卡介苗阿拉伯糖苷转移酶embC基因敲除株的构建和初步鉴定

目的采用基因敲除技术构建了卡介苗embC基因缺失株。方法从卡介苗基因组中扩增出embC基因,定向插入自杀质粒p2NIL中,切除embC基因中约1000bp片段使其失活,再定向插入标记片段,筛选鉴定阳性克隆,电穿孔转入卡介苗,筛选重组菌株。结果PCR和酶切鉴定证明构建成功用于基因打靶的置换型自杀质粒,并筛选成功获得重组卡介苗。结论获得了卡介苗embC基因敲除株,为进一步研究对卡介苗免疫活性的影响奠定了基础。     

Characterization of the functional replication origin of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The gene order in the 5kb Mycobacterium tuberculosis dnaA region is rnpA, rpmH, dnaA, dnaN and recF. We show that M. tuberculosis DNA fragment containing the dnaA-dnaN intergenic region functioned as oriC, i.e., allowed autonomous replication to otherwise nonreplicative plasmids, in M. tuberculosis H37Ra (H37Ra), avirulent strain of M. tuberculosis, and in Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG), a closely related, slowly growing mycobacterial strain. Removal of Escherichia coli plasmid replication origin (ColE1) from the M. tuberculosis oriC plasmids did not abolish their ability to function as oriC, confirming that the autonomous replication activity of these plasmids is due to the presence of the DNA fragment containing the dnaA-dnaN intergenic region. Deletion analyses revealed that the minimal oriC DNA fragment is 814bp. The copy number of M. tuberculosis oriC plasmids containing ColE1 ori relative to chromosomal oriC is one and the 5' flanking region of minimal oriC contains features that support stable autonomous replication. The M. tuberculosis oriC did not function in rapidly growing mycobacterial species such as M. smegmatis. M. smegmatis oriC functioned only in M. fortuitum, but not in any of the slowly growing mycobacterial species such as M. tuberculosis and BCG. Together these data suggest that the replication initiation mechanisms in the slowly growing Mycobacteria are similar and probably different from those in the rapidly growing Mycobacteria and vice versa.     

Development of a new host vector system in mycobacteria

The hybrid plasmid pYT72/pYT92 constructed from an Escherichia coli plasmid pACYC177 and mycobacterial plasmid pMSC262 isolated from Mycobacterium scroflaceum strain W262 transformed both E. coli and BCG. Phage-sensitive mutants S-10 and S-20 isolated from BCG Tokyo strain showed higher frequency of transformation than the wild-type strain. Frequency of transformation was dependent on age of the culture and the electroporation condition used. Several deletion mutants were generated from pYT72/92 to determine the minimum region for the replication in the mycobacteria. A 2.3-kb fragment of pMSC262 was found to contain an essential region. Using this fragment and pACYC177, a small shuttle vector pYT937 containing two drug-resistance markers, kanamycin- and ampicillin-resistance, was constructed. pYT937 contains AatII, BamHI, BbvII, GsuI, HincII, PstI, ScaI and XbaI cloning sites.     

Expression of Escherichia coliβ-galactosidase in Mycobacterium bovis BCG using an expression system isolated from Mycobacterium paratuberculosis which induced humoral and cellular immune responses

A promoter sequence, PAN, was isolated from Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and characterized. This promoter lies adjacent to, and outside, the 3' end of an IS900 insertion element. IS900 contains an open reading frame, ORF2, on the complementary strand which codes for the putative transposase of this insertion sequence. A DNA fragment containing PAN and part of ORF2 was fused to the lacZ gene and inserted into the replicative shuttle vector pRR3. Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG) transformed with this plasmid exhibited beta-galactosidase activity. However, lacZ was only expressed in Escherichia coli under the control of PAN, when ORF2 was deleted. Immunization of mice with the recombinant M. bovis BCG expressing lacZ resulted in the induction of a high humoral and cellular response directed against beta-galactosidase. The PAN-ORF2 expression system may prove to be particularly useful for cloning and expression of heterologous genes in the BCG vaccine strain.     

Genome Sequencing and Analysis of BCG Vaccine Strains

Background

Although the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) has been available for more than 75 years, one third of the world''s population is still infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and approximately 2 million people die of TB every year. To reduce this immense TB burden, a clearer understanding of the functional genes underlying the action of BCG and the development of new vaccines are urgently needed.

Methods and Findings

Comparative genomic analysis of 19 M. tuberculosis complex strains showed that BCG strains underwent repeated human manipulation, had higher region of deletion rates than those of natural M. tuberculosis strains, and lost several essential components such as T-cell epitopes. A total of 188 BCG strain T-cell epitopes were lost to various degrees. The non-virulent BCG Tokyo strain, which has the largest number of T-cell epitopes (359), lost 124. Here we propose that BCG strain protection variability results from different epitopes. This study is the first to present BCG as a model organism for genetics research. BCG strains have a very well-documented history and now detailed genome information. Genome comparison revealed the selection process of BCG strains under human manipulation (1908–1966).

Conclusions

Our results revealed the cause of BCG vaccine strain protection variability at the genome level and supported the hypothesis that the restoration of lost BCG Tokyo epitopes is a useful future vaccine development strategy. Furthermore, these detailed BCG vaccine genome investigation results will be useful in microbial genetics, microbial engineering and other research fields.     

Comparison of bcg strains for delayed hypersensitivity induction tested in vivo in guinea pigs and in vitro

Previous studies performed on guinea pigs demonstrated a direct dependence of tuberculin reaction size (in vivo hypersensitivity) on immunogenicity in a number of BCG strains. The present work used an in vitro method, MIF detection, for assessing hypersensitivity and compared the results obtained with tuberculin hypersensitivity tests, correlating the data with the immunogenicity of the individual BCG strains employed. The following strains were used: the Czechoslovak BCG strain No. 725, Japanese BCG strain Tokyo, Danish BCG strain Copenhagen and Soviet BCG strain Moscow. The results obtained by the two hypersensitivity testing methods, in vivo and in vitro were in a direct correlation; a direct relationship was also demonstrated between hypersensitivity tested by the in vitro method and immunogenicity. The in vitro method of MIF detection is reproducible and comparable with the other two methods employed and may be used as an alternative approach to BCG vaccine efficacy testing. It might probably also be applicable to estimation of the status of cell-mediated immunity against intracellularly parasitizing bacteria in general.     

Vaccination with a BCG Strain Overexpressing Ag85B Protects Cattle against Mycobacterium bovis Challenge

Mycobacterium bovis is the causative agent of tuberculosis in cattle but also infects other animals, including humans. Previous studies in cattle have demonstrated that the protection induced by BCG is not complete. In order to improve the protection efficacy of BCG, in this study we overexpressed Ag85B in a BCG Pasteur strain, by using an expression system based on the use of an auxotrophic strain for the leucine amino acid, and complementation with leuD. We found that vaccination of cattle with BCG overexpressing Ag85B induced higher production of IL-17 and IL-4 mRNA upon purified protein derivative (PPDB) stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) than vaccination with BCG. Moreover, the IL-17 mRNA expression after vaccination negatively correlated with disease severity resulting from a subsequent challenge with M. bovis, suggesting that this cytokine is a potential biomarker of cattle protection against bovine tuberculosis. Importantly, vaccination with the recombinant BCG vaccine protected cattle better than the wild-type BCG Pasteur.     

Strain-specific differences in the genetic control of two closely related mycobacteria

The host response to mycobacterial infection depends on host and pathogen genetic factors. Recent studies in human populations suggest a strain specific genetic control of tuberculosis. To test for mycobacterial-strain specific genetic control of susceptibility to infection under highly controlled experimental conditions, we performed a comparative genetic analysis using the A/J- and C57BL/6J-derived recombinant congenic (RC) mouse panel infected with the Russia and Pasteur strains of Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG). Bacillary counts in the lung and spleen at weeks 1 and 6 post infection were used as a measure of susceptibility. By performing genome-wide linkage analyses of loci that impact on tissue-specific bacillary burden, we were able to show the importance of correcting for strain background effects in the RC panel. When linkage analysis was adjusted on strain background, we detected a single locus on chromosome 11 that impacted on pulmonary counts of BCG Russia but not Pasteur. The same locus also controlled the splenic counts of BCG Russia but not Pasteur. By contrast, a locus on chromosome 1 which was indistinguishable from Nramp1 impacted on splenic bacillary counts of both BCG Russia and Pasteur. Additionally, dependent upon BCG strain, tissue and time post infection, we detected 9 distinct loci associated with bacillary counts. Hence, the ensemble of genetic loci impacting on BCG infection revealed a highly dynamic picture of genetic control that reflected both the course of infection and the infecting strain. This high degree of adaptation of host genetics to strain-specific pathogenesis is expected to provide a suitable framework for the selection of specific host-mycobacteria combinations during co-evolution of mycobacteria with humans.     

Influence of BCG vaccine strain on the immune response and protection against tuberculosis

The Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine has been used for more than 80 years to protect against tuberculosis. Worldwide, over 90% of children are immunized with BCG, making it the most commonly administered vaccine, with more than 120 million doses used each year. Although new tuberculosis vaccines are under investigation, BCG will remain the cornerstone of the strategy to fight the worsening tuberculosis pandemic for the foreseeable future. The recent delineation of genetic differences between BCG vaccine strains has renewed interest in the influence of the vaccine strain on the protective efficacy against tuberculosis. This review critically examines the data from animal and human studies comparing BCG vaccine strains. Although there is good evidence to support the notion that the induced immune response and protection afforded against tuberculosis differs between BCG vaccine strains, currently, there are insufficient data to favour or recommend one particular strain. Identifying BCG strains with superior protection would have a dramatic effect on tuberculosis control at a population level: a small increment in protection provided by BCG immunization will prevent large numbers of cases of severe tuberculosis and deaths, particularly in children.     

多重PCR方法特异性鉴定卡介苗菌株多糖核酸的初探

与结核分枝杆菌H37Rv菌株进行比较,BCG菌株可找到一个特殊的缺失片段RD1,它存在于所有有毒分枝杆菌中,而在所有的卡介苗菌株中均缺失。应用多重PCR方法检测RD1区的存在与否,可以区别BCG和其它有毒的分枝杆菌。卡介菌多糖核酸来源于卡介菌,检测成品中DNA是否含有RD1区,能特异性地鉴别该制品。结果显示牛分枝杆菌标准株和结核分枝杆菌H37Rv存在RD1区;而卡介菌多糖核酸注射液和国内皮内注射用BCG疫苗生产用菌株扩增产物一致,提示均缺失RD1区。因此,这种多重PCR方法适用于卡介菌多糖核酸注射液的特异性鉴别试验。     

Priming with a recombinant pantothenate auxotroph of Mycobacterium bovis BCG and boosting with MVA elicits HIV-1 Gag specific CD8+ T cells

A safe and effective HIV vaccine is required to significantly reduce the number of people becoming infected with HIV each year. In this study wild type Mycobacterium bovis BCG Pasteur and an attenuated pantothenate auxotroph strain (BCGΔpanCD) that is safe in SCID mice, have been compared as vaccine vectors for HIV-1 subtype C Gag. Genetically stable vaccines BCG[pHS400] (BCG-Gag) and BCGΔpanCD[pHS400] (BCGpan-Gag) were generated using the Pasteur strain of BCG, and a panothenate auxotroph of Pasteur respectively. Stability was achieved by the use of a codon optimised gag gene and deletion of the hsp60-lysA promoter-gene cassette from the episomal vector pCB119. In this vector expression of gag is driven by the mtrA promoter and the Gag protein is fused to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis 19 kDa signal sequence. Both BCG-Gag and BCGpan-Gag primed the immune system of BALB/c mice for a boost with a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara expressing Gag (MVA-Gag). After the boost high frequencies of predominantly Gag-specific CD8(+) T cells were detected when BCGpan-Gag was the prime in contrast to induction of predominantly Gag-specific CD4(+) T cells when priming with BCG-Gag. The differing Gag-specific T-cell phenotype elicited by the prime-boost regimens may be related to the reduced inflammation observed with the pantothenate auxotroph strain compared to the parent strain. These features make BCGpan-Gag a more desirable HIV vaccine candidate than BCG-Gag. Although no Gag-specific cells could be detected after vaccination of BALB/c mice with either recombinant BCG vaccine alone, BCGpan-Gag protected mice against a surrogate vaccinia virus challenge.     

Contribution of L-alanine dehydrogenase to in vivo persistence and protective efficacy of the BCG vaccine

The tuberculosis (TB) vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis BCG is unable to utilise alanine and this deficiency is thought to inhibit the growth of the vaccine in vivo and limit vaccine efficacy. In this report we demonstrate that L-alanine catabolism can be conferred on BCG by introduction of the gene encoding L-alanine dehydrogenase (Ald) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Restoration of Ald activity did not change the in vivo growth of BCG in macrophages or mice, and protection against aerosol M. tuberculosis infection was not altered by addition of ald to the BCG vaccine. These results demonstrate that the inability to utilise L-alanine is not a contributing factor to the attenuated phenotype of BCG and does not influence the protective efficacy of the vaccine against TB.     

BCG—PPD的制备及应用

用三氯醋酸(TCA)和硫酸铵(AS)综合法,由卡介菌苗(BCG)培养滤液中提纯制得卡介菌素纯蛋白衍生物(BCG—PPD)。BCG—PPD的纯度和结核菌素纯蛋白衍生物国际标准(PPD-S)及中国标准(PPD—C)相近,高于加拿大标准(PPD—CT68)和丹麦标准(PPD—RT23)。在BCG免疫豚鼠中,BCG—PPD的皮肤迟发型变态反应(DTH)大于结核菌素纯蛋白衍生物(PPD)的DTH反应。在结核菌感染豚鼠组中,BCG—PPD的DTH反应小于PPD的DTH反应.在检查333名新生儿接种BCG12周后的免疫     

BCG vaccine: an investigation of colony morphology from four different strains after their introduction as seed for vaccine preparation in four production laboratories

Four collaborating BCG production laboratories had each prepared vaccine from four different BCG strains. In this laboratory the morphology of colonies cultured from samples of the 16 vaccine lots thus available was examined, and it was found that changes monitored in earlier small-scale experimental reconstructions had also occurred during some of the full-scale production procedures, in accordance with prediction. In particular, a minority population carried by the Danish BCG strain had replaced the original majority when this strain had been employed as seed for the production of vaccine by the British procedure. Similarly, a minority carried by the Japanese strain had replaced the original majority when this strain was introduced as seed into the production procedures in the United Kingdom and France. Serial subcultures made in this laboratory showed, in accordance with previous experience, that the changes that had occurred in the Japanese strain could be completely reversed by serial subculture as a surface pellicle on Sauton medium.     

The uraA locus and homologous recombination in Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

Molecular genetic manipulation of mycobacteria would benefit from the isolation of mycobacterial genes that could serve both as genetic markers and as sequences used to target homologous integration of recombinant DNA into the genome. We isolated the Mycobacterium bovis BCG gene encoding orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMP-DCase) by complementing an Escherichia coli mutant defective in this activity. The BCG OMP-DCase gene (uraA) and the flanking DNA were sequenced. The predicted BCG OMP-DCase protein sequence is closely related to the Myxococcus xanthus OMP-DCase and more distantly related to the other known prokaryotic and eukaryotic OMP-DCases. To investigate whether homologous integration can occur in M. bovis BCG, an improved protocol for transformation of BCG was developed and a linear fragment of mycobacterial DNA containing the uraA locus, marked with a kanamycin resistance gene, was introduced into BCG cells by electroporation. The kanamycin-resistant BCG transformants all contained vector DNA integrated into the genome. The marked DNA had integrated into the homologous uraA locus in approximately 20% of the transformants. These results have implications for understanding the role of mycobacterial genes in disease pathogenesis and for the genetic engineering of improved mycobacterial vaccines.     

Mycobacterium bovis BCG but not Mycobacterium leprae induces TNF-alpha secretion in human monocytic THP-1 cells.

In this study, we compared the level of TNF-alpha secretion induced in monocytic THP-1 cells after phagocytosis of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, and M. bovis BCG, an attenuated strain used as a vaccine against leprosy and tuberculosis. The presence of M. leprae and BCG was observed in more than 80% of the cells after 24 h of exposure. However, BCG but not M. leprae was able to induce TNF-alpha secretion in these cells. Moreover, THP-1 cells treated simultaneously with BCG and M. leprae secreted lower levels of TNF-alpha compared to cells incubated with BCG alone. M. leprae was able, however, to induce TNF-alpha secretion both in blood-derived monocytes as well as in THP-1 cells pretreated with phorbol myristate acetate. The inclusion of streptomycin in our cultures, together with the fact that the use of both gamma-irradiated M. leprae and heat-killed BCG gave similar results, indicate that the differences observed were not due to differences in viability but in intrinsic properties between M. leprae and BCG. These data suggest that the capacity of M. leprae to induce TNF-alpha is dependent on the stage of cell maturation and emphasize the potential of this model to explore differences in the effects triggered by vaccine strain versus pathogenic species of mycobacteria on the host cell physiology and metabolism.     

Phage types of Mycobacterium bovis, substrains of BCG.

Nineteen substrains of Mycobacterium bovis, strain bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) used in laboratories throughout the world for the preparation of BCG vaccines were phage-typed with a battery of mycobacteriophages. The results revealed differences in their susceptibility to phage lysis that allow subdivision of these strains of BCG into two or more phage types.