肉毒毒素结构及其重组疫苗的相关研究进展

肉毒毒素是肉毒梭状杆菌产生的外毒素,有7种血清型(A～G).肉毒毒素属神经强毒,是目前已知的毒性最强的细菌蛋白质.作为重要的生物战剂之一,对肉毒毒素的研究已经相当深入,基本明确了各型肉毒毒素的基因序列、同源性和三维结构及毒素作用的本质和机理.随着国际恐怖活动的日益猖獗,针对肉毒毒素的检测和预防也备受关注,对其疫苗的探索已成为研究的焦点.本扼要介绍了肉毒毒素的结构、作用机制及其疫苗的相关研究进展.     

一株A型肉毒梭状芽孢杆菌的分离与鉴定

从四川成都、重庆、若尔盖,新疆乌鲁木齐,宁夏固原共采集土样319份进行肉毒梭状芽孢杆菌的分离。在若尔盖土样中分离到一株厌氧芽孢杆菌,按《伯杰细菌鉴定手册》(第八版)的方法进行了生物学测定、生理生化试验,并测定了其DNA中G+C mol为24．9％,鉴定为肉毒梭状芽孢杆菌,经血清学试验进一步鉴定为A型肉毒梭菌,编号为As-3。     

破伤风杆菌产毒培养基主要原材料的替代研究

目的探索用干粉状的肝浸粉、胰酪胨、月示胨代替传统破伤风杆菌产毒培养基中使用的猪肝水透析外液、胰酶酪蛋白消化液、浓胨水,以满足规模化生产的需求。方法与传统的破伤风杆菌产毒培养基同时用于破伤风类毒素的生产过程,由小批量生产逐步转化到规模化批量生产,经多批次试验,以检测不同组分制备的培养基各生化指标和接种细菌后培养的产毒水平进行比对。先确定肝浸粉可以取代猪肝水透析外液,在此基础上筛选出代替浓胨水的月示胨,再以待用的胰酪胨配合肝浸粉、月示胨制备多批次不同生产量的破伤风杆菌产毒培养基。结果经过多批次小批量扩大到批量规模化生产的试验,用肝浸粉、胰酪胨、月示胨配制的破伤风杆菌产毒培养基与传统工艺制备的破伤风杆菌产毒培养基相比较,无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论肝浸粉、胰酪胨、月示胨可以替代传统破伤风杆菌产毒培养基中的猪肝水透析外液、胰酶酪蛋白消化液、浓胨水,适用于破伤风类毒素的规模化生产。     

B型肉毒毒素重链C端基因的表达与保护作用的初步研究

肉毒毒素是肉毒梭状杆菌产生的外毒素,有7种血清型(A～G),是目前已知的毒性最强的细菌蛋白质。人类肉毒中毒主要是由A、B和E型引起。本研究克隆了B型肉毒毒素重链C端片段(Hc),在大肠杆菌中进行了诱导表达,并用Ni离子亲和柱进行了纯化。Hc蛋白免疫后的BALB/c小鼠可以抵抗6×103LD50B型肉毒毒素攻击。     

气相色谱法测定梭菌酸性代谢产物

本文报告用气相色谱法对８株梭菌代谢产物中的挥发性及非挥发性有机酸进行测定。采用程序升温方法,样品中各种成份分离较好,所需样品量少,操作方便,样品分析结果与标准菌株及文献对照比较,为梭菌的分类鉴定提供了实验依据。     

神经毒素原性酪酸梭菌与E型肉毒梭菌毒素的精制及特性比较

对首次自Ｅ型肉毒中毒食品中分离到的一株神经毒素原性酪酸梭菌（ＬＣＬ１５５）所产生的神经毒素,同Ｅ型肉毒梭菌（Ｅ１５３）所产生的神经毒素进行了精制及特性比较,发现（１）两菌神经毒素的分子量,Ｎａｔｉｖｅ－ＰＡＧＥ测试均为３２０ｋＤａ;ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ测试则均为１４７ｋＤａ,非毒性非血凝素部分均为１２８ｋＤａ;用胰蛋白酶激活神经毒素后发现两菌神经毒素均由分子量为１０３ｋＤａ的Ｈ链和４８ｋＤａ的Ｌ链组成。（２）两菌神经毒素柱层析图像基本一致,但在菌体毒素提取效果及精制效果诸方面,分离的酪酸梭菌却都较差。（３）胰蛋白酶激活试验表明：两菌神经毒素达到最大毒力所需激活时间不等。在相同温度下,分离的酪酸梭菌毒素只需５ｍｉｎ,而Ｅ型肉毒梭菌毒素却需３０ｍｉｎ,提示两菌神经毒素激活动力学上存在差异。（４）琼脂双扩散试验结果表明两菌神经毒素的抗原性是一致的,没有发现沉淀线呈交叉或部分交叉现象。     

A型肉毒神经毒素理化及生物学特性研究

目的探究A型肉毒神经毒素的理化及生物学特性,为A型肉毒神经毒素制品的研制提供依据。方法采用SDS-PAGE、HPLC测定A型肉毒神经毒素的纯度;采用毛细管凝胶电泳分析其在非还原条件及还原条件下各组分的相对分子质量;采用等电点聚焦电泳测定其等电点;对其N-末端氨基酸序列进行测序,并将测序结果与NCBI blast数据库中A型肉毒梭菌Hall株的氨基酸序列作比对,确证其各组分的成分;对A型肉毒毒素复合物及A型肉毒神经毒素进行口服毒性分析,并对3批A型肉毒神经毒素原液和其半成品进行生物学稳定性研究。结果 A型肉毒神经毒素纯度99.00%;非还原条件下其相对分子质量约为152 000,N-末端氨基酸序列ALNDLQINVN,为完整的A型肉毒神经毒素;还原条件下,由相对分子质量约为101 000、N-末端氨基酸序列为ALNDLQINVN的重链和相对分子质量约为101 000、N-末端氨基酸序列为PFVNKQFNYK的轻链组成;等电点为4.91;口服A型肉毒神经毒素的小鼠LD50为1.50×107U/kg,是其复合物的7.9倍;3批A型肉毒神经毒素原液在2~8℃放置28 d生物学活性无下降,平均比活性为2.13×108U/mg,是其复合物的7.1倍;3批半成品在18~26℃放置28 d生物学活性无下降。结论 A型肉毒神经毒素纯度较高,非还原条件下为单链,还原条件下裂解为轻链和重链,其原液及其半成品的生物学稳定性较好。     

C型肉毒梭菌毒素的稳定性研究

报道了保存肉毒毒素经常会遇到的某些因素对Ｃ型肉毒梭菌Ｃ６５１４培养滤液稳定性的影响观察结果。结果表明,提高环境温度及介质酸碱度、日光照射、激烈震荡都能使毒素的毒力下降。甘油或明胶磷酸盐缓冲剂对于保存Ｃ型肉毒毒素都是较好的活性稳定剂。含甘油或明胶磷酸盐缓冲剂的毒素在４℃下保存１２个月后,毒力的变动甚微。此二法都不需要特殊设备,材料易得,操作简便,比较实用。     

中国动物肉毒中毒及其生态分布

肉毒中毒是由肉毒梭菌引起的食物中毒症,是一种人畜共患病,动物肉毒中毒常常是动物食人含有肉毒毒素的食物或饲料而引起,病死率高.本文通过对我国动物肉毒中毒的发生、中毒机理、发病特征及流行分布、预防措施等方面进行了概述,以期为今后畜牧业肉毒中毒的防治提供参考依据.     

A型肉毒毒素轻链基因的克隆及其结构分析

以献报道的A型肉毒毒素基因全序列为标准,设计并合成一对引物,自肉毒梭菌基因组中扩增出肉毒毒素轻链基因片段,并将扩增产物与pGEM—T载体在体外连接,构建测序重组质粒,进行测序和基因结构分析。PCR扩增获得了产物为1 364bp的DNA片段,测序结果与DNA数据库对照检索分析证明,此基因片段与GenBank中的A型肉毒毒素LC基因的一致性达99．9％以上,可以认为克隆的基因为A型肉毒毒素LC基因。     

Identification of Clostridium botulinum with API 20 A, Rapid ID 32 A and RapID ANA II

Three commercially available test systems for the identification of anaerobic bacteria were evaluated for the identification of 18 proteolytic group I and 69 non-proteolytic group II Clostridium botulinum, four Clostridium sporogenes and 18 non-toxigenic group II C. botulinum-like strains. All proteolytic C. botulinum strains were misidentified by the Rapid ID 32 A and RapID ANA II, while 14 strains and all C. sporogenes strains were identified as C. botulinum or C. sporogenes by the API 20 A. Reversely, all non-proteolytic C. botulinum strains were misidentified by the API 20 A while the Rapid ID 32 A recognized 67 and RapID ANA II 68 strains. All C. sporogenes strains were recognized by the RapID ANA II, while the Rapid ID 32 A recognized one strain. All non-proteolytic non-toxigenic strains were identified as C. botulinum group II by the Rapid ID 32 A, 17 strains by the RapID ANA II, and one strain by the API 20 A. The results show that these test systems do not provide a reliable method for identification of C. botulinum.     

外源性蛋白酶对肉毒毒素的作用初探

将B型肉毒毒素在毒素粗提阶段用胰蛋白酶处理,再经浓缩、柱层析和结晶得到纯化的B型肉毒毒素复合物。结果表明:B型肉毒神经毒素经胰蛋白酶处理后单链裂解为双链,在非还原条件下SDS-PAGE显示神经毒素条带,在还原条件下SDS-PAGE只显示轻(L)、重(H)二链条带,而不显示神经毒素条带;纯化后毒素复合物的比活性提高了5.9倍,达到1.60×108LD50/mgPr;HPLC显示活性成分峰面积所占比例增加了9.83%。     

A型肉毒神经毒素(BoNT/A)基因序列分析及其B细胞表位预测

比较GenBank中4个不同毒株的A型肉毒神经毒素（BoNT／A）的基因组序列,发现其基因序列的一致性高迭92．2％-99．9％。基于保守性高的BoNT／A氨基酸序列,根据BioSun和LaserGene软件包中的表住分析相关参数,辅以对BoNT／A蛋白的二级结构的分析,综合预测BoNT／A的B细胞表位。结果表明,BoNT／A轻链的142-150、284-292区段,轻链的284-292,重链的440-450、465-480、538-549、699-710、751-760、1087-1095、1224-1231、1263-1270区段是B细胞表位优势区的可能性较大。多参数方案井结合不同软件综合预测BoNT／A蛋白的B细胞表位,为进一步实验鉴定BoNT／A的B细胞表位及其多表位疫苗设计和研究奠定了基础。     

Rapid and simple detection of Clostridium botulinum types A and B by loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Aims:  To develop a convenient and rapid detection method for toxigenic Clostridium botulinum types A and B using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method.
Methods and results:  The LAMP primer sets for the type A or B botulinum neurotoxin gene, BoNT / A or BoNT / B , were designed. To determine the specificity of the LAMP assay, a total of 14 C. botulinum strains and 17 other Clostridium strains were tested. The assays for the BoNT/A or BoNT/B gene detected only type A or B C. botulinum strains, respectively, but not other types of C. botulinum or strains of other Clostridium species. Using purified chromosomal DNA, the sensitivity of LAMP for the BoNT/A or BoNT/B gene was 1 pg or 10 pg of DNA per assay, respectively. The assay times needed to detect 1 ng of DNA were only 23 and 22 min for types A and B, respectively. In food samples, the detection limit per reaction was one cell for type A and 10 cells for type B.
Conclusions:  The LAMP is a sensitive, specific and rapid detection method for C. botulinum types A and B.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The LAMP assay would be useful for detection of C. botulinum in environmental samples.     

Variability in spore germination response by strains of proteolytic Clostridium botulinum types A,B and F

AIMS: The objective of the study was to evaluate the variability of germination response of 10 strains of proteolytic Clostridium botulinum. METHODS AND RESULTS: An automated turbidometric method was used to follow the fall in optical density. Spores of proteolytic Cl. botulinum germinated in response to l-alanine alone, with rate and extent of germination increased by addition of l-lactate or bicarbonate ions. Other hydrophobic amino acids also triggered germination of spores of proteolytic Cl. botulinum but not AGFK and inosine, germinants for Bacillus subtilis or B. cereus. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike spores of nonproteolytic Cl. botulinum, all proteolytic Cl. botulinum germinate in hydrophobic l-amino acids without l-lactate. However, a great variability of response to germinant is evidenced between the species. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The selection of a model strain to study germination of Cl. botulinum spores should consider the variability in sensitivity to germinants shown in this work. In particular, the sequenced strain ATCC 3502 may not be the most appropriate model for germination studies.     

Gene arrangement in the upstream region of Clostridium botulinum type E and Clostridium butyricum BL6340 progenitor toxin genes is different from that of other types

The cluster of genes encoding the botulinum progenitor toxin and the upstream region including p21 and p47 were divided into three different gene arrangements (class I–III). To determine the gene similarity of the type E neurotoxin (BoNT/E) complex to other types, the gene organization in the upstream region of the nontoxic-nonhemagglutinin gene (ntnh) was investigated in chromosomal DNA from Clostridium botulinum type E strain Iwanai and C. butyricum strain BL6340. The gene cluster of type E progenitor toxin (Iwanai and BL6340) was similar to those of type F and type A (from infant botulism in Japan), but not to those of types A, B, and C. Though genes for the hemagglutinin component and P21 were not discovered, genes encoding P47, NTNH, and BoNT were found in type E strain Iwanai and C. butyricum strain BL6340. However, the genes of ORF-X₁ (435 bp) and ORF-X₂ (partially sequenced) were present just upstream of that of P47. The orientation of these genes was in inverted direction to that of p47. The gene cluster of type E progenitor toxin (Iwanai and BL6340) is, therefore, a specific arrangement (class IV) among the genes encoding components of the BoNT complex.     

Effect of acidic pH on the ability of Clostridium sporogenes MD1 to take up and retain intracellular potassium

At pH values >5.5, Clostridium sporogenes MD1 accumulated potassium even though it had little protonmotive force, but an ATPase inhibitor (N, N'- dicyclohexylcarbodiimide) prevented this uptake. The results suggested that potassium transport was ATP-driven, and a protonophore (3, 3', 4', 5 - tetrachlorosalicylanilide) did not eliminate uptake. However, potassium uptake could also be driven by an artificial pH gradient, and in this case the protonophore acted as an inhibitor. These latter results indicated that the cells also had a protonmotive force-driven transporter. When the pH <5.1, the cells could not retain potassium, rapid efflux was observed, and intracellular volume collapsed.     

Effects of pH on the binding of Clostridium botulinum type E derivative toxin to gangliosides and phospholipids

Abstract Clostridium botulinum type E derivative toxin directly bound to gangliosides G_T1b, G_D1a, and G_Q1b but not to G_M1 or G_D1b at pH 5.0 or above, At the same pH values, it bound to negatively charged phospholipids but not to noncharged ones. At pH 4.0, it bound to any of gangliosides and phospholipids including G_M1, G_D1a, and non-charged phospholipids. It bound to ceramide, a hydrophobic component of ganglioside and also to sphingomyelin, a phospholipid containing a ceramide moiety, only at pH 4.0. It bound to ceramide and sphingomyelin less firmly than to other phospholipids at pH 4.0. We assume that botulinum toxin adheres to the neural cell surface mainly by sialic acid-specific and charge-dependent binding possibly aided by nonspecific hydrophobic(toxin)-hydrophobic(lipids, mainly phospholipids) interaction.     

艰难梭菌相关性腹泻的治疗进展及对我国的启示

艰难梭菌相关性腹泻（Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea,CDAD）是艰难梭菌感染（Clostridium difficile Infection,CDI）引起的一种机体严重疾病。随着艰难梭菌感染率的增加及高毒力株027／NAP1／BI的出现,导致该病在全球特别是北美、及欧洲等地区爆发性流行,对于该病的控制引起全球研究者的高度重视。本文就其治疗进展进行综述,并结合我国实际分析该病防治中存在的问题并提出建议。