Complex lipid determines tissue-specific replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mice

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death in the world resulting from a single bacterial infection. Despite its enormous burden on world health, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bacterial multiplication and concomitant tissue damage within an infected host, including experimentally infected mice, occurs primarily in the lungs-the favoured niche of M. tuberculosis. Although it has been proposed that the distinctive cell wall of M. tuberculosis is important for virulence, rigorous genetic proof has been lacking. Here, using signature-tagged mutagenesis, we isolated three attenuated M. tuberculosis mutants that cannot synthesize or transport a complex, cell wall-associated lipid called phthiocerol dimycocerosate (PDIM) which is found only in pathogenic mycobacteria. Two mutants have transposon insertions affecting genes implicated in PDIM synthesis; the third has a disruption in a gene encoding a large transmembrane protein required for proper subcellular localization of PDIM. Synthesis and transport of this complex lipid is only required for growth in the lung; all three mutants are unaffected for growth in the liver and spleen. This clearly shows that a lipid is required for M. tuberculosis virulence.     

表达HBHA和hIL-12融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌对结核分枝杆菌感染小鼠的免疫治疗作用

评价表达HBHA和hIL12融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌用于结核分枝杆菌感染小鼠的免疫治疗效果.结核分枝杆菌H37Rv感染小鼠4周后,用表达HBHA和hIL12融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌免疫治疗,检测免疫小鼠肺部荷菌量和组织病理变化.重组耻垢分枝杆菌可有效控制感染小鼠肺部结核分枝杆菌的荷菌量,减轻病理损伤.但在降低肺部荷菌量方面不如化疗药物.表达HBHA和hIL12融合蛋白的重组耻垢分枝杆菌可有效控制结核分枝杆菌在小鼠体内的增殖,可能成为联合化疗药物控制结核病的有效候选疫苗.     

C-di-GMP signaling and implications for pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

C-di-GMP is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger that regulates a wide range of bacterial physiological processes including biofilm formation, virulence, motility and cell differentiation. Here, we have summarized our current knowledge on the upstream signaling factors and downstream effectors of c-di-GMP in addition to the interaction between c-di-GMP and eukaryotic organisms. New discoveries in these areas have enriched our understanding of the diversity of c-di-GMP signaling pathways and provide important clues for us to explore the roles of c-di-GMP signaling in human pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.     

四川省结核分枝杆菌基因分型中MIRU-VNTR位点稳定性评价

摘要: 本文收集四川省2009-2013年184株结核分枝杆菌菌株,用标准12 MIRU-VNTR位点组对四川省结核分枝杆菌菌株进行基因分型研究,评估四川地区一线VNTR分型位点的稳定性,确定四川地区保守位点组合及主要MIT型。184株结核分枝杆菌基因分型后得到51个基因型,12个基因型成簇。本研究确定当前四川地区12高分辨力位点VNTR分型方法中的7个MIRU位点依然具有较高的分辩能力（h > 0.55）。MIRU02, MIRU20, MIRU23, MIRU24为多态性最低的4个位点（0 ≤ h < 0.4）,保守位点组的主要MIT型为“2251”。四川省结核分枝杆菌VNTR位点的多态性保持稳定,目前采用的12高分辨力VNTR位点依然稳定可靠,本研究首次确定了四川地区保守位点组及主要MIT型,为下一步结核分枝杆菌进化研究奠定了基础。     

The catalase-peroxidase gene and isoniazid resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is responsible for one in four of all avoidable adult deaths in developing countries. Increased frequency and accelerated fatality of the disease among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus has raised worldwide concern that control programmes may be inadequate, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has resulted in several recent fatal outbreaks in the United States. Isonicotinic acid hydrazide (isoniazid, INH) forms the core of antituberculosis regimens; however, clinical isolates that are resistant to INH show reduced catalase activity and a relative lack of virulence in guinea-pigs. Here we use mycobacterial genetics to study the molecular basis of INH resistance. A single M. tuberculosis gene, katG, encoding both catalase and peroxidase, restored sensitivity to INH in a resistant mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis, and conferred INH susceptibility in some strains of Escherichia coli. Deletion of katG from the chromosome was associated with INH resistance in two patient isolates of M. tuberculosis.     

四川省结核分枝杆菌基因分型中MIRU VNTR 位点稳定性评价及保守位点分析

本文收集了四川省2009～2013年184株结核分枝杆菌菌株,用标准12 MIRU-VNTR位点组对四川省结核分枝杆菌菌株进行基因分型研究,评估四川地区一线VNTR分型位点的稳定性,确定四川地区保守位点组合及主要MIT型.184株结核分枝杆菌基因分型后得到51个基因型,12个基因型成簇.本研究确定当前四川地区12高分辨力位点VNTR分型方法中的7个MIRU位点依然具有较高的分辩能力（h>055）.MIRU02, MIRU20, MIRU23, MIRU24为多态性最低的4个位点（0 ≤h< 04）,保守位点组的主要MIT型为“2251”.四川省结核分枝杆菌VNTR位点的多态性保持稳定,目前采用的12高分辨力VNTR位点依然稳定可靠.     

Heterologous Expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ag85B in Pichia pastoris

Tuberculosisisaworldwidehealthproblemandmaybethemostcommoncauseofdeathfromanysingleinfectiousagent.Theannualnumberofdeathscausedbythisdiseaseisanticipatedtoreach3.5×106by2005.Theserioussituationhascreatedanurgentneedfora newvaccinetopreventTB[1].TheMycob…     

结核分枝杆菌RipB基因的克隆、表达及对藤黄微球菌生长的影响

提取肺结核分枝杆菌基因组DNA,PCR扩增RipB基因并将其连接到表达载体pET-21a上,重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)感受态细胞后,用IPTG诱导表达重组蛋白.SDSPAGE表明:重组RipB表达蛋白量约占菌体总蛋白量的40％,而其在37℃表达时主要为包涵体,在15℃表达时主要在可溶上清内;Ni柱一步亲和层析获得重组RipB;100 pmol/L重组RipB可显著促进藤黄微球菌生长.     

结核分枝杆菌ICL抑制CTBP1表达并促进细胞凋亡

异柠檬酸裂合酶(Isocitrate Lyase,ICL)参与乙醛酸循环,是结核分枝杆菌能在宿主体内潜伏的关键因素之一.为了探索ICL在结核菌与宿主相互作用中的地位,首先通过酵母双杂交技术在人淋巴细胞cDNA文库中筛选得到一个新的ICL相互作用蛋白CTBP1(C Terminal Binding Protein 1).然后分别采用GST pull-down和Co-IP实验证实了这两个蛋白在体外和体内与ICL相互作用的特异性.通过使ICL在HEK293T细胞中过表达,发现内源性CTBP1在转录水平和蛋白水平的表达都受到了抑制,同时导致细胞增殖减缓、凋亡加快,并出现G2/M期阻滞等改变.这些结果表明,结核菌ICL在参与介导细胞凋亡、影响宿主细胞活性的过程中起着重要的作用.     

CD1c-mediated T-cell recognition of isoprenoid glycolipids in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

The discovery of the CD1 antigen presentation pathway has expanded the spectrum of T-cell antigens to include lipids, but the range of natural lipid antigens and functions of CD1-restricted T cells in vivo remain poorly understood. Here we show that the T-cell antigen receptor and the CD1c protein mediate recognition of an evolutionarily conserved family of isoprenoid glycolipids whose members include essential components of protein glycosylation and cell-wall synthesis pathways. A CD1c-restricted, mycobacteria-specific T-cell line recognized two previously unknown mycobacterial hexosyl-1-phosphoisoprenoids and structurally related mannosyl-beta1-phosphodolichols. Responses to mannosyl-beta1-phosphodolichols were common among CD1c-restricted T-cell lines and peripheral blood T lymphocytes of human subjects recently infected with M. tuberculosis, but were not seen in naive control subjects. These results define a new class of broadly distributed lipid antigens presented by the CD1 system during infection in vivo and suggest an immune mechanism for recognition of senescent or transformed cells that are known to have altered dolichol lipids.     

结核分枝杆菌ClpX与人UBC9蛋白的相互作用抑制宿主细胞增殖

ClpX是原核生物中高度保守的基因,其编码丝氨酸蛋白酶ClpXP的ATP结合亚基,具有底物识别及ATP水解活性.ClpX参与调控细胞周期与应激反应,且为多种病原微生物致病所必需,但目前相关研究仍非常有限.为了探索结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis)ClpX在感染宿主细胞过程中的作用机制,本文首先通过酵母双杂交技术在人类淋巴细胞cDNA文库中筛选得到了一个新的与结核ClpX相互作用的蛋白UBC9,并利用GST pull-down和Co-IP技术证实了这两个蛋白在体外和体内相互作用的特异性.将ClpX转染HEK293T细胞过表达,RNA干扰与回复实验进一步证实了ClpX蛋白能够通过与UBC9的相互作用抑制宿主细胞的增殖.