Nucleotide sequence of the Streptococcus faecalis plasmid gene encoding the 3'5"-aminoglycoside phosphotransferase type III

We have cloned in Escherichia coli and sequenced a 1489-bp DNA fragment conferring resistance to kanamycin and originating from the streptococcal plasmid pJH1. The resistance gene was located by analysis of the initiation and termination codons in an open reading frame (ORF) of 792 bp. The deduced gene product, a 3'5'-aminoglycoside phosphotransferase of type III, has an Mr of 29,200. Comparison of its amino acid sequence with those of type I (Oka et al., 1981) and type II (Beck et al., 1982) 3' phosphotransferase, from transposable elements Tn903 and Tn5, respectively, indicated a statistically significant structural relationship between these enzymes from phylogenetically remote bacterial genera. The degree of homology observed indicate that phosphotransferase type III and type I genes have diverged from a common ancestor and that the phosphotransferase type II gene has emerged more recently from the type I evolutionary pathway.     

Antibiotics and the search for new principles

Originally presented as an Invited Lecture at the 1990 Society for Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.     

Characterisation of actI-homologous DNA encoding polyketide synthase genes from the monensin producer Streptomyces cinnamonensis

Summary Cloned DNA encoding polyketide synthase (PKS) genes from one Streptomyces species was previously shown to serve as a useful hybridisation probe for the isolation of other PKS gene clusters from the same or different species. In this work, the actI and actIII genes, encoding components of the actinorhodin PKS of Streptomyces coelicolor, were used to identify and clone a region of homologous DNA from the monensin-producing organism S. cinnamonensis. A 4799 by fragment containing the S. cinnamonensis act-homologous DNA was sequenced. Five open reading frames (ORFs 1–5) were identified on one strand of this DNA. The five ORFs show high sequence similarities to ORFs that were previously identified in the granaticin, actinorhodin, tetracenomycin and whiE PKS gene clusters. This allowed the assignment of the following putative functions to these five ORFS : a heterodimeric -ketoacyl synthase (ORF1 and ORF2), an acyl carrier protein (ORF3), a -ketoacyl reductase (ORF5), and a bifunctional cyclase/dehydrase (ORF4). The ORFs are encoded in the order ORFl-ORF2-ORF3-ORF5-ORF4, and ORFs-1 and -2 show evidence for translational coupling. This act-homologous region therefore appears to encode a PKS gene cluster. A gene disruption experiment using the vector pGM 160, and other evidence, suggests that this cluster is not essential for monensin biosynthesis but rather is involved in the biosynthesis of a cryptic aromatic polyketide in S. cinnamonensis. An efficient plasmid transformation system for S. cinnamonensis has been established, using the multicopy plasmids pWOR120 and pWOR125.     

The R1 gene conferring race-specific resistance to Phytophthora infestans in potato is located on potato chromosome V.

Summary Late blight in potato is caused by the fungusPhytophthora infestans and can inflict severe damage on the potato crop. Resistance toP. infestans is either based on major dominantR genes conferring vertical, race-specific resistance or on minor genes inducing horizontal, unspecific resistance. A dihaploid potato line was identified which carried theR1 gene, conferring vertical resistance to allP. infestans races, with the exception of those homozygous for the recessive virulence allele of the locusV1. The F₁ progeny of a cross between this resistant parent P(R1) and P(r), a line susceptible to all races, was analysed for segregation ofR1 and of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers distributed on the potato RFLP map comprising more than 300 loci. TheR1 locus was mapped to chromosome V in the interval between RFLP markers GP21 and GP179. The map position ofR1 was found to be very similar to the one ofRx2, a dominant locus inducing extreme resistance to potato virus X.     

Assessing the risk of resistance to cationic biocides incorporating realism-based and biophysical approaches

The control of microorganisms is a key objective in disease prevention and in medical, industrial, domestic, and food-production environments. Whilst the effectiveness of biocides in these contexts is well-evidenced, debate continues about the resistance risks associated with their use. This has driven an increased regulatory burden, which in turn could result in a reduction of both the deployment of current biocides and the development of new compounds and formulas. Efforts to balance risk and benefit are therefore of critical importance and should be underpinned by realistic methods and a multi-disciplinary approach, and through objective and critical analyses of the literature. The current literature on this topic can be difficult to navigate. Much of the evidence for potential issues of resistance generation by biocides is based on either correlation analysis of isolated bacteria, where reports of treatment failure are generally uncommon, or laboratory studies that do not necessarily represent real biocide applications. This is complicated by inconsistencies in the definition of the term resistance. Similar uncertainties also apply to cross-resistance between biocides and antibiotics. Risk assessment studies that can better inform practice are required. The resulting knowledge can be utilised by multiple stakeholders including those tasked with new product development, regulatory authorities, clinical practitioners, and the public. This review considers current evidence for resistance and cross-resistance and outlines efforts to increase realism in risk assessment. This is done in the background of the discussion of the mode of application of biocides and the demonstrable benefits as well as the potential risks.     

不同青枯病抗性的番茄品种内生细菌生理群数量研究

本论文对青枯病抗性不同的番茄品种其内生细菌生理群数量变化进行了研究,结果表明,番茄内生细菌生理群数量的变化随品种抗性、生育期和季节的不同而变化.在7大类生理群细菌中,氨化细菌的数量最多,且在幼苗期以后,高抗青枯病番茄品种中数量明显高于高感品种,初步认为,氨化细菌可能是影响青枯病发生的关键性微生物.番茄抗病品种在不同生育期,其内生细菌的总体数量要比感病品种多,呈交替波动变化.氨化细菌、硝化细菌、固氮细菌和反硫化细菌平均数量均表现为在夏季高于冬季,硫化细菌的数量则冬季高于夏季,厌气性细菌数量最少.     

山苍子油对霉菌抗菌性及其与黄曲霉产毒关系的研究

采用平板法比较天然增香剂山苍子油与合成食用防腐剂苯甲酸钠、山梨酸钾对8种霉菌的抗菌效力。结果表明,在培养基pH4．5时山苍子油对多数霉菌的最低抑菌浓度为1．77mg／ml,与山梨酸钾的抑菌强度相近,比苯甲酸钠强;但当培养基pH5．5以上时苯甲酸钠对霉菌几乎无效,山梨酸钾的抗菌效力也有减弱,而山苍子油受影响很小,其活性pH范围为4．5～8．5。山苍子油用脂肪酸蔗糖酯乳化,其抗菌效力增强一倍。同时,从山苍子油与黄曲霉产毒关系的实验中发现,山苍子油对黄曲霉产生黄曲霉毒素有较强的抑制作用。     

一株生防圆突起链霉菌的分类鉴定

菌株SCY311是从河南省凤凰山土壤样品中分离到的对多种植物病原真菌具有拮抗活性的一株放线菌。为了明确其分类地位, 在形态特征、培养特征、生理生化特征、细胞壁组分测定等传统分类学方法的基础上, 测定和分析了菌株的16S rRNA基因序列。结果表明, 菌株SCY311在高氏一号培养基上生长良好, 基内菌丝呈褐色; 气生菌丝灰色至鼠灰色, 不产生可溶性色素, 无吸水现象; 孢子链卷曲, 末端形成闭合或开放螺旋; 孢子椭圆或圆柱状, 表面形成结节状突起; 生理生化特征和在国际链霉菌计划(ISP)培养基上的培养特     

ABC转运蛋白基因slnTI和slnTII与盐霉素生物合成的相关性

【目的】slnTI和slnTII是盐霉素生物合成基因簇中可能的两个转运蛋白基因,根据生物信息学的分析推测它们属于ABC转运蛋白家族。其中,slnTI编码ABC转运蛋白的ATP结合亚基,slnTII编码ABC转运蛋白的跨膜亚基,推测它们可能与盐霉素的外排有关。通过slnTI和slnTII的基因中断与超量表达研究它们对盐霉素生物合成产量和抗性的影响。【方法】利用REDIRECT?技术,在盐霉素产生菌白色链霉菌XM211中分别构建了slnTI和slnTII的基因置换突变株LJ01和LJ02,并通过基因回补对突变株进行了验证。利用整合型表达载体pPM927在白色链霉菌XM211中对slnTI和slnTII进行串联超量表达。将slnTI和slnTII导入变铅青链霉菌1326中进行异源表达,通过液体培养实验检测衍生菌株对盐霉素的抗性。【结果】相比出发菌株XM211,突变株LJ01中盐霉素的产量下降了27.2%,LJ02下降了45.4%,LJ01和LJ02中结构基因slnA3和调控基因slnR的转录水平都有明显降低。超量表达菌株LJ03中盐霉素的产量提高了14.6%,转录结果显示LJ03中不仅slnTI和slnTII自身转录水平有大幅提高,而且slnA3和slnR转录水平也显著升高。抗性检测结果表明,异源表达菌株变铅青链霉菌LJ04对盐霉素的抗性水平略有提高。【结论】slnTI和slnTII是与盐霉素生物合成和外排有关的ABC转运蛋白基因,但并不是白色链霉菌XM211对盐霉素的主要抗性基因。     

白念珠菌耐药的分子机制研究进展

近年来,免疫受损人群不断增多,该人群念珠菌病发病率呈上升趋势。随着抗真菌药物的广泛应用,临床分离到的白念珠菌耐药株增多,有关白念珠菌对抗真菌药物的耐药机制的研究又有了进一步的进展。就白念珠菌对唑类、多烯类、5-氟胞嘧啶、棘白菌素类等抗真菌药物的耐药机制方面的研究进展,作了介绍。