Differential Mutation Production by the Decay of Incorporated Tritium Compounds in Escherichia coli

We have studied the differential mutation production by the decay of incorporated tritium compounds in E. coli (WWU) using DNA-seeking precursors (H³-thymidine), RNA-seeking precursors (H³-uracil, H³-uridine), and protein-seeking precursors (H³-histidine, H³-proline). In particular we have determined the reversion frequency of an arginine locus. The reversion frequency is measured in units of revertants/surviving bacteria/H³ decay, and has an average value of 1.84 × 10^-8 for H³-uridine and H³-uracil, 0.67 × 10^-8 for H³-thymidine, and 0.28 × 10^-8 for H³-proline and H³-histidine. Thus, the revertants are produced most effectively by H³ decays when the label is introduced in the form of an RNA precursor. The macromolecular distribution of the label shows that 5 to 8 per cent of the H³-uridine or H³-uracil is incorporated into DNA.     

Diverse backmutations at an ochre defect in the tyrA gene sequence of E. coli B/r

A DNA fragment including most of the tyrA gene from E. coli B/r strain WU (Tyr-, Leu-) was amplified in vitro by polymerase chain reaction. The sequence was determined, first, for essentially all of the fragment to locate an ochre nonsense defect, and second, repeatedly for a region of the fragment from several independent isolates containing backmutations at the ochre codon (spontaneous and UV-induced). There were 20 single base differences in the tyrA gene region from the analogous wild-type E. coli K12 sequence: an ochre codon at amino acid position 161, 18 silent changes (1 at the first codon base and 17 at the third) and one replacement of valine by alanine. Different backmutations at the ochre codon encoded lysine, glutamine, glutamic acid, leucine, cysteine, phenylalanine, serine or tyrosine. The diversities of base substitutions at the ochre codon after UV mutagenesis or after mutagenesis where targeting by dimers was reduced or eliminated (after photoreversal of irradiated cells treated with nalidixic acid to induce SOS functions or after UV mutagenesis of cells containing amplified DNA photolyase) were similar (with two notable exceptions). The overall differences between the gene sequences for E. coli K12 or B/r seemed consistent with the neutral theory of molecular evolution.     

Anti-mutagenic effect of ultraviolet light on spontaneous tyrosine tRNA ochre suppressor mutations in Escherichia coli

Summary The numbers of tyrosine tRNA ochre suppressor mutations arising spontaneously or after UV irradiation in different strains of Escherichia coli K12 are considered. The DNA sequence change requisite for this type of mutation would be a transversion at a cytosine between two purines, where pyrimidine-pyrimidine photoproducts could not form. We find that UV mutagenesis does not produce these tyrosine tRNA ochre suppressor mutations. With lexA51 recA441 defective cells, the spontaneous yield of these mutations is elevated and UV irradiation produces a significant decrease in the numbers of this particular mutation. As explanation we suggest that the spontaneous appearance of these mutations reflects mutation at apurinic sites, the efficiency of which is elevated in lexA51 recA441 cells (with derepressed SOS functions and an activated form of RecA protein). The addition of UV damage in the DNA of these cells cannot further stimulate the positive functions that are required for the production of these mutations and are typically associated with UV mutagenesis (induction of SOS functions, activation of RecA protein and introduction of a targeting photoproduct) but apparently can have a negative effect on mutagenesis, hitherto not realized.     

A Pseudomonas aeruginosa TIR effector mediates immune evasion by targeting UBAP1 and TLR adaptors

Bacterial pathogens often subvert the innate immune system to establish a successful infection. The direct inhibition of downstream components of innate immune pathways is particularly well documented but how bacteria interfere with receptor proximal events is far less well understood. Here, we describe a Toll/interleukin 1 receptor (TIR) domain‐containing protein (PumA) of the multi‐drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA7 strain. We found that PumA is essential for virulence and inhibits NF‐κB, a property transferable to non‐PumA strain PA14, suggesting no additional factors are needed for PumA function. The TIR domain is able to interact with the Toll‐like receptor (TLR) adaptors TIRAP and MyD88, as well as the ubiquitin‐associated protein 1 (UBAP1), a component of the endosomal‐sorting complex required for transport I (ESCRT‐I). These interactions are not spatially exclusive as we show UBAP1 can associate with MyD88, enhancing its plasma membrane localization. Combined targeting of UBAP1 and TLR adaptors by PumA impedes both cytokine and TLR receptor signalling, highlighting a novel strategy for innate immune evasion.     

Inflammatory thresholds and the species-specific effects of colonising bacteria in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background

There has been increasing interest in the use of newer, culture-independent techniques to study the airway microbiome of COPD patients. We investigated the relationships between the three common potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPMs) Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis, as detected by quantitative PCR (qPCR), and inflammation and health status in stable patients in the London COPD cohort.

Methods

We prospectively collected sputum, serum and plasma samples for analysis of airway bacterial presence and load, and airway and systemic inflammation from 99 stable COPD patients between January 2011 and October 2012. Health status was measured with St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire and COPD Assessment Test.

Results

Airway inflammation and plasma fibrinogen, but not C-reactive protein, were greater in samples with PPM detection (p < 0.001, p = 0.049 and p = 0.261, respectively). Increasing total bacterial load was associated with increasing airway (p < 0.01) but not systemic inflammation (p > 0.05). Samples with high total bacterial loads had significantly higher airway inflammation than both samples without PPM detection and those with lower loads. Haemophilus influenzae presence was associated with significantly higher levels of airway but not systemic inflammation for all given pathogen loads (p < 0.05), and was significantly greater than with other PPMs. No association was observed between inflammation and health status (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Airway and systemic inflammation, as measured by fibrinogen, is greater in stable COPD patients with PPMs detected using the culture-independent qPCR technique. The airway, but not systemic inflammatory response, appears to have a total pathogen-load threshold and appears attributable to Haemophilus influenzae. However, discordance between inflammation and health status was observed.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12931-014-0114-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

UV-mutagenesis at a cloned target sequence: converted suppressor mutation is insensitive to mutation frequency decline regardless of the gene orientation

Premutational lesions produced by ultraviolet radiation in the Gln2 tRNA genes of E. coli B/r show differing sensitivities to a mutation avoidance phenomenon known as mutation frequency decline (MFD). A mutation event that changes the wild-type gene to an amber (UAG) suppressor is normally sensitive to MFD. Mutation of this amber suppressor to an ochre (UAA) suppressor is not sensitive to MFD. These two mutation events occur in the same anticodon region of the DNA. The dissimilarity of MFD sensitivity between these two mutations may result because the respective premutational photoproducts for the two are located in opposite strands of duplex DNA. To examine the effect of strand position of the premutational lesions on MFD, recombinant lambda phage were constructed that contained the amber suppressor as a mutation target in the two possible orientations. Comparison of MFD in bacterial lysogens containing either of the two types of recombinant prophage indicated that reversing the orientation of the target sequence relative to adjacent bacterial DNA had no effect on MFD. Since rotational inversion of the target sequence did not alter the sensitivity to MFD of mutation occurring at the cloned target gene, the antimutation process inherent to MFD can not be attributed to an asymmetrical interaction between the template strands and the DNA-replication complex.