Diversity of carbazole-degrading bacteria having the car gene cluster: isolation of a novel gram-positive carbazole-degrading bacterium

Twenty-seven carbazole-utilizing bacterial strains were isolated from environmental samples, and were classified into 14 groups by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis. Southern hybridization analyses showed that 3 and 17 isolates possessed the car gene homologs of Pseudomonas resinovorans CA10 and Sphingomonas sp. strain KA1, respectively. Of the 17 isolates, 2 isolates also have the homolog of the carAa gene of Sphingomonas sp. strain CB3. While the genome of one isolate, a Gram-positive Nocardioides sp. strain IC177, showed no hybridization to any car gene probes, PCR and sequence analyses indicated that strain IC177 had tandemly linked carAa and carC gene homologs whose deduced amino acid sequences showed 51% and 36% identities with those of strain KA1.     

Quantification of the carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase gene by real-time competitive PCR combined with co-extraction of internal standards

The fluorogenic probe assay, competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and co-extraction with internal standard cells were combined to develop a rapid, sensitive, and accurate quantification method for the copy number of a target carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase gene (carAa) and the cell number of Pseudomonas sp. strain CA10. The internal standard DNA was modified by replacement of a 20-bp long region with one for binding a specific probe in fluorogenic PCR (TaqMan). The resultant DNA fragment was similar to the corresponding region of the intact carAa gene in terms of G+C content. When used as a competitor in the PCR reaction, the internal standard DNA was distinguishable from the target carAa gene by two specific fluorogenic probes with different fluorescence labels, and was automatically detected in a single tube using the ABI7700 sequence detection system. To minimize variations in the efficiency of cell lysis and DNA extraction between the samples, the co-extraction method was combined. A mini-transposon was used to introduce competitor DNA into the genome of other pseudomonads, and the resultant construct was used as the standard cell. After the addition of a fixed amount of the internal standard cells to soil samples, total DNA was extracted (co-extraction). Using this method, the copy number of the carAa gene and the cell number of strain CA10 in soil samples could be quantified rapidly.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of carbazole catabolic genes from Pseudomonas stutzeri strain OM1, isolated from activated sludge

A new carbazole (CAR)-degrading bacterium, called strain OM1, was isolated from activated sludge obtained from sewage disposal plants in Fukuoka Prefecture, and it was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri. Anthranilic acid (AN), 2'-aminobiphenyl-2,3-diol and its meta-cleavage product, 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-(2'-aminophenyl)-hexa-2,4-dienoic acid, were identified as metabolic intermediates of CAR in the ethyl acetate extract of the culture broth. Therefore, the CAR catabolic pathway to AN in strain OM1 was indicated to be identical to those found in the Pseudomonas sp. strains CA06 and CA10. The strain OM1 degraded catechol (CAT) via a meta-cleavage pathway in contrast to strains CA06 and CA10, which transform catechol into cis, cis-munonic acid. Clones containing a 6.9-kb EcoRI fragment and a 3-kb PstI-SphI fragment were isolated from colonies, forming a clear zone of CAR and a yellow ring-cleavage product from CAT, respectively. Recombinant E. coli carrying the 6.9-kb fragment degraded CAR in the L-broth and produced AN. Cell-free extract from the clone carrying a 3-kb PstI-SphI fragment had high meta-ring-cleavage dioxygenase activity for CAT. The nucleotide sequences of these fragments were determined. The 6.9-kb fragment showed a very high degree of homology with the CAR catabolic genes of strain CA10. The amino acid and nucleotide sequences of the 3-kb fragment were found to exhibit significant homology with the genes for the CAT-catabolic enzymes of TOL plasmid pWW0, plasmid NAH7, and plasmid pVI150.     

溶藻弧菌HY9901 AcrA基因克隆与序列分析

Touchdown PCR扩增溶藻弧菌HY9901 AcrA基因部分序列,得一460bp片段,再以反向PCR和巢式PCR联合扩增其侧翼序列,拼接得一由1101 nt组成,共编码366 aa的完整基因.该基因演绎的氨基酸序列与几种弧菌的同源性都比较高,与创伤弧菌YJ016、副溶血弧菌RIMD 2210633、灿烂弧菌12B01、霍乱弧菌O1 N16961同源性分别为76%、73%、71%和70%.     

Biodegradation of the sulfonylurea herbicide chlorimuron-ethyl by the strain Pseudomonas sp. LW3

Eleven carbazole (CAR)-degrading bacterial strains were isolated from seawater collected off the coast of Japan using two different media. Seven isolates were shown to be most closely related to the genera Erythrobacter, Hyphomonas, Sphingosinicella, Caulobacter , and Lysobacter . Meanwhile, strains OC3, OC6S, OC9, and OC11S showed low similarity to known bacteria, the closest relative being Kordiimonas gwangyangensis GW14-5 (90% similarity). Southern hybridization analysis revealed that only five isolates carried car genes similar to those reported in Pseudomonas resinovorans CA10 ( car _CA10) or Sphingomonas sp. strain KA1 ( car _KA1). The isolates were subjected to GC-MS and the results indicated that these strains degrade CAR to anthranilic acid.     

赤羽病病毒核蛋白基因克隆和序列分析

参考GeneBank发表的赤羽病病毒(Akabane virus,AKAV)的核蛋白基因(SmRNA)序列,设计合成一对引物,从分离自牛体的AKAVBHK21细胞培养物巾提取总RNA,对．AKAV核蛋白基因进行RT-PCR扩增,产物经琼脂糖电泳分析,呈现一条约696bp的条带,同收纯化后,将其克隆至pMD18-T质粒载体中,然后进行核苷酸序列分析。与GenBank中报道的多株AKAV编码核衣壳蛋白(N)的SmRNA基因比较后发现,与其它株的核苷酸的同源性为94．2％～98．3％,推导的氨荜酸的同源性为97．6％～100％,证实为AKV的N基冈。为生产AKAV特异性核蛋白抗原、免疫血清学诊断试剂的制备和分子生物学研究打下了坚实基础。     

Identification and characterization of genes encoding carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase in Pseudomonas sp. strain CA10.

Nucleotide sequence analysis of the flanking regions of the carBC genes of Pseudomonas sp. strain CA10 revealed that there were two open reading frames (ORFs) ORF4 and ORF5, in the upstream region of carBC. Similarly, three ORFs, ORF6 to ORF8, were found in the downstream region of carBC. The deduced amino acid sequences of ORF6 and ORF8 showed homologies with ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductase components of bacterial multicomponent dioxygenase systems, respectively. ORF4 and ORF5 had the same sequence and were tandemly linked. Their deduced amino acid sequences showed about 30% homology with large (alpha) subunits of other terminal oxygenase components. Functional analysis using resting cells harboring the deleted plasmids revealed that the products of ORF4 and -5, ORF6, and ORF8 were terminal dioxygenase, ferredoxin, and ferredoxin reductase, respectively, of carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase (CARDO), which attacks the angular position adjacent to the nitrogen atom of carbazole, and that the product of ORF7 is not indispensable for CARDO activity. Based on the results, ORF4, ORF5, ORF6, and ORF8 were designated carAa, carAa, carAc, and carAd, respectively. The products of carAa, carAd, and ORF7 were shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be polypeptides with molecular masses of 43, 36, and 11 kDa, respectively. However, the product of carAc was not detected in Escherichia coli. CARDO has the ability to oxidize a wide variety of polyaromatic compounds, including dibenzo-p-dioxin, dibenzofuran, biphenyl, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene and phenanthrene. Since 2,2',3-trihydroxydiphenyl ether and 2,2',3-trihydroxybiphenyl were identified as metabolites of dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran, respectively, it was considered that CARDO attacked at the angular position adjacent to the oxygen atom of dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran as in the case with carbazole.     

Allele frequency of two intragenic microsatellite loci of SEL1L gene in Northern Italian population

Two cytosine-adenine (CA) repeats CAR/CAL and RepIN20 occur in the human SEL1L gene, which is regarded as a candidate gene for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and Grave's disease. We have characterized these repeats to determine if they might serve as effective microsatellite markers for linkage analysis to clarify whether SEL1L gene plays a role in the pathogenesis of these autoimmune diseases. The allele frequencies and average heterozygosity of the microsatellite repeats were analysed in 94 DNA samples from peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC) cells from adults of Northern Italy. The average heterozygosity was 0.68 for CAR/CAL polymorphism and 0.85 for RepIN20. The size of PCR fragments of CAR/CAL ranged from 207–225 bp and the most frequent allele was 207 bp (40.4%). The size of the fragments of RepIN20 ranged from 237–255 bp and the most frequent allele was 249 bp (30.8%). In the light of the highly polymorphic nature of both microsatellites and their intragenic location in SEL1L gene, we suggest that they could provide a means for linkage analysis to clarify the potential role of SEL1L in conferring susceptibility to IDDM or Grave's disease.     

Genetic characterization and evolutionary implications of a car gene cluster in the carbazole degrader Pseudomonas sp. strain CA10

The nucleotide sequences of the 27,939-bp-long upstream and 9,448-bp-long downstream regions of the carAaAaBaBbCAc(ORF7)Ad genes of carbazole-degrading Pseudomonas sp. strain CA10 were determined. Thirty-two open reading frames (ORFs) were identified, and the car gene cluster was consequently revealed to consist of 10 genes (carAaAaBaBbCAcAdDFE) encoding the enzymes for the three-step conversion of carbazole to anthranilate and the degradation of 2-hydroxypenta-2,4-dienoate. The high identities (68 to 83%) with the enzymes involved in 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid degradation were observed only for CarFE. This observation, together with the fact that two ORFs are inserted between carD and carFE, makes it quite likely that the carFE genes were recruited from another locus. In the 21-kb region upstream from carAa, aromatic-ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase genes (ORF26, ORF27, and ORF28) were found. Inductive expression in carbazole-grown cells and the results of homology searching indicate that these genes encode the anthranilate 1,2-dioxygenase involved in carbazole degradation. Therefore, these ORFs were designated antABC. Four homologous insertion sequences, IS5car1 to IS5car4, were identified in the neighboring regions of car and ant genes. IS5car2 and IS5car3 constituted the putative composite transposon containing antABC. One-ended transposition of IS5car2 together with the 5' portion of antA into the region immediately upstream of carAa had resulted in the formation of IS5car1 and ORF9. In addition to the insertion sequence-dependent recombination, gene duplications and presumed gene fusion were observed. In conclusion, through the above gene rearrangement, the novel genetic structure of the car gene cluster has been constructed. In addition, it was also revealed that the car and ant gene clusters are located on the megaplasmid pCAR1.     

鸭副粘病毒WF01 D株F基因的测序与蛋白特性分析

用鸭副粘病毒凤阳分离株WF01 D作9～10日龄SPF鸡胚的尿囊腔接种,成功增殖了该病毒,采用一步法RT-PCR技术扩增WF01 D病毒的F基因,获得了1条长约1．7kb的特异性条带。用PCR产物直接测序。测序结果表明,扩增片段大小为1782bp,含有1个1662bp的开放性阅读框,编码554个氨基酸。核苷酸同源性分析表明：WF01 D株与国内外其他NDVF基因的同源性为84．5％～97．0％,其中与国内标准强毒株F48E9的同源性为86．6％,说明WF01 D与国内外的传统毒株有较大变异。与Taiwan95株和J株的同源性为93．6％和97．0％,说明WF01 D与Taiwan95株和J株亲缘关系较近,具有较高的相似性。F蛋白裂解位点的氨基酸顺序为112Arg-Arg-Gln-Lys-Arg-Phe117,表明为NDV的强毒株。蛋白疏水性和抗原性分析表明与标准强毒F48E9株相比没有太大的变异。     

Preliminary examinations for applying a carbazole-degrader, Pseudomonas sp. strain CA10, to dioxin-contaminated soil remediation

A method for bioremediation of chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) and dibenzofurans (CDFs) by a carbazole-utilizing bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. strain CA10, was developed. CA10 cells transferred to carbon- and nitrogen-free mineral medium supplemented with 1 mg carbazole (CAR)/ml grew rapidly during the first 2 days; and the cells at the end of this rapid growth period showed the highest 2,3-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3-Cl2DD)-degrading activity. The CA10 cells pregrown for 2 days efficiently degraded 2,3-Cl2DD in aqueous solution at either 1 ppm or 10 ppm. The effect of inoculum density on the efficiency of 2,3-Cl2DD degradation was investigated in a soil slurry microcosm [ratio of soil:water = 1:5 (w/v)]. The results showed that a single inoculation with CA10 cells at densities of 10(7) CFU/g soil and 10(9) CFU/g soil degraded 46% and 80% of 2,3-Cl2DD, respectively, during the 7-day incubation. The rate of degradation of each CDD congener, 2-ClDD, 2,3-Cl2DD, and 1,2,3-Cl3DD (1 ppm each) by strain CA10 in the soil slurry system was not significantly influenced by the coexistence of the other congeners. Using this soil slurry system, we tried an experimental bioremediation of the actual dioxin-contaminated soil, which contained mainly tetra- to octochlorinated dioxins. Although the degradation rate of total CDD and CDF congeners by a single inoculation with CA10 cells was 8.3% after a 7-day incubation, it was shown that strain CA10 had a potential to degrade tetra- to hepta-chlorinated congeners including the most toxic compound, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin.     

禽致病性大肠杆菌（CVCC1565）中耶尔森菌强毒力岛核心区的检测

采用PCR法,检测了大肠杆菌（CVCC1565）中耶尔森菌强毒力岛（high pathogenicity island,HPI）核心区的irp1、irp2、irp3、irp4、irp5及fyuA基因片段,并与小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌毒力岛的类似基因进行同源性比较。结果显示,E.coliCVCC1565菌株irp1、irp2、irp3、irp4、irp5及fyuA基因大小分别为799bp、414bp、798bp、504bp、758bp、948bp,与GenBank中公布的小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌（Yersinia enterocoliticaO：8 WA）HPI的irp1、irp2、irp3、irp4、irp5及fyuA基因同源性分别达到98%、98%、98%、95%、98%、98%。研究结果表明禽致病性大肠杆菌标准株（CVCC1565）携带耶尔森菌强毒力岛基因,这几个毒力岛基因在小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌和禽致病性大肠杆菌之间可能存在水平性转移。     

我国肾综合征出血热疫苗生产株LR1株的全基因组序列分析

为测定我国肾综合征出血热疫苗生产株LR1株的全基因组序列 ,了解该株分子基础 ,从提取的细胞总RNA逆转录PCR扩增 ,产物纯化后克隆T载体纯化后测序 ,结果证明 ,LR1株全基因组序列由L6 5 33、M36 16、S片段的16 92个核苷酸组成 ,依各自读码框架分别编码 2 15 1、1135、42 9个氨基酸。序列同源比较分析表明 ,LR1毒株与国外HTN型毒株高度同源 ,属同一亚型 ,尤其与HTN代表株 76 - 1183个片段同源率高达 99 3%～ 99 8% ,而与国内的HTN型病毒差异较大 ,同源率仅为 79 4%～ 84 6 %。氨基酸比较也显示了同样的结果。     

汉坦病毒汉滩型特殊新亚型的发现

应用RT－PCR扩增了皖南山区分离株AH09的M和S片段全基因,克隆于T载体,纯化后测定序列。结果AH09株M片段的全基因序列共3625个核苷酸,编码1135个氨基酸;S片段的全基因序列共1724个核苷酸,编码430个氨基酸。M和S片段全基因核苷酸和氨基酸与汉坦病毒各型株的代表株和HTN型毒株的同源性比较表明,AH09株分枝与HTN型接近,与其它各型病毒则相距较远,故确定为HTN型毒株,但AH09株与HTN型毒株的M和S片段全基因序列有差异,其差异分别高达23．6％和20．4％,经种系发生分析,AH09株是迄今为止所发现的HTN型病毒中差异最大的新基因亚型病毒株,AH09株病毒M片段的氨基酸与HTN型相差13．5％至14．8％,而S片段仅相差7％－8．1％,说明AH09毒株的变异主要发生在M片段。而ORF和3‘端的NCR区核苷酸序列分析比较说明,病毒的变异更主要集中在该片段的3‘端的NCR区。     

Isolation and identification of a carbazole degradation gene cluster from Sphingomonas sp.JS1

The carbazole degrading bacterium JS1 was isolated from carbazole polluted soil and identified as Sphingomonas sp. bacterium based on its 16S rDNA gene. The car gene cluster located in the genome of JS1 was isolated by PCR and its presence verified by Southern hybridization. Sequence analysis of the car gene cluster showed that the arrangement of elements in JS1 was different from that of Pseudomons sp. CA10 and Nocardioides aromaticivorans IC177, but car gene cluster and neighboring regions were nearly identical to that of Sphingomonas sp. KA1 and Sphingomonas sp.GTIN11. Each element of the car gene cluster was expressed in E. coli upon IPTG induction. The amount of CaBb protein expressed was higher than CarBa and the ratio of these two proteins was 1:1.5. CarC expression level was detected using anti-CarC antibody. The result showed that carbazole degrading proteins were induced by the substrate carbazole. The quantity of CarC at 0.5 mg/ml carbazole was five times more than that at 0.1 mg/ml. Meiying Yang and Wenming Li have the equal contribution for this work.     

鹅副粘病毒WF00 G分离株HN蛋白基因的测序与序列分析

用鹅副粘病毒凤阳分离株WF00G做9～10日龄SPF鸡胚的尿囊腔接种,成功增殖了该病毒,采用一步法RT-PCR技术扩增WF00G病毒的HN基因,获得了1条约1．8kb的特异性条带。PCR产物回收纯化后测序。测序结果表明,扩增片段大小为1844bp,含有1个1716bp的开放性阅渎框,编码571个氨基酸。核苷酸同源性分析表明：WF00G株与其他12株鹅副牯病毒的同源性为89．9％-99．2％,与国内外其他NDVHN基因的同源性为81．7％～95．7％,其中与国内标准强毒株F48E9的同源性为84．7％,说明WF00G与国内外的传统毒株有较大变异。与Taiwan95株和NL／96株的同源性为94．3％和95．7％,说明WF00G与Taiwan95株和NL／96株亲缘关系较近,具有较高的相似性。     

1株虎源致病性肠球菌的分离鉴定及序列分析

从病死老虎肺脏中分离到1株肠球菌,并对该菌做了生理生化鉴定、药敏试验,致病性试验。本菌对多种抗生素高度耐药,对小白鼠有强致病性,其LD50为2.7×109.2cfu。并用PCR方法扩增分离菌株16S rDNA基因,获得1 415 bp片段,该片段核苷酸序列提交GenBank,登陆号为HM346186,将分离株的16S rDNA核苷酸序列与GenBank上其他肠球菌进行同源性分析。结果表明,分离株的16S rDNA核苷酸序列与肠球菌(EU285587)的同源性为100%,因此该分离菌株被鉴定为致病性肠球菌,命名为YN-1株(云南-1株)。