Adherence and invasion of avian pathogenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> to avian tracheal epithelial cells

Avian septicemia is a systemic disease where bacteria attach and invade the avian respiratory tract and enter the bloodstream and vital organs. Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) cause this extraintestinal disease utilizing several virulence factors that have been identified. Adhesion to the trachea is the critical initial step for septic APEC pathogenicity. We investigated the ability of APEC to associate with models of tracheal epithelium. The microorganism was able to adhere to an avian tracheal explant model of infection. In addition, a primary cell culture, derived from chicken tracheal epithelium, was developed and demonstrated the ability of APEC to attach to and invade avian tracheal cells in vitro. These results are compatible with the nature of the disease and are important to the understanding of the initial point of entry of APEC in the avian model of septic infections.     

Enhanced production of recombinant streptokinase in Escherichia coli using fed-batch culture

Fed-batch culture strategy is often used for increasing production of heterologous recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. This study was initiated to investigate the effects of dissolved oxygen concentration (DOC), complex nitrogen sources and pH control agents on cell growth and intracellular expression of streptokinase (SK) in recombinant E. coli BL21(DE3). Increase in DOC set point from 30% to 50% did not affect SK expression in batch culture where as similar increase in fed-batch cultivation led to a significant improvement in SK expression (from 188 to 720 mg l⁻¹). This increase in SK could be correlated with increase in plasmid segregational stability. Supplementation of production medium with yeast extract and tryptone and replacement of liquid ammonia with NaOH as pH control agent further enhanced SK expression without affecting cell growth. Overall, SK concentration of 1120 mg l⁻¹ representing 14-fold increase in SK production on process scale-up from flask to bioreactor scale fed-batch culture is the highest reported concentration of SK to date.     

Genetic selection system for improving recombinant membrane protein expression in E. coli

A major barrier to the physical characterization and structure determination of membrane proteins is low yield in recombinant expression. To address this problem, we have designed a selection strategy to isolate mutant strains of Escherichia coli that improve the expression of a targeted membrane protein. In this method, the coding sequence of the membrane protein of interest is fused to a C‐terminal selectable marker, so that the production of the selectable marker and survival on selective media is linked to expression of the targeted membrane protein. Thus, mutant strains with improved expression properties can be directly selected. We also introduce a rapid method for curing isolated strains of the plasmids used during the selection process, in which the plasmids are removed by in vivo digestion with the homing endonuclease I‐CreI. We tested this selection system on a rhomboid family protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Rv1337) and were able to isolate mutants, which we call EXP strains, with up to 75‐fold increased expression. The EXP strains also improve the expression of other membrane proteins that were not the target of selection, in one case roughly 90‐fold.     

Assessment of physiological conditions in E. coli fermentations by epifluorescent microscopy and image analysis

The development of monitoring methods for assessing the physiological state of microorganisms during recombinant fermentation processes has been encouraged by the need to evaluate the influence of processing conditions in recombinant protein production. In this work, a technique based on microscopy and image analysis was developed that allows the simultaneous quantification of parameters associated with viability and fluorescent protein production in recombinant Escherichia coli fermentations. Images obtained from light microscopy with phase contrast are used to assess the total number of cells in a given sample and, from epifluorescence microscopy, both protein producing and injured cells are evaluated using two different fluorochromes: propidium iodide and enhanced yellow fluorescent protein. This technique revealed the existence of different cell populations in the recombinant E. coli fermentation broth that were evaluated along four batch fermentations, complementing information obtained with standard techniques to study the effects of the temperature and induction time in recombinant protein production processes. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Prokaryotic expression,in vitro folding,and molecular pharmacological characterization of the neuropeptide Y receptor type 2

G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a class of membrane proteins that represent a major target for pharmacological developments. However, there is still little knowledge about GPCR structure and dynamics since high‐level expression and characterization of active GPCRs in vitro is extremely complicated. Here, we describe the recombinant expression and functional folding of the human Y₂ receptor from inclusion bodies of E. coli cultures. Milligram protein quantities were produced using high density fermentation and isolated in a single step purification with a yield of over 20 mg/L culture. Extensive studies were carried out on in vitro refolding and stabilization of the isolated receptor in detergent solution. The specific binding of the ligand, the 36 residue neuropeptide Y (NPY), to the recombinant Y₂ receptors in micellar form was shown by several radioligand affinity assays. In competition experiments, an IC₅₀ value in low nanomolar range could be determined. Further, a K_D value of 1.9 nM was determined from a saturation assay, where NPY was titrated to the recombinant Y₂ receptors. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Expression of Outer Capsid Protein VP5 of Grass Carp Reovirus in E.coli and Analysis of its Immunogenicity

Grass carp reovirus （GCRV） is a tentative member of the Aquareovirus genus in the family Reoviridae. The mature virion comprises 11 dsRNA genomes enclosed by two concentric icosahedral proteins shells that is comprised of five core proteins and two outer capsid proteins. The genome sequence and 3D structure demonstrate there is a higher level of sequence homology in structural proteins between GCRV and mammalian orthoreoviruses （MRV） compared to other members of the family. To understand the pathogenesis of GCRV infection, the outer capsid protein VP5, a homology of the μ1 protein of MRV, was expressed in E.coli. It was found that the recombinant VP5 was highly expressed, and the expressed His-tag fusion protein was involved in the formation of the inclusion body. Additionally, specific anti-VP5 serum was prepared from purified protein and western blot demonstrated that the expressed protein was able to bind immunologically to rabbit anti GCRV particle serum and the immunogenicity was determined by ELISA assay. Additional experiments in investigating the functional properties of VP5 will further elucidate the role of the GCRV outer capsid protein VP5 during entry into host cells, and its interaction among viral proteins and host cells during the infection process.     

双歧杆菌对食管癌细胞增殖的抑制作用及细胞周期的影响

目的探讨青春双歧杆菌对食管癌EC109细胞的增殖抑制作用及对细胞周期的影响。方法用MTT比色法测定EC109细胞活性,用流式细胞仪测定EC109细胞周期。结果青春双歧杆菌对EC109细胞具有显著的增殖抑制作用,并呈剂量和时间依赖性;经青春双歧杆菌处理后,EC109细胞周期发生变化：细胞分裂阻滞于G1期。结论青春双歧杆菌可通过影响细胞周期抑制食管癌EC109细胞的生长。     

禽源致病性大肠埃希菌的耐药性与中草药有效成分的抑菌活性测定

以28株合肥地区禽源致病性大肠埃希菌为实验材料,采用K-B纸片琼脂扩散法检测禽源致病性大肠埃希菌的耐药情况。同时采用平板打孔法测定盐酸小檗碱、绿原酸、靛玉红和丹参酮ⅡA 4种中草药有效成分的抑菌活性。结果表明,28株禽源致病性大肠埃希菌对17种抗菌药物均呈现不同程度的耐药性,对β-内酰胺类、氨基糖苷类、四环素类和喹诺酮类抗菌药物的耐药率分别介于0%～92.86%、14.29%～50.00%、78.57%～100%和57.14%～71.43%。中草药有效成分盐酸小檗碱和丹参酮ⅡA对大肠埃希菌具有较好的抑制活性,抑菌率分别为92.86%（26/28）和89.29%（25/28）。     

紫锥菊多糖抑制致病性大肠埃希菌细胞黏附的试验研究

目的研究紫锥菊多糖能否影响致病性大肠埃希菌对细胞的黏附。方法使用PK-15细胞进行黏附试验及黏附抑制试验。结果发现紫锥菊多糖浓度为1.6 mg/ml时,对细菌黏附细胞的抑制作用最好,黏附率由50个细菌/细胞降低到6.8个细菌/细胞。结论紫锥菊多糖对致病性大肠埃希菌的细胞黏附具有抑制作用,提示该多糖具有调节肠道微生态的潜在应用价值。     

粪便中大肠埃希菌分离方法的筛选

比较了滤膜法、涂布法和纸片法对粪便中大肠埃希菌的分离效果。通过对分离粪便大肠埃希菌的数量可知,纸片法与m—TEC培养基上滤膜法分离的大肠埃希菌数量结果基本一致。m—TEC培养基滤膜法分离的大肠埃希菌平均数量分别是伊红美蓝培养基涂布法分离大肠埃希菌平均数量的1．4倍、伊红美蓝培养基滤膜法分离大肠埃希菌平均数量的2．8倍、m—TEC培养基涂布法分离大肠埃希菌平均数量的2．25倍。分离粪便样品中大肠埃希菌选择滤膜法用m—TEC培齐基进行分离为最佳分离方法。