Cloning and sequencing of the gene encoding the candidate HtrA of Rickettsia typhi

We screened a phage library of Rickettsia typhi with a polyclonal antiserum to clone genes which encode immunogenic proteins of R. typhi. Among several clones obtained, one clone codes for a 466-amino-acid protein similar to the heat-shock protein, HtrA. The deduced rickettsial HtrA contains a putative signal peptide sequence at the N-terminus, a serine protease-like domain, and two PDZ domains. The recombinant protein of rickettsial HtrA reacted with sera from patients with murine typhus and tsutsugamushi disease. We suggest that this gene and its recombinant protein would be valuable for the immunologic diagnosis of rickettsial diseases.     

Cross-Reactivity of Rickettsia japonica and Rickettsia typhi Demonstrated by Immunofluorescence and Western Immunoblotting

Cross-reactivity between Rickettsia japonica and R. typhi was observed by immunofluorescence tests using sera from patients with Oriental spotted fever (OSF), from whom the causative agent was isolated and identified as R. japonica. Western immunoblotting with these sera revealed that only the 120-kilodalton surface polypeptide, i.e., rickettsial outer membrane protein (rOmp) B, has a common antigenicity with the 105-kilodalton surface polypeptide of R. typhi. In some cases, antibodies specifically reactive with R. typhi were detected in acute-phase sera followed by a significant rise in titers, possibly because of an anamnestic response to a previous infection with an R. typhi-like agent; the sera retained reactivity to R. typhi even after absorption by a homologous strain. A lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-like antigen of R. typhi was found to be reactive with some sera of OSF patients. The ladder bands on Western immunoblot of rickettsial organisms were confirmed to be polysaccharide in nature, which was demonstrated by comparing them with the pattern of silver-stained gel of proteinase K-treated rickettsial specimens after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

Serosurvey of Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis in HIV‐infected patients

Consistent with the effects of HIV on cell‐mediated immunity, an increased susceptibility to intracellular microorganisms has been observed. Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular microorganisms. The aim of this study was to examine Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis infections in HIV+ population. Sera of 341 HIV+ patients were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescent assay. Age, sex, residential locality, risk behavior, stage according to criteria of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CD4+/CD8+ T cells, Hepatitis B antigen, and Hepatitis C serology were surveyed. Seroprevalences of R. typhi and R. felis infection were 7.6% and 4.4%, respectively. No associations were found between seropositivities and the assessed variables. Findings were similar to those obtained in healthy subjects from the same region.     

The Structure and Characterization of the Surface Protein Layer of a Comamonas-Like Organism

The regular surface layer of a strain of a Comamonas-like organism was examined by electron microscopy. The surface layer protein was easily extracted from the cell surface by a 2.5 M solution of lithium chloride. The protein subunit has a molecular size of 32,000 daltons, but usually forms a large aggregate of more than 1,200,000 daltons. In the extract it formed a regular array of p4 symmetry and was observed to be intimately associated with fragments of lipopolysaccharide. The size of a subunit determined by the negative staining method and the image processing method measured 5.2 × 6.4 nm (width and length), was arranged in a cobblestone-like pattern, and was located in a lattice space measuring 13.0 nm square.     

Analysis of Major Surface Polypeptides of Rickettsia japonica

Major surface polypeptides of Rickettsia japonica migrated to the position of 120, 135, and 145 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, when the organisms were solubilized at room temperature. Two major bands at the position of 135 and 185 kDa were seen, when the organisms were solubilized by heating before electrophoresis. Heat-denaturation of the 120- and 145-kDa polypeptides in excised gel bands changed their mobility and caused them to migrate to 135- and 185-kDa positions, respectively. Two polypeptides at the 120-kDa position were demonstrated: one is a major heat-modifiable polypeptide and the other a minor heat-stable. Peptide mapping was performed to determine the identity between native and denatured polypeptides.     

Nucleotide Sequence of Polymerase Chain Reaction Product Amplified from Rickettsia japonica DNA Using Rickettsia rickettsii 190-Kilodalton Surface Antigen Gene Primers

The PCR product amplified from Rickettsia japonica with the primer pair Rr 190.70p and Rr 190.602n of R. rickettsii 190-kDa antigen gene was cloned into M13mp19 RF DNA at the EcoRI site and sequenced by chemiluminescent DNA sequencing. The sequence revealed a molecular size of 533 base pairs (bp). The primer-flanking region of 491 bp, an open reading frame, was compared with the corresponding region of R. rickettsii, demonstrating 35 nucleotide substitutions in R. japonica. The sequence of primer portions in R. japonica DNA was also analyzed, revealing one nucleotide substitution in the Rr 190.70p and two in the Rr 190.602n portion. The homology in the overall sequence of PCR-amplified regions between R. japonica and R. rickettsii was 93% in nucleotide and 85% in putative amino acid structure. The sequence contains no cleavage site for the restriction endonuclease AfaI but two PstI sites giving three fragments of 121, 159, and 253 bp, which differentiated R. japonica from other spotted fever group rickettsiae in addition to R. rickettsii. The cleavage sites for endonucleases AluI, HinfI, and MunI that disappeared or appeared in the sequence by nucleotide substitution differentiated R. japonica from others, as did PstI. The estimation of molecular size of DNA fragments on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is discussed.     

Chemical and Immunological Characterization of a Low Molecular Weight Outer Membrane Protein of Salmonella typhi

A new immunogenic outer membrane protein, Omp-28 (MW 28,000 and pI 4.6), was isolated from smooth Salmonella typhi cells by the use of an extracting medium containing 6 m urea, 1% deoxycholate and 5 mM EDTA. The purification of Omp-28 was performed by gel filtration and fast ion exchange chromatography. This protein showed to be the prevalent component isolated by the latter methodology. Omp-28 is formed by three identical subunits (MW 9,000), not linked by disulfide bonds. The partial N-terminal amino acid sequence of Omp-28 presented great homology with part of the sequence of an Escherichia coli protein found in a precursor whose sequence was predicted by c-DNA. ELISA and Western blotting identified Omp-28 as the major antigenic protein present in the outer membrane protein fraction, isolated by gel filtration. Antibodies against Omp-28 were detected by ELISA in 43% of 28 sera from typhoid fever convalescent patients. The antisera from mice immunized with Omp-28 and the highest positive typhoid fever convalescent serum gave a positive bactericidal test, killing 50% of Salmonella typhi cells in serum dilutions of 1/80 and 1/320, respectively. These results indicate the immunogenic importance of Omp-28 isolated from Salmonella typhi outer membrane and strongly suggest it should be used in further studies of animal protection against the disease caused by this pathogenic bacteria.     

Determination of genome size and restriction pattern polymorphism of Rickettsia prowazekii and Rickettsia typhi by pulsed field gel electrophoresis

Abstract Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of Sma I, Mlu I and Sal I digested DNA was used to estimate genome size and perform restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for Rickettsia prowazekii and Rickettsia typhi . We concluded that the genome of R. prowazekii and R. typhi consisted of a single chromosomal DNA. The total length of DNA of R. prowazekii was 1,106±54 kb and of R. typhi was 1,133±44kb. It was possibleto differentiate two strains of R. prowazekii , Breinl and EVir, by PFGE analysis after Sal I digestion. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis did not reveal intraspecies differences between three human isolates and one Xenopsilla cheopis isolate of R. typhi .     

伤寒沙门氏菌SOD的提取及抗原性研究

经硫酸铵分级沉淀,ＤＥＡＥ纤维素柱层析提取了伤寒沙门氏菌ＳＯＤ。提取后酶的比活性为３２７０Ｕ／ｍｇ,经聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳,蛋白质染色及酶活性染色显示提取的ＳＯＤ达到了电泳纯。酶活性染色法和原子吸收分光光度法测定结果表明提取的ＳＯＤ为Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ。双向琼脂扩散试验结果显示抗伤寒沙门氏菌Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ血清与牛红细胞ＳＯＤ不形成沉淀线,提示伤寒沙门氏菌Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ与牛红细胞ＳＯＤ无交叉反应,抗体对酶活性抑制试验结果显示抗Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ血清可抑制伤寒沙门氏菌及鼠伤寒沙门氏菌的Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ和Ｆｅ／Ｍｎ－ＳＯＤ活性,对Ｍｎ－ＳＯＤ活性无抑制作用,说明伤寒沙门氏菌和鼠伤寒沙门氏菌的ＳＯＤ之间有共同抗原,也提示ＳＯＤ的辅基似乎决定了其抗原特异性。     

Purification and Characterization of Type 1 Fimbriae of Salmonella typhi

Type 1 fimbriae have been purified from a Salmonella typhi strain of clinical origin. Purified fimbriae retained their ability to bind to erythrocytes in a mannose-inhibitable fashion and, in doing so, behaved preferentially as a monovalent adhesin. SDS-PAGE analysis of the fimbrial preparation showed the presence of a 20-kDa major polypeptide component (fimbrillin) and of additional larger polypeptides present in smaller amounts. The amino-terminal sequence of fimbrillin was determined and turned out to be very similar but not identical to that of type 1 fimbrillins of other Salmonella serovars. A Western blot analysis of the purified fimbrial preparation using an antiserum raised against native fimbriae suggested that fimbrial proteins did not carry any major sequential epitope and that, in native fimbriae, conformational epitopes, possibly generated between different subunits, might provide for the major immunogenic epitopes. Analysis of different S. typhi clinical isolates using the anti-fimbrial antiserum showed an overall immunological similarity of these structures within this serovar.     

固氮酶铬铁蛋白的晶体生长

在合适的结晶条件下,从含Cr无氨培养基中生长的固氮菌(Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann)突变种UW3中纯化出的CrFe蛋白可从溶液中析出深棕色斜四棱柱晶体,晶体最大的两条对角线长度分别可达0.25 mm和0.12 mm.PEG 8000、MgCl2、NaCl、Tris 和Hepes 缓冲液的浓度及结晶方法等对该蛋白的出晶率、晶核数目、晶体大小和质量都有明显影响.CrFe蛋白结晶所需的上述化合物的最适浓度与在Mn中生长的固氮菌突变种UW3的MnFe蛋白和缺失nifZ固氮菌突变种的ΔnifZ MoFe蛋白结晶所需的最适浓度有所不同.结果表明,该蛋白晶体可能为CrFe蛋白的晶体.     

固氮酶铬铁蛋白的晶体生长

在合适的结晶条件下 ,从含Cr无氨培养基中生长的固氮菌 (AzotobactervinelandiiLipmann)突变种UW3 中纯化出的CrFe蛋白可从溶液中析出深棕色斜四棱柱晶体 ,晶体最大的两条对角线长度分别可达 0 .2 5mm和 0 .12mm。PEG 80 0 0、MgCl2 、NaCl、Tris和Hepes缓冲液的浓度及结晶方法等对该蛋白的出晶率、晶核数目、晶体大小和质量都有明显影响。CrFe蛋白结晶所需的上述化合物的最适浓度与在Mn中生长的固氮菌突变种UW3 的MnFe蛋白和缺失nifZ固氮菌突变种的ΔnifZMoFe蛋白结晶所需的最适浓度有所不同。结果表明 ,该蛋白晶体可能为CrFe蛋白的晶体     

Dual exposure of Rickettsia typhi and Orientia tsutsugamushi in the field‐collected Rattus rodents from Thailand

Field‐collected rodents and fleas from ten provinces covering four regions of Thailand were investigated for possible rickettsial pathogen infections. The 257 trapped‐rodents belonged to 12 species. Five species of Genus Rattus accounted for 93% of the total capture, of which Rattus exulans and Rattus norvegicus were the two major species caught. All flea specimens, removed from trapped rodents, were identified as Xenopsylla cheopis. The PCR technique was performed on ectoparasite specimens to detect the presence of murine typhus pathogen (Rickettsia typhi) and scrub typhus pathogen (Orientia tsutsugamushi). Thirteen flea specimens (2.6 %) were found to be positive for R. typhi but none for O. tsutsugamushi. An ELISA technique was used to detect the rodent's antibodies against R. typhi and O. tsutsugamushi. Sixty‐one rodent serum samples (23.7%) were positive for R. typhi specific IgM, IgG, or both, while 47 of the samples (18.3%) were positive for O. tsutsugamushi. Twenty serum samples from R. norvegicus (7.8%) had detectable antibodies against both R. typhi and O. tsutsugamushi. Our findings revealed the existence of the dual infection of rickettsial pathogens in the same natural hosts.     

黑莓果实UGT78H2重组蛋白诱导的响应面优化与蛋白纯化

UGT78H2是从黑莓果实中新发现的一个植物糖基转移酶家族成员,获得重组蛋白是后续深入研究该基因功能的基础。本研究通过构建原核表达载体,并应用响应面分析方法对重组蛋白的诱导条件(如诱导温度、IPTG浓度、菌液浓度和诱导时间）进行了优化,结果表明：（1）构建了pET32a-UGT78H2原核表达载体,并成功导入到BL21（DE3）pLysS细菌中;（2）经响应面优化,在29.5℃培养工程菌至菌液OD₆₀₀=0.51,加入终浓度为0.4 mmol·L^-1的IPTG诱导7.4 h,可获得最大量重组蛋白166.4 μg·mL^-1（占总蛋白41.6%）;（3）诱导时间和培养温度极显著地影响重组蛋白表达量,诱导剂IPTG和诱导前菌液浓度之间的交互效应显著影响重组蛋白的表达;（4）获得的带S-tag和His-tag的UGT78H2重组蛋白分子量为67.9 kDa,主要以包涵体形式存在,通过Ni-NTA柱纯化,成功获得了重组蛋白。以上结果为进一步采用酶学方法进行UGT78H2蛋白功能鉴定提供了基础资料。     

Memo蛋白的融合表达和纯化

目的:一些临床预后较差的恶性肿瘤一般具有很高的转移性和侵袭性,近来的研究表明,Memo蛋白与恶性肿瘤的这些特性有十分密切的关系。本研究拟克隆、融合表达和纯化Memo蛋白。方法:用PCR方法从乳腺文库中扩增Memo蛋白编码序列,并将其以正确相位与pGST载体中的GST编码序列融合,构建成重组质粒pGST-Memo。将此重组质粒转化大肠杆菌DH5α后,用谷胱甘肽-Sepharose4B纯化融合蛋白,并用Western印迹检测融合蛋白的表达。结果:构建了Memo蛋白的融合表达载体,并在大肠杆菌DH5α中得到表达,经谷胱甘肽-Sepharose4B亲和层析获得了纯化的GST-Memo融合蛋白。Western印迹检测表明,此蛋白可与GST抗体反应。结论:Memo蛋白的克隆、融合表达和纯化,为进一步研究恶性肿瘤的转移性、侵袭性及其相关机理提供了有用的材料。     

Differentiation of Rickettsia japonica by Restriction Endonuclease Fragment Length Polymorphism Using Products of Polymerase Chain Reaction Amplification with Rickettsia rickettsii 190-Kilodalton Surface Antigen Gene Primers

Restriction fragment length polymorphism of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification products differentiated Rickettsia japonica, a causative agent of Oriental spotted fever, from other spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Primer pair Rr190. 70p and Rr190. 602n of R. rickettsii 190-kDa antigen gene sequence primed genomic DNAs obtained from R. japonica, type strain YH and strains NT, NK, YKI, and TKN. The products were cleaved by PstI but not by AfaI restriction endonuclease. The PstI digestion pattern of PCR-products amplified from all strains of R. japonica was identical and easily differentiated from that of other SFG rickettsiae. The present study demonstrated a genotypic difference between R. japonica and other pathogenic SFG rickettsiae.     

APOBEC3G蛋白的原核表达及纯化

目的：原核表达重组APOBEC3G蛋白,为其功能及免疫原性研究奠定基础。方法：提取H9细胞全细胞基因组RNA,通过RT-PCR获得目的基因,经纯化、酶切后克隆到原核表达载体pET32a中,转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）菌株获得表达工程菌株,并对表达条件和纯化条件进行优化;利用Western Blot分析鉴定目的蛋白。结果：构建了APOBEC3G蛋白的原核表达载体Apo-His-pET32a,并在大肠杆菌中获得高表达,目的蛋白以可溶性蛋白形式存在;经Ni-NTA亲和层析柱一步纯化,获得了高纯度的重组APOBEC3G蛋白,蛋白浓度可达1．2mg／mL;Westem Blot显示获得了目的蛋白。结论：在原核表达系统中表达、纯化了可溶性APOBEC3G蛋白,为进一步对其进行免疫原性和功能研究奠定了基础。     

GST-HRB融合蛋白的表达与纯化

构建GST-HRB重组质粒,进行融合蛋白的表达、纯化及鉴定.利用PCR扩增及基因重组技术,以pcDNA-3.1-HRB为模板扩增出HRB全基因序列,并将其插入带有GST(谷胱甘肽巯基转移酶)标签的原核表达载体pGEX-6P-1中,构建GST-HRB融合蛋白表达质粒.然后,将重组质粒GST-HRB转化至大肠杆菌Rosseta进行融合蛋白的表达.利用GST琼脂糖珠进行融合蛋白的纯化,最后应用SDS-PAGE电泳和Western blotting鉴定纯化的融合蛋白.结果表明,成功构建pGEX-6P-1-HRB原核表达载体,表达及纯化了GST-HRB融合蛋白.     

半乳糖凝集素-1的融合克隆及纯化

目的：表达和纯化半乳糖凝集素-1融合蛋白。方法：用PCR方法从乳腺文库中扩增半乳糖凝集素-1编码序列,将其以正确相位与pGEX-KG载体中的GST编码序列融合,将重组质粒转化大肠杆菌DH5α后,用谷胱甘肽-Sepharose 4B纯化融合蛋白,并用Western印迹检测融合蛋白的表达。结果：构建得到半乳糖凝集素-1的融合蛋白表达载体;Western印迹检测表明,GST-半乳糖凝集素-1融合蛋白成功表达,并纯化得到融合蛋白。结论：克隆和表达了半乳糖凝集素-1基因,并得到纯化的融合蛋白。     

肺炎球菌表面蛋白A(PspA)的克隆表达及交叉免疫作用

本工作从中国临床最常见的5种荚膜血清型肺炎链球菌(FY01, FY05, FY6B, FY19F, FY23F)克隆获得编码PspA蛋白N端α-螺旋区的基因片段。分别将5种PspA基因片段克隆到表达载体pET-27b(+)上, 成功构建重组质粒pET-pspA, 转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)。经乳糖诱导表达和亲和层析分离, 获得高纯度重组蛋白。通过家族专属引物PCR的方法鉴定这5种荚膜血清型肺炎球菌的PspA蛋白所属家族, 并进一步根据基因测序结果通过生物信息学方法鉴定了所属支系。FY01 rPspA、FY6B rPspA、FY19F rPspA同属于家族Ⅰ支系1, FY05 rPspA属于家族Ⅰ支系2, FY23F rPspA属于家族Ⅱ支系3。以FY01 rPspA免疫小鼠, 在20 μg/mL免疫剂量时抗体滴度达到1: 210000, 显示了重组蛋白较好的免疫原性。Western blotting交叉免疫反应性研究表明, 抗FY01 rPspA抗血清与FY01 rPspA、FY6B rPspA和FY19F rPspA反应性较好, 而与另外两种重组蛋白几乎无反应, 提示PspA交叉免疫作用仅限于本支系内。动物保护实验表明, FY01 rPspA免疫的小鼠对FY6B、FY01 两种菌的攻击具有较好的保护作用, 对FY05、FY23F的攻击未见明显的保护作用。本研究成果对于研制高效肺炎球菌疫苗具有重要的指导意义。