猪链球菌毒力因子和鉴定方法的研究进展

猪链球菌(Streptococcus suis)是一种重要的人畜共患病病原体,能够引起猪疫病,人类感染该菌可导致脑膜炎、败血症甚至死亡。鉴于其对养猪业的巨大经济影响和对公共卫生事业的威胁,关于猪链球菌的研究日益深入,即对其毒力相关蛋白和鉴定方法的研究进展做一综述。     

猪链球菌2型强毒株S.suis 05ZY和弱毒株S.suis 1940的比较转录谱分析

目的:比较猪链球菌2型强毒株S.suis 05ZY和弱毒株S.suis 1940毒力相关基因转录水平的差异,为进一步研究强毒株S.suis 05ZY毒力增强的原因提供实验基础。方法:分别提取S.suis 05ZY和S.suis 1940的RNA,反转录成cDNA并纯化,用Cy5或Cy3标记,与猪链球菌全基因组DNA芯片进行杂交,扫描芯片进行数据分析,比较二者在转录水平上的差异基因。结果:编码溶血素、精氨酸氨基肽酶的基因分别上调4.4和6.0倍,参与荚膜多糖合成的相关基因cps2H、cps2I、cps2J和一些可能的毒力相关基因ofs、dpr、SSU05₀196、SSU05₀272、SSU05₁408-1409均发生转录水平的上调。结论:溶血素、荚膜多糖、精氨酸氨基肽酶及一些可能的毒力因子在转录水平的上调很可能与S.suis 05ZY的毒力增强有关。     

Identification and characterization of four proteases produced by Streptococcus suis

Streptococcus suis is an important worldwide swine pathogen. In this study, we investigated the production of proteases by S. suis serotype 2. Proteases were identified and characterized using chromogenic and fluorogenic assays and zymography. An Arg-aminopeptidase with a molecular mass of 55 kDa was found to be both cell-associated and extracellular. Cell-associated chymotrypsin-like and caseinase activities, belonging to the serine- and metalloprotease classes respectively, were also detected. Lastly, a dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) with a molecular mass of 70 kDa was detected in both whole cells and culture supernatants of S. suis serotype 2. Arg-aminopeptidase, caseinase and DPP IV activities were detected in all strains of S. suis serotype 2 tested whereas the chymotrypsin-like activity was only detected in European virulent strains of serotype 2. The optimum pH for all four proteases was between 6 and 8, and the optimum temperature ranged from 25 to 42 degrees C. This is the first report on the production of proteases by S. suis. Further investigations will determine the possible contribution of these proteases in the pathogenicity of S. suis serotype 2.     

Studies on a murine model for evaluation of virulence of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 isolates

Five different parameters, time of incubation of the culture, type of culture medium, inoculum, strain of inbred mice, and age of mice, were tested using the LD50 technique to standardize a murine model for the evaluation of the virulence of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 isolates. A model using 28 day-old mice belonging to CF1 strain appeared to give the best results. The inoculum size was the parameter most influencing the 50% lethal dose obtained with mice. Inoculation with 1-ml volume of a bacterial suspension instead of 0.1 or 0.5 ml decreased the LD50. The standardized model was used to evaluate the virulence of some isolates of known pathogenicity for pigs. The minimum lethal dose was used in the model and it appeared that the virulence of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 isolates can be measured from highly virulent to totally avirulent.     

Allelic variation in srtAs of Streptococcus suis strains

Streptococcus suis NCTC10234 possesses five srtA homologs: srtA encodes sortase, which anchors surface proteins with an LPXTG motif to the cell wall, while the functions of the other four homologs (the srtBCD cluster and srtE) remain unknown. The genetic organization of the srtA region was found to be conserved in the 59 S. suis strains examined in this study. Although the srtAs in three of these strains showed strong sequence divergence, their functions were verified to be overlapping by genetic complementation, indicating the functional conservation of srtAs during the evolution of these strains. These results indicate the importance of an srtA-mediated cell wall sorting system for displaying proteins on the surface of S. suis.     

Epithelial invasion and cell lysis by virulent strains of Streptococcus suis is enhanced by the presence of suilysin

Streptococcus suis is an important pathogen of pigs causing arthritis, pneumonia and meningitis and is an occupational disease of farmers and those in the meat industry. As with other streptococci, both virulent and avirulent strains of S. suis are frequently carried asymptomatically in the tonsillar crypts and nasal cavities. Little is known about the process by which virulent strains cross the mucosal epithelia to generate systemic disease and whether this process requires expression of specific bacterial virulence factors. Although putative virulence factors have been postulated, no specific role in the disease process has yet been demonstrated for these factors. This study is the first demonstration that virulent strains of S. suis both invade and lyse HEp-2 cells, a continuous laryngeal epithelial cell line, and that at least one bacterial virulence factor, suilysin, is involved in this process.     

2型猪链球菌假想转运蛋白89k/pTP与毒力的相关分析

目的：构建2型猪链球菌假想转运蛋白89k/pTP的基因插入失活突变体并进行毒力相关分析。方法：首先将同源臂片段克隆到pSET4s质粒上,构建插入失活载体pSET4s-pTP,并通过对单交换的筛选获得89k/pTP的基因插入失活突变体,再用小鼠腹腔感染模型对突变株和野生株的毒力进行比较。结果：获得了89k/pTP的基因插入失活突变体,并发现其毒力与野生型相比明显下降。结论：2型猪链球菌假想转运蛋白89k/pTP与其毒力有关,其作用和机制值得进一步分析。     

猪链球菌2型疫苗研究进展

猪链球菌2型可引起人、猪急性败血型、脑膜炎型和关节炎型等传染病,致死率极高,是近年来致病性最强、危害性最大的猪链球菌类型之一。目前因该菌的致病机理不清、抗原类型复杂,限制了疫苗研究的顺利进行。当前在研的猪链球菌2型疫苗类型有死疫苗、弱毒苗、蛋白亚单位疫苗等。     

Biological activity and identification of a peptide inhibitor of LuxS from Streptococcus suis serotype 2

The virulence of bacterial communities may be regulated by mechanisms involving the synthesis of the quorum-sensing signal autoinducer 2 (AI-2), which allows both intra- and interspecies communication. AI-2 is produced in bacteria that express the gene luxS . In the present study, expressed and purified LuxS from Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) was used to catalyze the substrate S -ribosylhomocysteine in a reaction that leads to the production of AI-2. The biological activity of the in vitro synthesized AI-2 was demonstrated in a Vibrio harveyi strain BB170 bioassay; real-time PCR results showed that biosynthesis of AI-2 can increase the virulence of SS2. Phage-encoded peptides that specifically interact with the LuxS enzyme were selected following three rounds of phage display. One such peptide inhibitor (TNRHNPHHLHHV) of LuxS was shown to partially inhibit the activity of the enzyme. Furthermore, 14 peptides containing the consensus sequence HSIR showed high affinity with LuxS. The selected and characterized specific inhibitor as well as the high-affinity ligands may facilitate the identification of new vaccination targets, opening up new approaches to the development of therapeutic drugs.     

Identification of three novel in vivo-induced expressed antigens during infection with Streptococcus suis serotype 2

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) is a porcine and human pathogen with adhesive and invasive properties. The shortage of studies on the pathogenesis mechanisms of SS2 has made it very difficult to control infection with this pathogen. Three novel in vivo -induced antigens were identified using serological proteome analysis of the SS2 cell wall-associated proteins – SecA, autolysin and ZnuA – the upregulation of which in vivo relative to in vitro was shown by real-time PCR analysis. The in vivo -induced expression of znuA was also confirmed by the fact that the purified recombinant ZnuA could be recognized not by hyperimmune sera but by convalescent sera. This is, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the first report using an immunoproteomic method to identify in vivo -induced antigens of SS2.     

Vaccination with Streptococcus suis serotype 2 recombinant 6PGD protein provides protection against S. suis infection in swine

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 ( S. suis 2 or SS2) is the causative agent of several diseases in both pigs and humans. 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) is a cell surface protein in SS2. In this study, the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of recombinant 6PGD (r6PGD) from SS2 was evaluated in piglets. Immunization with an r6PGD-containing adjuvant induced a vigorous immunoglobulin G (IgG) response, with the titer of IgG2 being higher than that of IgG1. Immunization of piglets with r6PGD yielded 50% survival upon an intravenous challenge with a lethal dose of SS2. Piglets immunized with the r6PDG vaccine were better protected than those immunized with the adjuvant control. The clinical signs and histopathological changes in the piglets were recorded. Collectively, these results suggest that r6PGD can confer partial protection against SS2 infection and could be useful for the development of subunit vaccines against SS2.     

2型猪链球菌Fbps基因敲除突变体的构建及毒力分析

目的:敲除2型猪链球菌(SS2)强毒株05ZYH33中的Fbps基因,研究该基因敲除对菌株生物活性及毒力的影响,为深入探讨猪链球菌致病机制提供实验基础。方法:从05ZYH33基因组中扩增Fbps基因上、下游同源臂,从pSET1质粒中扩增氯霉素抗性基因Cm,通过重叠PCR的方法将3个片段整合后连接到温敏自杀载体pSET4s上,电转入05ZYH33感受态细胞,通过改变培养温度实现双交换和质粒丢失,最后经抗性筛选获得敲除株05ZYH33ΔFBPS,分析敲除株的生物学性状,以CD1小鼠作为体外感染模型对突变株和野生株进行毒力比较。结果:PCR分析和测序结果均显示Fbps基因敲除成功,动物实验结果显示Fbps基因敲除后05ZYH33的毒力有所下降。结论:与野生株相比,突变株对小鼠的毒力有所降低。     

Role of capsular sialic acid in virulence and resistance to phagocytosis of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2

Abstract Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 has a capsule rich in sialic acid (NANA). Sialic acid, known to be an antiphagocytic factor for many bacterial species, inhibits the activation of the alternative complement pathway. The role of capsular NANA in virulence, resistance to phagocytosis and intracellular survival of S. suis capsular type 2 was evaluated. In general, a low concentration of NANA was observed for all the S. suis strains tested. In addition, no difference could be found in NANA concentrations between strains of different virulence degrees. Sialic acid concentration increased in the virulent strain 89–1591 and the avirulent strain 90–1330 after in vivo growth with an increased capsular material thickness compared to growth in vitro. No significant difference could be found in the phagocytosis rate by porcine blood monocytes of either strain and strain 89–1591 treated with sialidase or the sialic acid-binding lectin from Sambucus nigra (SNA I). Intracellular survival of strain 89–1591 decreased after treatments with sialidase or lectin, becoming comparable to that of strain 90–1330. Finally, no difference could be seen in virulence using a murine model, even if strain 89–1591 was treated with the enzyme or the lectin. Thus, NANA does not seem to be a critical virulence factor for S. suis capsular type 2.     

Increase of capsular material thickness following in vivo growth of virulent Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains

Abstract Protein profile and capsular material thickness of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains were compared after in vitro and in vivo growth. Three virulent and one avirulent strains were used. These strains were grown in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth, cells were collected by centrifugation, resuspended in a sterile saline solution and injected in diffusion chambers. The devices were then inserted in rat abdomens for 17 h. In vitro grown strains were also inoculated into fresh BHI broth and cultivated for 17 h at 37°C. In vivo as well as in vitro grown bacteria were harvested by centrifugation, processed in a French pressure cell, treated with lysozyme and centrifuged to collect cell proteins for SDS-PAGE analysis. Transmission electron microscopy using polycationic ferritin labeling to stabilize capsular material was also carried out. No significant modification was noted in the protein profile for any strain after in vivo growth except for a 39 kDa protein of one virulent strain. On the other hand, an increase in thickness of capsular material was noted for the three in vivo grown virulent strains while no change was noted for the avirulent strain. This increase in capsular material thickness of virulent strains was accompanied by an increased resistance to killing by pig polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The capacity to produce more capsular material in vivo seems to be an attribute of some virulent S. suis serotype 2 strains.     

浙江省某猪场暴发II型猪链球菌感染及病原诊断和药敏试验

报告 2 0 0 3年秋季浙江省某猪场II型猪链球菌感染猪群的微生物学检查和药物敏感试验结果 ,以及采取的控制疫情措施及其效果。从 112头病、死猪中分离出 71株猪链球菌疑似菌株 ,经革兰染色镜检、生化反应和特异性诊断血清的玻片凝集 ,均鉴定为II型猪链球菌。上述II型猪链球菌分离株对阿莫西林等 5种抗生素敏感 ,但对庆大霉素等 7种抗生素耐药。采取饲养环境和饲料消毒、发病猪隔离、阿莫西林和环丙沙星治疗、未发病猪疫苗接种等措施 ,有效地控制了疫情 ,未发生人的感染。     

猪链球菌2型强毒株05ZYH33转录调控因子Rgg基因敲除突变体与野生株的基因表达差异分析

目的:为了解猪链球菌2型强毒株05Z33转录调控因子Rgg的调控作用,用基因芯片方法分析野生株与rgg基因敲除突变体之间的差异表达基因。方法:用猪链球菌2型全基因组序列点样制备芯片,将芯片运用于rgg敲除株与野生株的基因表达差异研究,采用定量real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)验证表达谱结果。结果:在突变体中共发现45个基因表达量变化在2倍以上,其中19个基因表达上调,26个基因表达下调。这些基因在细菌毒力、免疫抗原、DNA合成和修复、基础代谢和ABC转运系统等方面起着重要作用。结论:转录调控因子Rgg是一个全局调控因子,但rgg敲除后并不影响猪链球菌的毒力。