Enhanced production of acetoin and butanediol in recombinant Enterobacter aerogenes carrying Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene

Microbial production of butanediol and acetoin has received increasing interest because of their diverse potential practical uses. Although both products are fermentative in nature, their optimal production requires a low level of oxygen. In this study, the use of a recombinant oxygen uptake system on production of these metabolites was investigated. Enterobacter aerogenes was transformed with a pUC8-based plasmid carrying the gene (vgb) encoding Vitreoscilla (bacterial) hemoglobin (VHb). The presence of vgb and production of VHb by this strain resulted in an increase in viability from 72 to 96 h in culture, but no overall increase in cell mass. Accumulation of the fermentation products acetoin and butanediol were enhanced (up to 83%) by the presence of vgb/VHb. This vgb/VHb related effect appears to be due to an increase of flux through the acetoin/butanediol pathway, but not at the expense of acid production.     

Extension of resistance to cefepime and cefpirome associated to a six amino acid deletion in the H-10 helix of the cephalosporinase of an Enterobacter cloacae clinical isolate

Enterobacter cloacae CHE, a clinical strain with overproduced cephalosporinase was found to be highly resistant to the new cephalosporins, cefepime and cefpirome (MICs> or =128 microg ml(-1)). The strain was isolated from a child previously treated with cefepime. The catalytic efficiency of the purified enzyme with the third-generation cephalosporins, cefepime and cefpirome, was 10 times higher than that with the E. cloacae P99 enzyme. This was mostly due to a decrease in K(m) for these beta-lactams. The clinical isolate produced large amounts of the cephalosporinase because introduction of the ampD gene decreased ampC expression and partially restored the wild-type phenotype. Indeed, MICs of cefepime and cefpirome remained 10 times higher than those for a stable derepressed clinical isolate (OUDhyp) transformed with an ampD gene. Sequencing of the ampC gene showed that 18 nucleotides had been deleted, corresponding to the six amino acids SKVALA (residues 289--294). According to the crystal structure of P99 beta-lactamase, this deletion was located in the H-10 helix. The ampR-ampC genes from the clinical isolates CHE and OUDhyp were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli JM101. The MICs of cefpirome and cefepime of E. coli harboring ampC and ampR genes from CHE were 100--200 times higher than those of E. coli harboring ampC and ampR genes from OUDhyp. This suggests that the deletion, confirmed by sequencing of the ampC gene, is involved in resistance to cefepime and cefpirome. However, the high level of resistance to cefepime and cefpirome observed in the E. cloacae clinical isolate was due to a combination of hyperproduction of the AmpC beta-lactamase and structural modification of the enzyme. This is the first example of an AmpC variant conferring resistance to cefepime and cefpirome, isolated as a clinical strain.     

Acetylene reduction (N2-fixation) by Enterobacteriaceae isolated from industrial wastewaters and biological treatment systems

Summary Acetylene reducing (N₂-fixing) Entero-bacteriaceae have been isolated from activated sludge plants treating waste from the paper and food industries (10³ to 10⁶ cells per ml) and from composting plants handling forest waste (10⁵ to 10⁶ cells per g wet weight). Detailed studies on se-lected strains of all taxa showed that: (1) pure cul-tures were able to utilize a range of carbohy-drates, polyols, amino acids and carboxylic acids as sole sources of carbon (2) high levels of nitro-genase were attained during growth with a range of carbon substrates: highest levels (12—66 n mole C₂H₄.min⁻¹.mg protein⁻¹) were found for glucose and sucrose, variable levels for polyols, and lower levels for citrate and fumarate (1—23 n mole C₂H₄.min⁻¹.mg protein⁻¹) (3) organic ni-trogen compounds which were utilized as sole sources of nitrogen did not generally repress the synthesis of nitrogenase, although low levels were found for some strains during growth with glu-cosamine. Samples from a laboratory model acti-vated sludge system showed a mean rate of acety-lene reduction corresponding to the fixation of 26 μg N.h⁻¹.1⁻¹, and direct analysis of the in-fluent and effluent waters and sludge showed a net increase in nitrogen. These observations corre-lated with the presence of a population of N₂-fix-ing Enterobacteriaceae of ca. 10⁵ cells per ml and pure strains isolated from the system had a mean nitrogenase specific activity of 88 n mole C₂H₄.min⁻¹.mg protein⁻¹. It is therefore con-cluded that endogenous N₂-fixing Enterobacteria-ceae contained in some kinds of industrial waste-waters could successfully be used to diminish the addition of combined nitrogen to activated sludge treatment plants.     

Reduction of vanadium(V) by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacter cloacae</Emphasis> EV-SA01 isolated from a South African deep gold mine

Dissimilatory reduction of vanadium(V) by Enterobacter cloacae EV-SA01, isolated from a gold mine at 1.6 km below surface, is shown to occur anaerobically as well as aerobically. Growth rates were unaffected by up to 2 mM V₂O₅. Reduction of vanadium(V) was growth phase-dependent and resulted in cell deformities and precipitation of the vanadium in its lower oxidation states. The vanadate reductase activity was membrane-associated and coupled the oxidation of NADH to the reduction of vanadate.     

Multidrug-resistant phenotype and isolation of a Novel SHV- beta-Lactamase variant in a clinical isolate of Enterobacter cloacae

Background

ESBL-producing bacteria are a clinical problem in the management of diseases caused by these pathogens. Worldwide, systemic infections with BL enzymes are evolving by mutations from classical bla genes in an intensified manner and they continue to be transferred across species.

Results

E.cloacae BF1417 isolate and its transconjugants gave positive results with the DDST, suggesting the presence of ESBL. Sequence analysis revealed a bla_SHV-ESBL-type gene that differs from the gene encoding SHV-1 by five point mutations resulting in three amino acid substitutions in the coding region: C123R, I282T and L286P. This novel SHV-type enzyme was designated SHV-128. The conjugation tests and plasmid characterization showed that the bla_SHV-128 is located on a conjugative plasmid IncFII type. Expression studies demonstrated that the above mutations participated in drug resistance, hydrolysis of extended spectrum β-lactam and the change of the isoelectric point of the protein.

Conclusion

These findings underscore the diversity by which antibiotic resistance can arise and the evolutionary potential of the clinically important ESBL enzymes. In addition, this study highlights the need for systematic surveillance of ESBL-mediated resistance as well as in clinical areas and communities.     

益生菌拮抗阪崎肠杆菌的初步研究

目的研究鼠李糖乳杆菌和植物乳杆菌等8种常见益生菌对阪崎肠杆菌的拮抗作用。方法采用牛津杯法测定益生菌耗尽上清对阪崎肠杆菌的抑菌圈,获得对阪崎肠杆菌具有较强抑菌能力的鼠李糖乳杆菌和植物乳杆菌;采用混合培养法对2株益生菌与阪崎肠杆菌的拮抗竞争能力进行测试。结果 8种益生菌耗尽上清均能抑制阪崎肠杆菌,其抑菌能力具有热稳定性且依赖于酸性pH环境。阪崎肠杆菌(107CFU/mL)与鼠李糖乳杆菌(108CFU/mL或109CFU/mL)共孵育至24 h,其活菌量开始逐渐下降,至120 h孵育结束下降到105CFU/mL;菌量比为1:10的阪崎肠杆菌与植物乳杆菌共孵育至24 h,其活菌量开始逐渐下降,菌量比为1:100时则提前至8 h,至120 h孵育结束活菌量均下降到102CFU/mL。结论鼠李糖乳杆菌和植物乳杆菌均能有效地竞争拮抗阪崎肠杆菌。     

Transformation of Maridomycin III by Maridomycin III-Insensitive Streptomycetes

Transformation of maridomycin III, a macrolide antibiotic, by maridomycin (MDM) III-insensitive streptomycetes was examined. Three main transformation products were obtained. In comparison with authentic samples, these transformation products were identified as 18-dihydro MDM III, 4′′-depropionyl MDM III and 18-dihydro-4′′-depropionyl MDM III. Reduction of the C–18 position of the macro lactone moiety of the antibiotic was thought to be a detoxication mechanism of the antibiotic by these insensitive strains.