Ultrastructural changes in plague microbes, strain EV, and splenic cells of guinea pigs in their interaction in vitro]

Dilatation of the endoplasmic reticulum cavities, an increase in the number of ribosomes near bacteria, deformation of mitochondria and coarsening of cristae were revealed in phagocytosis of Past. pestis, strain EV, by reticular cells in the tissue culture of the spleen of intact guinea pigs. Lipophanerous "reticular" inclusions were found in the differentiated reticular cells of the infected cultures. In the reticular cell cytoplasma besides the intact bacteria there were revealed Past. pestis at the initial stages of involution.     

cAMP-binding protein--a protein kinase of the plague pathogen]

In Y. pestis a cyclic AMP-binding protein was detected, isolated to a homogeneous state, and its physico-chemical properties were studied. The protein is a highly molecular compound with a molecular weight of 180 kD, capable of being released into the environment in the process of cell growth and having protein kinase activity, not depending on the presence of cyclic AMP. Y. pestis neuraminidase is one of the substrates appearing due to the action of protein kinase detected in this study. Y. pestis protein kinase may alter the spectrum of protein phosphorylation in the leukocytes of white mice. The direct participation of this protein in the development of infection is supposed.     

Serological study of nontriturated fleas following preliminary cultivation of the plague microbe]

Under experimental conditions there was shown a possibility of serological study of nontriturated fleas for the presence of Past. pestis. Hottinger's broth with gentian-violet ((0.0003%) sodium sulfite (0.03%) and a surfactant--O (see article)-7 (3%) served as the growing medium. After the nontriturated fleas were grown for 48 hours at 37 degrees C the capsular antigen was detected with the aid of the passive hemagglutination and antibody neutralization tests. Detection of the capsular antigen in the growing medium pointed to the presence of Past. pestis in the fleas. To test the serological method of study the nontriturated fleas, the insects were collected in the colonies of Rhombomys opimus Licht. at the epizootic territory. The collected fleas were divided into portions (each portion contained not more than 20 fleas). Half of the portions of each collection was studied after trituration by the usual bacteriological method, and another--by serological method without trituration of the insects. In examining the parallel portions (a total of 2400 portions, about 32 000) it appeared that positive results were obtained by both methods with about the same frequency.     

Duration and intensity of postvaccinal immunity to plague in experimental animals]

Experiments were conducted on guinea pigs and Papio hamadryas; it was shown that a reduction of the intensity of postvaccinal immunity occurred at various periods after a single vaccination. In inhalation method of immunization in guinea pigs it decreased in 6 months 135 times, in monkeys in one year--133 times. However, at the mentioned periods vaccination provided protection of 50% of the animals from infection with Past. pestis in a dose constitutin 20 to 25 aerosol LD50 for nonimmunized animals. Despite the more pronounced (57--640 times) reduction of the intensity of immunity than in the animals vaccinated by inhalation, in the subcutaneously vaccinated guinea pigs in subcutaneously infected with Past. pestis protection level remained high (resistance index in 3 and 6 months constituted 37.10(6) and 3-3-10(6), respectively).     

Analysis of genomic polymorphism of typical and atypical strains of the plague pathogen using polymerase chain reaction with universal primers

An analysis of genome polymorphism of the Y. pestis strains by using the method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the tandem repeats of bacteriophage M13 DNA revealed a species similarity of both typical and atypical (according to diagnostic signs) plague-microbe strains. Strain Y. pestis A-1726 with the atypical differential-and-diagnostic properties, without the amplicon specified for Y. pestis and sized 1000 b.p., was identified among 27 analyzed Y. pestis strains. The amplicon profiles of the basic Y. pestis subtype were found to be different from such profiles of other Y. pestis subtypes.     

Genotyping of Yersinia pestis strains on the basis of variation of ribosomal rRNA biosynthesis genes

Analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism of rRNA genes of Yersinia pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis strains, circulating in Russian Federation and abroad revealed the effectiveness of ribotyping for differentiation between these microorganisms, as well as for differentiation between different Y. pestis biovars and main and nonmain subspecies of this agent. Use of this method was shown to be promising as a component for the complex molecular typing system of Y. pestis. Variant ribotypes of main and non-main subspecies of Y. pestis strains are presented.     

Resistance to levomycetin and activity of several enzymes in Escherichia coli and the agent of plague]

The authors compared the activity of acetyl-CoA-synthetase and of the enzymes belonging to the group of asparaginic acid in levomycetin sensitive and resistant strains of Y. pestis and E. coli. There were revealed marked differences in the activity of aspartase, fumarase, synthetase and desamidase of L-asparagin, and also of the enzyme activated by acetate in the E. coli strains with plasmide resistance. Transmission of R-factor to the pestis was accompanied by decomposition of L-asparadein, formation of AC-CoA. At the same time transformation of L-asparaginic acid catalyzed by aspartase remained on the same low level in the sensitive pestis cultures and their variants with the R-factor. When the resistance was controlled by chromosomal resistance markers, the activity of the enzymes providing formation of L-asparagic acid, its amide and L-malic acid showed no significant change. In chromosomal type of resistance in the mutants of pestis and E. coli the acetyl-CoA-synthetase reaction was as a rule somewhat increased.     

Yersinia pestis lacZ expresses a beta-galactosidase with low enzymatic activity

Although very little, if any, beta-galactosidase activity is detected in Yersinia pestis by a standard Miller assay, we found that Y. pestis KIM6+ cells formed blue colonies on plates containing 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactoside (X-gal). Searches of the Y. pestis genome databases revealed the presence of noncontiguous sequences highly homologous to Escherichia coli lacZ, lacY, and lacI. Yersinia pestis lacZ is predicted to encode a 1060 amino-acid protein with 62% identity and 72% similarity to beta-galactosidase from E. coli. A deletion in the Y. pestis lacZ gene caused the formation of white colonies on X-gal-containing plates and beta-galactosidase activity was at background levels in the KIM6+lacZ mutant, while the complemented strain expressed about 190 Miller units. The Y. pestis lacZ promoter was not regulated by isopropylthiogalactoside or glucose. Finally, uptake of lactose by Y. pestis may be impaired.     

Characteristics of the process of transferrin iron utilization by Yersinia pestis at various incubation temperatures

The study has revealed that for the utilization of iron contained in transferrin the direct contact of Y. pestis with this metalloprotein is necessary. At 28 degrees C Y. pestis utilizes iron contained in transferrin. At 37 degrees C Y. pestis absorbs transferrin, but cannot utilize its iron, which is probably linked with disturbances in the system of the transfer of iron from the transferrin receptor complex into the bacterial cell.     

Primary structure of the 5'-region of Yersinia pestis 16S rRNA]

The sequence of 5'-region (16-296 n.) of 16S rRNA of plague agent (Yersinia pestis) was determined after sequencing of cloned cDNA fragments complementary to this region. When compared to the same region of 16S rRNA of Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris this region revealed 91.8% and 87.2% of homology, respectively. The sequences specific for Y. pestis 16S rRNA were localized and their secondary structure position was discussed.     

Role of neuraminidase from cholera vibrions in the pathogenesis of experimental cholera]

A study was made of a possible effect of neuraminidase of cholera vibrios on cholera pathogenesis. It was shown that in intraintestinal injection of cholera vibrios of the El Tor biotype to nursling rabbits neuraminidase could be revealed in their intestine 5 to 8 hours after the infection. Addition of neuraminidase to the weakly cholerogenic strain cholera vibrios intensified its cholerogenic action in infection of the animals. The antineuraminidase serum administered to the infected rabbits prevented clinical manifestations of experimental cholera, although it failed to always eliminate the cholerogenic syndrome (revealed during autopsy). At the same time neuraminidase did not influence the capacity of cholerogen to produce the cholerogenic syndrome. The authors consider that the action of the enzyme should occur at the early stages of the pathogenic process, and could be associated with creation of conditions for the attachement of cholera causative agent to the intestinal wall or for the action of their exotoxin.     

Role of the Yersinia pestis yersiniabactin iron acquisition system in the incidence of flea-borne plague

Plague is a flea-borne zoonosis caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Y. pestis mutants lacking the yersiniabactin (Ybt) siderophore-based iron transport system are avirulent when inoculated intradermally but fully virulent when inoculated intravenously in mice. Presumably, Ybt is required to provide sufficient iron at the peripheral injection site, suggesting that Ybt would be an essential virulence factor for flea-borne plague. Here, using a flea-to-mouse transmission model, we show that a Y. pestis strain lacking the Ybt system causes fatal plague at low incidence when transmitted by fleas. Bacteriology and histology analyses revealed that a Ybt-negative strain caused only primary septicemic plague and atypical bubonic plague instead of the typical bubonic form of disease. The results provide new evidence that primary septicemic plague is a distinct clinical entity and suggest that unusual forms of plague may be caused by atypical Y. pestis strains.     

Pleiotropic effects of a Yersinia pestis fur mutation.

A Yersinia pestis fur mutation was constructed by insertionally disrupting the fur open reading frame. Analysis of a Fur-regulated beta-galactosidase reporter gene revealed a loss of iron regulation as a result of the fur mutation. trans complementation with the cloned Y. pestis fur gene restored iron regulation. The expression of most iron-regulated proteins was also deregulated by this mutation; however, a number of iron-repressible and two iron-inducible polypeptides retained normal regulation. Mutations in fur or hmsH, a gene encoding an 86-kDa surface protein required for hemin storage, increased the sensitivity of Y. pestis cells to the bacteriocin pesticin. Interestingly, the Y. pestis fur mutant lost temperature control of hemin storage; however, expression of the HmsH polypeptide was not deregulated. When grown with excess iron, a Y. pestis fur mutant possessing the 102-kb pigmentation locus exhibited severe growth inhibition and a dramatic increase in the number of spontaneous nonpigmented chromosomal deletion mutants present at late log phase. These results suggest that the Fur protein of Y. pestis is an important global regulator and that a separate Fur-independent iron regulatory system may exist.     

Dispersal of the flea Ctenophyllus hirticrus and spreading of plague epizooties in Gorny Altai

Gradual dispersion of an abundant flea species Ctenophyllus hirticrus specific to the Pallas's pika (the main plague carrier), is revealed in the Gorno-Altai natural plague focus on the territory, occupied by two populations of this lagomorph. Spreading of Yersinia pestis in these areas took place a short time later the rise of this ectoparasite's abundance. It is supposed that the colonization of these areas by C. hirticrus was one of the factors determined epizooties spreading within the focus and formation of new sites of stable Y. pestis preservation.     

Comparison of five commercial DNA extraction kits for the recovery of Yersinia pestis DNA from bacterial suspensions and spiked environmental samples

Aim:  To evaluate commercial DNA extraction kits for their ability to isolate DNA from Yersinia pestis suspensions and spiked environmental samples.
Methods and Results:  Five commercially available DNA extraction kits were evaluated: the ChargeSwitch gDNA Mini Bacteria Kit, the IT 1-2-3 Sample DNA Purification Kit, the MasterPure Complete DNA and RNA Purification Kit, the QIAamp DNA Blood Mini Kit and the UltraClean Microbial DNA Isolation Kit. The extraction methods were performed upon six Y. pestis strains and spiked environmental specimens, including three swab types and one powder type. Taqman real-time PCR analysis revealed that the use of the MasterPure kit resulted in DNA with the most consistently positive results and the lowest limit of detection from Y. pestis suspensions and spiked environmental samples.
Conclusion:  Comparative evaluations of the five commercial DNA extraction methods indicated that the MasterPure kit was superior for the isolation of PCR-amplifiable DNA from Y. pestis suspensions and spiked environmental samples.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The results of this study can assist diagnostic laboratories with selecting the best extraction method for processing environmental specimens for subsequent detection of Y. pestis by real-time PCR.     

Antigenic activity of external membrane proteins in Yersinia pestis EV

The study of immunocomplexes obtained from antisera to the preparations of Y. pestis outer membranes and membrane proteins has revealed that outer membrane proteins are involved in the formation of the immunocomplex and belong to previously unknown Y. pestis EV antigens.     

Experimental evaluation of interaction between Yersinia pestis and soil infusoria and possibility of prolonged preservation of bacteria in the protozoan oocysts

The character and outcome of interactions between Y. pestis (vaccine strain and soil infusoria Tetrahymena pyriformis (axenic culture) were under experimental study. The parallel use of the bacteriological method and PCR test systems made it possible to follow the dynamics of Y. pestis cells (strain EV) with different plasmid profiles in their interaction with infusoria, as well as their passage into the protozoa cysts. The study revealed the complete utilization of Y. pestis cells lacking virulence factors by infusoria. The presence of plasmids of virulence influenced only the duration of complete bacterial phagocytosis. A drop in the temperature of cultivation to 2 degrees C induced the mass and rapid encystment of infusoria. In the PCR analysis specific DNA fragments of Y. pestis cells, preserved in the latent (uncultivable) state, were detected in the cysts of protozoa within the period of up to 14 months, while the results of bacteriological studies were negative. The data thus obtained are discussed with regard to the possible mechanisms of the existence and prolonged reservation of Y. pestis in the soils of natural foci with participation of protozoa.     

微量法鼠疫菌质粒DNA抽提的优化

旨在分析微量法抽提鼠疫菌质粒DNA的效果,探讨其在鼠疫菌分子生物学实验研究中的应用价值.采用微量法分别提取鼠疫菌EV76株,假结核耶尔森菌PstII株及大肠杆菌V517株质粒DNA,琼脂糖凝胶电泳对质粒DNA抽提结果进行分析.结果显示,微量法能在较短时间内获取开环较少的闭合环状鼠疫菌质粒DNA,经琼脂糖凝胶电泳图示其电泳条带清晰、亮度均一.微量法鼠疫菌质粒DNA抽提效率和纯度较好,抽提结果稳定,重复性良好.经微量法抽提的质粒DNA符合多数鼠疫菌分子生物学试验的要求,可广泛应用于鼠疫菌分子生物学试验研究中.