Identification of taxonomic and epidemiological relationships among Campylobacter species by numerical analysis of AFLP profiles

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)-based profiling was performed on 138 strains representing all named Campylobacter species and subspecies. Profiles of 15/16 species comprised 6 to greater than 100 fragments and were subjected to numerical analysis. The mean similarity of 48 duplicate, outbreak and/or 'identical' strain profiles exceeded 94%. Species were clearly distinguished at the 17.90% similarity (S-) level in the dendrogram. Subspecies of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter hyointestinalis, and biovars of Campylobacter lari and Campylobacter sputorum were distinguished at higher S-levels. All outbreak or 'genetically identical' strains of C. jejuni subsp. jejuni, Campylobacter coli, C. hyointestinalis and C. sputorum clustered at S-levels >92% and were distinguished from unrelated strains. Numerical analysis of AFLP profiles is useful for concurrent identification of taxonomic and epidemiological relationships among most Campylobacter species.     

Saccharomyces uvarum, a proper species within Saccharomyces sensu stricto

Saccharomyces uvarum is proposed as a proper species within the complex Saccharomyces sensu stricto. Molecular characteristics including the similarity of the restriction profile of the non-transcribed spacer 2 (NTS2) and of the D1/D2 sequences of the rDNA, as well as other genotypic and phenotypic characteristics confirm that this group of strains is highly homogeneous and distinguishable from other species of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto group.     

深圳市金黄色葡萄球菌耐药性分析及分子分型

目的 了解深圳市金黄色葡萄球菌的耐药性特点及分子分型特征。方法 收集2012年来自深圳市7所医院的428株金黄色葡萄球菌,以琼脂稀释法测定其对12种抗菌药物的最低抑菌浓度（MIC）,采用聚合酶链式反应（PCR）检测杀白细胞毒素（PVL）,并对携带PVL基因的菌株进行多位点基因序列分型（MLST）。结果 428株金黄色葡萄球菌中耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）116株（26.2%）,甲氧西林敏感金黄色葡萄球菌（MSSA）312株（73.8%）。12种抗菌药物中,该菌对青霉素和红霉素的耐药率最高,分别为88.8%和44.2%;未发现替考拉宁、利奈唑胺和万古霉素的耐药株。MRSA对青霉素和环丙沙星的耐药率显著高于MSSA。428株金黄色葡萄球菌中,60株（14.02%）携带PVL基因。MLST分型结果显示共有14种已知序列型和4种新的序列型,其中ST59和ST338最多,分别为16株和12株。结论 深圳地区金黄色葡萄球菌MRSA检出率以及对多种抗菌药物的耐药率均低于全国平均水平,PVL基因阳性率处于中等水平;存在多种ST分型,以ST59和ST338多见,具有遗传多样性和独特的遗传背景。     

Targeting of T7 RNA polymerase to tobacco nuclei mediated by an SV40 nuclear location signal

We have expressed two T7 RNA polymerase genes by electroporation into tobacco protoplasts. One of the genes was modified by inserting nucleotides encoding a viral nuclear localization signal (NLS) from the large T antigen of SV40. Both T7 RNA polymerase genes directed synthesis of a ca. 100 kDa protein in the electroporated protoplasts. T7 RNA polymerase activity was detected in extracts of protoplasts electroporated with both genes. Immunofluorescence analysis of these protoplasts indicated that only the polymerase carrying the NLS accumulated in the cell nucleus. These experiments suggest that mechanisms involved in the transport from the cytoplasm to the nucleus are similar in plant and animal cells. This system demonstrates the feasibility of T7 RNA polymerase-based approaches for the high-level expression of introduced genes in plant cells.     

BAFF inhibition: a new class of drugs for the treatment of autoimmunity

BAFF (BLyS) and APRIL are TNF-like cytokines that support survival and differentiation of B cells. Recent studies have discovered a role for BAFF in augmenting both innate and adaptive immune responses as well as in collaborating with other inflammatory cytokines to promote the activation and differentiation of effector immune cells. BAFF is an important pathogenic factor in lupus mouse models and BAFF inhibition successfully delays disease onset in these mice, although the responsiveness to BAFF inhibition varies among different strains. These results have led to the development of inhibitors targeting BAFF and APRIL in humans. An anti-BAFF antibody has shown significant but modest efficacy in two Phase III clinical trials for moderately active SLE and other inhibitors are being developed or at early stages of clinical testing.     

Plakins in development and disease

Plakins are large multi-domain molecules that have various functions to link cytoskeletal elements together and to connect them to junctional complexes. Plakins were first identified in epithelial cells where they were found to connect the intermediate filaments to desmosomes and hemidesmosomes [Ruhrberg, C., and Watt, F.M. (1997). The plakin family: versatile organizers of cytoskeletal architecture. Curr Opin Genet Dev 7, 392-397.]. They were subsequently found to be important for the integrity of muscle cells. Most recently, they have been found in the nervous system, where their functions appear to be more complex, including cross-linking of microtubules (MTs) and actin filaments [Leung, C.L., Zheng, M., Prater, S.M., and Liem, R.K. (2001). The BPAG1 locus: Alternative splicing produces multiple isoforms with distinct cytoskeletal linker domains, including predominant isoforms in neurons and muscles. J Cell Biol 154, 691-697., Leung, C.L., Sun, D., Zheng, M., Knowles, D.R., and Liem, R.K. (1999). Microtubule actin cross-linking factor (MACF): a hybrid of dystonin and dystrophin that can interact with the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons. J Cell Biol 147, 1275-1286.]. These plakins have also indicated their relationship to the spectrin superfamily of proteins and the plakins appear to be evolutionarily related to the spectrins, but have diverged to perform different specialized functions. In invertebrates, a single plakin is present in both Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans, which resemble the more complex plakins found in mammals [Roper, K., Gregory, S.L., and Brown, N.H. (2002). The 'spectraplakins': cytoskeletal giants with characteristics of both spectrin and plakin families. J Cell Sci 115, 4215-4225.]. In contrast, there are seven plakins found in mammals and most of them have alternatively spliced forms leading to a very complex group of proteins with potential tissue specific functions [Jefferson, J.J., Leung, C.L., and Liem, R.K. (2004). Plakins: goliaths that link cell junctions and the cytoskeleton. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 5, 542-553.]. In this review, we will first describe the plakins, desmoplakin, plectin, envoplakin and periplakin and then describe two other mammalian plakins, Bullous pemphigoid antigen 1 (BPAG1) and microtubule actin cross-linking factor 1 (MACF1), that are expressed in multiple isoforms in different tissues. We will also describe the relationship of these two proteins to the invertebrate plakins, shortstop (shot) in Drosophila and VAB-10 in C. elegans. Finally, we will describe an unusual mammalian plakin, called epiplakin.     

Production and characterization of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies that recognize an epitope in domain 2 of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen

Antibodies against the protective antigen (PA) of Bacillus anthracis play a key role in response to infection by this important pathogen. The aim of this study was to produce and characterize monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for PA and to identify novel neutralizing epitopes. Three murine mAbs with high specificity and nanomolar affinity for B. anthracis recombinant protective antigen (rPA) were produced and characterized. Western immunoblot analysis, coupled with epitope mapping using overlapping synthetic peptides, revealed that these mAbs recognize a linear epitope within domain 2 of rPA. Neutralization assays demonstrate that these mAbs effectively neutralize lethal toxin in vitro.     

抗癌胚抗原免疫毒素生物学功能的研究

为了研究免疫毒素发挥生物学作用的全过程,构建了两种不同形式的基于假单胞菌外毒素(Pseudomonas exotoxin A,PE)的抗癌胚抗原（carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA）免疫毒素CEA(Fv)/PE38/KDEL和PE35/CEA(Fv)/KDEL.用流式细胞术经间接免疫荧光法测定免疫毒素的抗原结合活性.免疫毒素的内化(internalization)通过间接免疫荧光标记的方法在激光共聚焦显微镜下进行检测,采用流式细胞术进行免疫毒素内化的定量分析.细胞凋亡采用FITC-annexin V/PI双荧光染色方法进行分析.用噻唑蓝(MTT)法测定免疫毒素的靶细胞杀伤功能.对两种形式的免疫毒素在各个功能阶段的性质进行研究和比较,全面展现了免疫毒素发挥生物学功能的过程及各个生物作用过程之间的相互影响,为详尽的机制研究和免疫毒素的进一步优化改造提供了重要的依据.     

Relationship between antibody productivity by activated human lymph node lymphocytes from lung cancer patients and lymphocyte subsets

Regional lymph node lymphocytes from five patients with primary lung cancer were analyzed for subset composition, and exposed in vitro to the polyclonal human B cell mitogen Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SACI) or the murine B cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and then fused with mouse myeloma cells for investigation at the clonal level of their antibody (Ab) production and its statistical relation to the original subset composition. No correlation was found between the proportion of CD19+, CD23+, or CD3+ cells in the lymphocyte sample prior to its exposure to either SACI or LPS, and the Ab production efficiency, defined as the ratio of the number of Ab producing wells to the total number of proliferating wells. For lymphocytes exposed to LPS, however, a strong correlation (r = 0.931, p = 0.02) was observed between the Ab production efficiency and the ratio of CD8+ to CD3+ cells (CD8/CD3) in the original sample at least within the ranges studied (CD8/CD3 = 0.216–0.288). For those exposed to SACI, no correlation was found between the Ab production efficiency and the CD8/CD3 ratio (r = 0.881, p = 0.12) or the proportion of CD8+ cells (r = 0.808, p = 0.19) in the original sample. These results suggest that the repertoire of B cells responsive to LPS is different at least in part from the repertoire responsive to SACI and that the ratio CD8/CD3 could serve as a practical predictor for Ab production by human lymphocytes stimulated with LPS. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.