Characterization of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether-Degrading Bacteria from a Gasoline-Contaminated Aquifer

Molecular microbial community analysis was combined with traditional cultivation strategies to investigate the presence of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)-degrading bacteria in a gasoline-contaminated aquifer (Ronan, MT). A bacterial consortium, RS24, which is capable of complete mineralization of MTBE as a sole carbon and energy source was enriched from soil and aquifer materials taken from the contaminated site. The consortium was capable of degrading MTBE at rates up to 0.66 mg d^-1, with corresponding gross biomass yields of 0.25±0.02 mg dry biomass (mg MTBE)^-1. Two MTBE-degrading isolates identified as Pseudomonas Ant9 and Rhodococcus koreensis were obtained from the consortium. However, both isolates required the presence of 2-propanol as a cosubstrate for MTBE degradation. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of Poly-merase Chain Reaction (PCR)-amplified 16S rDNA confirmed the presence of both isolates in the initial consortium and indicated their disappearance with transfer and subculturing. MTBE degradation and cell growth by the consortium was stimulated by the presence of spent culture medium, suggesting the production of a growth factor during MTBE degradation. These results indicate the presence of naturally occurring MTBE-degrading bacteria in a contaminated aquifer and suggest the potential for natural attenuation or enhanced aerobic oxidation.     

Detection and Quantification of the Coral Pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus by Real-Time PCR with TaqMan Fluorescent Probes

A real-time quantitative PCR-based detection assay targeting the dnaJ gene (encoding heat shock protein 40) of the coral pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus was developed. The assay is sensitive, detecting as little as 1 CFU per ml in seawater and 10⁴ CFU per cm² of coral tissue. Moreover, inhibition by DNA and cells derived from bacteria other than V. coralliilyticus was minimal. This assay represents a novel approach to coral disease diagnosis that will advance the field of coral disease research.Vibrio coralliilyticus has recently emerged as a coral pathogen of concern on reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific. It was first implicated as the etiological agent responsible for bleaching and tissue lysis of the coral Pocillopora damicornis on Zanzibar reefs (2). More recently, V. coralliilyticus has been identified as the causative agent of white syndrome (WS) outbreaks on several Pacific reefs (14). WS is a collective term describing coral diseases characterized by a spreading band of tissue loss exposing white skeleton on Indo-Pacific scleractinian corals (16). V. coralliilyticus is an emerging model pathogen for understanding the mechanisms linking bacterial infection and coral disease (13) and therefore provides an ideal model for the development of diagnostic assays to detect coral disease. Current coral disease diagnostic methods, which are based primarily upon field-based observations of macroscopic disease signs, often detect disease only at the latest stages of infection, when control measures are least effective. The development of diagnostic tools targeting pathogens underlying coral disease pathologies may provide early indications of infection, aid the identification of disease vectors and reservoirs, and assist managers in developing strategies to prevent the spread of coral disease outbreaks. In this paper, we describe the development and validation of a TaqMan-based real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay that targets a segment of the V. coralliilyticus heat shock protein 40-encoding gene (dnaJ).Nucleotide sequences of the dnaJ gene were retrieved from relevant Vibrio species, including V. coralliilyticus (LMG 20984), using the National Center for Biotechnology Information''s (NCBI) Entrez Nucleotide Database search tool (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). Gene sequences of strains not available in public databases (V. coralliilyticus strains LMG 21348, LMG 21349, LMG 21350, LMG 10953, LMG 20538, LMG 23696, LMG 23691, LMG 23693, LMG 23692, and LMG 23694) were obtained through extraction of total DNA using a Promega Wizard Prep DNA Purification Kit (Promega, Sydney, Australia), PCR amplification, and sequencing using primers and thermal cycling parameters described by Nhung et al. (8). A 128-bp region (nucleotides 363 to 490) containing high concentrations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which were conserved within V. coralliilyticus strains but differed from non-V. coralliilyticus strains, was identified, and oligonucleotide primers Vc_dnaJ_F1 (5′-CGG TTC GYG GTG TTT CAA AA-3′) and Vc_dnaJ_R1 (5′-AAC CTG ACC ATG ACC GTG ACA-3′) and a TaqMan probe, Vc_dnaJ_TMP (5′-6-FAM-CAG TGG CGC GAA G-MGBNFQ-3′; 6-FAM is 6-carboxyfluorescein and MGBNFQ is molecular groove binding nonfluorescent quencher), were designed to target this region. The qPCR assay was optimized and validated using DNA extracted from V. coralliilyticus isolates, nontarget Vibrio species, and other bacterial species grown in marine broth (MB) (Table ​(Table1),1), under the following optimal conditions: 1× TaqMan buffer A, 0.5 U of AmpliTaq Gold DNA polymerase, 200 μM deoxynucleotide triphosphates (with 400 μM dUTP replacing deoxythymidine triphosphate), 0.2 U of AmpErase uracil N-glycosylase (UNG), 3 mM MgCl₂, 0.6 μM each primer, 0.2 μM fluorophore-labeled TaqMan, 1 μl of template, and sterile MilliQ water for a total reaction volume to 20 μl. All assays were conducted on a RotoGene 300 (Corbett Research, Sydney, Australia) real-time analyzer with the following cycling parameters: 50°C for 120 s (UNG activation) and 95°C for 10 min (AmpliTaq Gold DNA polymerase activation), followed by 40 cycles of 95°C for 15 s (denaturation) and 60°C for 60 s (annealing/extension). During the annealing/extension phase of each thermal cycle, fluorescence was measured in the FAM channel (470-nm excitation and 510-nm detection).

TABLE 1.

Species, strain, and threshold cycle for all bacterial strains tested^a

Detection and quantification of methyl tert-butyl ether-degrading strain PM1 by real-time TaqMan PCR.

The fuel oxygenate methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a widely distributed groundwater contaminant, shows potential for treatment by in situ bioremediation. The bacterial strain PM1 rapidly mineralizes and grows on MTBE in laboratory cultures and can degrade the contaminant when inoculated into groundwater or soil microcosms. We applied the TaqMan quantitative PCR method to detect and quantify strain PM1 in laboratory and field samples. Specific primers and probes were designed for the 16S ribosomal DNA region, and specificity of the primers was confirmed with DNA from 15 related bacterial strains. A linear relationship was measured between the threshold fluorescence (C(T)) value and the quantity of PM1 DNA or PM1 cell density. The detection limit for PM1 TaqMan assay was 2 PM1 cells/ml in pure culture or 180 PM1 cells/ml in a mixture of PM1 with Escherichia coli cells. We could measure PM1 densities in solution culture, groundwater, and sediment samples spiked with PM1 as well as in groundwater collected from an MTBE bioaugmentation field study. In a microcosm biodegradation study, increases in the population density of PM1 corresponded to the rate of removal of MTBE.     

甲型H1N1流感病毒核酸荧光定量RT-PCR检测技术

目的:建立基于TaqMan荧光探针技术的甲型H1N1流感病毒实时定量RT-PCR方法。方法:分析H1N1流感病毒基因特性,根据新发甲型H1N1流感病毒突变基因片段设计检测引物和TaqMan荧光探针,建立荧光定量RT-PCR检测体系,体外转录制备RNA标准品,进行特异性、敏感性、重复性及盲样检测评价实验。结果:可特异性有效检测新发甲型H1N1流感病毒核酸,与H1～H16流感病毒基因无交叉反应;对RNA标准品的检测敏感性达103拷贝/μL;重复性实验中,阳性标准品Ct值变异系数(CV)10%,阴性标准品检测结果均呈阴性;12份盲样检测结果特异性好。结论:该荧光定量RT-PCR方法可作为甲型H1N1流感防控的病原快速诊断技术。     

Detection and Quantification of Wallemia sebi in Aerosols by Real-Time PCR, Conventional PCR, and Cultivation

Wallemia sebi is a deuteromycete fungus commonly found in agricultural environments in many parts of the world and is suspected to be a causative agent of farmer's lung disease. The fungus grows slowly on commonly used culture media and is often obscured by the fast-growing fungi. Thus, its occurrence in different environments has often been underestimated. In this study, we developed two sets of PCR primers specific to W. sebi that can be applied in either conventional PCR or real-time PCR for rapid detection and quantification of the fungus in environmental samples. Both PCR systems proved to be highly specific and sensitive for W. sebi detection even in a high background of other fungal DNAs. These methods were employed to investigate the presence of W. sebi in the aerosols of a farm. The results revealed a high concentration of W. sebi spores, 10⁷ m⁻³ by real-time PCR and 10⁶ m⁻³ by cultivation, which indicates the prevalence of W. sebi in farms handling hay and grain and in cow barns. The methods developed in this study could serve as rapid, specific, and sensitive means of detecting W. sebi in aerosol and surface samples and could thus facilitate investigations of its distribution, ecology, clinical diagnosis, and exposure risk assessment.     

O1群霍乱弧菌实时荧光定量PCR快速检测方法的建立

目的:建立针对O1群霍乱弧菌的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR快速检测方法,并进行模拟粪便标本的检测评价。方法:根据O1群霍乱弧菌O抗原编码基因rfb的特异性序列设计引物和TaqMan探针,建立检测O1群霍乱弧菌的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR快速检测方法,对所建立的方法分别进行实验室内的灵敏度及特异性评价;将O1群霍乱弧菌灭活菌株悬液倍比稀释后与健康成人新鲜粪便混匀,制备成模拟带菌者粪便标本,提取DNA,进行Taq-Man PCR检测,用以评价该方法。结果:建立了快速检测O1群霍乱弧菌的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR方法,灵敏度为每反应体系104拷贝;该方法对其他14种肠道菌DNA没有扩增;该方法对模拟粪便标本的检测灵敏度为每反应体系102 CFU。结论:建立了一种快速、高效检测O1群霍乱弧菌的荧光定量PCR检测方法,该方法可用于O1群霍乱弧菌临床粪便标本的检测。     

嗜肺军团菌实时荧光定量PCR快速检测方法的建立

目的：建立针对嗜肺军团菌Mip基因的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR检测方法,并进行自来水和空调冷却水模拟标本的检测评价。方法：根据嗜肺军团菌Mip基因的特异性序列设计引物和TaqMan探针,建立嗜肺军团菌的实时荧光定量TaqMan PCR快速检测方法,对方法进行灵敏度及特异性评价,并对自来水和空调冷却水模拟标本中的嗜肺军团菌进行检测。结果：建立的方法对嗜肺军团菌的检测具有高度特异性,与3种非嗜肺军团菌和6种其他呼吸道病原均没有交叉反应;基因组DNA的检测灵敏度为1.6pg／μL,模拟自来水和空调冷却水标本的检测灵敏度为10CFU／mL。结论：建立的TaqMan荧光定量PCR方法特异、灵敏、快速,适于嗜肺军团菌的日常监测和暴发疫情的应急诊断。     

Naturally Occurring Bacteria Similar to the Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE)-Degrading Strain PM1 Are Present in MTBE-Contaminated Groundwater

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a widespread groundwater contaminant that does not respond well to conventional treatment technologies. Growing evidence indicates that microbial communities indigenous to groundwater can degrade MTBE under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Although pure cultures of microorganisms able to degrade or cometabolize MTBE have been reported, to date the specific organisms responsible for MTBE degradation in various field studies have not be identified. We report that DNA sequences almost identical (99% homology) to those of strain PM1, originally isolated from a biofilter in southern California, are naturally occurring in an MTBE-polluted aquifer in Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), Lompoc, California. Cell densities of native PM1 (measured by TaqMan quantitative PCR) in VAFB groundwater samples ranged from below the detection limit (in anaerobic sites) to 10³ to 10⁴ cells/ml (in oxygen-amended sites). In groundwater from anaerobic or aerobic sites incubated in microcosms spiked with 10 μg of MTBE/liter, densities of native PM1 increased to approximately 10⁵ cells/ml. Native PM1 densities also increased during incubation of VAFB sediments during MTBE degradation. In controlled field plots amended with oxygen, artificially increasing the MTBE concentration was followed by an increase in the in situ native PM1 cell density. This is the first reported relationship between in situ MTBE biodegradation and densities of MTBE-degrading bacteria by quantitative molecular methods.     

Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Shellfish by Use of Multiplexed Real-Time PCR with TaqMan Fluorescent Probes

We developed a multiplexed real-time PCR assay using four sets of gene-specific oligonucleotide primers and four TaqMan probes labeled with four different fluorophores in a single reaction for detection of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus, including the pandemic O3:K6 serotype in oysters. V. parahaemolyticus has been associated with outbreaks of food-borne gastroenteritis caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood and therefore is a concern to the seafood industry and consumers. We selected specific primers and probes targeting the thermostable direct hemolysin gene (tdh) and tdh-related hemolysin gene (trh) that have been reported to be associated with pathogenesis in this organism. In addition, we targeted open reading frame 8 of phage f237 (ORF8), which is associated with a newly emerged virulent pandemic serotype of V. parahameolyticus O3:K6. Total V. parahaemolyticus was targeted using the thermolabile hemolysin gene (tlh). The sensitivity of the combined four-locus multiplexed TaqMan PCR was found to be 200 pg of purified genomic DNA and 10⁴ CFU per ml for pure cultures. Detection of an initial inoculum of 1 CFU V. parahaemolyticus per g of oyster tissue homogenate was possible after overnight enrichment, which resulted in a concentration of 3.3 × 10⁹ CFU per ml. Use of this method with natural oysters resulted in 17/33 samples that were positive for tlh and 4/33 samples that were positive for tdh. This assay specifically and sensitively detected total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and is expected to provide a rapid and reliable alternative to conventional detection methods by reducing the analysis time and obviating the need for multiple assays.     

呼吸道合胞病毒TaqMan探针实时定量RT-PCR检测方法的建立及应用

目的:建立呼吸道合胞病毒(RSV)核酸特异、快速、敏感的TaqMan探针实时荧光定量PCR检测方法,并对临床样本进行检测。方法:比对编码RSV非编码蛋白的基因序列,选取其保守片段设计引物和探针,建立实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法,并与传统RT-PCR方法进行比较,分别对两者的灵敏性、特异性、重复性及临床样本检验的适用性进行评价。结果:所建立的实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法可用于RSV的特异性检测。相对于传统RT-PCR方法100拷贝/反应的检测灵敏度,实时荧光定量RT-PCR的检测灵敏度达到10拷贝/反应,检测范围为1010~101拷贝/反应,且具有良好的特异性和重复性。从169份临床呼吸道标本中检出RSV阳性40例,高于普通PCR方法(31/169)。结论:建立了RSV的TaqMan探针实时定量PCR检测方法,并可用于临床鼻咽拭子样本的检测,在临床上具有较好的应用前景。     

人多瘤病毒7 TaqMan探针实时定量PCR检测方法的建立

目的:建立人多瘤病毒7(HPy V7)核酸快速、特异的Taq Man探针实时定量PCR检测方法。方法:分别设计HPy V7特异性的引物与Taq Man探针,建立实时荧光定量PCR方法,并对其特异性、灵敏性和重复性进行评价;用建立的方法检测200份健康成人志愿者的血清和300份急性呼吸道感染住院儿童的鼻咽抽吸物样本。结果:所建立的实时定量PCR方法对HPy V7的检测灵敏度可达10拷贝/μL,检测线性范围为101~1010拷贝/μL,且实验特异性和重复性好(CV1.0%);采用该方法,从200份血清样本中检出9份阳性标本。结论:建立了HPy V7 Taq Man探针实时定量PCR检测方法,为HPy V7的流行病学调查及其初步研究提供了技术手段。     

TaqMan MGB Probe Fluorescence Real-Time Quantitative PCR for Rapid Detection of Chinese Sacbrood Virus

Sacbrood virus (SBV) is a picorna-like virus that affects honey bees (Apis mellifera) and results in the death of the larvae. Several procedures are available to detect Chinese SBV (CSBV) in clinical samples, but not to estimate the level of CSBV infection. The aim of this study was develop an assay for rapid detection and quantification of this virus. Primers and probes were designed that were specific for CSBV structural protein genes. A TaqMan minor groove binder (MGB) probe-based, fluorescence real-time quantitative PCR was established. The specificity, sensitivity and stability of the assay were assessed; specificity was high and there were no cross-reactivity with healthy larvae or other bee viruses. The assay was applied to detect CSBV in 37 clinical samples and its efficiency was compared with clinical diagnosis, electron microscopy observation, and conventional RT-PCR. The TaqMan MGB-based probe fluorescence real-time quantitative PCR for CSBV was more sensitive than other methods tested. This assay was a reliable, fast, and sensitive method that was used successfully to detect CSBV in clinical samples. The technology can provide a useful tool for rapid detection of CSBV. This study has established a useful protocol for CSBV testing, epidemiological investigation, and development of animal models.     

Real-Time PCR Quantification of the Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria Herbaspirillum seropedicae Strain SmR1 in Maize Roots

The plant growth promoting bacteria Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 is an endophytic diazotroph found in several economically important crops. Considering that methods to monitor the plant–bacteria interaction are required, our objective was to develop a real-time PCR method for quantification of PGPB H. seropedicae in the rhizosphere of maize seedlings. Primer pairs were designed, and their specificity was verified using DNA from 12 different bacterial species. Ten standard curves of qPCR assay using HERBAS1 primers and tenfold serial dilutions of H. seropedicae SmR1 DNA were performed, and PCR efficiency of 91 % and correlation coefficient of 0.99 were obtained. H. seropedicae SmR1 limit of detection was 10¹ copies (corresponding to 60.3 fg of bacterial DNA). qPCR assay using HERBAS1 was used to detect and quantify H. seropedicae strain SmR1 in inoculated maize roots, cultivated in vitro and in pots, harvested 1, 4, 7, and 10 days after inoculation. The estimated bacterial DNA copy number per gram of root was in the range 10⁷–10⁹ for plants grown in vitro and it was around 10⁶ for plants grown in pots. Primer pair HERBAS1 was able to quantify H. seropedicae SmR1, and this assay can be useful for monitoring plant–bacteria interaction.     

Detection of Plasmodium vivax by Nested PCR and Real-Time PCR

Malaria is endemic in the Cukurova region while it is sporadic in other regions of Turkey. Therefore, the laboratory and clinical diagnosis of malaria is important for the treatment of malaria. In this study, 92 blood samples that were taken from the suspected malaria patients for routine diagnosis in a period of 10 years between 1999 and 2009 were analyzed. All of these blood samples were examined by microscopic examinations using Giemsa-stained thick blood films, nested PCR, and real-time PCR. The sensitivity-specificity and positive-negative predictive values for these diagnostic tests were then calculated. It was found that the positive predictive values of microscopic examination of thick blood films, nested PCR, and real-time PCR were 47.8%, 56.5%, and 60.9% for malaria, respectively. The real-time PCR was found to have a specificity of 75% and sensitivity of 100%, while specificity and sensitivity of nested PCR was found 81.2% and 97.7% according to the microscopic examination of thick blood films, respectively.     

Noninvasive Fetal Sex Determination by Real-Time PCR and TaqMan Probes

Background:Noninvasive fetal sex determination by analyzing Y chromosome-specific sequences is very useful in the management of cases related to sex-linked genetic diseases. The aim of this study was to establish a non-invasive fetal sex determination test using Real-Time PCR and specific probes.Methods:The study was a prospective observational cohort study conducted from August 2018 to September 2019. Venous blood samples were collected from 25 Iranian pregnant women at weeks 7 to 25 of gestation. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was isolated from the plasma of samples and fetal sex was determined by SRY gene analysis using the Real-Time PCR technique. In the absence of SRY detection, the presence of fetal DNA was investigated using cfDNA treated with BstUI enzyme and PCR for the epigenetic marker RASSF1A.Results:Of the total samples analyzed, 48% were male and 52% female. The RASSF1A assay performed on SRY negative cases also confirmed the presence of cell-free fetal DNA. Genotype results were in full agreement with neonate gender, and the accuracy of noninvasive fetal sex determination was 100%.Conclusion:Fetal sex determination using the strategy applied in this study is noninvasive and highly accurate and can be exploited in the management of sex-linked genetic diseases.Key Words: Cell-free fetal DNA, Fetal sex determination, Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis, Sex-linked genetic diseases, SRY     

Immunoquantitative Real-Time PCR for Detection and Quantification of Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxin B in Foods

A real-time immunoquantitative PCR (iqPCR) method for detection of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB) was developed and evaluated using both pure cultures and foods. The assay consisted of immunocapture of SEB and real-time PCR amplification of the DNA probe linked to the detection antibody. iqPCR was compared to an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the same couple of capture-detection antibodies and to commercial kits for detection of S. aureus enterotoxins (SE). The iqPCR was approximately 1,000 times more sensitive (<10 pg ml⁻¹) than the in-house ELISA and had a dynamic range of approximately 10 pg ml⁻¹ to approximately 30,000 pg ml⁻¹. iqPCR was not inhibited by any of the foods tested and was able to detect SEB present in these foods. No cross-reactivity with SE other than SEB was observed. Application of iqPCR for detection of SEB in cultures of S. aureus revealed the onset of SEB production after 4 h of incubation at 22, 37, and 42°C, which was in the first half of the exponential growth phase. The total amounts of SEB produced by the two strains tested were larger at 42°C than at 37°C and were strain dependent.     

Comparison of Droplet Digital PCR and Seminested Real-Time PCR for Quantification of Cell-Associated HIV-1 RNA

Cell-associated (CA) HIV-1 RNA is considered a potential marker for assessment of viral reservoir dynamics and antiretroviral therapy (ART) response in HIV-infected patients. Recent studies employed sensitive seminested real-time quantitative (q)PCR to quantify CA HIV-1 RNA. Digital PCR has been recently described as an alternative PCR-based technique for absolute quantification with higher accuracy compared to qPCR. Here, a comparison was made between the droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and the seminested qPCR for quantification of unspliced (us) and multiply spliced (ms) CA HIV-1 RNA. Synthetic RNA standards and CA HIV-1 RNA from infected patients on and off ART (N = 34) were quantified with both methods. Correlations were observed between the methods both for serially diluted synthetic standards (usRNA: R² = 0.97, msRNA: R² = 0.92) and patient-derived samples (usRNA: R² = 0.51, msRNA: R² = 0.87). Seminested qPCR showed better quantitative linearity, accuracy and sensitivity in the quantification of synthetic standards than ddPCR, especially in the lower quantification ranges. Both methods demonstrated equally high detection rate of usRNA in patient samples on and off ART (91%), whereas ddPCR detected msRNA in larger proportion of samples from ART-treated patients (p = 0.13). We observed an average agreement between the methods for usRNA quantification in patient samples, albeit with a large standard deviation (bias = 0.05±0.75 log₁₀). However, a bias of 0.94±0.36 log₁₀ was observed for msRNA. No-template controls were consistently negative in the seminested qPCR, but yielded a positive ddPCR signal for some wells. Therefore, the false positive signals may have affected the detection power of ddPCR in this study. Digital PCR is promising for HIV nucleic acid quantification, but the false positive signals need further attention. Quantitative assays for CA HIV RNA have the potential to improve monitoring of patients on ART and to be used in clinical studies aimed at HIV eradication, but should be cross-validated by multiple laboratories prior to wider use.