Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Pragia fontium 27480 containing 2,3-diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-d-mannuronic acid

The following structure of the O-polysaccharide of Pragia fontium 27480 was elucidated by sugar analysis, including determination of the absolute configurations of the monosaccharides, and Smith degradation along with 1D and 2D ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy:→4)-β-d-ManpNAc3NAcA-(1→2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→3)-β-l-Rhap-(1→4)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(1→where ManNAc3NAcA stands for 2,3-diacetamido-2,3-dideoxymannuronic acid.     

A disulfide bridge network within the soluble periplasmic domain determines structure and function of the outer membrane protein RCSF

RcsF, a proposed auxiliary regulator of the regulation of capsule synthesis (rcs) phosphorelay system, is a key element for understanding the RcsC-D-A/B signaling cascade, which is responsible for the regulation of more than 100 genes and is involved in cell division, motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. The RcsC-D-A/B system is one of the most complex bacterial signal transduction pathways, consisting of several membrane-bound and soluble proteins. RcsF is a lipoprotein attached to the outer membrane and plays an important role in activating the RcsC-d-A/B pathway. The exact mechanism of activation of the rcs phosphorelay by RcsF, however, remains unknown. We have analyzed the sequence of RcsF and identified three structural elements: 1) an N-terminal membrane-anchored helix (residues 3-13), 2) a loop (residues 14-48), and 3) a C-terminal folded domain (residues 49-134). We have determined the structure of this C-terminal domain and started to investigate its interaction with potential partners. Important features of its structure are two disulfide bridges between Cys-74 and Cys-118 and between Cys-109 and Cys-124. To evaluate the importance of this RcsF disulfide bridge network in vivo, we have examined the ability of the full-length protein and of specific Cys mutants to initiate the rcs signaling cascade. The results indicate that the Cys-74/Cys-118 and the Cys-109/Cys-124 residues correlate pairwise with the activity of RcsF. Interaction studies showed a weak interaction with an RNA hairpin. However, no interaction could be detected with reagents that are believed to activate the rcs phosphorelay, such as lysozyme, glucose, or Zn(2+) ions.     

尿道下裂患者术前术后尿道细菌的研究

目的了解尿道下裂患者尿道修复前后尿道及其周围细菌的分布,为临床预防尿道下裂术后感染提供依据。方法采集30例尿道下裂患者术前尿道、会阴部,术后重建尿道、会阴部皮肤作细菌分离、培养、鉴定、统计分析、药敏试验。结果术前术后尿道与会阴部细菌分布差异无显著性（P〉0．05）,有革兰阳性菌表皮葡萄球菌、肠球菌等,革兰阴性菌变形杆菌、阴沟肠杆菌、大肠埃希菌等,以表皮葡萄球菌占多数。结论术后重建尿道内存在的细菌由会阴部皮肤表面细菌转移而入。菌株以革兰阳性菌表皮葡萄球菌占多数,菌株耐药率较高,临床选择药物要慎重。     

土壤细菌16SrRNA基因变异型及其与植被的相关研究

绕过细菌的分离培养,直接提取土壤DNA,扩谱,克隆土壤细菌群体的16S核糖体RNA基因（16S,rDNA),根据该基因各种变异类型的限制性片段长度多型性,分析土壤细菌分子遗传多样性及其与植被的相关关系,植被的改变影响土壤养分,进而改变土壤细菌群落结构,土壤细菌遗传多样性和分化能反映植被的变化。     

甲硝唑与乳杆菌活菌制剂对细菌性阴道病患者阴道微生物群影响的对比性研究

目的对300例细菌性阴道病（Bacterial Vaginosis,BV）患者随机使用甲硝唑（100例）、乳杆菌活菌制剂定君生（100例）及甲硝唑联合定君生（100例）,观察乳杆菌在阴道内定植情况及用药前后阴道内微生物多样性的变化,为临床治疗细菌性阴道病提供实验依据。方法分别提取300例BV患者用药前和用药后的阴道微生物总基因组DNA,以德氏乳杆菌16SrDNA特异性引物进行PCR,检测患者用药后德氏乳杆菌在阴道内的定植情况。以细菌16SrRNAV3区通用引物进行PCR,扩增产物进行变性梯度凝胶电泳（DGGE）,对所得指纹图谱进行分析,研究用药对微生态变化的影响状况。结果甲硝唑治疗组用药前后均没有德氏乳杆菌检出;定君生治疗组用药后德氏乳杆菌检出率为54％;甲硝唑联合定君生治疗组用药后德氏乳杆菌检出率为76％。甲硝唑治疗组用药后微生物多样性显著降低,微生物群结构失衡;定君生治疗组用药后微生物多样性有所降低,微生物群结构无显著差异;甲硝唑联合定君生治疗组用药后微生物多样性降低,但较前两组有所增加,微生物群结构差异无统计学意义。结论甲硝唑显著降低BV患者阴道微生物多样性,引起微生态失衡;定君生对BV患者阴道微生态的影响明显小于甲硝唑;定君生的使用有利于甲硝唑f预后阴道微生物多样性的恢复和微生态平衡的重建。     

家蚕抗菌肽在毕赤酵母中的表达

目的：用毕赤酵母真核系统表达有抑菌活性的家蚕抗菌肽(cecropin-XJ)。将pGEX-4T-1-cecropin-XJ上的抗菌肽基因cecropin—XJ克隆至穿梭质粒pSuperY上,用Bln Ⅰ酶切使之线性化后,采用电击法转化酵母SMD1168,转化子用小瓶发酵,经SDS—PAGE检测,表达产物可以在α信号因子的引导下,分泌到培养基中,且表达产物具有明显抑菌活性。     

Aphid activities during sieve element punctures

Aphid salivation in sieve elements and phloem sap ingestion were linked to waveforms in the Electrical Penetration Graph (EPG). Non-viruliferousRhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) on barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) infected wheat could acquire the virus, which was used as an indication for phloem sap ingestion, whereas virus inoculation by viruliferous aphids on healthy plants was associated with salivation in sieve elements or other phloem cells. Probing was monitored and the waveforms recorded were related to ELISA results of test plants. The EPG patterns A, B, and C are indicative of the stylet pathway phase, whereas patterns E1 and E2 reflect the phloem (sieve element) phase with an unknown activity (E1) or with ingestion and concurrent salivation (E2). Aphids showing pathway and E1 rarely acquired virus, suggesting that little or no phloem sap ingestion can occur during these patterns, whereas those showing additionally pattern E2 did so substantially, indicating phloem sap ingestion. The main pattern related to virus inoculation was E1, although some aphids were able to inoculate plants during pathway. Pattern E1 clearly reflects the most important salivation into sieve elements. Pattern E2 had no clear contribution to virus inoculation, supporting the present hypothesis that during this pattern the saliva is mixed with the phloem sap in the single canal at the stylet tips and ingested immediately, without reaching the plant tissue. Sustained sap ingestion did not affect virus inoculation. So, BYDV inoculation mainly occurs during the first period of a sieve element puncture which is always formed by E1. Implications on persistent virus transmission are discussed.     

凝结芽胞杆菌活菌片对实验性腹泻小鼠的治疗作用

目的 观察凝结芽胞杆菌活菌片对氨苄青霉素钠诱发的小鼠腹泻的治疗作用。方法利用氨苄青霉素钠口服诱发小鼠实验性腹泻和肠道菌群失调,然后用凝结芽胞杆菌活菌片,口服,每天2次,共4d,观察治疗后的小鼠排便和肠道菌群变化。结果在各给药组中,治疗第1天有70％～85％的小鼠排正常便,生理盐水组只有10％排正常便（P〈0．01）;治疗第2天给药组中有80％～90％的小鼠排正常便,生理盐水组仅为50％（P〈0．01）。肠道菌群分析结果表明,凝结芽胞杆菌在治疗第2天开始定植,停药第7天后逐渐消失,定植期为10d左右。在各给药组中,治疗第2天肠道菌群开始恢复,第4天均升高到正常,而生理盐水组的恢复比各给药组显著的慢（P〈0．01）。结论 凝结芽胞杆菌活菌片对小鼠实验性腹泻有明显的止泻作用,并能加速肠道菌群的恢复。     

Characterization of cell membrane parameters of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus with varied susceptibility to alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a major human pathogen of hospital and community acquired infections, is becoming resistant to almost all commercially available antibiotics. This has prompted development of antimicrobial peptides as therapeutic options. Alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is one such peptide known to possess antimicrobial properties. In the present study, we analyzed the antimicrobial activity of α-MSH against 75 clinical strains of S. aureus including both methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. Results of our previous study showed that membrane damage is the major mechanism of staphylocidal activity of α-MSH. In this context, we compared the various bacterial membrane parameters, viz., membrane fluidity, lipid composition, and surface charge of a few selected MSSA and MRSA strains that showed variable susceptibility to the melanocortin peptide. Our results showed that α-MSH killed both type of strains efficiently (≥70% killing in 84% clinical strains after exposure with 6μM of α-MSH for 1h). It was observed that compared to the α-MSH-susceptible strains, the α-MSH-non-susceptible strains had a different membrane order and phospholipid pattern. There was no consistent pattern of cell surface charge to distinguish α-MSH-susceptible strain from a non-susceptible strain. In conclusion, α-MSH possessed potential staphylocidal activity for both against MSSA and MRSA strains. S. aureus strains not susceptible to the peptide exhibited a rigid membrane and a higher amount of the cationic phospholipid as compared to the α-MSH-susceptible strains.