Cloning and sequencing of a chitinase gene from Vibrio alginolyticus H-8

A gene from Vibrio alginolyticus H-8, encoding chitinase, designated as chitinase B, was cloned by the shot-gun method using pUC118 and sequenced. The open reading frame consisted of 846 amino acids including a signal peptide. The molecular mass of the enzyme estimated based on the amino acid sequence data was 90 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was different from that of chitinase C1 which we had previously reported. This cloned chitinase B was considered one out of four chitinases (A, B, D, and E) which had been newly isolated from the culture broth and cell extract of V. alginolyticus H-8. The gene contained a chitin-binding domain and typical conserved regions of chitinases reported previously. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cloned chitinase B showed high sequence homology with the chitinase from V. parahaemolyticus (84% identity) and the chitinase from V. anguillarum (76.6%), but low sequence homology with the chitinase from V. harveyi (24.4%), and the chitodextrinase from V. furnissii (23.9%). Chitinase E found in cell extract is considered an intracellular chitinase which is different from chitodextrinases.     

Purification and properties of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Vibrio alginolyticus H-8

Beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase [EC 3.2.1.30] from Vibrio alginolyticus H-8 was purified by column chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose FF, phenyl-Sepharose HP, Superdex 200HR, and Mono Q. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated by SDS-gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to be 75 kDa. The pI was 4.6. The activity was inhibited by Ag+, Hg2+, iodoacetate, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and N-ethylmaleimide.     

Cloning,Expression, and Genus-Specificity Analysis of 28-kDa OmpK from Vibrio alginolyticus

ABSTRACT: Some Vibrio species are universal marine pathogens and Vibrio infections are often encountered due to consumption of raw or uncooked seafood. The outer membrane proteins, playing a key role in interaction between bacteria and hosts, are potential candidates for development of vaccine and markers of the genus Vibrio. In this study, the ompK (outer membrane protein K) genes of Vibrio alginolyticus, V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus, V. fluvialis, and V. mimicu were cloned with 798 to 822 nucleotides encoding 266 to 274 amino acids. The ompK gene from V. alginolyticus was expressed in Escherichia coli using pET-22b expression vector. The recombinant fusion OmpK protein with 6×His tag was purified with nickel chelate affinity chromatography. The polyclonal antibody (titer, 1:102400) against V. alginolyticus OmpK was developed in guinea pigs and it positively reacted with each of 5 Vibrio species but negative to other 18 Gram-negative bacterial strains. The result suggests that Vibrio OmpK protein could be a genus-specific antigen, which can be used for developing vaccines and rapid detection of multiple Vibrio species.     

海产品中溶藻弧菌的分离及多种方法鉴定效果的比较

目的了解北京市市售海产品中溶藻弧菌的污染情况,并对使用不同方法鉴定溶藻弧菌的效果进行比较。方法样品经碱性蛋白胨水增菌后,分别于硫代硫酸盐柠檬酸盐胆盐蔗糖(TCBS)琼脂培养基和科玛嘉弧菌显色培养基上划线培养,实时荧光聚合酶链式反应(PCR)法鉴定可疑菌落。以rpoB基因测序方法为参考,比较了实时荧光PCR和VITEK两种方法的鉴定效果。结果对北京市水产品市场随机采集的116份海产品进行了检测,实时荧光PCR法鉴定出溶藻弧菌阳性样品95份,检出率高达82%。使用科玛嘉弧菌显色培养基的检出率高于TCBS培养基,分别为82%(95/116)和72%(83/116)。经rpoB基因核苷酸序列测定确定95株疑似菌株为溶藻弧菌。采用VITEK 2 COMPACT GN鉴定卡对这95株菌株进行鉴定,31株鉴定为溶藻弧菌,其余未能得到准确的鉴定结果。结论北京市市售海产品中溶藻弧菌检出率高。科玛嘉弧菌显色培养基比TCBS琼脂培养基更适于溶藻弧菌的分离,实时荧光PCR法的鉴定效果优于VITEK法。     

Cloning and sequencing of the malate synthase gene from Hansenula polymorpha

We have cloned the MAS gene, encoding the microbody matrix enzyme malate synthase (EC 4.1.3.2.) from the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha. The gene was isolated by screening of a genomic library with a mixed-sequence probe, based on the partial amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme. The nucleotide sequence of a 2.4-kilobase stretch of DNA covering the MAS gene was determined. The gene contains an open reading frame of 555 amino acids, amounting to a calculated molecular mass of 63,254 for the encoded protein. Comparison of the amino acid sequence with the malate synthase sequences of Escherichia coli, Brassica napus L. and Cucumis sativus L. clearly establishes the homology of all four proteins. Compared to the soluble enzyme from E. coli, the malate synthases from H. polymorpha and both plant species, which are located in the microbodies, have a short carboxy-terminal extension. In the plant malate synthases, the extension is probably involved in routing to the microbodies, since it contains the potential peroxisomal targeting signal, Ser-Arg/Lys-Leu, at the carboxy terminus. The H. polymorpha enzyme terminates with similar amino acids, but their sequence, Ser-Leu-Lys, does not conform to any of the known peroxisomal targeting signals.     

Cloning and expression of the N-acetylmuramidase gene from Streptomyces rutgersensis H-46

The N-acetylmuramidase SR1 gene from Streptomyces rutgersensis H-46 was cloned in Escherichia coli JM109 and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3)pLysS. An open reading frame included the leader peptide region encoding a polypeptide of 65 amino acid residues and the mature SR1 enzyme region encoding a polypeptide of 209 amino acid residues. The overall G + C content of the mature enzyme gene was 67.6%, with 98.1% of G or C in the third position of the codons. The calculated molecular weight of the mature enzyme was 23,057 Da. The amino acid sequence of the mature enzyme showed a significant level of identity with bacteriolytic enzymes from Streptomyces globisporus (50.9% identity), Chalaropsis species (40.2% identity) and Saccharopolyspora erythraea (31.0% identity). The mature enzyme gene cloned into plasmid pET26b carrying a signal peptide, peIB, was expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3)pLysS. The signal peptide region was cleaved during the production of the enzyme. Specific activity of the enzyme purified from the transformant was almost identical to that of the native enzyme. Furthermore, the SR1 enzyme gene cloned with the leader peptide gene into plasmid pET28a was also expressed in E. coli. In this case, a proform-like protein was partially processed; 35 amino acid residues were cleaved but 30 amino acid residues remained. This proform like protein has approximately one-nineteenth the activity of the native enzyme. These results indicated that the native SR1 enzyme was produced in the following manner in the cells of S. rutgersensis H-46. The SR1 enzyme gene was translated to a pre-proform protein followed by the deletion of a signal peptide. Finally, the proform-like protein was processed by deletion of the remaining leader peptide.     

Cloning and sequencing of the ornithine carbamoyltransferase gene from Pachysolen tannophilus

A fragment of DNA from a yeast Pachysolen tannophilus, bearing the ornithine carbamoyltransferase gene (OCTase, EC 2.1.3.3) has been cloned from a genomic library by functional complementation of the Escherichia coli OCT-negative mutant. The gene was located within the cloned segment of DNA and its coding sequence identified by DNA sequencing. This has indicated that P. tannophilus OCT gene encodes a 347 amino acid polypeptide, which shows 60% identity to the homologous Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein. The amino acid composition of its N-terminus indicates that this protein is translocated across the mitochondrial membrane. The gene can be expressed in E. coli as well as in S. cerevisiae. Comparison with other OCTases confirms a high degree of conservation among these proteins.     

Cloning and sequencing of the Pz-peptidase gene from Bacillus licheniformis N22

Pz-peptidase is an endopeptidase that cleaves the synthetic substrate Pz-peptide (4-phenylazobenzyloxycarbonyl-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-Arg), which was originally developed for the assay of collagenase. The Pz-peptidase gene of Bacillus licheniformis N22 was cloned and sequenced. The gene consists of 628 amino acids with a motif for zinc-dependent metalloprotease, and shares 42% amino acid identity with the oligoendopeptidase of Lactococcus lactis. This is the first report on the gene structure of a Pz-peptidase.     

Cloning and expression of chitin deacetylase gene from a Deuteromycete, Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

The chitin deacetylase gene was cloned from cDNA of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum ATCC 56676, and the open reading frame consisted of a possible prepro-sequence of 27 amino acids at the N-terminus and a mature chitin deacetylase. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature enzyme revealed 26% identity and 46% similarity with a chitin deacetylase from Mucor rouxii. The molecular mass of the protein estimated from the amino acid sequence data was 24.3 kDa, which was in good agreement with the MALDI-TOF MS analysis data of the purified protein (24.17-24.36 kDa). The gene product was overexpressed in Escherichia coli cells as a fusion protein with six histidine residues at its C-terminus. The fusion protein formed inclusion bodies, but chitin deacetylase activity was restored from the inclusion bodies by a simple renaturation step with 8 M urea treatment. The recombinant enzyme was purified by affinity chromatography and gel filtration steps, and had a final specific activity of 4.22 units mg(-1) of protein. Trypsin digestion of the recombinant enzyme resulted in 2.1-fold increase in activity, suggesting that the removal of the prepro-domain from the recombinant enzyme resulted in an increase in its activity.     

副溶血性弧菌和溶藻弧菌的双重PCR检测技术

主要针对副溶血性弧菌(Vp BJ1997)和溶藻弧菌(Va ATCC17749)的gyrB基因的不同位点设计特异性引物,利用双重PCR技术同时检测Vp(BJ1997)和Va(ATCC17749),并对该反应体系的特异性以及灵敏度进行检测。结果显示Vp(BJ1997)灵敏度的检测下限可达2×10~2CFU/mL,Va(ATCC17749)灵敏度的检测下限可达2.03×10~2CFU/mL,双重PCR与单一PCR检测的灵敏度的数量级是相同的;与沙门氏菌(ATCC27892)、金黄色葡萄球菌(ATCC13565)、大肠杆菌(35218)、河弧菌(H265)、鳗弧菌(M936)、创伤弧菌(ATCC27562)无交叉反应;在人工污染试验中,混合菌液的检测下限2.84×10~3CFU/mL,而进一步稀释至2.84×10~2CFU/mL时,Vp(BJ1997)已检测不出,Va(ATCC17749)仍可检出。研究表明,该方法特异性强,灵敏度高,操作简单,成本低,检测速度快,为基层单位同时检测副溶血性弧菌和溶藻弧菌提供了一种快速准确的方法,对控制水产品中这两种致病性弧菌具有重大的意义。     

牛乳腺炎金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素A基因的克隆及序列分析

根据Genbank上公布的金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素A的全序列,利用生物学软件Primer 5.0和oligo 6.0设计了一对特异性引物来扩增靶序列片段,经克隆预测序,结果表明扩增片段长度为101 bp,锦州分离株与标准菌株的基因片段序列相似性为100%,与Genbank上公布的金黄色葡萄球菌菌株(EF520720.1)SEA基因相似性达到99.14%。高度相似性结果为进一步研究建立分子检测技术奠定了实验基础。     

Cloning and sequencing of kojibiose phosphorylase gene from Thermoanaerobacter brockii ATCC35047

A gene encoding kojibiose phosphorylase was cloned from Thermoanaerobacter brockii ATCC35047. The kojP gene encodes a polypeptide of 775 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence was homologous to those of trehalose phosphorylase from T. brockii and maltose phosphorylases from Bacillus sp. and Lactobacillus brevis with 35%, 29% and 28% identities, respectively. Kojibiose phosphorylase was efficiently overexpressed in Escherichia coli JM109. The DNA sequence of 3956 bp analyzed in this study contains three open reading frames (ORFs) downstream of kojP. The four ORFs, kojP, kojE, kojF, and kojG, form a gene cluster. The amino acid sequences deduced from kojE and kojF are similar to those of the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of a sugar-binding periplasmic protein from Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis MB4. Furthermore, the amino acid sequence deduced from kojG is similar to that of a permease of the ABC-type sugar transport systems from T. tengcongensis MB4. Each of three amino acid substitutions, D362N, K614Q and E642Q, caused a complete loss of kojibiose phosphorylase activity. These results suggest that D362, K614 and E642 play an important role in catalysis. Another mutation, D459N, increased K(m) values for kojibiose (7-fold that for the wild type), beta-G1P (11-fold) and glucose (7-fold), whereas K(m) for inorganic phosphate was minimally affected by this mutation, suggesting that D459 may be involved in the binding to saccharides.     

Antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus strains isolated from farmed fish in Korea from 2005 through 2007

The antimicrobial resistance patterns to 15 antimicrobial agents of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from farmed fishes, including olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli), red sea bream (Pagrus major), and sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus), were investigated from 2005 through 2007. A total of 218 V. parahaemolyticus isolates and 153 V. alginolyticus isolates were obtained from the 180 fish samples collected from fish farms located along the southern coast of Korea. We found that 65.1% of V. parahaemolyticus and 85.6% of V. alginolyticus isolates showed antimicrobial resistance against more than one antimicrobial agent. The prevalence of resistance in V. parahaemolyticus isolates to ampicillin was highest (57.8%), followed by resistance to rifampin (11.9%), streptomycin (8.7%), and trimethoprim (6.4%). V. alginolyticus isolates were also most resistant to ampicillin (75.2%), followed by tetracycline (15.0%), trimethoprim (12.4%), and rifampin (9.8%). The prevalence of multiresistance to four or more antimicrobials was higher in V. alginolyticus (11.1%) than in V. parahaemolyticus (5%). Antimicrobial resistance rates per isolate of V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus possessing virulence genes were not different from those of the rest of the isolates.     

Cloning,sequencing and disruption of the ARG8 gene encoding acetylornithine aminotransferase in the petite-negative yeast Kluyveromyces lactis

A recombinant plasmid was isolated from a Kluyveromyces lactis genomic DNA library which complements a Saccharomyces cerevisiae arg8 mutant defective in the gene encoding acetylornithine aminotransferase. The complementation activity was found to reside within a 2.0 kb DNA fragment. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame able to encode a 423-residue protein sharing 68·1% and 35·0% sequence identities with the products of the ARG8 and argD genes of S. cerevisiae and Escherichia coli. That the cloned gene, KlARG8, is the functional equivalent of S. cerevisiae ARG8 was supported by a gene disruption experiment which showed that K. lactis strains carrying a deleted chromosomal copy of KlARG8 are auxotrophic for arginine. The nucleotide sequence of KlARG8 has been submitted to GenBank under Accession Number U93209.     

海水中溶藻弧菌的分离、鉴定及其耐药性分析

用无菌采样器在上海临港海域采集100份海水,经过增菌培养和选择性分离后,进行3种生理生化鉴定和PCR鉴定,共得到33株溶藻弧菌。采用优化的K-B法测定分离菌株对20种抗生素的耐药性,结果表明:溶藻弧菌对四环素的耐药性最高（100.0%）,其次是氨苄青霉素（97.0%）和羧苄青霉素（93.9%）;对头孢吡肟、安曲南、红霉素、环丙沙星、诺氟沙星和氯霉素敏感。本次分离的溶藻弧菌具有严重的多重耐药性,所有分离菌均对3种及3种以上抗生素多重耐药,同时对6种及6种以上抗生素耐药的有15株（45.5%）,同时对8种及8种以上抗生素耐药的有6株（18.2%）。本次关于溶藻弧菌对抗生素的耐药性分析结果可以为食源性疾病控制提供参考依据,同时为溶藻弧菌的耐药机制的研究奠定理论基础。      

A collagenase-targeted multiplex PCR assay for identification of Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio cholerae, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus

A multiplex PCR assay using three collagenase-targeted primer pairs for the species-specific detection of Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio cholerae, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus was developed. The results highlight the species specificity of the three primer sets designed. Because of the increasing importance of Vibrio spp. in human foodborne diseases, molecular approaches for routine microbial screening and monitoring of clinical, environmental, and food samples also have become more important. The results of this study indicate that the gene coding for collagenase should be used as an alternative molecular target to discriminate among the three Vibrio species.     

Cloning and sequencing of the LEU2 homologue gene of Schwanniomyces occidentalis

A gene that complements the leu2 mutation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been cloned from Schwanniomyces occidentalis. The gene codes for a protein of 379 amino acids. As expected for a Schwanniomyces gene, it has a high AT content, which is also reflected in the codon usage. The sequence homology with other known leu2 complementing genes is low. The nucleotide sequence of the Schw. occidentalis LEU2 gene has been assigned the Accession Number X79823 SOLEU2 by EMBL.     

Cloning, sequencing and application of the LEU2 gene from the sour dough yeast Candida milleri

We have cloned by complementation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and sequenced a LEU2 gene from the sour dough yeast Candida milleri CBS 8195 and studied its chromosomal location. The LEU2 coding sequence was 1092 nt long encoding a putative beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase protein of 363 amino acids. The nucleotide sequence in the coding region had 71.6% identity to S. cerevisiae LEU2 sequence. On the protein level, the identity of C. milleri Leu2p to S. cerevisiae Leu2p was 84.1%. The CmLEU2 DNA probe hybridized to one to three chromosomal bands and two or three BamHI restriction fragments in C. milleri but did not give any signal to chromosomes or restriction fragments of C. albicans, S. cerevisiae, S. exiguus or Torulaspora delbrueckii. Using CmLEU2 probe for DNA hybridization makes it easy to quickly identify C. milleri among other sour dough yeasts.