金银花水提物对肠道微生态失调大鼠的调整作用

目的研究金银花水提取物作为微生态调节剂对肠道微生态失调大鼠肠道菌群的调整作用。方法结扎大鼠胆总管造成肠道菌群失调模型后分别以金银花、丽珠肠乐、金银花与丽珠肠乐合剂、生理盐水灌胃,于灌胃4d后测定各组大鼠肠道菌群组分、乙酸含量及肝脏中肠杆菌易位情况。结果大鼠肠道菌群失调得到恢复,肠道内乙酸含量增加,易位至肝脏的肠杆菌数量减少,与自然恢复组相比,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,金银花与丽珠肠乐合剂组效果最佳。结论金银花水提物作为益生元对大鼠肠道菌群失调具有调整作用。     

Glucose dehydrogenase of a rhizobacterial strain of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacter asburiae</Emphasis> involved in mineral phosphate solubilization shares properties and sequence homology with other members of enterobacteriaceae

Glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) of Gram-negative bacteria is a membrane bound enzyme catalyzing the oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid and is involved in the solubilization of insoluble mineral phosphate complexes. A 2.4 kb glucose dehydrogenase gene (gcd) of Enterobacter asburiae sharing extensive homology to the gcd of other enterobacteriaceae members was cloned in a PCR-based directional genome walking approach and the expression confirmed in Escherichia coli YU423 on both MacConkey glucose agar and hydroxyapatite (HAP) containing media. Mineral phosphate solubilization by the cloned E. asburiae gcd was confirmed by the release of significant amount of phosphate in HAP containing liquid medium. gcd was over expressed in E. coli AT15 (gcd::cm) and the purified recombinant protein had a high affinity to glucose, and oxidized galactose and maltose with lower affinities. The enzyme was highly sensitive to heat and EDTA, and belonged to Type I, similar to GDH of E. coli.     

A simplified method for assay of hydrogenase activities of H<Subscript>2</Subscript> evolution and uptake in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacter aerogenes</Emphasis>

Assay of hydrogenase activity pertaining to H₂ production needs anaerobic conditions. To establish a simplified method for assay of hydrogenase activities by using intact cells of Enterobater aerogenes, different chemicals capable of enhancing the cell-wall permeability to electron mediators were examined. As a result, Triton X-100 and CTAB were found to be appropriate for H₂ uptake and evolution activities of the intact cells, respectively. This method enabled H₂ uptake and evolution activities of the intact cells to be easily detected. This is also the first report of the presence of H₂ uptake hydrogenase activity in E. aerogenes.Revisions requested 2 March 2005 and 21 April 2005; Revisions received 12 April 2005 and 17 May 2005     

Purification, characterization, and gene cloning of 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase of Enterobacter cloacae P240

We found the occurrence of 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase in Enterobacter cloacae P240, isolated from soils under anaerobic conditions, and purified the enzyme to homogeneity. The purified enzyme was a homohexamer of identical 60 kDa subunits. The purified decarboxylase catalyzed the nonoxidative decarboxylation of 4-hydroxybenzoate without requiring any cofactors. Its K _m value for 4-hydroxybenzoate was 596 μM. The enzyme also catalyzed decarboxylation of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, for which the K _m value was 6.80 mM. In the presence of 3 M KHCO₃ and 20 mM phenol, the decarboxylase catalyzed the reverse carboxylation reaction of phenol to form 4-hydroxybenzoate with a molar conversion yield of 19%. The K _m value for phenol was calculated to be 14.8 mM. The gene encoding the 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase was isolated from E. cloacae P240. Nucleotide sequencing of recombinant plasmids revealed that the 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase gene codes for a 475-amino-acid protein. The amino acid sequence of the enzyme is similar to those of 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase of Clostridium hydroxybenzoicum (53% identity), VdcC protein (vanillate decarboxylase) of Streptomyces sp. strain D7 (72%) and 3-octaprenyl-4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase of Escherichia coli (28%). The hypothetical proteins, showing 96–97% identities to the primary structure of E. cloacae P240 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase, were found in several bacterial strains.     

229株阴沟肠杆菌的标本分布及耐药性分析

目的 了解阴沟肠杆菌在医院感染的标本分布和耐药情况,为临床合理选择和应用抗生素提供依据.方法 采用VITEK 60全自动微生物分析仪和配套的GNI、GNS-143、GNI-448,对229株阴沟肠杆菌进行分离鉴定和药敏试验,药敏结果使用WHONET 5.5软件进行分析.结果 从2007年1月至2011年9月共分离到阴沟肠杆菌229株,59.0％来自于呼吸道标本,其次是尿液占13.5％,再次为创面分泌物/脓液占12.7％.阴沟肠杆菌对美洛培南、亚胺培南和头孢哌酮/舒巴坦的耐药率分别为0.0％、0.4％和2.5％,对氨苄西林、头孢唑啉、头孢西丁的耐药率分别为98.7％、96.9％、97.5％.结论 阴沟肠杆菌耐药机制复杂,对抗生素具有多重耐药性,临床应合理使用抗菌药物,以减少阴沟肠杆菌耐药性的产生和在院内扩散.     

Molecular properties and metabolic effect on blood cells produced by a new toxin of Enterobacter cloacae

A new toxin of Enterobacter cloacae able to lyse erythrocytes and leukocytes was found. Purification of the toxin was performed by salt precipitation, gel filtration, ion exchange and HPLC in C₈ column. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis showed more than one bank corresponding to the leukotoxin able to form polymers and aggregate like some pore-forming cytotoxins (RTX). In culture supernatant the toxin showed 1 HU/ml (hemolytic unit) and 1.5 LU/ml (leukotoxic unit); after purification it reached 15 HU/ml and 20 LU/ml. The ratio between HU and percentage red cells affected the lytic capacity. E. cloacae toxin stimulated the oxidative metabolism of neutrophils, but over 50 μg toxin/ml the stimulus ceased as it was shown by NBT assay due to cell death. Chemiluminescence evidenced an increase in superoxide anion generation, but an excess of toxin interfered with this stimulus, as was previously observed in HlyA Escherichia coli toxin. Cross-reaction was found by immunoblotting with this HlyA. E. cloacae toxin presented higher amounts of proline, valine, aspartic and glutamic acids than HlyA. E. cloacae toxin was similar to HlyA in the prescence of a glycine-rich DNA sequence and in the observed effect of calcium on toxin activity. E. cloacae toxin did not cross-react by immunoblotting with hemolysin HmpA of Proteus. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Isolation and PCR detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacter sakazakii</Emphasis> in South African food products,specifically infant formula milks

Enterobacter sakazakii has recently been identified as an opportunistic pathogen. The current culture-dependent detection methods for these bacteria are time-consuming and in this study a PCR method for the detection of E. sakazakii in South African food products, including an internal amplification control (IAC) was developed. DNA was isolated and amplified from the products and they were plated on selective growth media after pre-enrichment and enrichment in Enterobacteriaceae enrichment broth. Four of the 22 products tested positive for the presence of E. sakazakii, confirmed by PCR detection and growth on selective media. The PCR method proved effective in detecting E. sakazakii in South African products after three days and could serve as an alternative for traditional microbiological techniques.