METABOLIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GENUS BRUCELLA IV. 3: Correlation of Oxidative Metabolic Patterns and Susceptibility to Brucella Bacteriophage, Type abortus, Strain.

Meyer, Margaret E. (University of California, Davis). Metabolic characterization of the genus Brucella. IV. Correlation of oxidative metabolic patterns and susceptibility to Brucella bacteriophage, type abortus, strain 3. J. Bacteriol. 82:950-953. 1961.-A total of 212 strains of brucellae that had been identified as Brucella melitensis, B. abortus, B. suis, or B. neotomae by their oxidative metabolism were tested for their susceptibility to Brucella bacteriophage, type abortus, strain 3. It was demonstrated that only those organisms that displayed the oxidative metabolic pattern that is singular for B. abortus were susceptible to this strain of phage, irrespective of their identity by the conventional methods usually employed for differentiating members of this genus. Strains of organisms that display the features of B. melitensis by the conventional determinative methods, but display the metabolic characteristics of B. abortus, are susceptible to lysis by this phage. These organisms are in fact B. abortus. Strains of organisms that display the features of B. melitensis by the classical methods, and display the metabolic pattern of B. melitensis, are not lysed by this phage. These organisms are B. melitensis. The conclusions then were drawn that B. abortus is the only species that can serve as host for this strain of phage, that oxidative metabolic patterns accurately identify the species in this genus, and that by the conventional methods of differentiation, many strains of B. abortus are misidentified as B. melitensis.     

Completion of the genome sequence of Brucella abortus and comparison to the highly similar genomes of Brucella melitensis and Brucella suis

Brucellosis is a worldwide disease of humans and livestock that is caused by a number of very closely related classical Brucella species in the alpha-2 subdivision of the Proteobacteria. We report the complete genome sequence of Brucella abortus field isolate 9-941 and compare it to those of Brucella suis 1330 and Brucella melitensis 16 M. The genomes of these Brucella species are strikingly similar, with nearly identical genetic content and gene organization. However, a number of insertion-deletion events and several polymorphic regions encoding putative outer membrane proteins were identified among the genomes. Several fragments previously identified as unique to either B. suis or B. melitensis were present in the B. abortus genome. Even though several fragments were shared between only B. abortus and B. suis, B. abortus shared more fragments and had fewer nucleotide polymorphisms with B. melitensis than B. suis. The complete genomic sequence of B. abortus provides an important resource for further investigations into determinants of the pathogenicity and virulence phenotypes of these bacteria.     

Early Appearance of Colonies of Brucella Spp. on Solid Media containing Erythritol

S ummary . The incorporation of erythritol (1 μ M /ml) in Morris medium caused the earlier appearance of colonies of virulent strains of Brucella abortus and B. melitensis. On Albimi agar erythritol accelerated the growth of B. melitensis but not that of B. abortus. There was no acceleration of the growth of a virulent strain of B. suis on either medium.     

细菌学方法和HOOF-Prints技术在绵羊种布鲁氏菌019株鉴定中的比较研究

应用细菌学常规方法和分子生物学检测方法对绵羊种布鲁氏菌非典型株019进行分类研究。利用高变8聚核苷酸DNA指纹技术(HOOF-Prints)对绵羊种布鲁氏菌019株可变数目重复片段(VNTR)的8个位点进行PCR扩增和序列测定,将测定结果与GenBank数据库比较分析,应用DNAMAN进行同源性分析,并构建系统进化树。结果表明,绵羊种布鲁氏菌019株和绵羊种布鲁氏菌参考株63/290的亲缘关系高于绵羊种布鲁氏菌019株与其他参考株的亲缘关系,该结论与细菌学常规鉴定结果一致。应用HOOF-Prints技术可以对绵羊种布鲁氏菌非典型株019进行鉴定,该技术有望弥补传统分类方法的不足。     

Antigenic, immunologic and genetic characterization of rough strains B. abortus RB51, B. melitensis B115 and B. melitensis B18

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered the major virulent factor in Brucella spp. Several genes have been identified involved in the synthesis of the three LPS components: lipid A, core and O-PS. Usually, Brucella strains devoid of O-PS (rough mutants) are less virulent than the wild type and do not induce undesirable interfering antibodies. Such of them proved to be protective against brucellosis in mice. Because of these favorable features, rough strains have been considered potential brucellosis vaccines. In this study, we evaluated the antigenic, immunologic and genetic characteristics of rough strains B. abortus RB51, B. melitensis B115 and B. melitensis B18. RB51 derived from B. abortus 2308 virulent strain and B115 is a natural rough strain in which the O-PS is present in the cytoplasm. B18 is a rough rifampin-resistan mutant isolated in our laboratory. The surface antigenicity of RB51, B115 and B18 was evaluated by testing their ability to bind antibodies induced by rough or smooth Brucella strains. The antibody response induced by each strain was evaluated in rabbits. Twenty-one genes, involved in the LPS-synthesis, were sequenced and compared with the B. melitensis 16M strain. The results indicated that RB51, B115 and B18 have differences in antigenicity, immunologic and genetic properties. Particularly, in B115 a nonsense mutation was detected in wzm gene, which could explain the intracellular localization of O-PS in this strain. Complementation studies to evaluate the precise role of each mutation in affecting Brucella morphology and its virulence, could provide useful information for the assessment of new, attenuated vaccines for brucellosis.     

DNA polymorphism in strains of the genus Brucella

Preparations of DNA from 23 Brucella strains including 19 reference strains were compared by restriction endonuclease analysis. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis resulted in optimal resolution of fragments generated by digestion with low-cleavage-frequency restriction enzymes such as XbaI. By this technique, five electrophoretypes were distinguished in five reference strains of the different species, i.e., B. abortus, B. melitensis, B. suis, B. canis, and B. ovis. Minor profile differences allowed us to discriminate between most biovars within a species. However, the differences in the DNA patterns of different field strains of biovar 2 of B. melitensis were not sufficient to serve as markers for epidemiological studies. From the XbaI fragments, we were able to estimate the size of the genomes of B. abortus 544T and B. melitensis 16 MT. This method revealed a relationship between DNA fingerprints, species, and pathovars which could shed light on problems concerning the classification and evolution of members of the genus Brucella.     

Genomic island 2 is an unstable genetic element contributing to Brucella lipopolysaccharide spontaneous smooth-to-rough dissociation

Brucella is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes a worldwide-distributed zoonosis. The genus includes smooth (S) and rough (R) species that differ in the presence or absence, respectively, of the O-polysaccharide of lipopolysaccharide. In S brucellae, the O-polysaccharide is a critical diagnostic antigen and a virulence determinant. However, S brucellae spontaneously dissociate into R forms, a problem in antigen and S vaccine production. Spontaneous R mutants of Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, and Brucella suis carried the chromosomal scar corresponding to genomic island 2 (GI-2) excision, an event causing the loss of the wboA and wboB O-polysaccharide genes, and the predicted excised circular intermediate was identified in B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis cultures. Moreover, disruption of a putative phage integrase gene in B. abortus GI-2 caused a reduction in O-polysaccharide loss rates under conditions promoting S-R dissociation. However, spontaneous R mutants not carrying the GI-2 scar were also detected. These results demonstrate that the phage integrase-related GI-2 excision is a cause of S-R brucella dissociation and that other undescribed mechanisms must also be involved. In the R Brucella species, previous works have shown that Brucella ovis but not Brucella canis lacks GI-2, and a chromosomal scar identical to those in R mutants was observed. These results suggest that the phage integrase-promoted GI-2 excision played a role in B. ovis speciation and are consistent with other evidence, suggesting that this species and B. canis have emerged as two independent lineages.     

Evaluation of Brucella abortus S19 vaccine strains by bacteriological tests, molecular analysis of ery loci and virulence in BALB/c mice.

Two Brucella abortus S19 commercial vaccine strains used for vaccination against brucellosis in India and three S19 strains available as international reference were examined by microbiological assays and molecular analysis of the ery loci involved in erythritol metabolism, and tested for residual virulence in BALB/c mice. According to the sensitivity to penicillin and i-erythritol, the five strains tested had the phenotypic characteristics of strain S19. However, on culture medium containing i-erythritol, all strains developed spontaneous i-erythritol resistant colonies at mutation rates ranging from 1.42x10(-2) to 1.33x10(-6). The S19 characteristic 702 bp deletion in the erythrulose 1-phosphate dehydrogenase gene of the ery locus was present only in the three reference strains but not in the two commercial vaccines. Both commercial strains and one of the reference strains showed reduced virulence in BALB/c mice. The presence or absence in S19 strains of the 702 bp deletion in the ery locus had no correlation with either the rates of spontaneous mutation to erythritol resistance or the residual virulence in mice.     

布氏杆菌病疫苗的应用和研究现状

布氏杆菌病是由布氏杆菌引起的一种重要的人兽共患病。布氏杆菌具有宿主广泛、传染性强以及感染后根治困难等特点,对畜牧业和人类健康均构成严重威胁,疫苗免疫是预防和控制布氏杆菌病的主要措施。迄今国内外已有多个弱毒活疫苗在使用,但均存在一定的缺陷,因此研究更理想的疫苗一直是控制布氏杆菌病的重点。目前除了常规诱变筛选新的弱毒株外,人们正通过基因工程技术构建重组弱毒疫苗、DNA疫苗以及亚单位疫苗。本文简述了布氏杆菌病疫苗的应用及新型疫苗的研究现状。     

Use of western immunoblot analysis for testing moose serum for Brucella suis biovar 4 specific antibodies.

To determine if 12 moose (Alces alces) from northern Alaska with agglutinating antibodies specific for Brucella spp. had been exposed to either B. suis biovar 4 or B. abortus biovar 1, western immnnoblot serologic analysis was performed. Differential serologic responses to strain specific A and M antigenic variances of the lipopolysaccharide O-polysaccharide sugar allowed strain identification. Prior to examination, test sera were absorbed with killed whole cells from either B. abortus biovar 1, containing predominately A antigen (A+ M-); B. melitensis biovar 1, containing essentially M antigen (A- M+); or B. suis biovar 4, containing both antigenic tyes (A+ M+). The resulting sera were then examined by western immunoblot for recognition of either B. abortus biovar 1, B. melitensis biovar 1, or B. suis biovar 4 cell lysates. The results of this study indicate that these moose were exposed to B. suis biovar 4, a known pathogen of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from arctic Alaska.     

Phospholipids of bacteria of Brucella genus

The phospholipid composition of 6 Brucella species (B. melitensis, B. abortus, B. suis, B. ovis. B. canis, B. neotomae) and Australian mouse-derived strains of Brucella N 4, 11, 12 were studied. Comparison of phospholipid composition of Brucella cells with that of serologically related microorganisms revealed that all Brucella biotypes contain phosphatidyl-(N-methyl)ethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine while Y. enterocolitica, Sh. disenteriae, E. coli cells do not contain these two substances. It is concluded that the specific phospholipid pattern of Brucella biotypes may be useful in typing of new Brucella strains.     

Comparative whole-genome hybridization reveals genomic islands in Brucella species

Brucella species are responsible for brucellosis, a worldwide zoonotic disease causing abortion in domestic animals and Malta fever in humans. Based on host preference, the genus is divided into six species. Brucella abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis are pathogenic to humans, whereas B. ovis and B. neotomae are nonpathogenic to humans and B. canis human infections are rare. Limited genome diversity exists among Brucella species. Comparison of Brucella species whole genomes is, therefore, likely to identify factors responsible for differences in host preference and virulence restriction. To facilitate such studies, we used the complete genome sequence of B. melitensis 16M, the species highly pathogenic to humans, to construct a genomic microarray. Hybridization of labeled genomic DNA from Brucella species to this microarray revealed a total of 217 open reading frames (ORFs) altered in five Brucella species analyzed. These ORFs are often found in clusters (islands) in the 16M genome. Examination of the genomic context of these islands suggests that many are horizontally acquired. Deletions of genetic content identified in Brucella species are conserved in multiple strains of the same species, and genomic islands missing in a given species are often restricted to that particular species. These findings suggest that, whereas the loss or gain of genetic material may be related to the host range and virulence restriction of certain Brucella species for humans, independent mechanisms involving gene inactivation or altered expression of virulence determinants may also contribute to these differences.     

Rapid multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of the Brucella Genus, B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis

The routine identification and differentiation of Brucella species is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, which frequently places personnel at risk of laboratoryacquired infection. Here, we describe the development of a rapid multiplex PCR assay for the confirmation of presumptive Brucella isolates. The assay was able to identify and differentiate major human pathogens, namely B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis, in a single test of less than an hour and a half.     

Comparative proteome analysis of Brucella melitensis vaccine strain Rev 1 and a virulent strain, 16M

The genus Brucella consists of bacterial pathogens that cause brucellosis, a major zoonotic disease characterized by undulant fever and neurological disorders in humans. Among the different Brucella species, Brucella melitensis is considered the most virulent. Despite successful use in animals, the vaccine strains remain infectious for humans. To understand the mechanism of virulence in B. melitensis, the proteome of vaccine strain Rev 1 was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and compared to that of virulent strain 16M. The two strains were grown under identical laboratory conditions. Computer-assisted analysis of the two B. melitensis proteomes revealed proteins expressed in either 16M or Rev 1, as well as up- or down-regulation of proteins specific for each of these strains. These proteins were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting. It was found that certain metabolic pathways may be deregulated in Rev 1. Expression of an immunogenic 31-kDa outer membrane protein, proteins utilized for iron acquisition, and those that play a role in sugar binding, lipid degradation, and amino acid binding was altered in Rev 1.     

Metabolic characterization of the genus Brucella. VI. Growth stimulation by i-erythritol compared with strain virulence for guinea pigs

Strains of Brucella abortus isolated 20 to 38 years ago and strains recently isolated were assessed for their virulence to guinea pigs and for their ability to grow in half-strength Tryptose Broth with and without i-erythritol. The recently isolated strains were virulent and i-erythritol enhanced their growth. The aged strains were avirulent and grew equally well in both media. Three of the recently isolated strains were subcultured serially every 24 hr alternately on Tryptose Agar slants and in half-strength Tryptose Broth without i-erythritol. After 8 to 13 such transfers, the growth of each strain was equivalent in both media. The subculture on which growth equivalence occurred was retested for virulence. None of the three strains had decreased in its virulence for guinea pigs. The conclusion was drawn that strain virulence for guinea pigs and growth enhancement by i-erythritol are independent characteristics.     

Brucella: a Mr "Hide" converted into Dr Jekyll

Dr David Bruce (1855-1931) first identified the causative agent of brucellosis as a small Gram-negative alpha-Proteobacterium, which was later on called Brucella melitensis in his honor by Meyer and Shaw. Nowadays, four strains exhibit pathogenicity in humans with B. melitensis being the least host specific and also the most infectious for humans. The other strains are Brucella suis and Brucella abortus and more recently human cases being infected with Brucella cetaceae have been reported. Why such a reemerging disease is so difficult to fight, evidence shows that the pathogenic bacterium has developed strategies to hide from immune recognition.     

Whole genome sequences of four Brucella strains

Brucella melitensis and Brucella suis are intracellular pathogens of livestock and humans. Here we report four genome sequences, those of the virulent strain B. melitensis M28-12 and vaccine strains B. melitensis M5 and M111 and B. suis S2, which show different virulences and pathogenicities, which will help to design a more effective brucellosis vaccine.     

Differences in chromosome number and genome rearrangements in the genus Brucella

We have studied the genomic structure and constructed the Spe I, Pac I and I- Ceu I restriction maps of the four biovars of the pathogenic bacterium Brucella suis . B . suis biovar 1 has two chromosomes of 2.1 Mb and 1.15 Mb, similar to those of the other Brucella species: B . melitensis , B . abortus , B . ovis and B . neotomae . Two chromosomes were also observed in the genome of B . suis biovars 2 and 4, but with sizes of 1.85 Mb and 1.35 Mb, whereas only one chromosome with a size of 3.1 Mb was found in B . suis biovar 3. We show that the differences in chromosome size and number can be explained by rearrangements at chromosomal regions containing the three rrn genes. The location and orientation of these genes confirmed that these rearrangements are due to homologous recombination at the rrn loci. This observation allows us to propose a scheme for the evolution of the genus Brucella in which the two chromosome-containing strains can emerge from an hypothetical ancestor with a single chromosome, which is probably similar to that of B . suis biovar 3. As the genus Brucella is certainly monospecific, this is the first time that differences in chromosome number have been observed in strains of the same bacterial species.     

Highly sensitive enzyme-linked assay based on monoclonal antibodies for detection of Brucella antigens

Mice monoclonal antibodies against lypopolysaccharides (LPS) of Brucella abortus has been obtained and characterized. The antibodies detected LPS of B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis with high sensivity and specificity and did not react with LPS of Yersinia enterocolitica O:3, Y. enterocolitica O:9, Salmonella typhimurium, and Francisella tularensis. It has been shown that interaction of monoclonal antibodies and LPS of Brucella species can be critically dependent from buffer system. Obtained monoclonal antibodies allowed to develop highly sensitive assay which was able to detect antigens of Brucella species in concentrations 0.05 - 0.1 ng/ml. The assay can be used for detection and identification of Brucella species.     

Homologies of Deoxyribonucleic Acids from Brucella ovis, Canine Abortion Organisms, and other Brucella Species

The bacterium that causes canine abortion has polynucleotide sequences similar, in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-DNA homology studies, to those of Brucella suis and, by inference from previous data, those of B. abortus and B. melitensis as well as B. neotomae. Therefore, the organism causing canine abortion appears to be a member of the genus Brucella. DNA preparations from Serratia marcescens, Alcaligenes faecalis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica, 58, 62, and 66 mole% guanine plus cytosine, respectively, do not have detectable polynucleotide sequence homologies with B. suis DNA which is 56 mole% guanine plus cytosine. B. ovis DNA lacks some of the polynucleotide sequences present in B. suis DNA and appears to be a deletion mutant. However, a large proportion of B. ovis polynucleotides are similar to those of other Brucella species, which supports the inclusion of B. ovis in the genus.