青枯菌细胞表面的疏水性

分别采用BATH和HIC方法测定青枯菌细胞表面疏水性(CSH), 并比较菌液与正十二烷比例(BATH方法)和菌液上样量(HIC方法)对CSH测定结果的影响。确定在BATH方法中菌液(OD₆₀₀=0.5)与正十二烷的比例为2:1, HIC方法中菌液(OD₆₀₀=1.0)上样量为0.2 mL; 在此条件下, BATH和HIC两种方法之间呈现出良好的线性关系(r=0.99)。进一步采用HIC方法测定青枯菌在生长过程中CSH的变化情况, 结果显示随培养时间的延长, CSH逐渐降低, 24 h后CSH趋于稳定, CSH与青枯菌细胞表面的EPSⅠ (胞外酸性多糖)含量呈负相关。3株不同致病强度的青枯菌的试验结果进一步验证了青枯菌细胞表面的CSH随EPSⅠ含量的增加而降低。     

青枯菌HPLC分析中样品制备方法的优化

本文研究了青枯菌细胞的制备方法对细胞生命活力和表面特性的影响。结果表明,在高效离子交换色谱分析（HPLC）中,采用5000×g离心10min收集菌体细胞、超纯水（＞16MΩ）悬浮和洗涤青枯菌、重复洗涤二次的制备方法,既可以避免培养基成分造成的干扰,又可以保持青枯菌细胞的生命活力和细胞表面的原有性质。     

不同方法提取PAHs高效降解菌EPS的特性

采用阳离子交换树脂法、超声法、超声-阳离子交换树脂法、加热法4种方法提取一株PAHs高效降解菌的胞外聚合物(EPS),并结合红外光谱、三维荧光光谱、透射电子显微镜对不同方法提取的EPS进行特性分析。结果表明,加热法得到的EPS中蛋白质和多糖的总含量最大为328.36 mg·L-1;4种方法提取EPS的红外光谱谱线均出现C(N)═O、N—H(蛋白质)和O—H(多聚糖)强峰,其中加热法提取EPS谱图中C(N)═O和N—H基团的吸收峰最宽、强度最大;三维荧光光谱分析结果表明,加热法提取EPS的2个类蛋白峰强度最大,分别为13.8、118.2 a.u.,而其他3种方法提取EPS的类蛋白峰强度较弱、类腐殖酸和类富里酸峰较强;透射电子显微镜检测结果表明,加热法细胞体破坏程度最小且胞内物质没有溶出现象。综合考虑4种方法提取EPS特性,加热法提取效率较高且温和,是比较理想的EPS提取方法。     

青枯雷尔氏菌胞外多糖合成缺失突变株构建及其生物学特性

【目的】由青枯雷尔氏菌(Ralstonia solanacearum)引起的植物青枯病是一种毁灭性土传病害。胞外多糖(extracellular polysaccharides,EPS)是青枯雷尔氏菌关键的致病因子之一。通过构建胞外多糖缺失突变株,研究胞外多糖在青枯病致病中的作用。【方法】从青枯雷尔氏菌FJAT-91的基因组中克隆出胞外多糖合成结构基因epsD同源臂,克隆至自杀性质粒p K18mobsacB,再将庆大霉素抗性基因(Gm)插入同源臂中间,获得重组质粒p K18-epsD。将重组质粒转化至青枯雷尔氏菌FJAT-91感受态细胞中,通过同源重组敲除epsD基因,获得EPS合成缺失的突变株FJAT-91Δeps 。研究突变株与野生菌株在菌落形态、胞外多糖合成、运动能力、定殖能力的差异性。【结果】突变菌株FJAT-91ΔepsD与出发菌株FJAT-91相比:胞外多糖产量显著减少,生长较慢;泳动能力(swimming motility)和群集运动能力(swarming motility)显著降低;在番茄苗根部和茎部的定殖能力显著降低;弱化指数(AI)为0.905,鉴定为无致病力菌株。【结论】胞外多糖在青枯雷尔氏菌的致病中起着关键的作用,本课题研究成果为开发植物疫苗提供了优良的材料与研究基础。     

高效液相色谱法对重组人甲状旁腺素相关肽的研究

针对重组人甲状旁腺素相关肽在反相柱的高效液相色谱中出现的两个峰,研究两个峰性质并对两个峰是由于一种物质形成了两种构象造成的加以讨论。采用了离子交换柱的高效液相色谱分析、电泳、高效液相色谱和质谱联用分析、SDS破坏小肽高级结构再进行反相柱的高效液相色谱分析、更换反相柱高效液相色谱分析中的流动相等方法,结果表明,从高效液相色谱分析和电泳分析来看,样品为纯品。同时推测两个峰是由于一种物质形成了两种不同的构象造成的,且两种构象可以在有酸性离子对试剂的情况下快速达到动态平衡。     

大蒜素对铜绿假单胞菌生物膜早期黏附及胞外多糖的影响

目的研究大蒜素对铜绿假单胞菌PA01菌株生物膜（biofilm,BF）早期黏附及胞外多糖复合物（Extracellular Polymeric Substances,EPS）的影响。方法利用荧光多功能酶标仪检测各组不同时间点96孔板中pGF-Puv转化PA01菌株的荧光强度,计算黏附率以表示干预对不同时间点细菌黏附的影响,利用荧光显微镜下定性观察细菌的黏附量;应用异硫氰酸标记的刀豆蛋白A（FITC conjugated concanavalin A,FITC-conA）特异性结合细菌EPS,荧光显微镜下定性观察各组EPS的变化;利用硫酸-苯酚法定量各组细菌EPS的产量。结果6h组,大蒜素高浓度干预后细菌的黏附率由0．70±0．03下降至0．50±0．01,t=15．014,P〈0．05,大蒜素低浓度干预后黏附率也有下降,但不及高浓度组明显;除了9h组其他时间组趋势与6h组大致相似,可能与大蒜素含量下降有关。荧光显微镜观察可见生理盐水对照组细菌菌落分布,干预组黏附的细菌稀疏散在分布,以高浓度为甚。FITC-conA可使胞外多糖显色,在荧光显微镜下观察可见大蒜素干预后EPS减少,稀薄;EPS定量实验,EPS总量大蒜素高浓度干预组（181．19±1．59）μg较生理盐水对照组（602．66±21．94）μg有明显降低,t=60．589,P〈0．05。结论大蒜素可显著减少PA01菌株黏附及产EPS的能力。     

阿萨希毛孢子菌生物膜构建及水杨酸干预策略研究

目的在医院内常用生物材料聚氯乙烯（PVC）表面构建阿萨希毛孢子菌的生物膜,评估该生物膜对几种临床抗真菌药物的耐药性,并观察水杨酸是否对阿萨希毛孢子菌生物膜的形成有干预作用。方法菌株鉴定采用API20CAUX并经PCR鉴定复核;使用PVC于RPM11640-MOPS中培养进行阿萨希毛孢子菌生物膜构建;MIC测定采用法国生物梅里埃公司ATB Fungus-3真菌药敏试剂条以及微量液体稀释法,并观察水杨酸对生物膜构建的影响。结果阿萨希毛孢子菌可以通过几个不连续阶段在聚氯乙烯表面形成生物膜,且已使用PVC块上附着的生物膜细胞比未使用PVC块上黏附的生物膜细胞明显密集;固着相即生物膜细胞的MIC比浮游相成倍提高;24h两性霉素B的MIC〉512μ/ml,且经两性霉素B的药物刺激后,阿萨希毛孢子明显可见芽管延长,菌丝交织;水杨酸作用后阿萨希毛孢子菌的菌丝明显变短,孢子短小。结论介入性器械可以作为阿萨希毛孢子菌生物膜构建的黏附基质,使微生物群体黏附于细胞外多聚材料表面而造成持续播散感染,因此生物膜干预对阿萨希毛孢子菌深部感染的治疗有很重要的意义。     

两歧双歧杆菌胞外多糖对胃癌细胞及端粒酶逆转录酶的影响

[目的]研究从双歧杆菌属两歧双歧杆菌(Bifidobacterium bifidum)提取的细胞表面成分胞外多糖(Exopolysaccharide, B. EPS)对人胃癌细胞BGC-823的生长抑制作用及对端粒酶限速因子hTERT活性的影响.[方法]将3种不同浓度B.EPS体外作用于胃癌细胞BGC-823,MTT法检测细胞生长抑制率并辅以形态学观察;异硫氰酸盐(FITC)联合PI染色,通过流式细胞术检测肿瘤细胞初期调亡情况;肿瘤细胞端粒酶限速因子hTERT mRNA经RT-PCR检测B.EPS对端粒酶活性抑制作用;通过荧光分光光度计显示B.EPS对胃癌细胞作用后胞内Ca2+含量变化.[结果]经过检测发现,B.EPS对人胃癌细胞BGC823的生长显著抑制(P<0.05)呈剂量时间反应关系;细胞中hTERT mRNA在B.EPS的作用下表达降低(P<0.05),有一定剂量效应关系;随着B.EPS对肿瘤细胞的抑制,细胞内Ca2+含量显著增加(P<0.05).[结论] B.EPS诱导人胃癌细胞BGC-823调亡的机制可能与改变肿瘤细胞端粒酶限速因子hTERT mRNA表达量和细胞内钙离子浓度有关.     

培养条件对青枯雷尔氏菌脂肪酸组成的影响

应用气相色谱技术测定不同温度、培养时间、pH值等培养条件下青枯雷尔氏菌(Ralstonia solanacearum)脂肪酸的结果表明: 青枯雷尔氏菌强致病力菌株Rs-J.1.4-010704-01v的脂肪酸种类有14~34种, 主要特征脂肪酸为C16:1ω7c/C15:0 ISO 2OH(10.644 min), C16:0(10.950 min), C18:1ω7c(14.177 min), 所占总百分比含量为总脂肪酸的55.66%~75.69%; 该菌脂肪酸的种类与含量随着培养条件的改变而发生变化,     

基于EMA-qPCR的茄科青枯菌活体检测技术的建立

【目的】利用特异性核酸染料叠氮溴乙锭(Ethidium monoazide bromide, EMA)与实时荧光定量PCR技术相结合, 建立一种能有效区分青枯菌死活细胞的检测方法。【方法】样品DNA制备前经EMA渗透预处理, 再进行实时荧光定量PCR特异扩增菌体DNA。【结果】终浓度为2.0 mg/L的EMA能有效排除1.0×107 CFU/mL灭活青枯菌细胞DNA的扩增, 对活细胞和不可培养状态(Viable but non-culturable, VBNC)活菌的DNA扩增均没有影响。当每个定量PCR反应体系中的活细胞在5.0×100?5.0×104 CFU范围内时, 扩增Ct值与定量PCR反应体系中活细胞CFU对数值呈良好的负相关性(R2=0.992 5)。比较EMA-qPCR法和平板计数法对经过不同温度短期保存的青枯菌检测结果发现, 待检样品可在24 °C与4 °C冷藏条件下短期保存。【结论】本研究建立的EMA-qPCR方法能有效检测青枯菌VBNC细胞和有效区分死活菌, 避免或减少青枯菌PCR检测的假阳性和假阴性。     

Ralstonia solanacearum extracellular polysaccharide is a specific elicitor of defense responses in wilt-resistant tomato plants

Ralstonia solanacearum, which causes bacterial wilt of diverse plants, produces copious extracellular polysaccharide (EPS), a major virulence factor. The function of EPS in wilt disease is uncertain. Leading hypotheses are that EPS physically obstructs plant water transport, or that EPS cloaks the bacterium from host plant recognition and subsequent defense. Tomato plants infected with R. solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 strain UW551 and tropical strain GMI1000 upregulated genes in both the ethylene (ET) and salicylic acid (SA) defense signal transduction pathways. The horizontally wilt-resistant tomato line Hawaii7996 activated expression of these defense genes faster and to a greater degree in response to R. solanacearum infection than did susceptible cultivar Bonny Best. However, EPS played different roles in resistant and susceptible host responses to R. solanacearum. In susceptible plants the wild-type and eps(-) mutant strains induced generally similar defense responses. But in resistant Hawaii7996 tomato plants, the wild-type pathogens induced significantly greater defense responses than the eps(-) mutants, suggesting that the resistant host recognizes R. solanacearum EPS. Consistent with this idea, purified EPS triggered significant SA pathway defense gene expression in resistant, but not in susceptible, tomato plants. In addition, the eps(-) mutant triggered noticeably less production of defense-associated reactive oxygen species in resistant tomato stems and leaves, despite attaining similar cell densities in planta. Collectively, these data suggest that bacterial wilt-resistant plants can specifically recognize EPS from R. solanacearum.     

Purification and characterization of a novel esterase (beta-hydroxypalmitate methyl ester hydrolase) and prevention of the expression of virulence by Ralstonia solanacearum

AIMS: To screen novel micro-organisms and enzymes capable of degrading 3-hydroxypalmitic acid methyl ester (3-OH PAME), the quorum-sensing signal molecule (quormone), which regulates the virulence of Ralstonia solanacearum. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ideonella sp. 0-0013, a betaproteobacterium isolated from soil using the selective-enrichment culture method, was grown on plates containing 3-OH PAME as its main carbon source. beta-Hydroxypalmitate methyl ester hydrolase (betaHPMEH) purified from the supernatant of the Ideonella sp. 0-0013 culture exhibited high hydrolysing activity towards the ester bond of 3-OH PAME and eliminated the 3-OH PAME activity, thereby reducing the virulence of R. solanacearum. An Escherichia coli transformant of the betahpmeh gene expression vector degraded 3-OH PAME, and the crude enzyme from the transformant inhibited in vitro production of the R. solanacearum exopolysaccharide (EPS). CONCLUSIONS: The ability of betaHPMEH to hydrolyse 3-OH PAME inhibited the production of EPS by the R. solanacearum wild-type strain, indicating that betaHPMEH inhibits the effects of activation of virulence genes. This ability will be potentially useful for pest control of the wilt disease caused by this bacterium. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This enzyme is the first protein that has been found to degrade a quormone other than N-acyl homoserine lactone.     

Evaluation of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) for the characterization of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in anaerobic granular sludges

The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from three granular and one flocculant anaerobic sludges were characterised by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) using two serially linked chromatographic columns in order to obtain more detailed chromatograms. A Superdex peptide 10/300 GL (0.1–7 kDa) and Superdex 20010/300GL (10–600 kDa) from Amersham Biosciences were used in series with a mobile phase at pH 7 with an ionic strength of 0.223 M (phosphate buffer 50 mM and NaCl 150 mM). A part of the EPS molecules displays hydrophobic and/or ionic interactions with the column packing. Interactions could be modified by changing the mobile phase ionic strength or polarity (addition of acetonitrile). The detection wavelength (210 or 280 nm) affects strongly the EPS chromatogram. For a sludge originating from the same type of biofilms (i.e., anaerobic granules), the differences in EPS fingerprints are mainly due to differences in the absorbance of the chromatographic peaks, linked to EPS molecules content and composition. The EPS fingerprint changes significantly when the EPS originate from another type of anaerobic sludges. In addition, EPS fingerprints were affected by the extraction method used (centrifugation only; heat and centrifugation or cationic exchange resin and centrifugation). This phenomenon was observed mainly for the largest and smallest molecules and molecules which display interactions with column packing.     

Effects of ecological factors on the survival and physiology of Ralstonia solanacearum bv. 2 in irrigation water.

The fate of Ralstonia solanacearum bv. 2, the causative agent of brown rot in potato, in aquatic habitats of temperate climate regions is still poorly understood. In this study, the population dynamics and the physiological response of R. solanacearum bv. 2 were tested in sterile pure water and in agricultural drainage water obtained from waterways near potato cropping fields in The Netherlands. The behaviour of five different biovar 2 isolates in drainage water at 20 degrees C was very similar among strains. One typical isolate with consistent virulence (strain 1609) was selected for further studies. The effects of temperature, light, canal sediment, seawater salts, and the presence of competing microorganisms on the survival of strain 1609 were assessed. Moreover, the impacts of the physiological state of the inoculum and the inoculum density were analyzed. The population dynamics of strain 1609 in sterile pure water were also characterized. In sterile pure water, the fate of R. solanacearum 1609 cells depended strongly on temperature, irrespective of inoculum density or physiological state. At 4 degrees C and 44 degrees C, strain 1609 CFU numbers showed declines, whereas the strain was able to undergo several cell divisions at 12 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 28 degrees C. At 20 degrees C and 28 degrees C, repeated growth took place when the organism was serially transferred, at low inoculum density, from grown water cultures into fresh water devoid of nutrients. Both at low and high cell densities and regardless of physiological state, R. solanacearum 1609 cells persisted as culturable cells for limited periods of time in drainage water. A major effect of temperature was found, with survival being maximal at 12 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 28 degrees C. Temperatures of 4 degrees C, 36 degrees C, or 44 degrees C induced accelerated declines of the culturable cell numbers. The drainage water biota had a strong effect on survival at 12 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 28 degrees C, as the persistence of strain 1609 was significantly enhanced in sterile drainage water systems. Furthermore, there was a negative effect of incident light, in a light:dark regime, on the survival of R. solanacearum 1609 in natural drainage water. Also, levels of seawater salts realistic for drainage water in coastal areas were detrimental to strain survival. Ralstonia solanacearum 1609 showed considerable persistence in canal sediment saturated with drainage water, but died out quickly when this sediment was subjected to drying. Evidence was obtained for the conversion of R. solanacearum 1609 cells to nonculturable cells in water microcosms kept at 4 degrees C, but not in those kept at 20 degrees C. A substantial fraction of the cells found to be nonculturable were still viable, as evidenced by the direct viable count and by staining with the redox dye 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride. The potential occurrence of viable-but-nonculturable cells in natural waters poses a problem for the detection of R. solanacearum by cultivation-based methods.     

Highly virulent strains of Pseudomonas solanacearum that are defective in extracellular-polysaccharide production

Extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) has long been regarded as one of the most important factors involved in wilting of plants by Pseudomonas solanacearum. By means of transposon Tn5 mutagenesis, we have isolated a class of mutants that have an afluidal colony morphology but retain the ability to cause severe wilting and death of tobacco plants. One such mutant, KD700, was studied in detail. By marker exchange mutagenesis, the altered colony morphology was shown to be the result of a single Tn5 insertion in a 14.3-kilobase EcoRI fragment. This defect could be corrected by introducing a homologous clone from a cosmid library of the wild-type, parental strain K60. The Tn5-containing fragment was introduced into other P. solanacearum wild-type strains by marker exchange, and these altered strains had the same afluidal phenotype as KD700. N-Acetylgalactosamine (GalNac), the major constituent of EPS of all wild-type strains of P. solanacearum, was not detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of vascular fluids from wilting plants infected by KD700. In contrast, GalNac was readily detected in similar fluids of plants infected by K60. Polysaccharides extracted from culture filtrates of KD700 contained approximately one-fifth of the GalNac present in polysaccharides from K60. No differences in growth rates in culture or in planta between the mutant and the parental strains were observed. Since strains that are deficient in EPS production can remain highly virulent to tobacco, we conclude that EPS, or at least its GalNac-containing component, may not be required for disease development by P. solanacearum.     

Polysaccharides of the cellular slime mold II. Change of intra- and extracellular polysaccharides during growth phase of Dictyostelium discoideum NC-4

The three intra- and extracellular polysaccharide fractions were isolated during the growth phase of Dictyostelium discoideum NC-4, and the change in content of component sugars of four fractions during the culture period was examined. Myxamoebae most extensively contain a polysaccharide fraction extracted with phenol-water (polysaccharide fraction I) in a quantity of about 15–23% per dry cell. After 15 h the uronic acid formed in the polysaccharide fraction I, and the cell, could be aggregated. The glucosamine content in the polysaccharide fraction I reached a maximum as the myxamoebae entered the exponential phase, and a large amount of galactose was produced as the cell entered the stationary phase. The phenol-water extract from the cells of the stationary phase was reacted with concanavalin-A.     

Stimulating effect of pancreatic DNase on Bacillus subtilis growth as a function of the physiologic properties of the inoculation culture

The stimulating effect of pancreatic DNAse on Bacillus subtilis growth was studied in relation to the content of "slowly growing" cells in the inoculation culture in the phase of decelerated growth. Three cell fractions of B. subtilis were obtained using the stepwise separation of the population in terms of buoyant density in the phase of decelerated growth. In contrast to fractions II and III, fraction I contained cells with decelerated growth, competent, permeable to exogenous DNAase I, and sensitive to the action of this enzyme. The faster growth of bacterial cells in fraction I was shown to be associated with the shorter lag period of these cells having a longer generation time.     

Novel acetylated alpha-cyclosophorotridecaose produced by Ralstonia solanacearum

Alpha-cyclosophorotridecaose (alpha-C13) produced by Ralstonia solanacearum is isolated by trichloroacetic acid treatment and subjected to various chromatographic techniques. Here, we report for the first time that R. solanacearum produces acetylated alpha-C13. Structural analyses of the acetylated alpha-C13 were performed with 1D or 2D NMR spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF MS and HPLC. The results show that the alpha-C13 is substituted by mainly one acetyl residue at the C-6 position of the glucose unit.     

Biochemical characterization of extracellular polymeric substances extracted from an intertidal mudflat using a cation exchange resin

The biochemical characterization of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) excreted in a European intertidal mudflat (Marennes–Oléron Bay) was performed. Experiments were carried out for the first time in situ, by using an improved extraction recently developed. This innovative procedure, using a cation exchange resin (Dowex), allows separating precisely different fractions of EPS, especially pure bound EPS. Moreover, it avoids the contamination of EPS fractions by residual and intracellular polymers, enabling to properly estimate polymeric contents in each fraction. The results were partly similar to conventional results described in the literature and the amount of colloidal carbohydrates (146 μg/g of dry sediment) extracted by the Dowex method fitted well with different EPS estimation in European mudflats. Colloidal carbohydrates were essentially composed of glucose (>50%), a carbon source rapidly consumed by the various communities in the sediment. Pure bound carbohydrates were composed of specific carbohydrates (28% rhamnose, 22% xylose). Residual fractions, considered as containing some refractory bound EPS and mostly other internal polymeric substances, presented a more varied composition rich in carbohydrates: galacturonic acid (20%), mannose (19.5%), glucose (19%), arabinose (15%), xylose (8%), galactose (7%).     

Quantitative immunofluorescence of regulated eps gene expression in single cells of Ralstonia solanacearum.

Ralstonia solanacearum, a phytopathogenic bacterium, uses an environmentally sensitive and complex regulatory network to control expression of multiple virulence genes. Part of this network is an unusual autoregulatory system that produces and senses 3-hydroxypalmitic acid methyl ester. In culture, this autoregulatory system ensures that expression of virulence genes, such as those of the eps operon encoding biosynthesis of the acidic extracellular polysaccharide, occurs only at high cell density (>10(7) cells/ml). To determine if regulation follows a similar pattern within tomato plants, we first developed a quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF) method that measures the relative amount of a target protein within individual bacterial cells. For R. solanacearum, QIF was used to determine the amount of beta-galactosidase protein within wild-type cells containing a stable eps-lacZ reporter allele. When cultured cells were examined to test the method, QIF accurately detected both low and high levels of eps gene expression. QIF analysis of R. solanacearum cells recovered from stems of infected tomato plants showed that expression of eps during pathogenesis was similar to that in culture. These results suggest that there are no special signals or conditions within plants that override or short-circuit the regulatory processes observed in R. solanacearum in culture. Because QIF is a robust, relatively simple procedure that uses generally accessible equipment, it should be useful in many situations where gene expression in single bacterial cells must be determined.