Tuberculosis patients co-infected with Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in an urban area of Brazil

In this cross-sectional study, mycobacteria specimens from 189 tuberculosis (TB) patients living in an urban area in Brazil were characterised from 2008-2010 using phenotypic and molecular speciation methods (pncA gene and oxyR pseudogene analysis). Of these samples, 174 isolates simultaneously grew on Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) and Stonebrink (SB)-containing media and presented phenotypic and molecular profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whereas 12 had molecular profiles of M. tuberculosis based on the DNA analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin wax-embedded tissue samples (paraffin blocks). One patient produced two sputum isolates, the first of which simultaneously grew on LJ and SB media and presented phenotypic and molecular profiles of M. tuberculosis, and the second of which only grew on SB media and presented phenotypic profiles of Mycobacterium bovis. One patient provided a bronchial lavage isolate, which simultaneously grew on LJ and SB media and presented phenotypic and molecular profiles of M. tuberculosis, but had molecular profiles of M. bovis from paraffin block DNA analysis, and one sample had molecular profiles of M. tuberculosis and M. bovis identified from two distinct paraffin blocks. Moreover, we found a low prevalence (1.6%) of M. bovis among these isolates, which suggests that local health service procedures likely underestimate its real frequency and that it deserves more attention from public health officials.     

结核分枝杆菌esat6-rpfD融合基因的原核表达及产物纯化

目的：构建结核分枝杆菌融合基因esat6-rpfD的原核表达载体,表达和纯化ESAT6-RpfD融合蛋白。方法：从结核分枝杆菌H37Rv株基因组中经PCR分别扩增esat6和慢周基因,克隆入pMD19-T载体,测序后克隆入原核表达载体pProExHTB,酶切重组质粒,转化大肠杆菌DH5α,IPTG诱导表达融合蛋白,亲和层析纯化融合蛋白。结果：PCR扩增的esat6、rpfD基因序列与GenBank报道一致;诱导表达后,经SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析,在相对分子质量约30000处有目的条带,融合蛋白以包涵体形式表达。结论：构建了esat6-rpfD融合基因原核表达载体,并在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化得到ESAT6-RpfD融合蛋白。     

结核分枝杆菌的致病机理

结核病仍是全球健康的主要威胁,其致病菌结核分枝杆菌的致闰机理与众不同。脂类代谢在致病中具有重要的作用。巨噬细胞被入侵的细菌修的机理也是研究细菌持续感染致病的重要突破点,研究细菌的致病机理可以为开发新的疫苗和治疗药物奠定坚实的基础。     

结核分枝杆菌免疫优势抗原研究进展

结核病是当今影响人类健康、流行性最广、病死率最高的感染性疾病之一。结核病的诊断和疫苗的构建成为当前的研究热点,筛选出结核分枝杆菌免疫优势抗原是快速准确的诊断结核病及研制安全有效的疫苗的关键。拟对近年来国内外学者发现的结核分枝杆菌免疫优势抗原的分子生物学特性研究进展进行综述。     

结核分枝杆菌RD1区研究进展

RD1区是结核分枝杆菌(MTB)在长期传代过程中丢失的重要保护性抗原,RD1区仅存在于致病性分枝杆菌中,而在卡介苗(BCG)及环境分枝杆菌中缺失。RD1区基因全长9.5kb,共有9个开放读码框,分别编码9个蛋白。RD1区是MTB毒力的关键因素之一,同时RD1区存在一种新分泌表达体系,能保证ESAT6和CFP10蛋白分泌表达。RD1区蛋白有较强的免疫原性,在MTB的预防和诊断中将可能发挥巨大作用,并有可能成为筛选抗MTB药物的理想靶抗原。     

Development of a fluorescence anisotropy-based assay for Dop,the first enzyme in the pupylation pathway

The Pup-proteasome system (PPS) carries out regulated tagging and degradation of proteins in bacterial species belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria and Nitrospira. In the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, where this proteolytic pathway was initially discovered, PPS enzymes are essential for full virulence and persistence in the mammalian host. As such, PPS enzymes are potential targets for development of antituberculosis therapeutics. Such development often requires sensitive and robust assays for measurements of enzymatic activities and the effect of examined inhibitors. Here, we describe the development of an in vitro activity assay for Dop, the first enzyme in the PPS. Based on fluorescence anisotropy measurements, this assay is simple, sensitive, and compatible with a high-throughput format for screening purposes. We demonstrate how this assay can also be reliably and conveniently used for detailed kinetic measurements of Dop activity. As such, this assay is of value for basic research into Dop and the PPS. Finally, we show that the assay developed here primarily for the mycobacterial Dop can be readily employed with other Dop enzymes, using the same simple protocol.     

Structural basis for the assembly and gate closure mechanisms of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis 20S proteasome

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) possesses a proteasome system analogous to the eukaryotic ubiquitin‐proteasome pathway. Mtb requires the proteasome to resist killing by the host immune system. The detailed assembly process and the gating mechanism of Mtb proteasome have remained unknown. Using cryo‐electron microscopy and X‐ray crystallography, we have obtained structures of three Mtb proteasome assembly intermediates, showing conformational changes during assembly, and explaining why the β‐subunit propeptide inhibits rather than promotes assembly. Although the eukaryotic proteasome core particles close their protein substrate entrance gates with different amino terminal peptides of the seven α‐subunits, it has been unknown how a prokaryotic proteasome might close the gate at the symmetry axis with seven identical peptides. We found in the new Mtb proteasome crystal structure that the gate is tightly sealed by the seven identical peptides taking on three distinct conformations. Our work provides the structural bases for assembly and gating mechanisms of the Mtb proteasome.     

Mycobacterium tuberculosis mammalian cell entry operon (mce) homologs in Mycobacterium other than tuberculosis (MOTT)

The cloned mammalian cell entry gene mce1a from Mycobacterium tuberculosis confers to non-pathogenic Escherichia coli the ability to invade and survive inside macrophages and HeLa cells. The aim of this work was to search for and characterize homologs of the four M. tuberculosis mammalian cell entry operons (mce1, mce2, mce3 and mce4) in mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT). The dot-blot and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments performed on 24 clinical isolates representing 20 different mycobacterial species indicated that the mce operons were widely distributed throughout the genus Mycobacterium. BLAST search results showed the presence of mce1, mce2 and mce4 homologs in Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium smegmatis. A homologous region for the mce3 operon was also found in M. avium and M. smegmatis. DNA and protein alignments were done to compare the M. tuberculosis mce operons and the deduced M. bovis, M. avium, and M. smegmatis homologs. The deduced proteins of M. bovis mce1, mce2 and mce4 operons had 99.6-100% homology with the respective M. tuberculosis mce proteins (MTmce). The similarity between M. avium mce proteins and the individual M. tuberculosis homologs ranged from 56.2 to 85.5%. The alignment results between M. smegmatis mce proteins and the respective MTmce proteins ranged from 58.5% to 68.5%. Primer sets were designed from the M. tuberculosis mce4a gene for amplification of 379-bp fragments. Amplification was successful in 14 strains representing 11 different mycobacterial species. The PCR fragments were sequenced from 10 strains representing eight species. Alignment of the sequenced PCR products showed that mce4a homologs are highly conserved in the genus Mycobacterium. In conclusions, the four mce operons in different mycobacterial species are generally organized in the same manner. The phylogenetic tree comparing the different mce operons showed that the mce1 operon was closely related to the mce2 operon and mce3 diverged from the other operons. The wide distribution of the mce operons in pathogenic and non-pathogenic mycobacteria implicates that the presence of these putative virulence genes is not an indicator for the pathogenicity of the bacilli. Instead, the pathogenicity of these factors might be determined by their expression.     

结核分枝杆菌Rv3881c突变子的克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的高效表达

目的：融合表达结核分枝杆菌Rv3881c突变子抗原,以便与其他已知的免疫显性抗原联合使用,有效增加结核分枝杆菌感染血清学检验的敏感性和特异性。方法：将克隆的来源干结核分枝杆菌H37Rv株的Rv3881c突变体基因插入原核表达载体pET24b,并在大肠杆菌BL21中获得高效表达;由于重组的Rv3881c突变子抗原片段同C端的6xHis标签融合表达,使用Ni-柱进行快速纯化。结果：Western印迹表明,重组的Rv3881c突变子抗原同选取的6例结核病阳性临床血清标本均能发生明显的反应。结论：重组Rv3881c突变体具有较好的特异性,提示该抗原可能成为检测结核的有效抗原之一。     

Revised structure of a trehalose-containing immunoreactive glycolipid of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry as well as various chemical degradations and chromatographic techniques were used to re-examine the structure of a highly immunoreactive glycolipid previously described in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (strain Canetti) as a 2,3-diacyl trehalose 2'-sulfate (labelled SL-IV). Ion exchange chromatography allowed the recognition of a neutral and an acidic glycolipid, indistinguishable on conventional silica gel. The neutral glycolipid was shown to be serologically identical to SL-IV and its structure was established as 2,3-diacyl trehalose. It corresponded to the non-chemically defined highly observed immunoreactive lipid previously recognized by others in M. tuberculosis (H37Rv).     

结核分枝杆菌脂阿拉伯甘露聚糖的提纯及活性初步鉴定

目的:提取纯化结核分枝杆菌(MTB)脂阿拉伯甘露聚糖(LAM)。方法:MTB菌体彻底破碎后,去脂,去蛋白,上清液经苯酚萃取,酒精沉淀,得到LAM;以提取的LAM作为包被抗原检测血清中的LAM抗体。结果和结论:提取到LAM抗原,免疫印迹表明,LAM迁移范围相对分子质量为25×103~40×103,主要集中在35×103处。在64例肺结核患者中,有43例LAM-ELISA检测阳性(敏感性为67.19%);在67例健康志愿者中,有64例LAM-ELISA检测阴性(特异性为95.52%)。     

结核分枝杆菌利福平耐药性的研究进展

本旨在阐明结核分枝杆菌耐利福平分离株rpoB基因突变的规律,以及rpoB基因突变与利福平最低抑菌浓度(MIC)的关系。结核分枝杆菌的rpoB基因突变是引起利福平耐药性的主要原因,耐利福平分离株的rpoB基因突变主要集中在507～533位密码子的81bp的区域内,约80％的菌株发生531位或526位密码子突变。不同类型rpoB基因突变的结核分枝杆菌对利福平的耐受性也不同,通常发生531位密码子突变的菌株的MIC≥64μg／ml。     

Dop functions as a depupylase in the prokaryotic ubiquitin‐like modification pathway

Post‐translational modification of proteins with prokaryotic ubiquitin‐like protein (Pup) is the bacterial equivalent of ubiquitination in eukaryotes. Mycobacterial pupylation is a two‐step process in which the carboxy‐terminal glutamine of Pup is first deamidated by Dop (deamidase of Pup) before ligation of the generated γ‐carboxylate to substrate lysines by the Pup ligase PafA. In this study, we identify a new feature of the pupylation system by demonstrating that Dop also acts as a depupylase in the Pup proteasome system in vivo and in vitro. Dop removes Pup from substrates by specific cleavage of the isopeptide bond. Depupylation can be enhanced by the unfolding activity of the mycobacterial proteasomal ATPase Mpa.     

结核分枝杆菌滤过型的初步研究

目的研究结核分枝杆菌滤过型的生物学特性与检测方法。方法菌阴肺结核患者的结核分枝杆菌及其L型的液体培养物经0.45μm滤膜过滤后,涂片观察细菌形态,滤液分别进行分枝杆菌及其L型培养,并采用荧光基因定量法进行结核菌DNA检测。培养物用免疫组化染色鉴定,并采用透射电镜观察。结果30例痰、血滤前、滤后FQ-PCR检测同时阳性为53%,同时阴性为13%,滤前、滤后FQ-PCR结果符合率为67%。滤过后液体培养9例涂片见少许抗酸颗粒或椭圆性球菌。透射电镜见细胞壁缺失的"致密体"样细菌和细胞壁缺如菌。结论菌阴肺结核痰及血培养物中存在结核菌滤过型,滤过型携带遗传信息并可自我复制,采用生物学方法可以对其进行检测。     

二代测序技术在结核分枝杆菌研究中的应用进展

结核病是由结核分枝杆菌引起的全球第二大传染病。二代测序技术为从基因组水平研究结核分枝杆菌提供了重要的研究方法。本文从结核病流行病学、结核分枝杆菌耐药和进化及相关生物信息学等方面,介绍二代测序技术在结核分枝杆菌研究中的应用进展。     

Horizontal transfer of a virulence operon to the ancestor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The contribution of interspecies horizontal gene transfer (HGT) to the evolution and virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the agent of tuberculosis in humans, has been barely investigated. Here we have studied the evolutionary history of the M. tuberculosis Rv0986-8 virulence operon recently identified, through functional genomics approaches, as playing an important role in parasitism of host phagocytic cells. We showed that among actinobacteria, this operon is specific to the M. tuberculosis complex and to ancestral Mycobacterium prototuberculosis species. These data, together with phylogenetic reconstruction and other in silico analyses, provided strong evidence that this operon has been acquired horizontally by the ancestor of M. tuberculosis, before the recent evolutionary bottleneck that preceded the clonal-like evolution of the M. tuberculosis complex. Genomic signature profiling further suggested that the transfer was plasmid mediated and that the operon originated from a gamma-proteobacterium donor species. Our study points out for the first time the contribution of HGT to the emergence of M. tuberculosis and close relatives as major pathogens. In addition, our data underline the importance of deciphering gene transfer networks in M. tuberculosis in order to better understand the evolutionary mechanisms involved in mycobacterial virulence.     

Advances in antibody-mediated immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis: implications for a novel vaccine strategy

Cell-mediated immunity is considered to be the major component of the host response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whereas antibody-mediated immunity historically has been considered inconsequential. In recent years, studies from several groups have challenged the traditional dogma and demonstrated that monoclonal antibodies can modify various aspects of mycobacterial infections. This review describes the experimental evidence supporting a role for antibodies in defense against mycobacterial infections and outlines future challenges to the field of antibody-mediated immunity against M. tuberculosis, with particular emphasis on the implications of these findings for a novel vaccine strategy.     

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract Crude cell extracts from three strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were analyzed for the presence of proteins possessing phosphorylated tyrosine residues. A protein migrating at approximately 55 kDa was detected using an antiphosphotyrosine monoclonal antibody. In addition, less predominant bands were observed between 50 kDa and 60 kDa. That M. tuberculosis contains specific tyrosine phosphorylated proteins implies that M. tuberculosis has tyrosine kinase activity. Examination of other, non-pathogenic mycobacterium species yielded no major antiphosphotyrosine reactive proteins. This suggests that the antiphosphotyrosine reactive protein is specific to M. tuberculosis strains. These results provide evidence that M. tuberculosis contains an antiphosphotyrosine reactive protein.     

Electrochemical-based biosensors for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and tuberculosis biomarkers

Abstract

Early detection of tuberculosis (TB) reduces the interval between infection and the beginning of treatment. However, commercially available tests cannot discriminate between BCG-vaccinated healthy persons and patients. Also, they are not suitable to be used for immunocompromised persons. In recent years, biosensors have attracted great attention due to their simple utility, accessibility, and real-time outputs. These sensors are increasingly being considered as pioneering tools for point-of-care diagnostics in communities with a high burden of TB and limited accessibility to reference laboratories. Among other types of biosensors, the electrochemical sensors have the advantages of low-cost operation, fast processing, simultaneous multi-analyte analyzing, operating with turbid samples, comparable sensitivity and readily available miniaturization. Electrochemical biosensors are sub-divided into several categories including: amperometric, impedimetric, potentiometric, and conductometric biosensors. The biorecognition element in electrochemical biosensors is usually based on antibodies (immunosensors), DNAs or PNAs (genosensors), and aptamers (aptasensors). In either case, whether an interaction of the antigen–antibody/aptamer or the hybridization of probe with target mycobacterial DNA is detected, a change in the electrical current occurs that is recorded and displayed as a plot. Therefore, impedimetric-based methods evaluate resistance to electron transfer toward an electrode by a Nyquist plot and amperometric/voltammetric-based methods weigh the electrical current by means of cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry. Electrochemical biosensors provide a promising scope for the new era of diagnostics. As a consequence, they can improve detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis traces even in attomolar scales.