Parallel evolution of virulence in pathogenic Escherichia coli

The mechanisms underlying the evolution and emergence of new bacterial pathogens are not well understood. To elucidate the evolution of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, here we sequenced seven housekeeping genes to build a phylogenetic tree and trace the history of the acquisition of virulence genes. Compatibility analysis indicates that more than 70% of the informative sites agree with a single phylogeny, suggesting that recombination has not completely obscured the remnants of ancestral chromosomes. On the basis of the rate of synonymous substitution for E. coli and Salmonella enterica (4.7 x 10(-9) per site per year), the radiation of clones began about 9 million years ago and the highly virulent pathogen responsible for epidemics of food poisoning, E. coli O157:H7, separated from a common ancestor of E. coli K-12 as long as 4.5 million years ago. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that old lineages of E. coli have acquired the same virulence factors in parallel, including a pathogenicity island involved in intestinal adhesion, a plasmid-borne haemolysin, and phage-encoded Shiga toxins. Such parallel evolution indicates that natural selection has favoured an ordered acquisition of genes and the progressive build-up of molecular mechanisms that increase virulence.     

A single genetic locus encoded by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis permits invasion of cultured animal cells by Escherichia coli K-12

For many species of pathogenic bacteria, invasion and survival within animal cells is central to establishing a successful host-parasite relationship. Localization within host cells protects the microorganism from host defences, or permits it to cross epithelial barriers and subsequently become systemically distributed. The precise mechanisms that permit entry of bacteria into host tissues are unclear, therefore we have been studying the invasion of epithelial cells by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. As a first step towards identifying the factors required for this process, we report here the identification of a single genetic locus from this organism that is sufficient to convert the innocuous Escherichia coli K-12 strain into an organism capable of invading cultured animal cells.     

类人胶原蛋白基因工程菌诱导后比生长速率优化

目的优化类人胶原蛋白基因工程菌高温诱导后的比生长速率。方法通过分析不同比生长速率下发酵液中菌体浓度、类人胶原蛋白浓度、细胞得率系数(YX/S)、产物得率系数(YP/S)的变化,确定诱导后的最佳比生长速率。结果当比生长速率为0.04～0.05h-1,细胞浓度和类人胶原蛋白的浓度分别可达69.5g/L(DCW)和13.8g/L。结论诱导后的比生长速率对细胞生长、类人胶原蛋白的合成均产生显著性影响。     

同域培养下大肠杆菌氮、磷含量的进化趋异研究

利用9株具有不同进化背景的大肠杆菌构成5个短期可竞争共存的祖先配对,在限制氮、磷资源的环境下,对5个进化组下6个重复家系进行了约1 100世代的选择实验,考察了这些细菌在进化前后菌体氮、磷质量分数w的变化,并评估了这些性状的趋异程度.研究发现:后代细菌w(氮)的变动范围在13.1%~14.2%,而w(磷)为1.70%~1.95%;不同进化组内,细菌氮、磷含量改变的模式不同;同域后代细菌的趋异模式也并不相同.推测细菌进化本身可能会产生许多独特的性状,连同生态相互作用一起,增加了结果的复杂性,需要在更精细的水平上寻找产生这种结果的原因.     

Direct expression in Escherichia coli of a DNA sequence coding for human growth hormone.

DNA coding for human growth hormone was constructed by using chemically synthesised DNA in conjunction with enzymatically prepared cDNA. This 'hybrid' gene was expressed in Escherichia coli under the control of the lac promoter. A polypeptide was produced having the size and immunological properties characteristic of mature human growth hormone.     

牛蛙生长激素基因cDNA克隆及在大肠杆菌中的表达

以成体牛蛙脑垂体总RNA为模板进行RT-PCR,克隆到牛蛙生长激素基因(bullfrog growth hormone, bfGH)cDNA编码序列,其长度为651 bp,编码的前体GH蛋白序列经BLAST分析,与已报道的牛蛙GH蛋白质序列AAB24792、AAB19428、CAA31038的同源性分别为98.1%、96.3%、95.3%,其在Genbank的登录号为AY251538;将bfGH亚克隆到原核表达载体pGEX1-λt构建成牛蛙GH原核表达载体VGBfGH,转化BL21（DE3）E.coli得     

三种不同磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶基因的克隆、表达及其对宿主菌生长的影响

应用PCR技术分别克隆了集胞藻6803、鲍曼不动杆菌和大肠杆菌的磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶（PEPC）基因,构建重组大肠杆菌。SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳结果显示,来自集胞藻6803和大肠杆菌的PEPC实现了高效表达,而来自鲍曼不动杆菌的PEPC表达较弱,提示密码子偏好性的影响。前两菌提前进入对数生长期,来自鲍曼不动杆菌PEPC工程菌却延迟生长,但这3种重组菌发酵24h后的生物量与对照菌几乎相同。如果排除质粒复制造成的代谢负荷,过表达PEPC促进了宿主菌的生长,推测是因为重排了代谢流量。     

极耐热内切葡聚糖酶Cel12B的基因克隆、表达和酶学性质的研究

极耐热酶在工业生产中有可观的潜在用途,为此从极端嗜热厌氧细菌海柄热袍菌中通过PCR方法克隆出Cel12B基因,构建重组表达质粒pET-20b-Cel12B,转化至大肠杆菌JM109（DE3）诱导表达后,获得极耐热重组内切葡聚糖酶．经过热处理和组氨酸亲和层析柱纯化,获得电泳纯单一条带,酶学性质测定表明：最适作用pH为6．0,最适作用温度90℃,在pH5．3～6.5之间酶活力稳定,90℃半衰期70min。