猪链球菌荚膜多糖合成相关基因簇保守区的克隆与分析

【目的】为了解猪链球菌各血清型荚膜多糖合成相关基因保守区的功能与基因进化关系,【方法】在分析已知的猪链球菌1、2、7、9型荚膜多糖合成相关基因簇序列,及其各orf与猪链球菌33个血清型基因组DNA杂交结果的基础上,提出猪链球菌荚膜多糖合成相关基因簇具有与肺炎链球菌相似的盒样结构的假设。并采用PCR、测序和Southern印迹杂交等方法验证这些假设。【结果】结果显示,猪链球菌的荚膜多糖合成相关基因簇确存在与肺炎链球菌相似的盒样结构,5’端的前4个调节相关基因同源性极高,基因簇两端都有保守的侧翼基因,且在3’端的侧翼序列中找到了适于扩增荚膜多糖合成相关基因簇中血清型特异性区域的下游引物所在基因(aroA)。分析发现,各血清型的orfY、orfX、cpsA、cpsB、cpsC、cpsD和aroA的亲缘关系较近。     

Genetic analysis of the capsular biosynthetic locus from all 90 pneumococcal serotypes

Several major invasive bacterial pathogens are encapsulated. Expression of a polysaccharide capsule is essential for survival in the blood, and thus for virulence, but also is a target for host antibodies and the basis for effective vaccines. Encapsulated species typically exhibit antigenic variation and express one of a number of immunochemically distinct capsular polysaccharides that define serotypes. We provide the sequences of the capsular biosynthetic genes of all 90 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae and relate these to the known polysaccharide structures and patterns of immunological reactivity of typing sera, thereby providing the most complete understanding of the genetics and origins of bacterial polysaccharide diversity, laying the foundations for molecular serotyping. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that a complete repertoire of capsular biosynthetic genes has been available, enabling a holistic analysis of a bacterial polysaccharide biosynthesis system. Remarkably, the total size of alternative coding DNA at this one locus exceeds 1.8 Mbp, almost equivalent to the entire S. pneumoniae chromosomal complement.     

6群肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖合成相关基因的分子生物学研究

目的利用分子生物学方法,对25株6群肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖合成相关基因(cps loci)进行研究。方法采用多位点序列分型(multilocus sequence typing,MLST)技术,对25株6群肺炎链球菌进行分型;依据Gen Bank中收录的6群肺炎链球菌cps loci设计合成引物,以25株肺炎链球菌基因组DNA作为模板进行PCR扩增,并对扩增产物进行基因测定及分析;采用相邻合并分析(neighbour-joining analysis),根据MLST的7个管家基因和wciP、wzy、wzx这三个cps loci的代表基因分别绘制出系统发育树。结果根据MLST技术分析发现7株新的ST型菌株。25株6群肺炎链球菌cps loci的G+C含量为35.4%~35.5%,均属于I类;所有6C型wzy基因均有6个碱基的缺失。根据MLST的7个管家基因绘制的系统发育树,并根据cps loci的3个代表基因wciP、wzy和wzx绘制的系统发育树,差异很大。3个代表基因绘制的系统发育树,6C型为进化距离比较远的分枝,6A型和6B型的分枝进化距离相对较近;6D型与6B型在同一分枝内。结论获得了25株6群肺炎链球菌ST型和全长cps loci,完善了6群肺炎链球菌的菌种档案。     

Mechanism of type 3 capsular polysaccharide synthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The glycosidic linkages of the type 3 capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae ([3)-beta-D-GlcUA-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glc-(1-->](n)) are formed by the membrane-associated type 3 synthase (Cps3S), which is capable of synthesizing polymer from UDP sugar precursors. Using membrane preparations of S. pneumoniae in an in vitro assay, we observed type 3 synthase activity in the presence of either Mn(2+) or Mg(2+) with maximal levels seen with 10-20 mM Mn(2+). High molecular weight polymer synthesized in the assay was composed of Glc and glucuronic acid and could be degraded to a low molecular weight product by a type 3-specific depolymerase from Bacillus circulans. Additionally, the polymer bound specifically to an affinity column made with a type 3 polysaccharide-specific monoclonal antibody. The polysaccharide was rapidly synthesized from smaller chains and remained associated with the enzyme-containing membrane fraction throughout its synthesis, indicating a processive mechanism of synthesis. Release of the polysaccharide was observed, however, when the level of one of the substrates became limiting. Finally, addition of sugars to the growing type 3 polysaccharide was shown to occur at the nonreducing end of the polysaccharide chain.     

Structural studies of the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae types 15B and 15C

The structures of the capsular polysaccharides (S-15B and S-15C) from Streptococcus pneumoniae types 15B and 15C have been investigated by using n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and various specific degradations. It is concluded that the polysaccharides are composed of pentasaccharide repeating-units having the following structure: (Formula: see text). In this structure, R is H (80%) or CH2CH2N+Me3 (20%). S-15B further contains O-acetyl groups, approximately 0.7 per repeating unit, which have not been located. The capsular polysaccharides S-15F and S-15A, which have been studied previously, are also composed of pentasaccharide repeating-units, containing the same sequence of sugars, but in a linear arrangement.     

Streptococcus suis serotypes characterized by analysis of chaperonin 60 gene sequences

Streptococcus suis is an important pathogen of swine which occasionally infects humans as well. There are 35 serotypes known for this organism, and it would be desirable to develop rapid methods methods to identify and differentiate the strains of this species. To that effect, partial chaperonin 60 gene sequences were determined for the 35 serotype reference strains of S. suis. Analysis of a pairwise distance matrix showed that the distances ranged from 0 to 0.275 when values were calculated by the maximum-likelihood method. For five of the strains the distances from serotype 1 were greater than 0.1, and for two of these strains the distances were were more than 0.25, suggesting that they belong to a different species. Most of the nucleotide differences were silent; alignment of protein sequences showed that there were only 11 distinct sequences for the 35 strains under study. The chaperonin 60 gene phylogenetic tree was similar to the previously published tree based on 16S rRNA sequences, and it was also observed that strains with identical chaperonin 60 gene sequences tended to have identical 16S rRNA sequences. The chaperonin 60 gene sequences provided a higher level of discrimination between serotypes than the 16S RNA sequences provided and could form the basis for a diagnostic protocol.     

Facile synthesis of a pentasaccharide mimic of a fragment of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 15C

A pentasaccharide mimic of a fragment of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 15C beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-[alpha-D-Galp-(1-->2)-beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)]-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->OCH2CH2N3) (1) was synthesized in a regio- and stereoselective manner. The 2-azidoethyl-spacered pentasaccharide mimic 1 can be used to construct a neoglycoconjugate antigen.     

一种溶菌酶样蛋白对肺炎链球菌毒力及荚膜多糖合成的影响

摘要：【目的】为了研究肺炎链球菌（Streptococcus pneumoniae, S.pn）的一种假想的溶菌酶样蛋白在细菌生物学性状及其致病中的作用。【方法】利用长臂同源PCR对该基因进行敲出,并同时构建带有拯救质粒的缺失菌株,观察D39野生菌、缺失菌与带有拯救质粒的缺失菌株在相关生物学性状及其致病力改变,从而鉴定这种假想溶菌酶样蛋白的功能。【结果】缺失菌与野生菌相比,细菌生长减缓,毒力下降,荚膜多糖合成明显减少。而将拯救质粒转入缺失菌株后,该溶菌酶样蛋白的mRNA表达水平较野生菌高,其毒力及荚膜合成     

Full NMR assignment and revised structure for the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 15B

The capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae Type 15B is a component of the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine against pneumococcal disease. We report full NMR assignments for the native and de-O-acetylated polysaccharide, and confirm that the phosphorylated substituent is glycerol-2-phosphate rather than phosphocholine, located on O-3 of the side chain beta-Galp residue. The polysaccharide is O-acetylated on the terminal alpha-Gal residue, distributed between O-2, O-3, O-4 and O-6 in a ratio of 6:12:12:55, with approximately 15% of the repeat units not O-acetylated.     

Structural analysis and chemical depolymerization of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1

NMR spectroscopy can be used to characterize bacterial polysaccharides such as that of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 1 which is a component of the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine in clinical use. This particular polysaccharide gives NMR spectra with wide lines apparently due to restricted molecular mobility and chain flexibility which leads to rapid dipolar T(2) relaxation limiting the possibility of detailed spectral analysis. Removal of O-acetyl groups found on approximately two thirds of the repeating subunits of pneumococcal type 1 capsule leads to narrower NMR lines facilitating a complete assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra. Degradation of the polysaccharide by periodate oxidation followed by base treatment leads to an oligosaccharide fragment of approximately three repeating trisaccharide units. This oligosaccharide has narrow NMR lines and 1H and 13C assignments very similar to those of the O-deacetylated polysaccharide. In the native polysaccharide, O-acetyl groups are located on the 2- and 3-positions of the 4-linked galacturonic acid residue providing protection against periodate oxidation. Analysis of NOESY spectra combined with molecular modeling of the oligosaccharide shows that flexibility occurs in certain of the saccharide linkages.     

Synthesis of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 14

Synthesis of the regular branched polysaccharide [-6(Gal beta 1-4)GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-]n structurally corresponding to capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 14 involves blockwise synthesis of a tritylated 1,2-O-(1-cyano)ethylidene tetrasaccharide derivative from lactosamine and lactose precursors followed by stereospecific polycondensation of the tetrasaccharide monomer.     

Role of the carbohydrate binding site of the Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide type 3 synthase in the transition from oligosaccharide to polysaccharide synthesis

The type 3 synthase catalyzes the formation of the Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 capsular polysaccharide [-3)-beta-D-GlcUA-(1, 4)-beta-D-Glc-(1-]n. Synthesis is comprised of two distinct catalytic phases separated by a transition step whereby an oligosaccharylphosphatidylglycerol primer becomes tightly bound to the carbohydrate acceptor recognition site of the synthase. Using the recombinant synthase in Escherichia coli membranes, we determined that a critical oligosaccharide length of approximately 8 monosaccharides was required for recognition of the growing chain by the synthase. Upon binding of the oligosaccharide-lipid to the carbohydrate recognition site, the polymerization reaction entered a highly processive phase to produce polymer of high molecular weight. The initial oligosaccharide-synthetic phase also appeared to be processive, the duration of which was enhanced by the concentration of UDP-GlcUA and diminished by an increase in temperature. The overall reaction approached a steady state equilibrium between the polymer- and oligosaccharide-forming phases that was shifted toward the former by higher UDP-GlcUA levels or lower temperatures and toward the latter by lower concentrations of UDP-GlcUA or higher temperatures. The transition step between the two enzymatic phases demonstrated cooperative kinetics, which is predicted to reflect a possible reorientation of the oligosaccharide-lipid in conjunction with the formation of a tight binding complex.     

Recombinational exchanges at the capsular polysaccharide biosynthetic locus lead to frequent serotype changes among natural isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Serotype 19F variants of the major Spanish multiresistant serotype 23F clone of Streptococcus pneumoniae have been proposed to have arisen by recombinational exchanges at the capsular biosynthetic locus. Members of the Spanish multiresistant serotype 23F clone and the serotype 19F variants were confirmed to be essentially identical in overall genotype, as they were indistinguishable by REP-PCR, and had identical sequences at three polymorphic housekeeping genes. Eight serotype 19F variants were studied and all had large recombinational replacements at the capsular biosynthetic locus. In all cases, one of the recombinational cross-over points appeared to be upstream of dexB which flanks one end of the capsular locus, and in six of the variants the other cross-over point was downstream of aliA , which flanks the other end of the locus. In two strains a recombinational cross-over point between the introduced serotype 19F capsular region and that of the Spanish serotype 23F clone could be clearly identified, within cpsN in one strain and within cpsM in the other. The differences in the recombinational junctions and sequence polymorphisms within the introduced capsular genes, suggested that the eight serotype 19F variants emerged on at least four separate occasions. Changes in capsular type by recombination may therefore be relatively frequent in pneumococci and this has implications for the long-term efficacy of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines that will protect against only a limited number of serotypes.     

Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of a tetra- and octasaccharide fragment of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 14

The chemo-enzymatic synthesis is described of tetrasaccharide beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-[beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)]-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O(CH(2))(6)NH(2) (1) and octasaccharide beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-[beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)]-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-[beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)]-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O(CH(2))(6)NH(2) (2), representing one and two tetrasaccharide repeating units of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 14 capsular polysaccharide. In a chemical approach, the intermediate linear trisaccharide 3 and hexasaccharide 4 were synthesized. Galactose residues were beta-(1-->4)-connected to the internal N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamine residues by using bovine milk beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase. Both title oligosaccharides will be conjugated to carrier proteins to be tested as potential vaccines in animal models.     

Role of capsular sialic acid in virulence and resistance to phagocytosis of Streptococcus suis capsular type 2

Abstract Streptococcus suis capsular type 2 has a capsule rich in sialic acid (NANA). Sialic acid, known to be an antiphagocytic factor for many bacterial species, inhibits the activation of the alternative complement pathway. The role of capsular NANA in virulence, resistance to phagocytosis and intracellular survival of S. suis capsular type 2 was evaluated. In general, a low concentration of NANA was observed for all the S. suis strains tested. In addition, no difference could be found in NANA concentrations between strains of different virulence degrees. Sialic acid concentration increased in the virulent strain 89–1591 and the avirulent strain 90–1330 after in vivo growth with an increased capsular material thickness compared to growth in vitro. No significant difference could be found in the phagocytosis rate by porcine blood monocytes of either strain and strain 89–1591 treated with sialidase or the sialic acid-binding lectin from Sambucus nigra (SNA I). Intracellular survival of strain 89–1591 decreased after treatments with sialidase or lectin, becoming comparable to that of strain 90–1330. Finally, no difference could be seen in virulence using a murine model, even if strain 89–1591 was treated with the enzyme or the lectin. Thus, NANA does not seem to be a critical virulence factor for S. suis capsular type 2.     

Structural studies of the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 5

The structure of the capsular polysaccharide (S5) elaborated by Streptococcus pneumoniae type 5 has been investigated by using n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and various specific degradations. It is concluded that the polysaccharide is composed of pentasaccharide repeating-units having the following structure: (Formula: see text) In this structure, L-PneNAc stands for 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-L-talose (pneumosamine) and D-Sug for 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-D-xylo-hexos-4-ulose. The latter sugar accounts for the lability of S5 towards alkali. N.m.r. spectra indicate heterogeneity in S5, most probably associated with the hexosyl-4-ulose residue.     

Cloning and sequencing of a gene involved in the synthesis of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3

A 4.5 kb ScaI chromosomal DNA fragment of a clinical isolate of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 was cloned in Escherichia coli. Combined genetic and molecular analyses have allowed the localization, in a 781 by EcoRV subfragment, of a gene (cap3-1) directly responsible for the transformation of an unencapsulated, serotype 3 mutant to the capsulated phenotype. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of CAP3-1 with the protein sequences compiled in the data banks revealed that the CAP3-1 polypeptide was highly similar to the amino-terminus of the GDP-mannose dehydrogenase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an enzyme that participates in the synthesis of the mucoid polysaccharide of this species. In addition, the 32 N-terminal amino acids of CAP3-1 perfectly matched structures common to NAD⁺-binding domains of many dehydrogenases. Our results indicate that the 4.5 kb ScaI fragment might also contain genes common to 13 different pneumococcal serogroups or scrotypes tested. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a gene of the capsular complex of S. pneumoniae has been cloned and sequenced. The findings reported here provide new insights for the study of the molecular biology of the main virulence factor responsible for the pathogenesis of pneumococcal infections and might represent a basic step in the identification of cross-reactive antigens that should allow the preparation of new and improved vaccines.