A novel recombinant multisubunit vaccine against Chlamydia

The administration of an efficacious vaccine is the most effective long-term measure to control the oculogenital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis in humans. Chlamydia genome sequencing has identified a number of potential vaccine candidates, and the current challenge is to develop an effective delivery vehicle for induction of a high level of mucosal T and complementary B cell responses. Vibrio cholerae ghosts (VCG) are nontoxic, effective delivery vehicles with potent adjuvant properties, and are capable of inducing both T cell and Ab responses in mucosal tissues. We investigated the hypothesis that rVCG could serve as effective delivery vehicles for single or multiple subunit chlamydial vaccines to induce a high level of protective immunity. rVCG-expressing chlamydial outer membrane proteins were produced by a two-step genetic process, involving cloning of Omp genes in V. cholerae, followed by gene E-mediated lysis of the cells. The immunogenicity and vaccine efficacy of rVCG-expressing single and multiple subunits were compared. Immunologic analysis indicated that i.m. immunization of mice with either vaccine construct induced a strong mucosal and systemic specific Th1 response against the whole chlamydial organism. However, there was an immunogenic advantage associated with the multiple subunit vaccine that induced a higher frequency of Th1 cells and a relatively greater ability to confer protective immunity, compared with the single subunit construct. These results support the operational theory that the ability of a vaccine to confer protective immunity against Chlamydia is a function of the level of Th1 response elicited.     

Localization by indirect immunofluorescence of tetrin, actin, and centrin to the oral apparatus and buccal cavity of the macrostomal form of Tetrahymena vorax

ABSTRACT. We have taken advantage of the size of the macrostomal oral apparatus of Tetrahymena vorax to investigate the immunofluorescent localization of three cytoskeletal proteins—tetrin, actin, and centrin. Tetrin and actin antibodies co-localize to cross-connectives that anchor the membranelles. These antibodies also recognize the coarse filamentous reticulum, a filament associated with the undulating membrane. Actin-specific localization extends beyond the coarse filamentous reticulum-undulating membrane complex into a region called the specialized cytoplasm. A centrin antibody localizes to the fine filamentous reticulum which, along with micro-tubules of the oral ribs, circumscribes the cytostomal opening. Models of phagocytic contraction based on these data are presented.     

Interplay between TCR affinity and necessity of coreceptor ligation: high-affinity peptide-MHC/TCR interaction overcomes lack of CD8 engagement

CD8 engagement is believed to be a critical event in the activation of naive T cells. In this communication, we address the effects of peptide-MHC (pMHC)/TCR affinity on the necessity of CD8 engagement in T cell activation of primary naive cells. Using two peptides with different measured avidities for the same pMHC-TCR complex, we compared biochemical affinity of pMHC/TCR and the cell surface binding avidity of pMHC/TCR with and without CD8 engagement. We compared early signaling events and later functional activity of naive T cells in the same manner. Although early signaling events are altered, we find that high-affinity pMHC/TCR interactions can overcome the need for CD8 engagement for proliferation and CTL function. An integrated signal over time allows T cell activation with a high-affinity ligand in the absence of CD8 engagement.     

Dual genetic pathways controlling nodule number in Medicago truncatula

We report the isolation and characterization of a new Medicago truncatula hyper-nodulation mutant, designated sunn (super numeric nodules). Similar to the previously described ethylene-insensitive mutant sickle, sunn exhibits a 10-fold increase in the number of nodules within the primary nodulation zone. Despite this general similarity, these two mutants are readily distinguished based on anatomical, genetic, physiological, and molecular criteria. In contrast to sickle, where insensitivity to ethylene is thought to be causal to the hyper-nodulation phenotype (R.V. Penmetsa, D.R. Cook [1997] Science 275: 527-530), nodulation in sunn is normally sensitive to ethylene. Nevertheless, sunn exhibits seedling root growth that is insensitive to ethylene, although other aspects of the ethylene triple response are normal; these observations suggest that hormonal responses might condition the sunn phenotype in a manner distinct from sickle. The two mutants also differ in the anatomy of the nodulation zone: Successful infection and nodule development in sunn occur predominantly opposite xylem poles, similar to wild type. In sickle, however, both infection and nodulation occur randomly throughout the circumference of the developing root. Genetic analysis indicates that sunn and sickle correspond to separate and unlinked loci, whereas the sunn/skl double mutant exhibits a novel and additive super-nodulation phenotype. Taken together, these results suggest a working hypothesis wherein sunn and sickle define distinct genetic pathways, with skl regulating the number and distribution of successful infection events, and sunn regulating nodule organogenesis.     

The influence of cellular physiology on the initiation of mutational pathways in Escherichia coli populations

The factors affecting the direction of evolutionary pathways and the reproducibility of adaptive responses were investigated under closely related but non-identical conditions. Replicate chemostat cultures of Escherichia coli were compared when adapting to partial or severe glucose limitation. Four independent populations used a reproducible sequence of early mutational changes under both conditions, with rpoS mutations always occurring first before mgl. However, there were interesting differences in the timing of mutational sweeps: rpoS mutations appeared in a clock-like fashion under both partial and severe glucose limitation, while mgl sweeps arose under both conditions but at different times. Interestingly, malT and mlc mutations appeared only under severe limitation. Even though the ancestors were genotypically identical, the semi-differentiated properties of bacteria growing with mild or severe glucose limitation sent the populations in characteristic directions. Mutation supply and the fitness contribution of mutations were estimated and demonstrated to be potential influences in the choice of particular adaptation pathways under severe and mild glucose limitation. Predicting all the mutations fixed in adapting populations is beyond our current understanding of evolutionary processes, but the interplay between ancestor physiology and the initiation of adaptation pathways is demonstrated and definable in bacterial populations.     

Potent and persistent in vivo anti-HBV activity of chemically modified siRNAs

The efficacy of lipid-encapsulated, chemically modified short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeted to hepatitis B virus (HBV) was examined in an in vivo mouse model of HBV replication. Stabilized siRNA targeted to the HBV RNA was incorporated into a specialized liposome to form a stable nucleic-acid-lipid particle (SNALP) and administered by intravenous injection into mice carrying replicating HBV. The improved efficacy of siRNA-SNALP compared to unformulated siRNA correlates with a longer half-life in plasma and liver. Three daily intravenous injections of 3 mg/kg/day reduced serum HBV DNA >1.0 log(10). The reduction in HBV DNA was specific, dose-dependent and lasted for up to 7 d after dosing. Furthermore, reductions were seen in serum HBV DNA for up to 6 weeks with weekly dosing. The advances demonstrated here, including persistence of in vivo activity, use of lower doses and reduced dosing frequency are important steps in making siRNA a clinically viable therapeutic approach.     

Lack of constitutive activity of the free kinase domain of protein kinase C zeta. Dependence on transphosphorylation of the activation loop

Following the induction of apoptosis in mammalian cells, protein kinase C zeta (PKC zeta) is processed between the regulatory and catalytic domains by caspases, which increases its kinase activity. The catalytic domain fragments of PKC isoforms are considered to be constitutively active, because they lack the autoinhibitory amino-terminal regulatory domain, which includes a pseudosubstrate segment that plugs the active site. Phosphorylation of the activation loop at Thr(410) is known to be sufficient to activate the kinase function of full-length PKC zeta, apparently by inducing a conformational change, which displaces the amino-terminal pseudosubstrate segment from the active site. Amino acid substitutions for Thr(410) of the catalytic domain of PKC zeta (CAT zeta) essentially abolished the kinase function of ectopically expressed CAT zeta in mammalian cells. Similarly, substitution of Ala for a Phe of the docking motif for phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 prevented activation loop phosphorylation and abolished the kinase activity of CAT zeta. Treatment of purified CAT zeta with the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1 decreased activation loop phosphorylation and kinase activity. Recombinant CAT zeta from bacteria lacked detectable kinase activity. Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 phosphorylated the activation loop and activated recombinant CAT zeta from bacteria. Treatment of HeLa cells with fetal bovine serum markedly increased the phosphothreonine 410 content of CAT zeta and stimulated its kinase activity. These findings indicate that the catalytic domain of PKC zeta is intrinsically inactive and dependent on the transphosphorylation of the activation loop.     

Similar patterns of mitochondrial vulnerability and rescue induced by genetic modification of alpha-synuclein, parkin, and DJ-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans

How genetic and environmental factors interact in Parkinson disease is poorly understood. We have now compared the patterns of vulnerability and rescue of Caenorhabditis elegans with genetic modifications of three different genetic factors implicated in Parkinson disease (PD). We observed that expressing alpha-synuclein, deleting parkin (K08E3.7), or knocking down DJ-1 (B0432.2) or parkin produces similar patterns of pharmacological vulnerability and rescue. C. elegans lines with these genetic changes were more vulnerable than nontransgenic nematodes to mitochondrial complex I inhibitors, including rotenone, fenperoximate, pyridaben, or stigmatellin. In contrast, the genetic manipulations did not increase sensitivity to paraquat, sodium azide, divalent metal ions (Fe(II) or Cu(II)), or etoposide compared with the nontransgenic nematodes. Each of the PD-related lines was also partially rescued by the antioxidant probucol, the mitochondrial complex II activator, D-beta-hydroxybutyrate, or the anti-apoptotic bile acid tauroursodeoxycholic acid. Complete protection in all lines was achieved by combining d-beta-hydroxybutyrate with tauroursodeoxycholic acid but not with probucol. These results show that diverse PD-related genetic modifications disrupt the mitochondrial function in C. elegans, and they raise the possibility that mitochondrial disruption is a pathway shared in common by many types of familial PD.     

HYBRIDS AND PHYLOGENETIC SYSTEMATICS II. THE IMPACT OF HYBRIDS ON CLADISTIC ANALYSIS

I examined three aspects of the cladistic treatment of a set of 17 F₁ hybrids of known parental origin: (1) impact of hybrids on consistency index (CI) and number of most parsimonious trees (Trees), (2) placement of hybrids in cladograms, and (3) impact of hybrids on hypotheses of relationship among species. The hybrids were added singly and in randomly selected sets of two to five to a data set composed of Central American species of Aphelandra (including the parents of all hybrids). Compared to analyses with the same number of OTUs all of which were species, the analyses with hybrids yielded results with significantly higher CI. There was no difference in Trees between analyses with hybrids versus species. There was thus no evidence that hybrids would appear to be more problematic for cladistic methods than species. Accordingly, hybrids will not be readily identifiable as taxa that cause marked change in these indices. About % of the hybrids were placed as the cladistically basal members of the lineage that included the most apomorphic parent. Relatively apomorphic hybrids were placed proximate to the most derived parent (ca. 13% of hybrids). Other placements occurred more rarely. The most frequent placements of hybrids thus did not distinguish them from normal intermediate or apomorphic taxa. When analyses with hybrids yielded multiple most parsimonious trees, these were no more different from each other than were the equally parsimonious trees that resulted from analyses with species. Most analyses with one or two hybrids resulted in minor or no change in topology. When hybrids caused topological change, they frequently caused rearrangements of weakly supported portions of the cladogram that did not include their parents. When they disrupted the cladistic placement of their parents, they often caused their parents to change positions, with at least one topology bringing the parental lineages into closer proximity with the hybrid placed between them. Hybrids between parents from the two main lineages of the group caused total cladistic restructuring. In fact, the degree of relationship between a hybrid's parents (measured by both cladistic and patristic distance) was strongly correlated with CI (negatively) and with the degree of disturbance to cladistic relationships (positively). Thus, hybrids between distantly related parents resulted in cladograms with low CI and major topological changes. This study suggests that hybrids are unlikely to cause breakdown of cladistic structure unless they are between distantly related parents. However, these results also indicate that cladistics may not be specially useful in distinguishing hybrids from normal taxa. The applicability of these results to other kinds of hybrids is examined and the likely cladistic treatment of hybrids using other sources of data is discussed.