弓形虫P3O基因及其功能

弓形虫P30基因所编码的蛋白为弓形虫主要表面抗原SAG1,其约占速殖子总蛋白量的5%,SAG1对虫体侵入宿主细胞及其毒力具重要性,并有高度免疫原性和免疫保护性,被用于弓形虫疫苗的研制和弓形虫感染的 分子诊断.     

弓形虫胶体金免疫层析试纸条的研制

为了研制一种可用于检测弓形虫的快速诊断胶体金免疫层析试纸条,本研究对弓形虫表面抗原(surface antigen,SAG)SAG1和SAG2的基因片段进行重构合成,与PET-28a(+)载体连接后,转化至大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中表达,利用His亲和层析柱对融合蛋白进行纯化,获得SAG重组表位抗原,Western blot对重组蛋白免疫原性进行分析。用r SAG重组蛋白及r SPG分别划线,作为检测线和质控线,制作胶体金免疫层析试纸条,利用小鼠弓形虫阳性血清及小鼠阴性血清检验胶体金免疫层析试纸条检查效果。本研究成功表达纯化了SAG抗原表位的重组蛋白,且该重组蛋白具有较好的免疫原性。以此多抗原表位的重组蛋白作为检查抗原研制了胶体金免疫层析试纸条,能够快速检测弓形虫的阳性血清,为基层弓形虫病的快速诊断奠定了基础。     

弓形虫速殖子表膜蛋白的研究进展

弓形虫的生活史可分为有性生殖和无性生殖2个阶段,无性生殖阶段又有缓殖子和速殖子2个阶段,其中速殖子阶段的危害最为严重。作者就速殖子表膜蛋白的相关性、在速殖子和缓殖子转换中的作用、表膜蛋白基团GP1的锚定作用以及表膜蛋白生物工程疫苗方面的研究综述如下。1弓形虫速殖子的表膜蛋白弓形虫速殖子的表膜蛋白大约有1000多种,其中主要的有5种,包括SAG1(P30)、SAG2(P22)、P23、P35和P43。SAG1是速殖子中含量最丰富的蛋白,仅在弓形虫的速殖子期表达。SAG1基因为单拷贝基因,无内含子,弓形虫没有在SAG1基因的转录启动子TATA,在SA…     

弓形虫SAG1基因在蜥蜴利什曼原虫中的表达

利用PCR扩增技术从弓形虫RH株全基因组中扩增出弓形虫抗原基因SAG1,将其克隆入真核表达载体质粒pLEXSY-neo2,构建真核表达穿梭质粒pLEXSY-neo2-SAG1。利用电穿孔转染技术将外源基因表达盒转入蜥蜴利什曼原虫,经G418筛选阳性克隆。表达的外源重组蛋白经SDS-PAGE和Western blot进行鉴定,证明SAG1重组蛋白在蜥蜴利什曼原虫中得到表达。     

弓形虫表面抗原SAG1黏附宿主细胞表面硫化肝素的特性研究

本研究旨在探究弓形虫表面抗原SAG1黏附宿主细胞表面硫化肝素的特性及其在虫体入侵宿主细胞过程中的作用。通过提取弓形虫ME49株DNA,利用PCR方法扩增SAG1基因片段并将其克隆至原核表达载体pGEX-4T-1,获得重组质粒pGEX-SAG1。将获得的重组质粒pGEX-SAG1转入大肠杆菌BL21 CodonPlus-RIPL后利用IPTG诱导表达重组蛋白质GST-SAG1。将纯化后的重组蛋白质进行SAG1与肝素的特异性结合分析,并利用间接免疫荧光试验(IFA)和Western blot方法检测SAG1黏附宿主细胞的活性。通过体内和体外肝素抑制虫体入侵试验进一步分析外源肝素对SAG1黏附宿主细胞表面硫化肝素的阻断作用。结果显示:成功构建重组表达载体pGEX-SAG1,并表达和纯化了重组蛋白质GST-SAG1。肝素结合与竞争抑制试验发现SAG1能够与肝素结合,且肝素能够以浓度依赖的方式抑制这种结合。IFA和Western blot分析结果表明,SAG1能黏附至Vero细胞和HEK293A细胞表面。肝素阻断虫体入侵试验表明,外源肝素可竞争抑制SAG1与宿主细胞表面硫化肝素结合,进而阻断弓形虫的入侵。结果表明弓形虫表面抗原SAG1参与黏附宿主细胞表面的硫化肝素并促进弓形虫的入侵。此研究进一步揭示了弓形虫表面抗原SAG1作为弓形虫入侵的重要因子在虫体入侵过程中与宿主细胞表面硫化肝素的互作关系,同时也为进一步阐明肝素在弓形虫入侵过程中的分子机制奠定基础。     

刚地弓形虫抗原基因SAG2的克隆、表达和纯化

目的克隆刚地弓形虫抗原基因SAG2,并在大肠杆菌中进行高效表达及纯化。方法设计引物从弓形虫基因组DNA中扩增SAG2基因序列,构建pGEX-4T-SAG2重组质粒,双酶切鉴定后,在大肠杆菌中进行表达,并对其表达条件进行优化,所表达蛋白用GST亲和层析柱进行纯化。结果经SDS-PAGE检测,所表达的蛋白约为41KD。Western-blotting表明该蛋白能与兔抗弓形虫血清特异性结合。培养基2×YTA,IPTG浓度0.1 mmol/L,诱导时间3 h,培养温度30℃,摇瓶转速220 r/min是GST-SAG2融合蛋白表达的最佳条件,且得到的是可溶性融合蛋白GST-SAG2。结论得到高效表达的SAG2抗原蛋白,为建立弓形虫病快速免疫诊断试剂盒打下基础。     

青海省牛弓形虫病的ELISA诊断及试剂盒建立

用弓形虫的重组蛋白SAG1作为ELISA诊断抗原,建立了ELISA诊断试剂盒,并对青海省牛群进行弓形虫病的血清学诊断。经对所收集的1856份牛血清进行弓形虫抗体检测,共检出阳性血清71份,阳性率约为3.83%。结果表明青海省牛群中存在弓形虫病的感染。     

弓形虫基因分型研究进展

弓形虫可感染多种动物引起严重的弓形虫病,为了对不同宿主感染的弓形虫株基因型差异及不同基因型弓形虫虫株的致病力差异进行进一步研究,弓形虫基因型的分析多采用限制性片段长度多态性PCR（PCR-RFLP）、随机扩增多态性DNA、多位点PCR-RFLP分析、DNA序列分析和微卫星DNA序列分析等技术,扩增位点多选择SAG1、SAG2、SAG3、BTUB和GRA6等遗传标记。传统的弓形虫基因型主要有3个,随着基因型研究的不断深入,越来越多的基因型被发现。本文就弓形虫基因分型研究进展进行讨论分析。     

弓形虫单克隆抗体的制备及胶体金免疫层析试纸条研制

弓形虫病(Toxoplasmosis)是由刚地弓形虫(Toxoplasma gondii,TOX)引起的一种重要人兽共患寄生虫病,该虫是一种可寄生于有核细胞的原虫。当前对弓形虫病的诊断和治疗虽已有一些方法,但均不够理想。本文就该病的免疫学诊断方法的研究进展加以概述,以研究SAG2为检测抗原,以制备弓形虫SAG2蛋白的单克隆抗体和免疫胶体金试纸条为核心,建立一种快速、特异、便捷的检测方法,为我国弓形虫病的诊断与防治、弓形虫与宿主关系、以及弓形虫的分子生物学等研究奠定良好基础。     

弓形虫截短SAG2基因的克隆表达与免疫活性分析

构建截短的弓形虫表面抗原2(SAG2)原核表达系统,并探讨其抗原活性。PCR扩增去掉信号肽和C-末端的SAG2基因片段,插入原核表达载体pGEX-4T-3后转化到大肠杆菌DH5α,并用IPTG诱导。SDS-PAGE和Western blot鉴定重组SAG2t的表达及其免疫反应原性。每升菌液约纯化出4mg rSAG2t蛋白;Western blot显示,ME49株感染的鼠血清和rSAG2t免疫的鼠血清均可强烈识别表达的截短SAG2蛋白。原核表达体系实现了截短的SAG2蛋白的可溶性表达,并具有良好的完全抗原活性。     

Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates in dogs from Vietnam suggests their South American origin

Dogs are considered a potential risk for transmission of Toxoplasma gondii to humans because they can mechanically transmit oocysts to people and in certain parts of the world dog meat is consumed by humans. The prevalence of T. gondii in 42 dogs from rural Vietnam was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test, and found in 21 (50%) of 42 dogs with titers of 1:20 in six, 1:40 in seven, 1:80 in two, 1:160 in two, 1:320 in two, 1:640 in one, and 1:1280 or higher in one. Hearts, tongues and brains of 21 seropositive dogs were bioassayed in cats, mice or both. Tissues from eight seropositive dogs were fed to eight T. gondii-free cats. Feces of cats were examined for oocysts. T. gondii was isolated from eight dogs by bioassay in cats. Genotyping of these eight T. gondii isolates using polymorphisms at 10 nuclear markers including SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and a new SAG2, and an apicoplast marker Apico revealed two genotypes. Both genotypes were previously identified from the dog isolates in Colombia, suggesting their South America origin. However, they are different from the predominant Type I, II and III lineages that are widely spread in North America and Europe. This is the first report of isolation of viable T. gondii from any host in Vietnam.     

Modified protection against Toxoplasma gondii lethal infection and brain cyst formation by vaccination with SAG2 and SRS1

Numerous studies have supported the importance of immunity to SAG1, the most predominant antigen of Toxoplasma tachyzoite, in protection against Toxoplasma gondii infection. Nevertheless, vaccination with SAGI provides insufficient protection when compared with that of Toxoplasma lysate (TL). In order to screen the Toxoplasma antigens for immunogenic potential shown by modified protection or induction of specific immune response after infection, recombinant antigens were prepared in Eschericha coli using DNA fragments corresponding to SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, SRS1 and P54 of T. gondii RH strain maintained in our laboratory. Each of the recombinant antigen products or a mixture of the five antigens (Mix) was used to vaccinate mice. Mice then received a lethal dose of T. gondii. Up to 25% of the mice vaccinated with SAG2, SRS1, P54 and Mix survived, whereas there were no survivors in gene 10- (negative control), SAG1- and SAG3- vaccinated groups. In all the survivors, brain cysts were not observed. Conversely, vaccination with TL almost completely protected mice in the acute phase but permitted brain cyst formation and resulted in gradual decrease of survivors to 33% during 4 months of experiments. Western blot analysis on convalescent sera showed an extensive IgG induction to a 30 kDa antigen in TL-vaccinated mice, a 22 kDa in SAG2-vaccinated mice and a 55 kDa in P54-vaccinated mice. The protection modified by boost in specific antibody is suggestive of the immunogenic potential of SAG2, SRS1 and possibly P54 against T. gondii infection.     

Serodiagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection in cats by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using recombinant SAG1

The gene encoding surface antigen 1 (SAG1, P30) of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) was cloned into the plasmid pGEX-4T-3 and subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein. The recombinant SAG1 (rSAG1) was refolded using 8M urea solution followed by dialysis and thereafter evaluated in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. The test sera were adsorbed with GST to block non-specific reactivity to the GST-SAG1 fusion protein. The ELISA with rSAG1 was able to differentiate very clearly between sera from cats or mice experimentally infected with T. gondii and sera from normal cats or mice. The ELISA detected no cross-reactivity with sera from mice experimentally infected with the closely related parasite Neospora caninum (N. caninum). Some 193 cat sera were tested for antibodies to T. gondii, out of which 40 (20.7%) reacted positively by ELISA with the rSAG1 while another 79.3% cats reacted negative to the assay. Both positive and negative sera were confirmed by Western blot analysis. The results of ELISA were in agreement with those of a commercially available latex agglutination test (LAT) kit, although the former had higher titers than the latter.     

犬弓形虫抗体间接ELISA检测方法的建立

试验以利用重组弓形虫SAG1基因转染蜥蜴利什曼原虫所表达获得的目的蛋白作为包被抗原,建立了一种快速、特异、可检测犬弓形虫抗体的间接ELISA方法。确定了抗原最佳包被浓度为6.75 μg/mL,血清最佳稀释度为1∶100,对已知阳性血清检测的下限可达1∶6400,批间和批内重复性试验的变异系数均小于10%,包被抗原的酶标板在4、-20 ℃环境中可保存8个月以上。建立的间接ELISA方法应用于犬弓形虫抗体的检测具有较好的敏感性及特异性。     

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in dogs from Colombia, South America and genetic characterization of T. gondii isolates

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in 309 unwanted dogs from Bogotá, Colombia, South America was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT) and found in 52 (16.8%) of 309 dogs with titers of 1:20 in 20, 1:40 in six, 1:80 in 17, 1:160 in three, 1:320 in three, 1:1280 or higher in three. Some organs obtained after necropsy of dogs (hearts, tongues and brains, either separately or pooled) were used in bioassays carried out in mice (37 samples, of which 20 were assayed with separate organs and 17 were assayed with pooled organs), cats (pooled organs from six) and pooled organs of two dogs both in mice and cat. Mice receiving dog tissues were examined for T. gondii infection. Feces of cats that received dog tissues were examined for oocyst shedding. In total, T. gondii was isolated from tissues of 20 dogs (16 by bioassays in mice, 3 by bioassay in cats and 1 by bioassay in mice and cat). All infected mice from 7 of 17 isolates bioassayed in this host died of toxoplasmosis during primary infection. Only 10 of the 20 dogs whose tissues were bioassayed separately induced infections in mice. Interestingly, dog organs varied in their capacity to induce T. gondii infection in mice, hearts and tongues producing more positive results than the brain. The 20 T. gondii isolates obtained from seropositive dogs were PCR-RFLP genotyped using polymorphisms at 10 nuclear markers including SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, a new SAG2 and an apicoplast marker Apico. Ten genotypes were revealed. These genotypes are different from the three predominant Types I, II and III lineages that are widely spread in North America and Europe. A new allele denoted u-3 at PK1 locus was identified in three isolates. This result supports previous findings that T. gondii population is highly diverse in Colombia.     

Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from pigs intended for human consumption in Brazil

This study genetically Toxoplasma gondii isolates obtained from pigs intended for human consumption in northeastern Brazil; multilocus PCR-RFLP and sequencing techniques were utilized. Bioassays were conducted using the brain and tongue of 20 pig heads purchased at butcher shops in the city of Ilheus, Bahia, Brazil. Overall, 11 T. gondii isolates designated TgPgBr06-16 were identified. Application of multilocus PCR-RFLP with seven molecular markers (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, C22-8, PK1 and Apico) identified six different genotypes. Isolates TgPgBr 06, 08, 11, 12, 14 and 15 were indistinguishable by this technique, forming a single genotype; the remaining isolates were characterized as distinct genotypes. However, when five genetic markers (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB and c22-8) were employed in multilocus PCR-sequencing, all eleven strains of T. gondii were shown to be different. All isolates differed from Type I, II and III clonal genotypes using both genotyping techniques. These results demonstrate that the multilocus PCR-RFLP assay underestimated the true diversity of the T. gondii population in this study. Thus, DNA sequencing is the preferred technique to infer the genetic diversity and population structure of T. gondii strains from Brazil. Moreover, it is necessary to develop new molecular markers to group and characterize atypical T. gondii isolates from South America.     

Genetic and biologic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates of cats from China

Cats are important in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection because they are the only hosts that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts. In the present study, prevalence of T. gondii was determined in serum, feces, and tissues of 34 cats from People's Republic of China. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test and found in 27 of 34 (79.4%) cats with titers of 1:40 in one, 1:80 in one, 1:160 in three, 1:320 in three, 1:640 in eight, and 1:1280 or higher in 11 cats. T. gondii oocysts were not found in feces of any cat as ascertained by bioassay in mice. Tissues (brain, heart, and tongue) of 27 seropositive cats were pooled and bioassayed in mice (8 cats) or cats (19 cats). T. gondii was isolated from tissues of 17 of 27 seropositive cats. Genotyping of these 17 T. gondii isolates using polymorphisms at 10 nuclear markers including SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and a new SAG2, and an apicoplast marker Apico revealed two genotypes. This is the first report of genetic typing of T. gondii isolates from cats from China.     

PCR-based discrimination of Toxoplasma gondii from pigs at an abattoir in Okinawa, Japan

To determine the prevalence of the 3 primary clonal lineages of Toxoplasma gondii (strain types I, II, and III) in pigs in Okinawa Prefecture, we analyzed lymph node samples that had been collected at an abattoir by PCR analysis using primers specific for the Toxoplasma gondii SAG2 locus. This study revealed the presence of this parasite in 57 out of 101 samples examined. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in PCR-amplified SAG2 products was used to group strains into one of the three genotypes of T. gondii. Genotypes I and II were equally predominant, accounting for 22 (44.9%) and 23 (46.9%) of 49 SAG2-positive samples, respectively, while the type III strain was found in only 4 (8.2%) of the 49 samples. The other 8 samples were indistinguishable by PCR-RFLP analysis. Polymorphisms for the 3 genotypes were confirmed at the sequence level for several samples using the sequences from the RH strain, the Beverley strain, and the C56 strain as references. On the other hand, the dihydropteroate synthase gene, which is responsible for sulfonamide resistance, was amplified in 40 of 54 SAG2-positive samples by PCR with the specific primers, and further RFLP and sequence analysis revealed that none of them carried the drug-resistant form of the dhps gene. This is the first report of genotyping of T. gondii distributed in Japan.