和较好的抑菌效果, 但对人正常细胞毒性较弱。该菌株在大多数培养基上生长良好, 产生可溶性色素;基质菌丝在培养早期出现横隔, 随后发生断裂;最适生长温度为28°C。基于16S rDNA序列的系统发育分析表明, 菌株ACMA006属于链霉菌属(Streptomyces)的成员, 与该属的合格发表种卡伍尔链霉菌华盛顿亚种(S.cavourensis subsp. washingtonensis)的16S rDNA序列相似性最高, 同源性达100%, 但在部分形态特征和理化特性上存在较大差异。初步确定ACMA006属于卡伍尔链霉菌华盛顿亚种的一个海洋变种。     

1株虎源致病性肠球菌的分离鉴定及序列分析

从病死老虎肺脏中分离到1株肠球菌,并对该菌做了生理生化鉴定、药敏试验,致病性试验。本菌对多种抗生素高度耐药,对小白鼠有强致病性,其LD50为2.7×109.2cfu。并用PCR方法扩增分离菌株16S rDNA基因,获得1 415 bp片段,该片段核苷酸序列提交GenBank,登陆号为HM346186,将分离株的16S rDNA核苷酸序列与GenBank上其他肠球菌进行同源性分析。结果表明,分离株的16S rDNA核苷酸序列与肠球菌(EU285587)的同源性为100%,因此该分离菌株被鉴定为致病性肠球菌,命名为YN-1株(云南-1株)。     

Isolation and characterization of a new type of aerobic,oxalic acid utilizing bacteria,and proposal of Oxalicibacterium flavum gen. nov., sp. nov

A mesophilic, aerobic oxalic acid utilizing yellow-pigmented bacterium has been isolated from litter of oxalate producing plants in the region of Izmir (Turkey). It is motile by means of 1-3 polar flagella. Optimal growth occurred between 25-30 degrees C at pH 6.9. The G+C content of DNA is 62-64 mol % (Tm). Based on its morphological and biochemical features the organism belongs to the genus Pseudomonas, but differs from all the previously described species. The taxonomic relationships among strains described as or previously tentatively assigned to the genus Pseudomonas were investigated using numerical classification, DNA base composition and DNA-DNA hybridization. 16S rDNA sequences were determined for the strain TA17. On the basis of 16S rDNA sequence comparisons, physiological and biochemical characteristics, it is proposed to classify TA17T in a new genus and species for which the name Oxalicibacterium flavum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TA17T (= NEU98T, = LMG 21571T).     

基于16S rDNA测序分析枳术丸水煎液对慢传输型便秘脾虚证模型小鼠肠道菌群的影响

基于16S rDNA测序分析慢传输型便秘（STC）脾虚证小鼠肠道菌群结构特征,初步探讨枳术丸对STC肠道菌群的可能干预机制。

40只小鼠随机分成正常组、模型组、枳术丸组与莫沙必利组。造模组（模型组、枳术丸组与莫沙必利组）采用番泻叶灌胃,随后控制饮食饮水采用饥饱失常的方法造成脾虚便秘小鼠模型。造模成功后,枳术丸组给予中药水煎剂灌胃,莫沙必利组给予莫沙必利悬浊液灌胃,正常组与模型组给予蒸馏水灌胃。连续给药7 d后测定小鼠肠道推进率和血清D−木糖水平,采集小鼠结肠内粪便进行16S rDNA检测,分析样本菌群的多样性与丰度,分析门、属、种水平的物种组成。

模型组肠道菌群丰富度指数（Chao1指数）与多样性指数（Shannon指数）较正常组均显著降低（P＜0.05）,说明STC发病过程中伴随肠道菌群物种丰富度水平和菌群物种数目的降低以及菌群多样性水平的降低。在门水平上,正常组与模型组均以厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）和拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）为主;在属水平上,模型组肠鼠杆菌属（Muribaculum）、拟杆菌属（Bacteroides）、乳杆菌属（Lactobacillus）和粪杆菌属（Faecalibaculum）丰度显著升高（P＜0.05）,Lachnoclostridium和艾森伯格菌属（Eisenbergiella）丰度降低（P＜0.05）;在种水平上,模型组产酸拟杆菌（Bacteroides acidifaciens）、Faecalibaculum rodentium和约氏乳酸杆菌（Lactobacillus johnsonii）丰度较正常组显著升高（P＜0.05）,Eisenbergiella sp.丰度显著降低（P＜0.05）。以上提示STC脾虚证小鼠肠道菌群多样性发生改变。经枳术丸治疗后,枳术丸组肠鼠杆菌属、拟杆菌属、乳杆菌属、粪杆菌属、Faecalibaculum rodentium和约氏乳酸杆菌丰度显著降低（P＜0.05）,Lachnoclostridium、艾森伯格菌属和Eisenbergiella sp.丰度升高（P＜0.05）。

枳术丸对STC脾虚证小鼠肠道菌群多样性改变有明显的调节作用,并且其作用机制与调节特定菌群有关。

     

Behavioral,Neurochemical, and Brain Morphology Features of the 101/HY Mice: A Genetic Model of Some Human Hereditary Diseases

Studies of behavior, neurophysiological reactions, neuromediator synthesis and brain structure of mice of the 101/HY strain (including those of the authors) are reviewed. This mouse strain is characterized by a chromosomal instability because of a recessive mutation mutator-1(mut-1) and the defective DNA excision repair. Experimental studies revealed a number of behavioral and neurological deviations in the 101/HY as compared to the CBA and the C3H mouse strains. These are abnormalities in spatial orientation, altered fear and anxiety reactions, anomalous locomotion, seizure developing in response to agents of various nature, and disturbances of the central nervous system, both structural and biochemical. Genome instability results in a number of neurological mutations, that may lead to the phenotypical effects observed in the 101/HY mice. Since the 101/HY mice partially display signs of severe human hereditary diseases caused by chromosomal instability and defective DNA repair, they can serve as a promising genetic model for these and other diseases related to impairment of the central nervous system.     

Resistance to HSV-1 in the mouse is governed by two major,independently segregating,non-H-2 loci

Earlier studies showed that genetic resistance of adult, inbred strains of mice to Herpes Simplex Virus-type 1 (HSV-1) is a dominant genetic trait. The present studies were undertaken to determine the number of genetic loci involved and whether they were found within the major histocompatibility complex,H-2, of the mouse. Challenge with HSV-1 of progeny of mice backcrossed to moderately susceptible BALB/c mice, of progeny of mice backcrossed to very susceptible A/J strain mice, and of progeny of the F-2 cross using (C57BL/6 × A/J)F₁ mice indicated that two major loci were responsible for resistance. The backcrosses to BALB/c mice suggested that additional genes on this background enhanced resistance, while further backcrosses with the A/J mice indicated that other genes on the A/J background (or the lack thereof) reduced resistance. Studies with congenic mice showed that genes within theH-2 did not influence resistance or susceptibility.