Biofilm formation by Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from urinary tract infection and urinary catheters

Systemic infections in avian species caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) are economically devastating to poultry industries worldwide. To unravel factors possibly involved in APEC pathogenicity, suppression subtractive hybridization was applied, leading to the identification of a putative APEC autotransporter adhesin gene aatA in our previous study. In this study, pathogenic mechanism of AatA was further determined. A deletion mutant of aatA was constructed in the APEC DE205B, which results in the reduced capacity to adhere to DF-1 cells, defective virulence in vivo, and decreased colonization capacity in lung during the systemic infection compared with the wild-type strain. Furthermore, these capacities were restored in the complementation strains. These results indicated that AatA makes a significant contribution to APEC virulence through bacterial adherence to host tissues in vivo and in vitro. In addition, aggregation assays for strain AAEC189 expressing aatA indicated that AatA mediates cell aggregation and settling of cells. However, this cell aggregation is blocked by Type I fimbriae. This study illustrates the first examination of the role of AatA in aggregation and systemic infection.     

选择性捕获禽病原性大肠杆菌体内转录序列

采用选择性捕获转录序列(SCOTS)方法鉴定禽病原性大肠杆菌E037株(血清型O78)在感染SPF鸡过程中的转录表达基因。通过总RNA分离、cDNAs合成、PCR扩增和SCOTS对cDNAs选择和致病性特异转录序列的富集,致病性特异的cDNAs被分离鉴定,共获得31个转录序列(命名为aec),其中分别有2、1、4、14、2和8个aec序列与黏附素、LPS的合成、铁的摄取系统、质粒编码基因、噬菌体编码基因和一些其它功能基因相关;从气囊中分离到16个aec序列,心包膜中分离到15个aec序列;有3种与质粒编码基因相关序列在气囊和心包膜中都被分离到。结果显示APEC致病性特异序列包括黏附素、LPS的合成、铁的转运、质粒编码基因、噬菌体编码基因和一些其它功能基因等。通过SCOTS方法建立了一种体内表达致病性特异基因的方法和APEC在自然宿主感染模型中致病性相关基因的表达谱的筛选方法。     

Identification of Yersinia enterocolitica genes affecting survival in an animal host using signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis

Pathogenic Yersinia species are associated with both localized and systemic infections in mammalian hosts. In this study, signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis was used to identify Yersinia enterocolitica genes required for survival in a mouse model of infection. Approximately 2000 transposon insertion mutants were screened for attenuation. This led to the identification of 55 mutants defective for survival in the animal host, as judged by their ability to compete with the wild-type strain in mixed infections. A total of 28 mutants had transposon insertions in the virulence plasmid, validating the screen. Two of the plasmid mutants with severe virulence defects had insertions in an uncharacterized region. Several of the chromosomal insertions were in a gene cluster involved in O-antigen biosynthesis. Other chromosomal insertions identified genes not previously demonstrated as being required for in vivo survival of Y. enterocolitica. These include genes involved in the synthesis of outer membrane components, stress response and nutrient acquisition. One severely attenuated mutant had an insertion in a homologue of the pspC gene (phage shock protein C) of Escherichia coli. The phage shock protein operon has no known biochemical or physiological function in E. coli, but is apparently essential for the survival of Y. enterocolitica during infection.     

尿道致病性大肠杆菌HEC4株和禽源致病性大肠杆菌E058株毒力相关特性的比较

对人尿道致病性大肠杆菌(uropathogenic Escherichia coli,UPEC)HEC4株和禽致病性大肠杆菌(avian pathogen-ic Escherichia coli,APEC)E058株进行毒力基因和其他相关特性的比较,结果显示,它们具有一些共同的毒力基因,包括一些存在于APEC中一个大的可传递质粒上的基因;同时,它们也具有一些相似的生化特性。对SPF鸡的致病性试验显示,这两株分离株具有相似的致病力。因此,对于APEC和UPEC的相关性,以及APEC是否有可能导致人尿道感染或者成为UPEC的毒力基因贮主,有待进一步研究。     

Identification and preliminary characterization of a mutant defective in the bacteriophage T4-induced unfolding of the Escherichia coli nucleoid.

The nucleoids of Escherichia coli S/6/5 cells are rapidly unfolded at about 3 min after infection with wild-type T4 bacteriophage or with nuclear disruption deficient, host DNA degradation-deficient multiple mutants of phage T4. Unfolding does not occur after infection with T4 phage ghosts. Experiments using chloramphenicol to inhibit protein synthesis indicate that the T4-induced unfolding of the E. coli chromosomes is dependent on the presence of one or more protein synthesized between 2 and 3 min after infection. A mutant of phage T4 has been isolated which fails to induce this early unfolding of the host nucleoids. This mutant has been termed "unfoldase deficient" (unf-) despite the fact that the function of the gene product defective in this strain is not yet known. Mapping experiments indicate that the unf- mutation is located near gene 63 between genes 31 and 63. The folded genomes of E. coli S/6/5 cells remain essentially intact (2,000-3,000S) at 5 min after infection with unfoldase-, nuclear disruption-, and host DNA degradation-deficient T4 phage. Nuclear disruption occurs normally after infection with unfoldase- and host DNA degradation-deficient but nuclear disruption-proficient (ndd+), T4 phage. The host chromosomes remain partially folded (1,200-1,800S) at 5 min after infection with the unfoldase single mutant unf39 x 5 or an unfoldase- and host DNA degradation-deficient, but nuclear disruption-proficient, T4 strain. The presence of the unfoldase mutation causes a slight delay in host DNA degradation in the presence of nuclear disruption but has no effect on the rate of host DNA degradation in the absence of nuclear disruption. Its presence in nuclear disruption- and host DNA degradation-deficient multiple mutants does not alter the shutoff to host DNA or protein synthesis.     

Alteration of tail fiber protein gp38 enables T2 phage to infect Escherichia coli O157:H7

Artificial control of phage specificity may contribute to practical applications, such as the therapeutic use of phages and the detection of bacteria by their specific phages. To change the specificity of phage infection, gene products (gp) 37 and 38, expressed at the tip of the long tail fiber of T2 phage, were exchanged with those of PP01 phage, an Escherichia coli O157:H7 specific phage. Homologous recombination between the T2 phage genome and a plasmid encoding the region around genes 37-38 of PP01 occurred in transformant E. coli K12 cells. The recombinant T2 phage, named T2ppD1, carried PP01 gp37 and 38 and infected the heterogeneous host cell E. coli O157:H7 and related species. On the other hand, T2ppD1 could not infect E. coli K12, the original host of T2, or its derivatives. The host range of T2ppD1 was the same as that of PP01. Infection of T2ppD1 produced turbid plaques on a lawn of E. coli O157:H7 cells. The binding affinity of T2ppD1 to E. coli O157:H7 was weaker than that of PP01. The adsorption rate constant (ka) of T2ppD1 (0.17 x 10(-9)(ml CFU(-1) min(-1)) was almost 1/6 that of PP01 (1.10 x 10(-9)(ml CFU(-1) min(-1))). In addition to the tip of the long tail fiber, exchange of gene products expressed in the short tail fiber may be necessary for tight binding of recombinant phage.     

V型分泌系统(T5SS)在禽致病性大肠杆菌中的分布及流行情况

【背景】禽致病性大肠杆菌(Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli,APEC)可引起禽的大肠杆菌病,严重危害养禽业。V型分泌系统(Type V secretion system,T5SS)在APEC感染过程中发挥重要作用。【目的】分析不同致病型大肠杆菌的T5SS在APEC中的分布规律,探讨T5SS与APEC的大肠杆菌进化分群及其他毒力因子的关联性。【方法】根据大肠杆菌的15个T5SS序列设计特异性引物,采用PCR检测T5SS在APEC临床分离株中的分布;分析APEC菌株的系统进化分群及毒力因子分布,探讨T5SS分布和APEC系统进化分群及毒力因子的相关性。【结果】T5SS在APEC临床分离株中广泛分布,其中ydeK和pplfP的分布率最高,分别为98.55%和92.03%;而upaC和pic的分布率均低于10%。系统进化分群结果显示,APEC主要属于A、B1和D进化分群,B2群较少;T5SS分布和进化分群分析发现ehaA、ehaB、pic、vat在D进化分群APEC菌株中分布率较高,而ehaG、ag43/flu、apaC主要分布于A及B1群APEC中。然而,T5SS和APEC其他毒力基因分布无明显的关联性。【结论】T5SS广泛存在于APEC分离株中,且部分T5SS分布与大肠杆菌系统进化分群存在关联性。     

The genome sequence of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strain O1:K1:H7 shares strong similarities with human extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli genomes

Escherichia coli strains that cause disease outside the intestine are known as extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) and include human uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC). Regardless of host of origin, ExPEC strains share many traits. It has been suggested that these commonalities may enable APEC to cause disease in humans. Here, we begin to test the hypothesis that certain APEC strains possess potential to cause human urinary tract infection through virulence genotyping of 1,000 APEC and UPEC strains, generation of the first complete genomic sequence of an APEC (APEC O1:K1:H7) strain, and comparison of this genome to all available human ExPEC genomic sequences. The genomes of APEC O1 and three human UPEC strains were found to be remarkably similar, with only 4.5% of APEC O1's genome not found in other sequenced ExPEC genomes. Also, use of multilocus sequence typing showed that some of the sequenced human ExPEC strains were more like APEC O1 than other human ExPEC strains. This work provides evidence that at least some human and avian ExPEC strains are highly similar to one another, and it supports the possibility that a food-borne link between some APEC and UPEC strains exists. Future studies are necessary to assess the ability of APEC to overcome the hurdles necessary for such a food-borne transmission, and epidemiological studies are required to confirm that such a phenomenon actually occurs.     

基于RNA-Seq筛选APEC及其PhoP/Q缺失株感染雏鸡肠道免疫相关基因

本研究以禽致病性大肠杆菌(APEC)及其PhoP/Q缺失株感染雏鸡小肠为模型,以分析其免疫相关基因的表达变化为目的,采用转录组测序(RNA-Seq)技术对感染APEC及其PhoP/Q缺失株的雏鸡小肠样本RNA进行测序,分析免疫相关基因的表达变化,结果为野生株攻毒组与对照组相比、野生株攻毒组与缺失株攻毒组相比、缺失株攻毒组与对照组相比,分别筛选出131、105、172个差异表达基因(fold change≥2, FDR≤0.05),GO功能分类结果显示分别有87、99、159个基因得到注释,这些基因主要富集到氧化还原过程、脂蛋白转运、血管内皮细胞迁移、免疫反应、凋亡过程负调控、肝素结合、铁离子结合、CCR趋化因子受体结合等功能,得出APEC及其PhoP/Q缺失株感染雏鸡后引起机体肠道免疫相关基因变化的结论,根据GO功能注释筛选出PTPRC、LCP1、YFV等免疫相关基因,为深入研究雏鸡肠道免疫提供依据。     

Prevalence of avian-pathogenic Escherichia coli strain O1 genomic islands among extraintestinal and commensal E. coli isolates

Escherichia coli strains that cause disease outside the intestine are known as extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) and include pathogens of humans and animals. Previously, the genome of avian-pathogenic E. coli (APEC) O1:K1:H7 strain O1, from ST95, was sequenced and compared to those of several other E. coli strains, identifying 43 genomic islands. Here, the genomic islands of APEC O1 were compared to those of other sequenced E. coli strains, and the distribution of 81 genes belonging to 12 APEC O1 genomic islands among 828 human and avian ExPEC and commensal E. coli isolates was determined. Multiple islands were highly prevalent among isolates belonging to the O1 and O18 serogroups within phylogenetic group B2, which are implicated in human neonatal meningitis. Because of the extensive genomic similarities between APEC O1 and other human ExPEC strains belonging to the ST95 phylogenetic lineage, its ability to cause disease in a rat model of sepsis and meningitis was assessed. Unlike other ST95 lineage strains, APEC O1 was unable to cause bacteremia or meningitis in the neonatal rat model and was significantly less virulent than uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) CFT073 in a mouse sepsis model, despite carrying multiple neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) virulence factors and belonging to the ST95 phylogenetic lineage. These results suggest that host adaptation or genome modifications have occurred either in APEC O1 or in highly virulent ExPEC isolates, resulting in differences in pathogenicity. Overall, the genomic islands examined provide targets for further discrimination of the different ExPEC subpathotypes, serogroups, phylogenetic types, and sequence types.     

Sequence analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteriophage ΦV10 and identification of a phage-encoded immunity protein that modifies the O157 antigen

Bacteriophage ΦV10 is a temperate phage, which specifically infects Escherichia coli O157:H7. The nucleotide sequence of the ΦV10 genome is 39 104 bp long and contains 55 predicted genes. ΦV10 is closely related to two previously sequenced phages, the Salmonella enterica serovar Anatum (Group E1) phage ɛ15 and a prophage from E. coli APEC O1. The attachment site of ΦV10, like those of its two closest relatives, overlaps the 3' end of guaA in the host chromosome. ΦV10 encodes an O -acetyltransferase, which modifies the O157 antigen. This modification is sufficient to block ΦV10 superinfection, indicating that the O157 antigen is most likely the ΦV10 receptor.     

DNA sequence of a ColV plasmid and prevalence of selected plasmid-encoded virulence genes among avian Escherichia coli strains

ColV plasmids have long been associated with the virulence of Escherichia coli, despite the fact that their namesake trait, ColV production, does not appear to contribute to virulence. Such plasmids or their associated sequences appear to be quite common among avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) and are strongly linked to the virulence of these organisms. In the present study, a 180-kb ColV plasmid was sequenced and analyzed. This plasmid, pAPEC-O2-ColV, possesses a 93-kb region containing several putative virulence traits, including iss, tsh, and four putative iron acquisition and transport systems. The iron acquisition and transport systems include those encoding aerobactin and salmochelin, the sit ABC iron transport system, and a putative iron transport system novel to APEC, eit. In order to determine the prevalence of the virulence-associated genes within this region among avian E. coli strains, 595 APEC and 199 avian commensal E. coli isolates were examined for genes of this region using PCR. Results indicate that genes contained within a portion of this putative virulence region are highly conserved among APEC and that the genes of this region occur significantly more often in APEC than in avian commensal E. coli. The region of pAPEC-O2-ColV containing genes that are highly prevalent among APEC appears to be a distinguishing trait of APEC strains.     

Exclusion of glucosyl-hydroxymethylcytosine DNA containing bacteriophages is overcome by the injected protein inhibitor IPI*

The Escherichia coli isolate CT596 excludes infection by the Myoviridae T4 ip1(-) phage that lacks the encapsidated IPI* protein normally injected into the host with the phage DNA. Screening of a CT596 genomic library identified adjacent genes responsible for this exclusion, gmrS (942 bp) and gmrD (708 bp) that are encoded by a cryptic prophage DNA. The two genes are necessary and sufficient to confer upon a host the ability to exclude infection by T4 ip1(-) phage and other glucosyl-hydroxymethylcytosine (glc-HMC) Tevens lacking the ip1 gene, yet allow infection by phages with non-glucoslyated cytosine (C) DNA that lack the ip1 gene. A plasmid expressing the ip1 gene product, IPI*, allows growth of Tevens lacking ip1 on E. coli strains carrying the cloned gmrS/gmrD genes. Members of the Teven family carry a diverse and, in some cases, expanded set of ip1 locus genes. In vivo analysis suggests a family of gmr genes that specifically target sugar-HMC modified DNA have evolved to exclude Teven phages, and these exclusion genes have in turn been countered by a family of injected exclusion inhibitors that likely help determine the host range of different glc-HMC phages.     

Growth Inhibition and Appearance of the Membranous Structure in Escherichia coli Infected with Bacteriophage fd

Thirty-six mutants of fd, a virus that infects but does not kill Escherichia coli, were isolated; 35 mutants were categorized into six complementation groups. Abortive infection with mutants in genes 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, but not in gene 2, produced a cessation of host cell growth, generally linked to low burst size and to the formation of aberrant intracytoplasmic membranous structures. The membranous structure was studied during infection with various phage and hosts. Appearance of the membranous structure was linked specifically to incomplete phage maturation at the cell membrane, rather than solely to the inhibition of host cell growth or to infection with mutant phage, since (i) in one host, cell growth was inhibited, but no membranous structure developed; and (ii) when antibody against virus was added to cells infected with wild-type phage, phage extrusion was inhibited, cell growth stopped, and the membranous structure once again developed.