广西不同年龄猪群中2型猪链球菌抗体水平调查分析

为调查规模化猪场不同年龄猪群中2型猪链球菌(S.suis 2)抗体水平,本研究采用以荚膜多糖为抗原的间接ELISA对来自广西地区母猪群、肥猪群、生长猪群共1 908份血清样品进行了S.suis 2抗体检测和分析。结果显示:成年猪群中抗S.suis 2的抗体水平普遍较高,种猪场母猪血清抗体阳性率可高达95%以上,不同地区屠宰场的育肥猪血清抗体阳性率在39.2%~97.5%。对不同日龄仔猪群抗体水平检测分析显示:14日龄~42日龄期间,抗体水平随仔猪日龄的增长而呈逐渐下降的趋势;而42日龄~130日龄期间,抗体水平随日龄的增长而呈逐渐上升的趋势。此外,经产母猪群抗体水平略高于后备母猪群,并且随胎次的增加,抗体的离散度缩小。以上结果表明S.suis 2抗体在仔猪生长阶段的空白期即42日龄时,仔猪群抗体水平最低。因此,在这个阶段和之前做好S.suis的预防和免疫工作对猪群链球菌病的防控至关重要。     

Inhibitory effect of a bioactivity-guided fraction from Rheum undulatum on the acid production of Streptococcus mutans biofilms at sub-MIC levels

Rheum undulatum root has been used traditionally in Korea for the treatment of dental diseases. The purpose of this study was to separate a fraction from R. undulatum showing anti-acid production activity against Streptococcus mutans biofilms and identify the main components in that fraction. Methanol extract of R. undulatum root and its fractions were prepared. To select a fraction exhibiting anti-acid production activity, suspension glycolytic pH-drop assay was performed. Among the fractions tested, dichloromethane fraction exhibited the strongest activity in a dose-dependent manner. To examine the effect of the selected fraction on the anti-acid production of S. mutans biofilms, 74 h old S. mutans biofilms were used. The selected fraction reduced the initial rate of acid production of S. mutans biofilms at sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) levels. HPLC qualitative analysis of the selected fraction indicated that the presence of anthraquinone derivatives, such as aloe-emodin, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion, as main components.     

罗非鱼无乳链球菌LrrG-Sip融合蛋白免疫原性研究

为探究无乳链球菌LrrG(Leucine-rich repeat protein from GBS)和表面免疫原性蛋白Sip(surface immunogenic protein)串联表达的LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白的免疫原性,该研究将原核表达的LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白分别以0.5μg·g~(-1)(R1组)、1.0μg·g~(-1)(R2组)和1.5μg·g-1(R3组)每尾200μL腹腔注射免疫尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus),同时以Sip蛋白(S组)、LrrG蛋白(L组)以及PBS(P组)作为对照。2周后对所有免疫鱼体进行无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)人工攻毒,攻毒剂量为其半致死浓度(LD_(50):4.0×108CFU·mL~(-1))。结果显示LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白R1组对尼罗罗非鱼的相对免疫保护率最高,达89.14%;且免疫后第14和第28天,该组鱼体血清抗体OD_(450nm)值分别达0.63和0.64,均显著高于单一蛋白对照组(S和L组)和PBS组(P0.05);R1组鱼体血清过氧化物酶(POD)和碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性在上述2个时间点也显著高于其他组(P0.05);但溶菌酶(LZM)和总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)活性与其他组之间差异不显著(P0.05)。初步表明LrrG-Sip重组融合蛋白具有良好的免疫原性,其免疫原性明显优于单个蛋白,且能有效减少免疫剂量。     

Effects of Inulin Chain Length on Fermentation by Equine Fecal Bacteria and Streptococcus bovis

Grass fructans can be fermented by Gram-positive bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus bovis) in the equine hindgut, increasing production of lactic acid and decreasing pH. The degree of polymerization (DP) of fructans has been suggested to influence fermentation rates. The objective of the present study was to determine how DP impacts fermentation by equine fecal bacteria and a model S. bovis. Fecal microbes from three mares were harvested by differential centrifugation, washed, and resuspended in anaerobic media containing short-chain (SC; DP ≤ 10) or long-chain (LC) inulin (DP ≥ 23) from 0% to 2% wt/vol. After 24 hours of incubation (37°C), samples were collected for pH determination. Data were analyzed using the general linear models (GLM) procedure testing for the effect of treatment, concentration, and treatment × concentration (SAS v. 9.3). At all concentrations, the pH was lower in SC fermentations than in LC (P < .0001, in all cases). To determine the effect of DP on S. bovis, cultures were grown (39°C, 9 hours) with 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1.3% SC or LC inulin. Optical density (600 nm) was determined by spectrophotometry. Maximum specific growth rates (μ) were determined by linear regression (2–5 hours). Data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance procedure (SAS v. 9.3). The final optical density (600 nm), μ, and yield were higher with SC than with LC fermentation (P < .05). These results indicate that SC inulin may be more available for fermentation than LC inulin by equine fecal bacteria and S. bovis, specifically.     

猪链球菌蛋白表面展示系统的构建及展示蛋白的初步观察

为构建猪链球菌(Streptococcus suis)蛋白表面展示系统,本研究通过序列分析,确定猪链球菌的LPxTG蛋白及其信号肽(SP)和胞壁锚定基序(CWA),通过PCR扩增Peno-SP、GFP、CWA的DNA片段并融合,构建强启动子Peno控制表达编码SP-GFP-CWA融合蛋白的DNA片段,将该重组DNA片段连接pSET2载体,获得蛋白表面展示质粒,转化猪链球菌,构建得到以GFP为报告蛋白的猪链球菌蛋白表面展示系统。结果显示,利用猪链球菌的10个LPxTG蛋白及其SP和CWA序列,构建了10个含有Peno-SP-GFP-CWA融合片段的重组pSET2表面蛋白展示质粒pSsPSD1至pSsPSD10,分别转化猪链球菌05ZYH33,PCR鉴定显示其中7个转化猪链球菌。采用western blot初步检测其展示蛋白,结果显示,7个转化阳性菌株均能有效表达GFP蛋白,以成熟GFP条带为指标,均表现出了一定的外源GFP表面展示水平,分别命名为SsPSD1、SsPSD2、SsPSD4、SsPSD7-SsPSD10,其中SsPSD1、SsPSD4、SsPSD8和SsPSD9表面展示水平相对较好,在猪链球菌表面展示外源蛋白方面具有很好的潜力。本研究首次尝试建立猪链球菌蛋白表面展示系统,为猪链球菌表面递呈外源蛋白或抗原提供了新的策略。     

Evaluation of dietary chitosan effects on growth performance,immunity, body composition and histopathology of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as well as the resistance to Streptococcus agalactiae infection

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary chitosan supplementation on growth performance, body composition, immune response and histopathology of Nile tilapia, and also the in vitro antibacterial activity of chitosan against Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae). About 180 fish (average body weight 39.3 ± 0.3 g) were randomly divided into three groups according to chitosan supplementation: control group (basal diet without chitosan), Ch3 group (3 g chitosan/kg diet) and Ch5 group (5 g chitosan/kg diet). Growth performance parameters and body proximate composition were measured before infection but biochemical parameters and lysozyme and antibacterial activities before and after experimental infection. Results of the present investigation showed dietary chitosan (5 g chitosan/kg diet) significantly (p < .05) improved growth performance parameters, body composition (dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash, and carbohydrate) and serum biochemistry (total protein, albumin, globulin, with no effect on AST, ALT, urea and creatinine) before infection in Ch5 group than the control. After infection, liver enzymes (serum AST and ALT) were maintained lower in fish fed Ch3 or Ch5 than the control. Serum lysozyme and bactericidal activities significantly increased (p < .05) in chitosan groups before and after the challenge. The mortality rate was markedly reduced in the Ch3 group and prohibited in the Ch5 group after the experimental infection. In conclusion, feeding 3 or 5 g chitosan/kg diet increased the growth rate and improved FCR of Nile tilapia. In addition, it reduced mortality by its antibacterial and immunostimulant effects.     

Effect of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus uberis on apoptosis of bovine mammary gland lymphocytes

The aim of this study was to determine whether lymphocyte apoptosis is modulated by infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus uberis. Samples of cell populations were obtained by lavage of the mammary glands at 4 intervals (24, 48, 72 and 168 h) following infection. The percentage of apoptotic lymphocytes peaked at 168 h after challenge with S. aureus or S. uberis. Subsequent experiments focused on in vitro cultivation of mammary gland lymphocytes with S. aureus and S. uberis. These experiments showed a lower percentage of apoptotic lymphocytes following 3 h of cultivating cells with bacteria than after cultivation without bacteria. The results demonstrate that during both experimental infection of bovine mammary glands with S. aureus or S. uberis and during in vitro cultivation of lymphocytes with S. aureus or S. uberis, apoptosis of lymphocytes is delayed.     

Serotype distribution and production of muramidase-released protein, extracellular factor and suilysin by field strains of Streptococcus suis isolated in the United States

Streptococcus suis is an important swine pathogen and a zoonotic agent. Differences in virulence have been noted among the 33 described serotypes, serotype 2 being considered the most virulent. In this study, we aimed at assessing the serotype distribution and the production of virulence-associated markers by strains recovered from diseased pigs in the United States (U.S.). Results showed that among the 100 strains evaluated, serotype 3 (20% of the isolates) and serotype 2 (17%) were the most prevalent. We then investigated the presence in these isolates of the genes sly, epf and mrp, encoding the virulence-associated markers suilysin (SLY), extracellular factor (EF) and muramidase-released (MRP) protein, respectively. The effective production of the markers by the strains was also verified. Results showed that the presence of the gene did not always correlate with actual expression of the respective protein. In the case of MRP, this was due, in most cases, to frameshift mutations at the 5′ end of the gene resulting in premature stop codons. The most prevalent phenotypes among U.S. strains were MRP⁺EF⁻SLY⁻ (40%) and MRP⁻EF⁻SLY⁺ (35%). Serotype distribution greatly differed from that reported in several European countries, as did the production of virulence markers, particularly for serotype 2. On the other hand, our results for the U.S. S. suis isolates are similar to those reported for Canadian strains, suggesting a common status in North America.