PCR-酶切技术快速鉴定军团菌

[目的]建立一种新型的军团菌鉴定方法,并探讨该法在鉴定环境水源和临床标本军团菌菌株中的应用价值.[方法]根据军团菌16S rRNA基因保守序列设计引物,以分离培养得到的可疑军团菌菌株作为模板,采用PCR法对模板扩增,并用限制性内切酶对PCR产物进行酶切分析,建立一种嗜肺军团菌及非嗜肺军团菌的鉴定方法.对16株嗜肺军团菌、22株非嗜肺军团菌及12株其他细菌标准菌株进行检测,验证该方法的可靠性,最后用该法检测广州地区分离的169株可疑军团菌菌株并进行基因测序.[结果]该PCR方法检测嗜肺军团菌及非嗜肺军团菌所有标准菌株均为阳性,非军团菌检测结果均为阴性;进一步的Hinf Ⅰ酶切分析可准确的区分嗜肺军团菌标准菌株;广州地区分离的169株可疑军团菌菌株经该法检测发现160株为军团菌,其中79株为嗜肺军团菌,与基因测序检测结果一致.[结论]PCR-酶切技术可快速、特异地检测军团菌及嗜肺军团菌,适用于环境水源和临床标本可疑军团菌菌株的检测.     

聚合酶链反应-单链构型多态性检测细胞壁缺陷型淋病奈瑟菌cppB基因变异

目的：检测与分析淋病奈瑟菌L型的cppB基因,探讨细胞壁缺陷对淋病奈瑟菌cppB基因的影响。方法：用青霉素诱导淋病奈瑟菌成为L型并获得稳定L型纯培养物,用cppB基因特异性引物以聚合酶链反应(PCR)检测稳定L型纯培养物的cppB基因和进行单链构型多态性(SSCP)分析。结果：淋病奈瑟菌的细菌型及其L型都具有cppB基因扩增产物,但PCR—SSCP分析可见异常泳动DNA带型(细菌型有2条带、L型有3条带)。结论：细胞壁缺陷淋病奈瑟菌仍然具有cppB基因,但其碱基序列可以发生改变。     

现代生物技术在环境微生物学中的应用:Ⅱ.聚合酶链反应

这是现代生物技术在环境微生物学中的应用系列综述文章的第二篇 ,讨论聚合酶链反应。这篇文章包含PCR步骤 ,特异基因的PCR检出 ,逆转录酶PCR ,综合细胞培养PCR ,多重PCR和半嵌套式PCR和PCR指纹法。     

逆转录-聚合酶链反应快速检测柯萨奇B病毒

在柯萨奇B3病毒RNA5＇端非编码区选择并合成引物,用RT－PCR对我省苍山县23份无菌性脑炎患者的粪便标本进行检测,并与常规病毒分离、培养、鉴定进行了平行比较。两种检测结果基本一致。     

应用聚合酶链反应对我国不同来源肾综合征出血热病霉的型别分析

应用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）,对分离自不同地区、不同宿主来源的２６株肾综合征出血热病毒进行了分型,其中包括４个型别的国际标准株,用异硫氰酸胍－酚－氯仿方法从感染的Ｖｅｒｏ－Ｅ６细胞中提取总ＲＮＡ,设计了５对寡核苷酸引物,一对为汉坦病毒特异性引物;４对为不同型特异性引物。ＰＣＲ分型表明,２６株中除１株Ｒｒ可同时被汉坦（ＨＹＮ）和Ｓｅｏｕｌ（ＳＥＯ）两型特异性引物扩增外,其余２５株分别只被４个型别引物中的一个所扩增,依次为ＨＴＮ１６株,ＳＥＯ７株,Ｐｕｕｍａｌａ（ＰＵＵ）１株,ＰｒｏｓｐｅｃｔＨｉｌｌ（ＰＨ）１株。ＰＣＲ分型的结果与空斑减少中和试验完全一致,表明ＰＣＲ可以对肾综合征出血热病毒准成分型。应用限制性内切酶分析了扩增产物,结果与理论基本一致,证实了扩增产物的特异性。     

逆转录-聚合酶链反应快速检测柯萨奇B病毒

在柯萨奇B3病毒RNA5＇端非编码区选择并合成引物,用RT－PCR对我省苍山县23份无菌性脑炎患者的粪便标本进行检测,并与常规病毒分离、培养、鉴定进行了平行比较。两种检测结果基本一致。     

肠道病毒71型和柯萨奇病毒A16型多重反转录聚合酶链反应的建立及初步应用

本文旨在建立一种快速、高效的方法检测肠道病毒71型（EV71）和柯萨奇病毒A16型(CA16)的方法,以用于儿童手足口病的病原学监测。通过设计肠道病毒通用引物和CA16与EV71的型特异性引物,建立不同引物浓度配比及两阶段退火温度以提高检测敏感性和特异性的多重反转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）方法,并对首都儿科研究所附属儿童医院2010年3~10月收集的371例手足口病患儿共381份临床标本同时进行病毒分离和核酸检测。结果显示,本研究建立的多重RT-PCR方法对CA16和EV71的最低模板检测浓度分别为5.32 pg/ml和0.64 pg/ml,反应特异度为100%。应用该方法检测381份手足口病临床标本的总阳性率为78.4%,其中CA16与EV71的检测阳性率分别为32.6%和35.8%,二者检测阳性比为1:1.1。以病毒分离为标准,多重RT-PCR对CA16及EV71检测的准确率分别为95.2%和98.6%。因此,本研究新建立的多重RT-PCR方法准确、简便,适用于较大量样本的手足口病病原学监测。2010年引起北京地区儿童手足口病的主要病原为CA16和EV71。     

聚合酶链反应(PCR)法检测产β-溶血素嗜水气单胞菌

嗜水气单胞菌(A.hydrophila Stanier下略为Ah)隶属弧菌科气单胞菌属,分布广泛,是鱼类、两栖类、爬行类和哺乳类的致病菌。一般认为Ah的致病机理与其产生的毒素密切相关,尤其是溶血素1-5。作者推测采用PCR法检测β-溶血素基因也能用于确认鱼类的致病菌株。本文根据鱼源Ah卜溶血素基因序列设计了两对引物,用Nested-PCR法证实了我国鱼源Ah流行株亦存在卜溶血素的基因后,探讨了应用PCR法检测产卜溶血素Ah的方法及其灵敏度。       

逆转录-聚合酶链反应在乙型脑炎减毒活疫苗生物反应罐清洁验证中的应用

为了对乙型脑炎减毒活疫苗生物反应罐清洁后乙型脑炎病毒(JEV)检测方法进行探讨,从GenBank中收录的乙型脑炎病毒的E蛋白基因序列设计一对引物,以乙型脑炎减毒株SA14-14-2培养物提取RNA作为模板,进行逆转录和PCR扩增。结果表明乙型脑炎减毒株SA14-14-2扩增出预期的特异性条带,阴性对照没有扩增出任何条带。聚合酶链反应与血吸附试验比较,有灵敏、快速、稳定性的特点,可用于生物反应罐清洁后乙型脑炎残留病毒的检测。     

Evaluation of Legionella pneumophila contamination in Italian hotel water systems by quantitative real‐time PCR and culture methods

Aims: This study was designed to define the extent of water contamination by Legionella pneumophila of certain Italian hotels and to compare quantitative real‐time PCR with the conventional culture method. Methods and Results: Nineteen Italian hotels of different sizes were investigated. In each hotel three hot water samples (boiler, room showers, recycling) and one cold water sample (inlet) were collected. Physico‐chemical parameters were also analysed. Legionella pneumophila was detected in 42% and 74% of the hotels investigated by the culture method and by real‐time PCR, respectively. In 21% of samples analysed by the culture method, a concentration of >10⁴ CFU l^?1 was found, and Leg. pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from 10·5% of the hotels. The presence of Leg. pneumophila was significantly influenced by water sample temperature, while no association with water hardness or residual‐free chlorine was found. Conclusions: This study showed a high percentage of buildings colonized by Leg. pneumophila. Moreover, real‐time PCR proved to be sensitive enough to detect lower levels of contamination than the culture method. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study indicates that the Italian hotels represent a possible source of risk for Legionnaires’ disease and confirms the sensitivity of the molecular method. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate Legionella contamination in Italian hotels using real‐time PCR and culture methods.     

Molecular epidemiology of Legionella pneumophilia serogroup 1 by ribotyping with a non-radioactive probe and PCR fingerprinting

Abstract Hybridization with acetylaminofluorene-labelled 16 + 23 S rRNA from Escherichia coli was used to detect DNA polymorphism among Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 isolates. Isolates from unrelated patients showed at least four different rRNA restriction patterns, whereas those from related patients showed a single pattern. Amplification of genomic regions with an arbitrary primer by polymerase chain reaction was used to further analyze the isolates. Related isolates showed closely related patterns while unrelated isolates displayed six distinct patterns. We could differentiate the majority of unrelated isolates with the combination of the patterns obtained with the ribotyping and the PCR fingerprinting, while strains from the same outbreak remained highly related. The ribotyping and the PCR fingerprinting are proposed as useful and easy to perform epidemiological markers of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 infection.     

Distribution of legionellae in a hospital water system: prevalence of immunologically and genetically related Legionella pneumophila serogroup 6 isolates

A hospital warm water system was monitored for the presence and distribution of legionellae. Subtyping of ten selected Legionella pneumophila isolates, originating from four different sites in the system by using serogroup specific antisera in an indirect immunofluorescence test, revealed that nine of the ten isolates belong to serogroup 6, while the remaining one was serogroup 10. Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for a subgroup of serogroup 6 strains were further used for characterization. None of the strains reacted with these mAbs. Genome analysis by elaborating NotI profiles using the pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) technique revealed that nearly all serogroup 6 isolates derived from different sites, including a new building connected by a ring pipe, were identical according to restriction fragment patterns. The patterns were distinguishable from those of the two L. pneumophila serogroup 6 reference strains, and from that of the L. pneumophila serogroup 10 isolate. These data argue for a relatively homogeneous L. pneumophila serogroup 6 population in the entire water system.     

Quantification of viable Legionella pneumophila cells using propidium monoazide combined with quantitative PCR

One of the greatest challenges of implementing fast molecular detection methods as part of Legionella surveillance systems is to limit detection to live cells. In this work, a protocol for sample treatment with propidium monoazide (PMA) in combination with quantitative PCR (qPCR) has been optimized and validated for L. pneumophila as an alternative of the currently used time-consuming culture method. Results from PMA-qPCR were compared with culture isolation and traditional qPCR. Under the conditions used, sample treatment with 50 μM PMA followed by 5 min of light exposure were assumed optimal resulting in an average reduction of 4.45 log units of the qPCR signal from heat-killed cells. When applied to environmental samples (including water from cooling water towers, hospitals, spas, hot water systems in hotels, and tap water), different degrees of correlations between the three methods were obtained which might be explained by different matrix properties, but also varying degrees of non-culturable cells. It was furthermore shown that PMA displayed substantially lower cytotoxicity with Legionella than the alternative dye ethidium monoazide (EMA) when exposing live cells to the dye followed by plate counting. This result confirmed the findings with other species that PMA is less membrane-permeant and more selective for the intact cells. In conclusion, PMA-qPCR is a promising technique for limiting detection to intact cells and makes Legionella surveillance data substantially more relevant in comparison with qPCR alone. For future research it would be desirable to increase the method's capacity to exclude signals from dead cells in difficult matrices or samples containing high numbers of dead cells.     

Direct amplification and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal DNA of an intracellular Legionella species recovered by amoebal enrichment from the sputum of a patient with pneumonia

DNA coding for the 16S rRNA of an intracellular bacterium was directly amplified from lysed cells of a host amoebae using the polymerase chain reaction and primers specific for eubacteria. The amoebae had been used to recover an uncultured bacterium observed in the sputum of a patient with pneumonia. The amplified DNA was sequenced directly and compared with published 16S rRNA sequences. The analysis revealed that the intracellular bacterium is a member of the genus Legionella and that it is different from species, including L. pneumophila, for which 16S ribosomal RNA sequence data are available.     

Analysis of environmental Escherichia coli isolates for virulence genes using the TaqMan PCR system

AIMS: To assess the presence of virulence genes in environmental and foodborne Escherichia coli isolates using the TaqMan PCR system. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three TaqMan pathogen detection kits called O157:H7, StxI and StxII were used to investigate the presence of virulence genes in Escherichia coli isolates. All 54 foodborne E. coli O157:H7 isolates showed expected results using these kits. Ninety (15%) of 604 environmental isolates gave positive amplification with an O157:H7-specific kit. TaqMan PCR amplification products from these 90 isolates were analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis, and 90% (81 of 90) of the environmental samples contained the expected PCR product. Sixty-six of these 90 were chosen for serotyping tests and only 35% (23 of 66) showed agglutination with both anti-O157 and anti-H7 antibodies. Further ribotyping of 16 sero-positive isolates in an automated Riboprinter did not identify these to be O157:H7. Multiplex PCR with primers for eaeA, stxI and stxII genes was used to confirm the TaqMan results in 10 selected environmental isolates. CONCLUSIONS: All three TaqMan pathogen detection kits were useful for virulence gene analysis of prescreened foodborne O157:H7 isolates, while the O157:H7-specific kit may not be suitable for virulence gene analysis of environmental E. coli isolates, because of high false positive identification. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The ability to rapidly identify the presence of pathogenic E. coli in food or environmental samples is essential to avert outbreaks. These results are of importance to microbiologists seeking to use TaqMan PCR to rapidly identify pathogenic E. coli in environmental samples. Furthermore, serotyping may not be a reliable method for identification of O157:H7 strains.     

Characterization of horse spleen apoferritin reactive lysines by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry combined with enzymatic digestion

Ferritins are a class of iron storage protein spheres found mainly in the liver and spleen, which have attracted many research interests due to their unique structural features and biological properties. Recently, ferritin and apoferritin (ferritin devoid of the iron core), have been employed as chemically addressable nanoscale building blocks for functional materials development. However, the reactive residues of apoferritin or ferritin have never been specified and it is still unclear about the chemoselectivity of apoferritin towards different kinds of bioconjugation reagents. In this work, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry combined with enzymatic digestion analysis was used to identify the reactive lysine residues of horse spleen apoferritin when conjugated with N-hydroxysuccinimide reagents. The result demonstrated that among all the lysine residues, K97, K83, K104, K67 and K143 are the reactive ones that can be addressed.     

Identification of age-dependently expressed genes in mouse liver by differential display–PCR analysis

The aim of this study was to identify genes expressed in an age-dependent manner in mouse (Mus musculus) liver. To search for age-dependently expressed genes, we used a fluorescence differential display–PCR (FDD–PCR) technique on total RNA extracted from mouse livers collected at seven different developmental stages. All differentially expressed cDNAs detected by FDD–PCR were reamplified, subcloned and sequenced, and six genes were confirmed to show age-dependent expression by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Nucleotide sequence analyses showed that four of them had high homology with known genes (mitochondrial DNA, cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase, cell division cycle 2-like 5 and complement component 8 alpha polypeptide), and two with expressed sequence tags of unknown genes. The FDD–PCR technique was effective for detecting novel age-dependently expressed genes, and also for newly characterizing individual expression patterns of known genes. The age-dependent expression patterns of known genes revealed in this study may provide an opportunity to investigate the unknown physiological roles of the proteins they encode.