Metabolic response of porcine colon explants to in vitro infection by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachyspira hyodysenteriae</Emphasis>: a leap into disease pathophysiology

Introduction

Swine dysentery caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae is a production limiting disease in pig farming. Currently antimicrobial therapy is the only treatment and control method available.

Objective

The aim of this study was to characterize the metabolic response of porcine colon explants to infection by B. hyodysenteriae.

Methods

Porcine colon explants exposed to B. hyodysenteriae were analyzed for histopathological, metabolic and pro-inflammatory gene expression changes.

Results

Significant epithelial necrosis, increased levels of l-citrulline and IL-1α were observed on explants infected with B. hyodysenteriae.

Conclusions

The spirochete induces necrosis in vitro likely through an inflammatory process mediated by IL-1α and NO.

     

Plant growth-promoting bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas fluorescens</Emphasis> FR1 secrets a novel type of extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate polymerase involved in abiotic stress response in plants

Objectives

Identification of novel microbial factors contributing to plant protection against abiotic stress.

Results

The genome of plant growth-promoting bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens FR1 contains a short mobile element encoding a novel type of extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) polymerase (PhbC) associated with a type I secretion system. Genetic analysis using a phbC mutant strain and plants showed that this novel extracellular enzyme is related to the PHB production in planta and suggests that PHB could be a beneficial microbial compound synthesized during plant adaptation to cold stress.

Conclusion

Extracellular PhbC can be used as a new tool for improve crop production under abiotic stress.

     

A versatile <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma reesei</Emphasis> expression system for the production of heterologous proteins

Objectives

To develop a versatile Trichoderma reesei (teleomorph Hypocrea jecorina) expression system for the high-purity production of heterologous proteins.

Results

The versatile T. reesei expression system is based on xyn1 and xyn2 promoters, A824V transition in XYRI, and a bicomponent carbon source strategy. Red fluorescent protein gene rfp and alkaline endoglucanase EGV gene egv3 from Humicola insolens were used as reporter genes to test our versatile expression system

Conclusions

The versatile T. reesei expression system can be applied to produce heterologous proteins with high purity and high yield.

     

Iridoid and phenylethanoid/phenylpropanoid metabolite profiles of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scrophularia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verbascum</Emphasis> species used medicinally in North America

Introduction

Botanicals containing iridoid and phenylethanoid/phenylpropanoid glycosides are used worldwide for the treatment of inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions that are primary causes of human years lived with disability, such as arthritis and lower back pain.

Objectives

We report the analysis of candidate anti-inflammatory metabolites of several endemic Scrophularia species and Verbascum thapsus used medicinally by peoples of North America.

Methods

Leaves, stems, and roots were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed in MetaboAnalyst 3.0 after processing the datasets in Progenesis QI.

Results

Comparison of the datasets revealed significant and differential accumulation of iridoid and phenylethanoid/phenylpropanoid glycosides in the tissues of the endemic Scrophularia species and Verbascum thapsus.

Conclusions

Our investigation identified several species of pharmacological interest as good sources for harpagoside and other important anti-inflammatory metabolites.

     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">massPix</Emphasis>: an R package for annotation and interpretation of mass spectrometry imaging data for lipidomics

Introduction

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) experiments result in complex multi-dimensional datasets, which require specialist data analysis tools.

Objectives

We have developed massPix—an R package for analysing and interpreting data from MSI of lipids in tissue.

Methods

massPix produces single ion images, performs multivariate statistics and provides putative lipid annotations based on accurate mass matching against generated lipid libraries.

Results

Classification of tissue regions with high spectral similarly can be carried out by principal components analysis (PCA) or k-means clustering.

Conclusion

massPix is an open-source tool for the analysis and statistical interpretation of MSI data, and is particularly useful for lipidomics applications.

     

A constitutive expression system for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis> based on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">PGK1</Emphasis> promoter

Objectives

To develop a new vector for constitutive expression in Pichia pastoris based on the endogenous glycolytic PGK1 promoter.

Results

P. pastoris plasmids bearing at least 415 bp of PGK1 promoter sequences can be used to drive plasmid integration by addition at this locus without affecting cell growth. Based on this result, a new P. pastoris integrative vector, pPICK2, was constructed bearing some features that facilitate protein production in this yeast: a ~620 bp PGK1 promoter fragment with three options of restriction sites for plasmid linearization prior to yeast transformation: a codon-optimized α-factor secretion signal, a new polylinker, and the kan marker for vector propagation in bacteria and selection of yeast transformants.

Conclusions

A new constitutive vector for P. pastoris represents an alternative platform for recombinant protein production and metabolic engineering purposes.

     

Effect of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)-induced ethylene on <Emphasis Type="Italic">cellulose synthase A</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">CesA</Emphasis>) genes in flax (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Linum usitatissimum</Emphasis> L. ‘Nike’) seedlings

Introduction

Cellulose microfibril is a major cell wall polymer that plays an important role in the growth and development of plants. The gene cellulose synthase A (CesA), encoding cellulose synthases, is involved in the synthesis of cellulose microfibrils. However, the regulatory mechanism of CesA gene expression is not well understood, especially during the early developmental stages.

Objective

To identify factor(s) that regulate the expression of CesA genes and ultimately control seedling growth and development.

Methods

The presence of cis-elements in the promoter region of the eight CesA genes identified in flax (Linum usitatissimum L. ‘Nike’) seedlings was verified, and three kinds of ethylene-responsive cis-elements were identified in the promoters. Therefore, the effect of ethylene on the expression of four selected CesA genes classified into Clades 1 and 6 after treatment with 10^?4 and 10^?3 M 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) was examined in the hypocotyl of 4–6-day-old flax seedlings.

Results

ACC-induced ethylene either up- or down-regulated the expression of the CesA genes depending on the clade to which these genes belonged, age of seedlings, part of the hypocotyl, and concentration of ACC.

Conclusion

Ethylene might be one of the factors regulating the expression of CesA genes in flax seedlings.

     

Expression and characterisation of neopullulanase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus mucosae</Emphasis>

Objectives

To clone and express a neopullulanase gene from Lactobacillus mucosae LM1 in Escherichia coli and characterise the resulting recombinant neopullulanase.

Results

An ORF in L. mucosae corresponding to a neopullulanase was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The predicted amino acid sequence of the neopullulanase contained catalytic sites and conserved motifs that are present in members of the neopullulanase subfamily. The resulting recombinant neopullulanase was efficiently purified by Ni–NTA affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme optimally hydrolyses pullulan at 37 °C and pH 6.0, producing panose as the major reaction product.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the cloning, expression and characterisation of a neopullulanase gene from a lactic acid bacterium.

     

Development and application of a T7 RNA polymerase-dependent expression system for antibiotic production improvement in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces</Emphasis>

Objective

To develop a reliable and easy to use expression system for antibiotic production improvement of Streptomyces.

Results

A two-compound T7 RNA polymerase-dependent gene expression system was developed to fulfill this demand. In this system, the T7 RNA polymerase coding sequence was optimized based on the codon usage of Streptomyces coelicolor. To evaluate the functionality of this system, we constructed an activator gene overexpression strain for enhancement of actinorhodin production. By overexpression of the positive regulator actII-ORF4 with this system, the maximum actinorhodin yield of engineered strain was 15-fold higher and the fermentation time was decreased by 48 h.

Conclusion

The modified two-compound T7 expression system improves both antibiotic production and accelerates the fermentation process in Streptomyces. This provides a general and useful strategy for strain improvement of important antibiotic producing Streptomyces strains.

     

A comparison between constitutive and inducible transgenic expression of the PhRIP I gene for broad-spectrum resistance against phytopathogens in potato

Objectives

To engineer broad spectrum resistance in potato using different expression strategies.

Results

The previously identified Ribosome-Inactivating Protein from Phytolacca heterotepala was expressed in potato under a constitutive or a wound-inducible promoter. Leaves and tubers of the plants constitutively expressing the transgene were resistant to Botrytis cinerea and Rhizoctonia solani, respectively. The wound-inducible promoter was useful in driving the expression upon wounding and fungal damage, and conferred resistance to B. cinerea. The observed differences between the expression strategies are discussed considering the benefits and features offered by the two systems.

Conclusions

Evidence is provided of the possible impact of promoter sequences to engineer BSR in plants, highlighting that the selection of a suitable expression strategy has to balance specific needs and target species.

     

Enhancement of crystallinity of cellulose produced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> through heterologous expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">bcsD</Emphasis> gene from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gluconacetobacter xylinus</Emphasis>

Objectives

To evaluate the crystallinity index of the cellulose produced by Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 after heterologous expression of the cellulose synthase subunit D (bcsD) gene of Gluconacetobacter xylinus BPR2001.

Results

The bcsD gene of G. xylinus BPR2001 was expressed in E. coli and its protein product was visualized using SDS-PAGE. FTIR analysis showed that the crystallinity index of the cellulose produced by the recombinants was 0.84, which is 17% more than that of the wild type strain. The increased crystallinity index was also confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The cellulose content was not changed significantly after over-expressing the bcsD.

Conclusion

The bcsD gene can improve the crystalline structure of the bacterial cellulose but there is not any significant difference between the amounts of cellulose produced by the recombinant and wild type E. coli Nissle 1917.

     

Bioconversion of lutein by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacter hormaechei</Emphasis> to form a new compound, 8-methyl-α-ionone

Objectives

To investigate the final product of the bioconversion of lutein by a novel lutein-degrading bacterium, Enterobacter hormaechei A20, and the kinetics of the process.

Results

A new product, 8-methyl-α-ionone, was resolved by GC–MS. The compound was further identified by NMR. A conversion yield of 90% was achieved by E. hormaechei in 36 h with 10 g lutein l^?1.

Conclusions

This is the first report of the bioconversion of lutein to form 8-methyl-α-ionone. A degradation pathway is proposed.

     

Multiple genotype–phenotype association study reveals intronic variant pair on <Emphasis Type="Italic">SIDT2</Emphasis> associated with metabolic syndrome in a Korean population

Background

Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We identified common genetic variants that alter the risk for metabolic syndrome in the Korean population. To isolate these variants, we conducted a multiple-genotype and multiple-phenotype genome-wide association analysis using the family-based quasi-likelihood score (MFQLS) test. For this analysis, we used 7211 and 2838 genotyped study subjects for discovery and replication, respectively. We also performed a multiple-genotype and multiple-phenotype analysis of a gene-based single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) set.

Results

We found an association between metabolic syndrome and an intronic SNP pair, rs7107152 and rs1242229, in SIDT2 gene at 11q23.3. Both SNPs correlate with the expression of SIDT2 and TAGLN, whose products promote insulin secretion and lipid metabolism, respectively. This SNP pair showed statistical significance at the replication stage.

Conclusions

Our findings provide insight into an underlying mechanism that contributes to metabolic syndrome.

     

Improvement of 1,3-propanediol production in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Klebsiella pneumoniae</Emphasis> by moderate expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">puuC</Emphasis> (encoding an aldehyde dehydrogenase)

Objective

To improve 1,3-propanediol production in Klebsiella pneumoniae, the effects of puuC expression in lactate- and lactate/2,3-butanediol-deficient strains were assessed.

Results

Overexpression of puuC (encoding an aldehyde dehydrogenase) inhibited 1,3-propanediol production and increased 3-hydroxypropionic acid formation in both lactate- and lactate/2,3-butanediol-deficient strains. An improvement in 1,3-propanediol production was only achieved in a lactate-deficient strain via moderate expression of puuC; at the end of the fermentation, 1,3-propanediol productivity increased by 14 % compared with the control. Further comparative analysis of the metabolic flux distributions in different strains indicated that 3-hydroxypropionic acid formation could play a considerable role in cell metabolism in K. pneumoniae.

Conclusion

An improvement in 3-hydroxypropionic acid formation would be beneficial for cell metabolism, which can be accomplished by enhancing 1,3-propanediol productivity in a lactate-deficient strain via moderate expression of puuC.

     

Secreted expression of truncated capsid protein from porcine circovirus type 2 in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis>

Objective

To achieve secreted expression of the truncated capsid protein from porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in Pichia pastoris.

Results

A truncated cap gene (tcap) with a deleted N-terminal nuclear localization signal was optimized and synthesized. Effective secreted expression was achieved in P. pastoris GS115. The high-productive recombinant strain for tCap was grown in a 5 l bioreactor and the productivity of tCap in supernatant reached 250 μg/ml. Furthermore, serum antibody test demonstrated that adjuvant-assisting tCap induced a significant increase of specific PCV2-Cap antibody over time in mice and a similar antibody level in pigs compared with a commercial Cap-based subunit vaccine.

Conclusion

This work establishes a secreted expression strategy in P. pastoris for the production of PCV2 Cap with superior bioactivity, and this strategy might provide potential uses in developing Cap-based subunit vaccine in the future.