铜绿假单胞菌氨基糖苷16SrRNA甲基化酶基因分析

目的调查215株湖州地区临床分离铜绿假单胞菌对氨基糖苷类抗生素的耐药性和16S rRNA甲基化酶基因分布情况。方法收集2011年1月至2012年12月湖州地区临床分离铜绿假单胞菌215株,琼脂稀释法测定5种氨基糖苷类抗菌药物（庆大霉素、阿米卡星、妥布霉素、伊帕米星、奈替米星）的MIC值;PCR检测armA、rmtA、rmtB、rmtC、rmtD和npmA六种氨基糖苷类16S rRN甲基化酶基因,序列分析明确基因型。测定产16S rRNA甲基化酶菌株对常见抗菌的敏感性,并检测碳青霉烯耐药株产碳青霉烯酶情况。结果铜绿假单胞菌对异帕米星敏感率最高为81.4%,对5种氨基糖苷类抗生素全部耐药的22株菌株中,17株检出armA基因;未发现其他16S rRNA甲基化酶基因阳性菌株。17株armA阳性菌株对碳青霉烯类抗生素耐药5株（耐药率为29.4%）,对头孢他啶、头孢吡肟、哌拉西林/他唑巴坦、环丙沙星耐药率均超过40%。5株碳青霉烯耐药菌株中检测到2株产VIM-2型金属碳青霉烯酶。结论铜绿假单胞菌对氨基糖苷类抗生素耐药率高,检测到16S rRNA甲基化酶基因armA。产16S rRNA甲基化酶铜绿假单胞菌耐药性强,部分菌株同时产金属碳青霉烯酶,给临床抗感染治疗及院内感染控制带来挑战。     

The aminoglycoside resistance methyltransferase Sgm impedes RsmF methylation at an adjacent rRNA nucleotide in the ribosomal A site

Ribosome-targeting antibiotics block protein synthesis by binding at functionally important regions of the bacterial rRNA. Resistance is often conferred by addition of a methyl group at the antibiotic binding site within an rRNA region that is already highly modified with several nucleotide methylations. In bacterial rRNA, each methylation requires its own specific methyltransferase enzyme, and this raises the question as to how an extra methyltransferase conferring antibiotic resistance can be accommodated and how it can gain access to its nucleotide target within a short and functionally crowded stretch of the rRNA sequence. Here, we show that the Sgm methyltransferase confers resistance to 4,6-disubstituted deoxystreptamine aminoglycosides by introducing the 16S rRNA modification m⁷G1405 within the ribosomal A site. This region of Escherichia coli 16S rRNA already contains several methylated nucleotides including m⁴Cm1402 and m⁵C1407. Modification at m⁵C1407 by the methyltransferase RsmF is impeded as Sgm gains access to its adjacent G1405 target on the 30S ribosomal subunit. An Sgm mutant (G135A), which is impaired in S-adenosylmethionine binding and confers lower resistance, is less able to interfere with RsmF methylation on the 30S subunit. The two methylations at 16S rRNA nucleotide m⁴Cm1402 are unaffected by both the wild-type and the mutant versions of Sgm. The data indicate that interplay between resistance methyltransferases and the cell''s own indigenous methyltransferases can play an important role in determining resistance levels.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">kgmB</Emphasis> gene,encoding ribosomal RNA methylase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces tenebrarius</Emphasis>, is autogenously regulated

The KgmB methylase (the kanamycin–gentamicin resistance methylase from Streptomyces tenebrarius) acts at G-1405 of 16S rRNA within the sequence CGUCA that is also found 6 bp in front of ribosomal binding site of the kgmB gene. The kgmBlacZ gene and operon fusions were used in order to test for translational autoregulation of kgmB gene. Overexpression of kgmB either in cis or in trans drastically decreased the level of expression of the fusion protein. However, mutagenesis eliminated any role for the CGUCA sequence in translational autoregulation. Hence, the role of second putative regulatory sequence (CGCCC) that was shown to be involved in regulation of another methylase, Sgm (sisomicin–gentamicin methylase gene from Micromonospora zionensis) was examined. It was shown that the Sgm methylase can also decrease the level of expression of the kgmBlacZ fusion protein.     

Specific recognition of rpsO mRNA and 16S rRNA by Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S15 relies on both mimicry and site differentiation

The ribosomal protein S15 binds to 16S rRNA, during ribosome assembly, and to its own mRNA (rpsO mRNA), affecting autocontrol of its expression. In both cases, the RNA binding site is bipartite with a common subsite consisting of a G*U/G-C motif. The second subsite is located in a three-way junction in 16S rRNA and in the distal part of a stem forming a pseudoknot in Escherichia coli rpsO mRNA. To determine the extent of mimicry between these two RNA targets, we determined which amino acids interact with rpsO mRNA. A plasmid carrying rpsO (the S15 gene) was mutagenized and introduced into a strain lacking S15 and harbouring an rpsO-lacZ translational fusion. Analysis of deregulated mutants shows that each subsite of rpsO mRNA is recognized by a set of amino acids known to interact with 16S rRNA. In addition to the G*U/G-C motif, which is recognized by the same amino acids in both targets, the other subsite interacts with amino acids also involved in contacts with helix H22 of 16S rRNA, in the region adjacent to the three-way junction. However, specific S15-rpsO mRNA interactions can also be found, probably with A(-46) in loop L1 of the pseudoknot, demonstrating that mimicry between the two targets is limited.     

Identification of cis-acting sequences required for translational autoregulation of the ermC methylase.

ermC methylase gene expression has been shown to be limited by translational autorepression, presumably due to methylase binding to ermC mRNA. It was found that this repression occurs in trans, yielding a 50% reduction in translation of an ermC-lacZ fusion mRNA. We investigated the ermC mRNA sequences required for translational repression in vivo. A series of deletions identified sequences in the 5' regulatory region that were required for translational repression. These included sequences of the 5' stem-loop structure that were not required for induction, as well as some that were required. The implications of these results for regulation are discussed.     

Multidrug-resistant Providencia isolates carrying blaPER-1, blaVIM-2, and armA

During May to July 2004, three strains of Providencia spp. with multidrug-resistance (MDR) were isolated from urinary specimen of three patients hospitalized with a same hospital room. By PCR analysis, all three strains have been found to carry both VIM-2 type metallo-beta-lactamase gene and PER-1 type extendedspectrum beta-lactamase gene. One out of three strains carried additional resistance gene, armA, 16S rRNA methylase gene responsible for high level resistance to aminoglycosides. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification of Providencia spp. simultaneously carrying blaVIM-2, blaPER-1, and armA genes.     

The Gene Cluster for Spectinomycin Biosynthesis and the Aminoglycoside-Resistance Function of spcM in Streptomyces spectabilis

The gene cluster for spectinomycin biosynthesis from Streptomyces spectabilis was analyzed completely and registered under the accession number EU255259 at the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Based on sequence analysis, spcM of the S. spectabilis cluster is the only methyltransferase candidate required for methylation in spectinomycin biosynthesis. It has high similarity with the conserved domain of DNA methylase, which contains both N-4 cytosine-specific DNA methylases and N-6 adenine-specific DNA methylases. Nucleotide methylation can provide antibiotic resistance, such as 16S rRNA methyltransferase, to Enterobacteriaceae. We therefore tested a hypothesis that SpcM offers aminoglycoside resistance to bacteria. The heterologous expression of spcM in Escherichia coli and S. lividans enhanced resistance against spectinomycin and its relative aminoglycoside antibiotics. We therefore propose that one of the functions of SpcM may be conferring aminoglycoside antibiotic resistance to cells.     

The binding interface between Bacillus stearothermophilus ribosomal protein S15 and its 5'-translational operator mRNA

The Bacillus stearothermophilus ribosomal protein S15 (BS15) binds a purine-rich three-helix junction motif in the central domain of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) as well as a translational operator located in the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) of its cognate messenger RNA (mRNA). An in-frame fusion between the 5'-UTR of the BS15 gene and beta-galactosidase (lacZ) was prepared, and tested for BS15-dependent translational repression of lacZ activity in Escherichia coli. The presence of BS15 in trans represses lacZ activity 24-fold. A series of detailed point mutations in BS15 were tested for their effects upon translational repression of lacZ activity. These point mutations demonstrated that the 5'-UTR-BS15 binding interface utilizes many of the same conserved amino acid residues implicated in the binding of BS15 to 16S rRNA. The data demonstrate that the S15 protein can bind to an RNA target motif based primarily upon appropriate minor groove and sugar-phosphate backbone contacts, irrespective of the specific RNA sequence.     

Epsilon as an initiator of translation of CAT mRNA in Escherichia coli

Epsilon sequence (UUAACUUUA) has originally been found in the bacteriophage T7 gene 10 leader region. It enhances translation in Escherichia coli via base pairing with nucleotides 458-466 located in the helical domain #17 of 16S rRNA. We have recently reported that when the complementarity to 16S rRNA is extended, the epsilon is converted from an enhancer to an independent initiator of translation. Here we report the effect of two other structural parameters, positioning in mRNA and the degree of complementarity to 16S rRNA on the translation initiation activity of epsilon in E. coli cells. Our results show that epsilon displays maximal activity as a translational initiator at its natural 9-nucleotide-long complementarity to 16S rRNA and at a 16-nucleotide-long distance to the initiation codon. Under these conditions its efficiency is comparable with that of the consensus Shine-Dalgarno sequence.     

Mutations in eukaryotic 18S ribosomal RNA affect translational fidelity and resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics.

Mutations have been created in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 18S rRNA gene that correspond to those known to be involved in the control of translational fidelity or antibiotic resistance in prokaryotes. Yeast strains, in which essentially all chromosomal rDNA repeats are deleted and all cellular rRNAs are encoded by plasmid, have been constructed that contain only mutant 18S rRNA. In Escherichia coli, a C-->U substitution at position 912 of the small subunit rRNA causes streptomycin resistance. Eukaryotes normally carry U at the corresponding position and are naturally resistant to streptomycin. We show that a U-->C transition (rdn-4) at this position of the yeast 18S rRNA gene decreases resistance to streptomycin. The rdn-4 mutation also increases resistance to paromomycin and G-418, and inhibits nonsense suppression induced by paromomycin. The same phenotypes, as well as a slow growth phenotype, are also associated with rdn-2, whose prokaryotic counterpart, 517 G-->A, manifests itself as a suppressor rather than an antisuppressor. Neither rdn-2- nor rdn-4-related phenotypes could be detected in the presence of the normal level of wild-type rDNA repeats. Our data demonstrate that eukaryotic rRNA is involved in the control of translational fidelity, and indicate that rRNA features important for interactions with aminoglycosides have been conserved throughout evolution.     

The 5'' untranslated region of mRNA for ribosomal protein S19 is involved in its translational regulation during Xenopus development.

During Xenopus development, the synthesis of ribosomal proteins is regulated at the translational level. To identify the region of the ribosomal protein mRNAs responsible for their typical translational behavior, we constructed a fused gene in which the upstream sequences (promoter) and the 5' untranslated sequence (first exon) of the gene coding for Xenopus ribosomal protein S19 were joined to the coding portion of the procaryotic chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene deleted of its own 5' untranslated region. This fused gene was introduced in vivo by microinjection into Xenopus fertilized eggs, and its activity was monitored during embryogenesis. By analyzing the pattern of appearance of CAT activity and the distribution of the S19-CAT mRNA between polysomes and messenger ribonucleoproteins, it was concluded that the 35-nucleotide-long 5' untranslated region of the S19 mRNA is able to confer to the fused S19-CAT mRNA the translational behavior typical of ribosomal proteins during Xenopus embryo development.     

Structural elements of rps0 mRNA involved in the modulation of translational initiation and regulation of E. coli ribosomal protein S15.

Previous experiments showed that S15 inhibits its own translation by binding to its mRNA in a region overlapping the ribosome loading site. This binding was postulated to stabilize a pseudoknot structure that exists in equilibrium with two stem-loops and to trap the ribosome on its mRNA loading site in a transitory state. In this study, we investigated the effect of mutations in the translational operator on: the binding of protein S15, the formation of the 30S/mRNA/tRNA(fMet) ternary initiation complex, the ability of S15 to inhibit the formation of this ternary complex. The results were compared to in vivo expression and repression rates. The results show that (1) the pseudoknot is required for S15 recognition and translational control; (2) mRNA and 16S rRNA efficiently compete for S15 binding and 16S rRNA suppresses the ability of S15 to inhibit the formation of the active ternary complex; (3) the ribosome binds more efficiently to the pseudoknot than to the stem-loop; (4) sequences located between nucleotides 12 to 47 of the S15 coding phase enhances the efficiency of ribosome binding in vitro; this is correlated with enhanced in vivo expression and regulation rates.     

Characterization of a plasmid-specified ribosome methylase associated with macrolide resistance.

The ermC gene of plasmid pE194 specifies resistance to the macrolidelincosamide-streptogramin B antibiotics. This resistance, as well as synthesis of the 29,000 dalton protein product of ermC, has been shown to be induced by erythromycin. Weisblum and his colleagues have established that macrolide resistance is associated with a specific dimethylation of adenine in 23 S rRNA. We show that pE194 specifies an RNA methylase that can utilize either 50 S ribosomes or 23 S rRNA as substrates. Synthesis of this methylase is induced by low concentrations of erythromycin, and the enzyme is produced in elevated amounts by strains carrying a high copy number mutant of pE194. The methylase comigrates with the 29K ermC product on polyacrylamide gels. The purification and some properties of this methylase are described.