Genomic and proteomic analyses reveal multiple homologs of genes encoding enzymes of the methanol:coenzyme M methyltransferase system that are differentially expressed in methanol- and acetate-grown Methanosarcina thermophila

The opportunistic pathogen Legionella pneumophila, the etiologic agent of Legionnaires disease, is able to invade and multiply intracellularly in human macrophages. This process is controlled by several bacterial virulence factors. As recently demonstrated, one of these virulence factors, the macrophage infectivity potentiator (Mip) protein, is important for invasion and proper intracellular establishment of L. pneumophila in macrophages and protozoa. Knockout mutants devoid of a functional mip-gene enter host cells much less effectively but intracellular replication is not affected. Using a P(mip)-green fluorescent protein reporter construct in L. pneumophila substrain Corby, P(mip) was recently shown to be constitutively active in replicating bacteria. A stringent regulation during the infection process could not be observed, neither in intracellular nor in BYE broth-grown bacteria. For enhanced temporal and quantitative resolution, we examined the activity of mip on RNA level in order to detect short transient regulatory events. Our results show that P(mip) of L. pneumophila is temporarily repressed directly after invasion of the monocytic human cell line MonoMac 6 and regains activity after 24 h of intracellular replication.     

Enhancement of Legionella pneumophila culture isolation from microenvironments by macrophage infectivity potentiator (mip) gene-specific nested polymerase chain reaction

The combination of a Legionella pneumophila culture isolation technique and macrophage infectivity potentiator (mip) gene-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is pivotal for effective routine use in an environmental water system laboratory. Detection of Legionella organisms in 169 environmental samples was performed by using modified buffered charcoal yeast extract (MBCYE) agar for conventional culture. Nested PCR specific for L. pneumophila was performed using boiled genomic DNA extracts from filtered and Chelex 100-treated water samples, or by using silica-gel membrane spin column-eluted DNA from concentrated pond, canal and river samples. Overall, the nested PCR was twelvefold more sensitive than the culture method. The target amplicons (471 basepairs) of all 4 biochemically characterized L. pneumophila isolates were sequenced. They had homology at the DNA and protein levels to 3' proximity of the mip-coding gene of L. pneumophila deposited in genome databases. EcoRI- or KpnI-digested PCR fragments with expected sizes were also confirmed in all 52 PCR-positive samples that were isolated from cooling towers and condenser drains. Viable but nonculturable L. pneumophila might have been present in 48 PCR-positive samples. This study demonstrates that detection of the genetically stable mip gene by nested PCR with a modified process of water sample preparation can be rapidly and effectively used to enhance isolation of the L. pneumophila taxon from microenvironments.     

Identification and serotyping of atypical Legionella pneumophila strains isolated from human and environmental sources

AIMS: To validate identification methods for Legionella pneumophila strains that cannot be serotyped into the known serogroups and to characterize their antigenic diversity. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty L. pneumophila strains that could not be serogrouped, but which had been confirmed as L. pneumophila by mip gene sequencing, were further identified phenotypically. We used (i) MONOFLUO anti-Legionella Staining Reagent (Bio-Rad) (50/50), (ii) an in-house prepared immunoblot assay for the detection of L. pneumophila- specific Mip protein epitope (50/50), (iii) fatty acid analysis using the Microbial Identifications System (MIDI) (47/50) and (iv) Oxoid agglutination tests (44/50). The serological diversity was further characterized by testing with five serogroup-cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies, resulting in nine phenons. CONCLUSIONS: The division of L. pneumophila into 15 serogroups does not reflect the serogroup heterogeneity. Results of these tests indicate that there are more serogroups. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: MONOFLUO anti-Legionella Staining Reagent is the only commercially available tool for identifying atypical strains of L. pneumophila. If necessary for epidemiological purposes, the antigenic heterogeneity of these strains can be analysed by monoclonal antibodies.     

嗜肺军团菌mip/ctxB融合基因体外表达与动物免疫试验的免疫原性研究

ＰＣＲ扩增嗜肺军团菌mip基因和霍乱弧菌ctxB基因,克隆入载体pcDNA3.1(+),重组子经限制性酶切分析、PCR、序列分析鉴定正确后,命名为pcDNA3.1-mip/ctxB.脂质体法将重组质粒pcDNA3.1-mip、pcDNA3.1-mip/ctxB转染NIH3T3细胞,用免疫荧光法和蛋白质印迹鉴定瞬时表达和稳定表达产物,结果发现：重组质粒成功转入细胞并获得短暂表达,稳定转染细胞分别在24 ku和35 ku处检测到阳性杂交信号.将pcDNA3.1-mip、pcDNA3.1-mip/ctxB作为DNA疫苗免疫BALB/c小鼠,检测免疫小鼠体内抗原特异性抗体水平、脾淋巴细胞增殖活性、IFN-γ产生水平、细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)杀伤活性等体液免疫和细胞免疫反应的指标,评价疫苗的免疫原性.结果发现：各实验组均检测到免疫原性,pcDNA3.1-mip/ctxB免疫组的免疫原性高于pcDNA3.1-mip免疫组,有显著性差异(P＜0.01).研究结果为mip/ctxB融合基因DNA疫苗的研制提供了初步的实验依据.