Epsilon-toxin plasmids of Clostridium perfringens type D are conjugative

Isolates of Clostridium perfringens type D produce the potent epsilon-toxin (a CDC/U.S. Department of Agriculture overlap class B select agent) and are responsible for several economically significant enterotoxemias of domestic livestock. It is well established that the epsilon-toxin structural gene, etx, occurs on large plasmids. We show here that at least two of these plasmids are conjugative. The etx gene on these plasmids was insertionally inactivated using a chloramphenicol resistance cassette to phenotypically tag the plasmid. High-frequency conjugative transfer of the tagged plasmids into the C. perfringens type A strain JIR325 was demonstrated, and the resultant transconjugants were shown to act as donors in subsequent mating experiments. We also demonstrated the transfer of "unmarked" native epsilon-toxin plasmids into strain JIR325 by exploiting the high transfer frequency. The transconjugants isolated in these experiments expressed functional epsilon-toxin since their supernatants had cytopathic effects on MDCK cells and were toxic in mice. Using the widely accepted multiplex PCR approach for toxin genotyping, these type A-derived transconjugants were genotypically type D. These findings have significant implications for the C. perfringens typing system since it is based on the toxin profile of each strain. Our study demonstrated the fluid nature of the toxinotypes and their dependence upon the presence or absence of toxin plasmids, some of which have for the first time been shown to be conjugative.     

Sequencing and diversity analyses reveal extensive similarities between some epsilon-toxin-encoding plasmids and the pCPF5603 Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin plasmid

Clostridium perfringens type B and D isolates produce epsilon-toxin, the third most potent clostridial toxin. The epsilon-toxin gene (etx) is plasmid borne in type D isolates, but etx genetics have been poorly studied in type B isolates. This study reports the first sequencing of any etx plasmid, i.e., pCP8533etx, from type B strain NCTC8533. This etx plasmid is 64.7 kb, carries tcp conjugative transfer genes, and encodes additional potential virulence factors including beta2-toxin, sortase, and collagen adhesin but not beta-toxin. Interestingly, nearly 80% of pCP8533etx open reading frames (ORFs) are also present on pCPF5603, an enterotoxin-encoding plasmid from type A isolate F5603. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and overlapping PCR indicated that a pCP8533etx-like etx plasmid is also present in most, if not all, other type B isolates and some beta2-toxin-positive, cpe-negative type D isolates, while other type D isolates carry different etx plasmids. Sequences upstream of the etx gene vary between type B isolates and some type D isolates that do not carry a pCP8533etx-like etx plasmid. However, nearly all type B and D isolates have an etx locus with an upstream IS1151, and those etx loci typically reside near a dcm ORF. These results suggest that pCPF5603 and pCP8533etx evolved from insertion of mobile genetic elements carrying enterotoxin or etx genes, respectively, onto a common progenitor plasmid.     

Multiplex PCR assay for toxinotyping Clostridium perfringens isolates obtained from Finnish broiler chickens

AIMS: The aim of the study was to determine the presence of genes coding for alpha (cpa), beta (cpb), epsilon (etx), iota (iA) and enterotoxin (cpe) from Clostridium perfringens broiler chicken isolates, using multiplex PCR assay established in the study. METHODS AND RESULTS: The multiplex PCR assay was shown to be specific when tested with 10 C. perfringens strains representing different toxin types, and 15 strains of other bacterial species. All 118 broiler chicken C. perfringens isolates were shown to carry the cpa gene but not cpb, etx, iap or cpe genes, signifying that all isolates represented type A and were cpe-negative. CONCLUSIONS: The assay established in the study enables the simultaneous detection of the major toxin genes and the cpe gene from C. perfringens isolates. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The present study offers a new primer pair for detecting cpa, combined with a multiplex PCR assay. In addition, the study provides data of the presence of different toxin genes in C. perfringens isolates obtained from broiler chickens.     

Virulotypes of Bacillus anthracis strains isolated in Poland

Bacillus anthracis--the causative agent of anthrax--possesses several virulence genes located in the chromosome as well as in two B. anthracis virulence plasmids: pXO1 and pXO2. In the presented study, we determined occurrence of six virulence markers located in the virulence plasmids (capA, capB, capC, pagA, lef and cya) for capsule and toxin production together with virulence-associated gene gerXA and chromosomal gene sap, which are responsible for germination and S-layer biosynthesis respectively. Fourteen strains of B. anthracis isolated in Poland and belonging to five different MLVA genotypes were analyzed by PCR for presence of the aforementioned genes. Two virulotypes were found in tested strains. The only variation was absence of capA, capB and capC due to a lack of pXO2.     

Expression and purification of functional Clostridium perfringens alpha and epsilon toxins in Escherichia coli

The alpha and epsilon toxins are 2 of the 4 major lethal toxins of the pathogen Clostridium perfringens. In this study, the expression of the epsilon toxin (etx) gene of C. perfringens was optimized by replacing rare codons with high-frequency codons, and the optimized gene was synthesized using overlapping PCR. Then, the etx gene or the alpha-toxin gene (cpa) was individually inserted into the pTIG-Trx expression vector with a hexahistidine tag and a thioredoxin (Trx) to facilitate their purification and induce the expression of soluble proteins. The recombinant alpha toxin (rCPA) and epsilon toxin (rETX) were highly expressed as soluble forms in the recipient Escherichia coli BL21 strain, respectively. The rCPA and rETX were purified using Ni(2+)-chelating chromatography and size-exclusion chromatography. And the entire purification process recovered about 40% of each target protein from the starting materials. The purified target toxins formed single band at about 42kDa (rCPA) or 31kDa (rETX) in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and their functional activity was confirmed by bioactivity assays. We have shown that the production of large amounts of soluble and functional proteins by using the pTIG-Trx vector in E. coli is a good alternative for the production of native alpha and epsilon toxins and could also be useful for the production of other toxic proteins with soluble forms.     

Evaluation of clonality in enterococci isolated in Brazil carrying Tn1546-like elements associated with vanA plasmids

Fifty-one vancomycin-resistant enterococci samples isolated from different geographic regions in Brazil were studied. All the isolates harboured the vanA gene as demonstrated by PCR analysis, and in a majority of strains the gene was associated with a transferable plasmid of 70 kb. A single variant of the prototype Tn1546 associated with common transferable vanA-containing plasmids has spread among the enterococcal strains circulating in Brazil. The VanA element integrity in these enterococci strains and the different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns suggest horizontal transmission of the vancomycin resistance transposon in Brazilian strains.     

地衣芽孢杆菌高温α-淀粉酶异源表达研究

目的：以地衣芽孢杆菌高温α-淀粉酶基因（amyL）为报告基因,构建含不同启动子的枯草杆菌表达载体,转化枯草杆菌,并对重组菌的酶活进行分析,比较不同启动子对amyL基因在枯草杆菌中表达的影响。方法：以高温α-淀粉酶高产菌株B.licheniformis0204染色体DNA为模板,PCR扩增得到amyL并分别与PQ启动子和P43启动子进行连接构建表达载体pUB-PQ-amyL和pUB-P43-amyL,化学法转化枯草杆菌1A717,筛选得到重组转化子后对重组菌的表达产物进行SDS-PAGE和酶活检测。结果：重组菌摇瓶发酵105h后测定高温α-淀粉酶酶活,B.subtilis1A717（pUB-PQ-amyL）的最高酶活为280.1U/mL,B.subtilis1A717（pUB-P43-amyL）的最高酶活为190.5U/mL。结论：PQ启动子调控的高温α-淀粉酶最高表达水平是P43启动子调控的最高表达水平的1.47倍,说明PQ启动子能使amyL基因在枯草杆菌中更高效地表达。     

解淀粉芽胞杆菌关键酶基因过表达对鸟苷积累的影响

【目的】研究鸟苷生物合成途径中的3个关键酶编码基因(prs,purF,guaB)过表达对解淀粉芽胞杆菌(Bacillus amyloliquefaciens)发酵生产鸟苷的影响。【方法】利用穿梭表达载体PBE43,构建含有prs、purF和guaB基因的单独表达载体和prs、purF基因的串联表达载体,将它们分别转入鸟苷生产菌B.amyloliquefaciens TA208后,通过实时定量PCR测定各工程菌株内相关基因的转录水平;通过酶活检测分析关键酶基因扩增对肌苷酸脱氢酶活性的影响;通过摇瓶发酵实验考察工程菌株与对照菌株的生长、耗糖和鸟苷积累情况。【结果】转录分析结果表明prs、purF和guaB基因过表达的同时都伴随着自身转录水平的显著上调。与此同时,prs和purF基因单独表达均轻微下调了嘌呤操纵子的转录水平,但是guaB基因的过表达并不影响嘌呤操纵子和prs基因的转录。酶活分析结果表明prs和purF基因扩增并不影响肌苷酸脱氢酶的活性,guaB基因的扩增使其活性提高了126%。摇瓶发酵实验发现prs和purF基因的单独过表达均未促进宿主菌合成鸟苷,而含guaB基因过表达载体的工程菌鸟苷产量较出发菌株提高20.7%。将prs和purF基因串联表达后,鸟苷产量提高14.4%,糖苷转化率增加6.8%。【结论】过表达guaB基因能够大幅提高鸟苷产量,而prs和purF基因只有实现协同表达才能对宿主菌积累鸟苷产生积极影响,为通过代谢工程技术提高鸟苷产量奠定了研究基础。     

PCR random mutagenesis into Escherichia coli serine acetyltransferase: isolation of the mutant enzymes that cause overproduction of L-cysteine and L-cystine due to the desensitization to feedback inhibition.

PCR random mutagenesis in the cysE gene encoding Escherichia coli serine acetyltransferase was employed to isolate the mutant enzymes that, due to a much less feedback inhibition by L-cysteine, cause overproduction of L-cysteine and L-cystine in the recombinant strains. The L-cysteine auxotrophic and non-utilizing E. coli strain was transformed with plasmids having the altered cysE genes. Then, several transformants overproducing L-cysteine were selected by detecting the halo formation of the L-cysteine auxotroph. The production test of amino acids and analysis of the catalytic property on the mutant enzymes suggest that the carboxy-terminal region of serine acetyltransferase plays an important role in the desensitization to feedback inhibition and the high level production of L-cysteine and L-cystine.     

假单胞菌M18中藤黄绿菌素合成限速酶基因的鉴定及表达优化

【目的】假单胞菌株M18中负责抗真菌剂藤黄绿菌素(Plt)合成的结构基因包括pltLABCDEFG、pltM。为了鉴定Plt合成限速酶的基因,分别将9个结构基因过表达。【方法】以M18菌株染色体DNA为模板,PCR扩增这9个Plt合成基因的编码区,分别克隆到穿梭载体pME6032的tac启动子下游,构建9个结构基因的过表达载体,并转入假单胞菌株M18中。在KMB培养基中进行Plt发酵分析。【结果】分别携带pltC、pltD、pltF过表达载体的菌株与携带空质粒的菌株相比,Plt产量分别提高了96%、78%、75%。对重组菌株进行IPTG诱导浓度和诱导时间的优化,确定IPTG最佳诱导浓度为1.0 mmol/L,最佳诱导时间为培养6 h。【结论】pltC、pltD、pltF分别编码的Ⅰ型聚酮合成酶、卤化酶、乙酰CoA合成酶可能为Plt生物合成的限速酶。按照优化条件发酵,携带pltD、pltF过表达质粒的菌株产量分别上升77.5%、159.1%。     

Detection and characterization of broad-host-range plasmids in environmental bacteria by PCR.

Primer systems for PCR amplification of different replicon-specific DNA regions were designed on the basis of published sequences for plasmids belonging to the incompatibility (Inc) groups IncP, IncN, IncW, and IncQ. The specificities of these primer systems for the respective Inc groups were tested with a collection of reference plasmids belonging to 21 different Inc groups. Almost all primer systems were found to be highly specific for the reference plasmid for which they were designed. In addition, the primers were tested with plasmids which had previously been grouped by traditional incompatibility testing to the IncN, IncW, IncP, or IncQ group. All IncQ plasmids gave PCR products with the IncQ primer systems tested. However, PCR products were obtained for only some of the IncN, IncP, and IncW group plasmids. Dot blot and Southern blot analyses of the plasmids revealed that PCR-negative plasmids also failed to hybridize with probes derived from the reference plasmids. The results indicated that plasmids assigned to the same Inc group by traditional methods might be partially or completely different from their respective reference plasmids at the DNA level. With a few exceptions, all plasmids related to the reference plasmid at the DNA level also reacted with the primer systems tested. PCR amplification of total DNA extracted directly from different soil and manure slurry samples revealed the prevalence of IncQ- and IncP-specific sequences in several of these samples. In contrast, IncN- and IncW-specific sequences were detected mainly in DNA obtained from manure slurries.     

Screening for trbB- and traG-like sequences by PCR for the detection of conjugative plasmids in bacterial soil isolates

The transfer regions of different conjugative plasmids show significant similarities in the genetic organization and in the amino acid sequence of some gene products, especially of proteins from the traG or trbB family. These similarities are also evident on the level of the nucleotide sequences. On the basis of conserved DNA regions we designed degenerate PCR primer pairs to detect specifically tra regions within a collection of bacterial clones isolated from an agricultural soil. Most of the potential transfer-proficient indigenous bacterial isolates were able to mobilize a derivative of the nonconjugative IncQ plasmid RSF1010 into recipient strains. With the help of the primers it should be possible to evaluate the genetic potential for horizontal gene transfer carried out by conjugative plasmids.     

Molecular typing of Clostridium perfringens isolated from turkey meat by multiplex PCR

Aims:  To determine the presence of toxin genes in 22 Clostridium perfringens isolated from turkey meat samples by molecular typing.
Methods and Results:  For this purpose, alpha ( cpa ), beta ( cpb ), beta 2 ( cpb2 ), epsilon ( etx ), iota ( iA ) and enterotoxin ( cpe ) toxin genes were analysed by multiplex PCR. All 22 turkey meat Cl. perfringens isolates were found to carry the cpa , gene but in none of the isolates cpb , etx, iap or cpe genes were detected. Results showed that all isolates represented type A and were cpe negative.
Conclusions:  Our results indicate that Cl. perfringens type A is the most common type in turkey meat. Also multiplex PCR is effective and rapid method for typing of Cl. perfringens .
Significance and Impact of the Study:  It is the first study about molecular typing of Cl. perfringens using multiplex PCR in turkey meat samples in Turkey.     

华癸中生根瘤菌质粒复制基因repC的克隆与鉴定

摘要：【目的】repC为质粒复制必需的起始蛋白基因。本研究旨在对华癸中生根瘤菌菌株HN3015及其质粒消除突变株进行repC基因的克隆和鉴定。【方法】采用通用引物RC1和RC3进行repC基因的PCR扩增,扩增产物克隆到载体pMD-18T,然后测序。利用Southern 杂交对repC基因定位。利用在线软件分析基因的序列特征,BLAST 工具进行同源性搜索;ExPASy推断其氨基酸的序列;ClustalW进行同源核苷酸和氨基酸序列的多重比较分析;PredictProtein 进行蛋白二级结构分析。【结果】     

Stable expression of the GUS reporter gene in chrysanthemum depends on binary plasmid T-DNA

Three chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora) cultivars were cocultivated with 2 Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains in combination with 4 pBIN19 derived binary plasmids, all carrying the Nosnptll selection gene and 35Sgus(intron) reporter gene. All binary plasmids transferred DNA to chrysanthemum explants but only pMOG410 gave good stable expression of GUS. This plasmid differs from the other plasmids in 2 aspects: 1) It carries a restored nptll gene and 2) the selection gene is positioned at the left border side of the reporter gene. Cocultivation with AGLO(pMOG410) yielded up to 13 GUS positive shoots per 100 explants. The presence of the gus and nptll gene in recovered shoots was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analysis.     

Prevalence of pSmeSM11a-like plasmids in indigenous Sinorhizobium meliloti strains isolated in the course of a field release experiment with genetically modified S. meliloti strains

Plasmid pSmeSM11a, residing in the indigenous Sinorhizobium meliloti strain SM11 originating from a field in Strassmoos (Bavaria, Germany), was analysed previously at the genomic level. Thirty-seven indigenous S. meliloti strains, originating from two different locations in Germany, were screened for genes identified previously on pSmeSM11a. Seven of these strains harbour accessory plasmids that are very similar to pSmeSM11a. The identified pSmeSM11a-like plasmids are c. 130-150 kb in size and possess nearly identical restriction profiles. Up to 30 genes identified previously on pSmeSM11a could be detected on these plasmids by hybridisation experiments, e.g., the nodulation genes nodP and nodQ, the ethylene level modulation gene acdS and the taurine metabolism gene tauD. A few pSmeSM11a genes were also detected on other plasmids. The reference plasmid pSmeSM11a contains a region that is similar to a segment of S. meliloti strain Rm1021 pSymA. Regions with similarity to pSymA were also detected on the aforementioned seven pSmeSM11a-like plasmids. The specifications of these regions are nearly identical to the one on pSmeSM11a and differ from Rm1021 pSymA as determined by nucleotide sequence analysis. Two further plasmids similar to pSmeSM11a completely lack the pSymA-region. Those strains carrying accessory plasmids that contain the acdS gene encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase are able to grow on 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate as the sole source of nitrogen, demonstrating functionality of the acdS gene product. About 36% of the analysed plasmids, including three pSmeSM11a-like plasmids, could be transferred to another S. meliloti recipient strain, allowing for their dissemination in S. meliloti populations.     

Protein a production in coagulase-negative or clumping factor (CF)-negative isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

The aim of study was to determine a production of proteinA in coagulase-negative Staphylococcus aureus (CNSA) or CF-negative S. aureus (CFNSA) strains. 59 CNSA and 18 CFNSA strains were isolated between 1997 and 2003 from different clinical specimens. The Protein A production was determined by immunoblotting method. The presence of protein A gene (spa) was investigated using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Two sets of phages and RFLP (Restriction Fragment Lenth Polymorphism) of coa gene method were used for typing strains. The results proved that the lack of ability of protein A production occurs more frequently in protein A-negative CFNSA strains with compare to the CNSA, which are protein A-positive for the majority of strains. Deficiencies of protein A, doesn't seem to be caused by the loss of spa gene. Protein A-negative CFNSA strains have phagotypes, RFLP and antibiotic resistant patterns which differ them from protein A-negative CNSA strains. Almost all of protein A-negative CFNSA and CNSA strains are resistant to methicillin.     

Occurrence and linkage of genes coding for resistance to sulfonamides, streptomycin and chloramphenicol in bacteria of the genera Pasteurella and Mannheimia

Twenty-three isolates of the two genera Pasteurella (P.) and Mannheimia (M.) were analysed for the presence of genes specifying resistance to sulfonamides, streptomycin, and chloramphenicol. Specific PCR assays for the detection of the genes sulII, strA and catAIII, but also for the confirmation of their physical linkage were developed. A resistance gene cluster consisting of all three genes and characterised by a PCR amplicon of 2.2 kb was detected on four different types of plasmids and also in the chromosomal DNA of seven isolates. Physically linked sulII and strA genes were detected on three different types of plasmids and in the chromosomal DNA of three isolates. Sequence analysis of the different PCR amplicons revealed that these genes were present in either the orientation sulII-strA separated by differently sized spacer sequences, or strA-sulII. A truncated strA gene preceding a sulII gene was also detected in two cases.