肠球菌感染性心内膜炎中粪肠球菌毒力因子的作用

肠球菌是革兰阳性球菌。1984年,肠球菌作为一个新的菌属从链球菌属中独立出来,即肠球菌属(enterococcus)。肠球菌营养要求较高,在含有血清的培养基上生长较好。接种血平板35℃孵育18 h后,可形成灰白色、不透明、表面光滑、直径为0.5-1 mm大小的圆形菌落,在血琼脂平板培养基上主     

苏木对粪肠球菌体外抑菌试验及其对毒力因子cylA、efaA、gelE转录表达抑制作用的初探

目的研究苏木体外对粪肠球菌的抑菌效果,并初步研究其抑菌作用是否为通过影响或干扰某些毒力因子的表达而实现的。方法采用常量肉汤稀释法确定苏木体外对粪肠球菌的最小抑菌浓度(MIC),以此判断抑菌效果,然后用RT-PCR方法检测粪肠球菌毒力因子cylA、gelE和efaA受苏木作用后的表达水平的变化。结果苏木对粪肠球菌的最小抑菌浓度为5 mg/mL,RT-PCR结果表明,毒力因子efaA、gelE的表达水平随着药物浓度的梯度增加而降低,在浓度为5 mg/mL及更高时mRNA的表达水平受到完全抑制。结论苏木体外对粪肠球菌起到了抑制作用,并对本实验所选毒力因子efaA、gelE的表达过程产生了抑制作用。     

不同分离源粪肠球菌的毒力基因比较

【背景】粪肠球菌作为一种重要的乳酸菌在食品和医药领域应用广泛。由于很多粪肠球菌为条件致病菌,因此充分了解粪肠球菌基因组中毒力基因(Virulence genes)的携带情况对合理利用该菌种有重要的意义,但目前还没有研究专门报道不同分离源粪肠球菌基因组中毒力基因的携带情况。【目的】了解不同分离源粪肠球菌毒力基因的携带情况,评估分离自自然发酵乳制品中的粪肠球菌的安全性。【方法】利用比较基因组学方法确定107株分离自乳源、血液、尿液、粪便和水源中的粪肠球菌携带毒力基因情况,使用主成分分析比较不同分离源菌株毒力基因的差异,通过卡方检验筛查出环境特异性毒力基因。【结果】在107株粪肠球菌基因组共找到88种编码不同功能蛋白的毒力基因,其中与粘附相关的毒力基因最多。同时发现乳源分离株与其他环境分离株所携带的毒力基因没有显著差异。【结论】乳源分离株中携带的毒力基因与其他环境分离株无显著差异,表明分离自自然发酵乳制品中的粪肠球菌可能同样存在致病风险,因此在食品工业中使用粪肠球菌时一定要对菌株的安全性做全面的评估。     

重庆市1264株粪肠球菌和屎肠球菌耐药性监测

【摘 要】 目的 了解2011年中国重庆市主要7所教学医院临床分离粪肠球菌和屎肠球菌对各类抗菌药物的耐药性。方法 重庆市主要7所教学医院(6所综合性医院,1所儿童医院)按统一方案、采用统一的材料、方法和判断标准(CLSI 2011年版)进行粪肠球菌和屎肠球菌的耐药性监测。数据用WHONET 5.5软件按照CLSI 2011年版折点进行分析。结果 共分离到非重复粪肠球菌589株、屎肠球菌675株,对利奈唑胺、万古霉素、替考拉宁仍极敏感,耐药率<2%,万古霉素耐药粪肠球菌和屎肠球菌检出率分别为0.3%、0.7%。粪肠球菌对青霉素、氨苄西林、呋喃妥因的耐药率较低,分别为14.8%、8.6%和5.1%,对高浓度庆大霉素的耐药率分别为46.9%;屎肠球菌耐药性明显高于粪肠球菌,对青霉素和氨苄西林耐药率接都在90％左右。儿童和成人耐药率存在一定差别。结论 本市医院肠球菌感染以屎肠球菌为主, 粪肠球菌次之,两者耐药性明显不同, 监测其耐药情况对指导临床用药具有重要意义。     

一株益生性粪肠球菌的安全性评价

目的 研究1株微生态活菌制品生产用粪肠球菌的安全性。 方法 采用目前肠球菌安全性评价主要方法,测定粪肠球菌GMCC 0460.3株的全基因组序列并分析毒力和耐药性相关基因;以生物化学方法测定其耐药性和有毒代谢产物的产生情况;经口灌胃小鼠测定其动物体内毒力。 结果 该株肠球菌对卡那霉素和磺胺类药物耐药,耐药谱窄;基因组存在多种肠球菌毒力基因;生化试验表明其溶血性阴性、氨基脱羧酶活性阴性、硝基还原酶活性较低、细胞表面疏水性较低、生物膜形成能力较弱;动物实验结果表明该株菌在小鼠体内无明显毒性作用。 结论 粪肠球菌GMCC0 460.3株实验评价的结果显示了良好的安全性。     

粪肠球菌Fsr群体感应系统的感染调控

群体感应(quorum sensing,QS)是细菌间的一种通讯方式,是控制微生物信号传递的重要机制,它使细菌能够感知周围环境中其他细菌的存在,并对其密度的变化做出快速反应,在调控基因表达和生物膜形成过程中起着重要作用。作为粪肠球菌(Enterococcus faecalis,E. faecalis)特有的Fsr QS系统,通过调控E. faecalis毒力因子及生物膜等的表达,从而引起机体的各种感染。本综述通过阐述E. faecalis Fsr QS系统在介导毒力因子的表达及生物膜的形成中的作用,为E. faecalis所引起的感染提供理论基础。     

木犀草素对哮喘小鼠转录因子GATA-3表达的影响

目的:观察木犀草素对哮喘小鼠转录因子GATA-3表达的影响.方法:将30只BALB/c小鼠随机分为正常对照组、哮喘气道重塑组、木犀草素干预组,每组10只;鸡卵清蛋白致敏和激发建立哮喘小鼠气道重塑模型;HE染色观察各组气道炎症发生及气道结构改变:采用Western blot及Real time PCR技术检测治疗前后哮喘小鼠肺组织中GATA-3蛋白和GATA.3 mRNA的表达.结果:HE染色提示哮喘组出现黏膜下层和平滑肌增厚,气道管腔狭窄,大量炎细胞浸润的表现,木犀草素组上述改变较哮喘组为轻:Westernblot结果显示哮喘组小鼠肺组织GATA-3蛋白表达较对照组为高(P＜0.01),木犀草素治疗组表达量低于哮喘组(P＜0.01).Real timePCR结果与Westernblot结果一致.结论:木犀草素干预可下调哮喘引起的GATA一3的表达;木犀草素抑制GATA-3表达可能是其缓解气道炎症的机制之一.     

粪肠球菌聚集物质的研究进展

肠球菌是近年来医院感染的重要病原菌之一,粪肠球菌和部分屎肠球菌分泌产生的聚集物质(AS)是肠球菌重要的毒力因子。聚集物质是性信息素反应质粒在性信息素反应中表达的表面连接蛋白,介导细菌间质粒的接合转移、细菌聚集黏附及细菌与真核细胞的黏附,在肠球菌毒力和抗生素耐药传递中发挥着重要作用。本文就聚集物质的致病性、生成与调控作一综述。     

木犀草素对金黄色葡萄球菌的抑菌活性及其机制

【目的】研究木犀草素对金黄色葡萄球菌的抑制活性及其机制。【方法】利用2,3,5-氯化三苯基四氮唑(TTC)染色,细胞膜渗透性测定,SDS-PAGE蛋白谱变化,4′,6-二脒基-2-苯基吲哚(DAPI)荧光染色法等对木犀草素的抑菌活性及其机制进行研究。【结果】木犀草素能影响金黄色葡萄球菌细胞膜的通透性,木犀草素作用16h,菌体可溶性蛋白总量减少64.54%,DNA含量减少48.44%,RNA含量减少39.35%,木犀草素的浓度为1.6mg/mL时,拓扑异构酶I和II的活性可完全被抑制。【结论】木犀草素有明显的抑菌活性,其抑菌机制主要是通过抑制DNA拓扑异构酶的活性,进而影响菌体核酸及蛋白质的合成来实现的。     

苏木对饥饿期粪肠球菌生物膜作用的体外研究

目的 验证中药苏木对饥饿期粪肠球菌生物膜的抑制作用.方法 建立饥饿期粪肠球菌生物膜体外模型,MTT法计算中药苏木对饥饿期粪肠球菌生物膜的抑菌率.并利用激光共聚焦显微镜(CLSM)观察药物对生物膜中粪肠球菌的影响.结果 中药苏木对饥饿期粪肠球菌生物膜的抑制作用随药物浓度增加而增加.CLSM观察见中药苏木可使饥饿期粪肠球菌生物膜内活菌比例明显下降.结论 中药苏木对饥饿期粪肠球菌生物膜具有一定抑制作用.     

Horizontal transfer of virulence genes encoded on the Enterococcus faecalis pathogenicity island

Enterococcus faecalis, a leading cause of nosocomial antibiotic resistant infections, frequently possesses a 150 kb pathogenicity island (PAI) that carries virulence determinants. The presence of excisionase and integrase genes, conjugative functions and multiple insertion sequence elements suggests that the PAI, or segments thereof, might be capable of horizontal transfer. In this report, the transfer of the E. faecalis PAI is demonstrated and a mechanism for transfer elucidated. In filter matings, chloramphenicol resistance was observed to transfer from strain MMH594b, a clinical isolate possessing the PAI tagged with a cat marker, to OG1RF (pCGC) with a frequency of 3.2 x 10(-10) per donor. Secondary transfer from primary transconjugant TCRFB1 to strain JH2SS in filter and broth matings occurred with a frequency of 1 and 2 x 10(-1) per donor respectively. Analysis of the transconjugants demonstrated that a 27,744 bp internal PAI segment was capable of excision and circularization in the donor, and is mobilized as a cointegrate with a pTEF1-like plasmid. High-frequency transfer also occurred from TCRFB1 to JH2SS during transient colonization of the mouse gastrointestinal tract. This is the first demonstration of the horizontal transfer of PAI-encoded virulence determinants in E. faecalis and has implications for genome evolution and diversity.     

Antibiotic resistance and virulence traits in clinical and environmental Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates

This study compared virulence and antibiotic resistance traits in clinical and environmental Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates. E. faecalis isolates harboured a broader spectrum of virulence determinants compared to E. faecium isolates. The virulence traits Cyl-A, Cyl-B, Cyl-M, gel-E, esp and acm were tested and environmental isolates predominantly harboured gel-E (80% of E. faecalis and 31.9% of E. faecium) whereas esp was more prevalent in clinical isolates (67.8% of E. faecalis and 70.4% of E. faecium). E. faecalis and E. faecium isolated from water had different antibiotic resistance patterns compared to those isolated from clinical samples. Linezolid resistance was not observed in any isolates tested and vancomycin resistance was observed only in clinical isolates. Resistance to other antibiotics (tetracycline, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and ampicillin) was detected in both clinical and water isolates. Clinical isolates were more resistant to all the antibiotics tested compared to water isolates. Multi-drug resistance was more prevalent in clinical isolates (71.2% of E. faecalis and 70.3% of E. faecium) compared to water isolates (only 5.7% E. faecium). tet L and tet M genes were predominantly identified in tetracycline-resistant isolates. All water and clinical isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and ampicillin contained mutations in the gyrA, parC and pbp5 genes. A significant correlation was found between the presence of virulence determinants and antibiotic resistance in all the isolates tested in this study (p<0.05). The presence of antibiotic resistant enterococci, together with associated virulence traits, in surface recreational water could be a public health risk.     

Erythromycin resistance and virulence genes in Enterococcus faecalis from swine in China

This study aims to describe the erythromycin resistance phenotypes and genotypes, and the prevalence of virulence genes of Enterococcus faecalis isolated from swine in China. A total of 117 nonreplicate E. faecalis isolates, obtained from 502 clinical samples taken from different pig farms between 2007 and 2009 were included in the study. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined using the broth microdilution method. All of the isolates were screened for the presence of seven virulence genes (ace, asa1, cylA, efaA, esp, gelE, and hyl). In addition, the DNA from rythromycin-resistant isolates were amplified with primers specific for erythromycin resistance erm(A), erm(B), erm(C), mef(A/E), and msr(C) genes. Results show that erythromycin, tylosin, and ciprofloxacin resistance rates in E. faecalis were 66.67% (n=78), 66.67% (n=78), and 64.10% (n=75), respectively. About 69.23% of isolates (n=81) were positive for gelE, 48.72% (n=57) for ace, 15.38% (n=18) for efa, 7.69% (n=9) for asa1, and 6.84% (n=8) for esp. Among the erythromycin-resistant isolates, erm(B) (n=54) was the most prevalent resistance gene, followed by erm(A) (n=37). A significant correlation was found between the presence of the gelE virulence gene and erythromycin resistance (P<0.05). These findings suggest that enterococci from swine should be regarded with caution because they can be reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes.     

Detection of virulence factors in high-level gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates from a Tunisian hospital

Phenotypic and genotypic determination of virulence factors were carried out in 46 high-level gentamicin-resistant (HLGR) clinical Enterococcus faecalis (n=34) and Enterococcus faecium (n=12) isolates recovered from different patients in La Rabta Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia, between 2000 and 2003 (all these isolates harboured the aac(6')-aph(2") gene). The genes encoding virulence factors (agg, gelE, ace, cylLLS, esp, cpd, and fsrB) were analysed by PCR and sequencing. The production of gelatinase and hemolysin, the adherence to caco-2 and hep-2 cells, and the capacity for biofilm formation were investigated in all 46 HLGR enterococci. The percentages of E. faecalis isolates harbouring virulence genes were as follows: gelE, cpd, and ace (100%); fsrB (62%); agg (56%); cylLLS (41.2%); and esp (26.5%). The only virulence gene detected among the 12 HLGR E. faecium isolates was esp (58%). Gelatinase activity was detected in 22 of the 34 E. faecalis isolates (65%, most of them with the gelE+-fsrB+ genotype); the remaining 12 isolates were gelatinase-negative (with the gelE+-fsrB- genotype and the deletion of a 23.9 kb fragment of the fsr locus). Overall, 64% of the cylLLS-containing E. faecalis isolates showed beta-hemolysis. A high proportion of our HLGR E. faecalis isolates, in contrast to E. faecium, showed moderate or strong biofilm formation or adherence to caco-2 and hep-2 cells.     

Biochemical characterization of an anti-Candida factor produced by Enterococcus faecalis

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Because Candida albicans is resistant to several antifungal antibiotics, there is a need to identify other less toxic natural products, particularly antimicrobial proteins, peptides or bacteriocin like inhibitory substances. An attempt has been made to purify and characterise an anti-Candida compound produced by Enterococcus faecalis. RESULTS: An anti-Candida protein (ACP) produced by E. faecalis active against 8 C. albicans strains was characterised and partially purified. The ACP showed a broad-spectrum activity against multidrug resistant C. albicans MTCC 183, MTCC 7315, MTCC 3958, NCIM 3557, NCIM 3471 and DI. It was completely inactivated by treatment with proteinase K and partially by pronase E. The ACP retained biological stability after heat-treatment at 90 degreesC for 20 min, maintained activity over a pH range 6-10, and remained active after treatment with alpha-amylase, lipase, organic solvents, and detergents. The antimicrobial activity of the E. faecalis strain was found exclusively in the extracellular filtrate produced in the late logarithmic growth phase. The highest activity (1600 AU mL-1) against C. albicans MTCC 183 was recorded at 48 h of incubation, and activity decreased thereafter. The peptide showed very low haemagglutination and hemolytic activities against human red blood cells. The antimicrobial substance was purified by salt-fractionation and chromatography. Partially purified ACP had a molecular weight of approximately 43 KDa in tricine-PAGE analysis. The 12 amino acid N terminal sequence was obtained by Edman degradation. The peptide was de novo sequenced by ESI-MS, and the deduced combined sequence when compared to other bacteriocins and antimicrobial peptide had no significant sequence similarity. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibitory activity of the test strain is due to the synthesis of an antimicrobial protein. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of a promising non-haemolytic anti- Candida protein from E. faecalis that might be used to treat candidiasis especially in immunocompromised patients.     

Zinc potentiates the antibacterial effects of histidine-rich peptides against Enterococcus faecalis

Antimicrobial peptides are effector molecules of the innate immune system. We have recently shown that peptides containing multiples of the heparin-binding Cardin and Weintraub motifs AKKARA and ARKKAAKA exert antimicrobial activities. Here, we show that replacement of lysine and arginine in these motifs by histidine abrogates the antibacterial effects of these peptides. Antibacterial activity of the histidine-rich peptides against the Gram-positive bacterium Enterococcus faecalis was restored by the addition of Zn2+. Fluorescence microscopy experiments showed that Zn2+ enabled binding of the histidine-rich peptides to Enterococcus faecalis bacteria. Similar Zn2+-dependent antibacterial activities were shown for histatin 5 as well as histidine-containing peptides derived from the Zn2+- and heparin-binding domain 5 of human kininogen. Thus, the results demonstrate a previously undisclosed Zn2+-dependent antibacterial activity of kininogen-derived peptides and indicate an important role for Zn2+ in regulating the antimicrobial activities of histidine-rich peptides.