Identification of a cell-wall peptidase (NlpC/P60) from Nocardia seriolae which induces apoptosis in fathead minnow cells

Nocardia seriolae, a Gram-positive bacterium, is the main pathogen of fish nocardiosis. Protein NlpC/P60 is a cell-wall peptidase and a potential virulence factor of N. seriolae. Subcellular localization research revealed that both NlpC/P60-GFP and NlpC/P60Δsig-GFP fusion proteins were evenly distributed in the whole cell of fathead minnow (FHM) cells. Furthermore, typical apoptotic features, such as nuclear pyrosis and apoptotic bodies, were observed in the transfected FHM cells and grouper spleen cells by the overexpression of protein NlpC/P60. Then, quantitative assays of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) value, caspase-3 activity and apoptosis-related gene (Bax, BNIP3, TNF1 and TNF6) mRNA expression were conducted. The results showed that ΔΨm was decreased, caspase-3 was significantly activated, and the mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic genes (Bax and BNIP3) and tumour necrosis factors (TNF1 and TNF6) was up-regulated in NlpC/P60-overexpressed cells. Taken together, the results indicated that the protein NlpC/P60 of N. seriolae might involve in apoptosis regulation. This study may lay the foundation for further study on the function of N. seriolae NlpC/P60 and promote the understanding of the virulence factors and pathogenic mechanism of N. seriolae.     

Identification of a mitochondrial‐targeting secretory protein from Nocardia seriolae which induces apoptosis in fathead minnow cells

Nocardia seriolae is the main pathogen responsible for fish nocardiosis. A mitochondrial‐targeting secretory protein (MTSP) 3141 with an N‐terminal transit peptide (TP) from N. seriolae was predicted by bioinformatic analysis based on the genomic sequence of the N. seriolae strain ZJ0503. However, the function of the MTSP3141 and its homologs remains totally unknown. In this study, mass spectrometry analysis of the extracellular products from N. seriolae proved that MTSP3141 was a secretory protein, subcellular localization research showed the MTSP3141‐GFP fusion protein co‐localized with mitochondria in fathead minnow (FHM) cells, the TP played an important role in mitochondria targeting, and only the TP located at N‐terminus but not C‐terminus can lead to mitochondria directing. Moreover, quantitative assays of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) value, caspase‐3 activity and apoptosis‐related gene (Bcl‐2, Bax, Bad, Bid and p53) mRNA expression suggested that cell apoptosis was induced in FHM cells by the overexpression of both MTSP3141 and MTSP3141ΔTP (with the N‐terminal TP deleted) proteins. Taken together, the results of this study indicated that the MTSP3141 of N. seriolae was a secretory protein, might target mitochondria, induce apoptosis in host cells and function as a virulence factor.     

蓝鳃太阳鱼诺卡氏菌的分离鉴定及药敏分析

为探明患结节病蓝鳃太阳鱼的病因,从蓝鳃太阳鱼(Lepomis macrochirus)脾脏结节处分离获得一病原菌SD1810。通过菌落形态、细菌生理生化鉴定和16S rRNA基因序列分析,确定所得菌株为鰤鱼诺卡氏菌(Nocardia seriolae)。人工回归感染试验结果显示,注射浓度为2.8×107 CFU/mL的菌液能使蓝鳃太阳鱼患病致死,发病症状与原感染鱼相似。从死亡太阳鱼体内可重新分离到与SD1810形态特征、生理生化指标相一致的病菌。对分离获得的鰤鱼诺卡氏菌进行药敏试验分析,结果表明,鰤鱼诺卡氏菌SD1810对红霉素、利福平、庆大霉素、氯霉素、阿米卡星、氟苯尼考等10种抗生素极其敏感,对头孢唑啉,诺氟沙星,青霉素、氨苄青霉素和阿莫西林等6种抗生素具有耐药性。     

Presumptive Nocardia spp. infection in a dog treated with cyclosporin and ketoconazole

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A dog that had received 8 months of cyclosporin and ketoconazole therapy for treatment of atopic dermatitis subsequently developed severe neurological disease, that failed to respond to treatment with trimethoprim-sulphadiazine and clindamycin.

HISTOPATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Histopathological examination of the pulmonary parenchyma and spinal cord revealed loose aggregates of Gram-positive, partially acid-fast, fine, beaded, filamentous bacteria, most consistent with Nocardia spp.

DIAGNOSIS: A presumptive diagnosis was made of disseminated nocardiosis of the spinal cord and lungs.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nocardia spp. is an opportunistic actinomycete that may cause disseminated disease, particularly in immunocompromised animals. Cyclosporin is used in veterinary medicine to control immune-mediated and allergic disorders, with few reported adverse side effects. This case gives further evidence that involvement of the spinal cord in nocardiosis of the central nervous system (CNS) carries a poor prognosis, and opportunistic infection by Nocardia spp. may be a potential complication of immunosuppressive cyclosporin therapy in the dog.     

鰤鱼诺卡氏菌培养条件及培养基的优化

对鰤鱼诺卡氏菌（Nocardia seriolea）ZJ0503的增菌培养基和生长条件进行优化。研究了温度、盐度、初始pH对鰤鱼诺卡氏菌生长的影响,并通过单因素试验对培养基的碳源、氮源和无机盐成分进行了筛选,采用正交实验法对培养基各主要成分的添加量进行了优化。结果表明,鰤鱼诺卡氏菌最适宜生长条件为温度25 ℃、盐度5、pH 6.5±0.2;经筛选,鰤鱼诺卡氏菌培养基中最佳碳源是葡萄糖,最佳氮源是酵母粉,促生长作用最强的2种无机盐是磷酸氢二钾（K2HPO4）和氯化钙（CaCl2）;确立了培养基优化配方为葡萄糖20 g·L-1,酵母粉15 g·L-1,K2HPO4 0.75 g·L-1,CaCl 20.2 g·L-1（单独灭菌）,氯化钠（NaCl2）5 g·L-1,pH 6.5±0.2。     

杂交鳢（乌鳢♂×斑鳢♀）及其亲本对2种病原菌的抗感染能力比较

[目的]分析评价杂交鳢及亲本对病原菌的抗病力水平。[方法]通过人工感染试验方法,开展了杂交鳢（乌鳢♂×斑鳢♀）及其亲本对两种病原菌的抗感染试验。[结果]以嗜水气单胞菌为试验菌株、菌液浓度9×108 cfu/ml（100、10-1、10-2、10-3 4个稀释度）、注射剂量0.5 ml时,3 d内杂交鳢LD50平均值介于乌鳢与斑鳢间,且差异均不显著;以诺卡氏菌为试验菌株、菌液浓度7×109 cfu/ml（100、10-1、10-2、10-3 4个稀释度）、注射剂量0.5 ml时,30 d内杂交鳢LD50平均值介于斑鳢与乌鳢间,且差异也均不显著。[结论]高浓度感染时,嗜水气单胞菌、诺卡氏菌对3种鳢鱼均有极强的致病性,108 cfu/ml菌液浓度时,3种鳢鱼死亡率达100%;不过低浓度感染时致死率明显减弱,且不同品种对病原菌的耐受力有些差异。     

Identification and functional characterization of Histone‐like DNA‐binding protein in Nocardia seriolae (NsHLP) involved in cell apoptosis

Nocardia seriolae, a facultative intracellular bacterium, is the main pathogen of fish nocardiosis. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the histone‐like DNA‐binding protein (HLP) gene of N. seriolae (nshlp) encoded a secreted protein and might target the mitochondria in the host cell. To further study the preliminary function of HLP in N. seriolae (NsHLP), the gene cloning, extracellular products identification, subcellular localization, overexpression and apoptosis detection assay were carried out in this study. Mass spectrometry analysis of the extracellular products from N. seriolae showed that NsHLP was a secreted protein. Subcellular localization of HLP‐GFP fusion proteins mainly assembled in the nucleus, which indicated that the NsHLP was co‐located with the nucleus rather than mitochondria in fathead minnow (FHM) cells. Notably, the expression of NsHLP had changed the distribution of mitochondria into lumps in the FHM cell. In addition, apoptotic features were found in the transfected FHM cells by overexpression of NsHLP. Quantitative assays of mitochondrial membrane potential value, caspase‐3 activity and pro‐apoptotic genes mRNA (Bad, Bid and Bax) expression level demonstrated that the cell apoptosis was induced in the transfected FHM cells. All the results presented in this study provided insight on the function of NsHLP, which suggested that it may participate in the cell apoptosis regulation and play an important role in the pathogenesis of N. seriolae.     

[鱼师]诺卡菌特异性PCR快速检测方法的建立

[鱼师]诺卡菌（Nocardia seriolae）是危害中国南方大口黑鲈（Micropterus salmoides）养殖业的主要病原之一，由于该菌在培养基上生长缓慢，对其分离鉴定造成诸多不便。文章根据[鱼师]诺卡菌16S-23S转录间隔区（ITS）序列设计特异性引物建立了[鱼师]诺卡菌特异性PCR快速检测方法。试验结果表明，利用设计的特异性PCR引物只能扩增出[鱼师]诺卡菌特异性片段，检出限为5pg模板DNA。在此基础上研制了PCR快速检测试剂盒并对[鱼师]诺卡菌人工感染的大口黑鲈组织进行了检测，结果显示该试剂盒能从未出现明显发病症状的大口黑鲈组织中检出阳性片段，阳性率为100％，比传统细菌分离鉴定方法更加灵敏、快速且高效，具有较好的应用前景。     

In vitro assessment of the antiparasitic effect of caprylic acid against several fish parasites

The antiparasitic effect of caprylic acid against several fish parasites, i.e., the ciliate Cryptocaryon irritans (theronts), monogenean Benedenia seriolae (oncomiracidia and adults), copepod Pseudocaligus fugu (copepodids and adults) and myxosporean Kudoa shiomitsui (spores), was examined by in vitro trials.

Caprylic acid at a concentration of 1 mM had a parasiticidal effect against C. irritans theronts, B. seriolae oncomiracidia and K. shiomitsui spores and a contractile effect against B. seriolae adults, but had no clear effect against P. fugu copepodids and adults. These results suggest that caprylic acid may have an antiparasitic effect against various fish parasites, including parasites classified as monogenea, ciliates and myxosporea.