Cloning and characterisation of the Pasteurella multocida ahpA gene responsible for a haemolytic phenotype in Escherichia coli

Haemolysins are membrane-damaging agents which have been described as bacterial virulence factors due to their ability to lyse erythrocytes and other host cells, and therefore inducing a greater inflammatory response (Elliott et al., 1998). Pasteurella multocida was found to be haemolytic under anaerobic conditions. In this study, we cloned and characterised a P. multocida gene, designated ahpA, which conferred a haemolytic phenotype on Escherichia coli when incubated under anaerobic conditions. A deletion was introduced into the ahpA open reading frame which abolished the haemolytic phenotype. The clone containing ahpA showed erythrocyte specificity, causing haemolysis of bovine and equine erythrocytes, and demonstrated weak haemolysis on ovine erythrocytes. Upon further investigation, AhpA was found to affect the expression of the E. coli K-12 latent haemolysin, SheA, under anaerobic conditions.     

Molecular heterogeneity of plpE gene in Indian isolates of Pasteurella multocida and expression of recombinant PlpE in vaccine strain of P. multocida serotype B: 2

Outer membrane proteins of Pasteurella (P.) multocida have been known to be protective immunogens. Pasteurella lipoprotein E (PlpE) has been reported to be an important cross reactive outer membrane protein in P. multocida. The gene encoding the PlpE of P. multocida serotypes A: 3, B: 2 and D: 1 was amplified from the genomic DNA. The amplified products were cloned and the nucleotide sequence was determined. Sequence analysis of the recombinant clones revealed a single open reading frame of 1,011 bp, 1,008 bp and 1,017 bp encoding a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 37.829 kDa, 37.389 kDa and 37.965 kDa for serotypes A: 3, B: 2 and D: 1 respectively. The comparison of the plpE sequence in different capsular types revealed a high degree (>90%) of homology. Furthermore, the plpE gene of Haemorhhagic septicaemia causing serotype (B: 2) was expressed in E. coli and recombinant PlpE was strongly immunostained by antiserum against whole cell antigen, indicating that the protein is expressed in vivo.     

Pasteurella multocida lipopolysaccharide: the long and the short of it

Pasteurella multocida is a capsulated, gram-negative cocco-bacillus that can cause serious disease in a wide range of mammals and birds. P. multocida strains are classified into 16 serovars based on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigens. LPS is an essential virulence factor of P. multocida; mutants expressing severely truncated LPS are completely attenuated in chickens. LPS is also a major immunogen of P. multocida and protection against infections caused by P. multocida is generally considered to be serovar specific. In this review we summarize current knowledge of the structure and genetics of LPS assembly of P. multocida strains belonging to five different serovars. These include strains belonging to serovars 1 and 3, the most common serovars found in the poultry industry, and strains belonging serovars 2 and 5, the serovars associated with bovine haemorrhagic septicaemia outbreaks. A number of the serovars are genetically related; serovars 1 and 14 share the same LPS outer core biosynthesis locus, but due to a mutation within the phosphocholine biosynthesis gene, pcgA, the serovar 14 strain produces a truncated LPS structure. Similarly serovars 2 and 5 share an identical LPS outer core locus and express near-identical LPS structures. However, due to a single point mutation in the phosphoethanolamine (PEtn) transferase gene, lpt_3, the serovar 2 strain does not elaborate a PEtn residue on heptose II. Knowledge of the genetic basis for the LPS structures expressed by P. multocida will facilitate the development of rapid molecular methods for typing and diagnosis and will be essential for a rational approach to vaccine formulation.     

猪源多杀性巴氏杆菌ompH基因的克隆、表达

利用已分离的菌株030224HB，根据NCBI上的序列(U52208)设计了一对引物，用PCR方法扩增了猪源多杀性巴氏杆菌的外膜蛋白基因(ompH)，扩增的片段大小为1114bp(ORF为960bp)，并克隆到载体pMD18-T(T-Vector)，测序表明该基因相当保守。用pET-28b构建了原核表达载体pET28b-ompH，转化BL21并诱导表达，SDS-PAGE结果显示表达蛋白约为35ku，与报道大小相近。Western-blot结果表明表达的蛋白质具有生物学活性，然后用所表达的蛋白做了ELISA检测方法的初步探讨。     

青藏高原禽源多杀性巴氏杆菌ompH基因的克隆及序列分析

根据GenBank中发表的多杀性巴氏杆菌(Pasteurella multocida,P.multocida)外膜蛋白H(ompH)基因的核苷酸序列,设计合成了一对特异性引物ompH3,用PCR方法扩增了1株禽源多杀性巴氏杆菌野生菌株(P1004)的ompH基因.然后将获得的928 bp的目的基因片段连接到pMD18-T载体上,进行多杀性巴氏杆菌ompH基因的克隆及序列分析.结果表明,P1004和标准菌株C47-8的ompH基因编码区核苷酸序列及推导的氨基酸序列的同源性分别为62％和91.7％,与已知的9个国内外代表株进行比对分析,核苷酸序列的同源性在55.9％～65.2％之间,氨基酸序列的同源性在91.3％～91.7％之间,说明P1004的ompH基因序列与C47-8以及国内外代表株之间有明显差异,即变异明显,揭示了禽源多杀性巴氏杆菌的ompH基因与其他菌株的分子进化关系,为ompH基因应用于疫苗的可行性奠定了基础.     

Expression and purification of recombinant type IV fimbrial subunit protein of Pasteurella multocida serogroup B:2 in Escherichia coli

Pasteurella multocida serogroup B:2, a causative agent of haemorrhagic secpticaemia (HS) in cattle and buffalo especially in tropical regions of Asia and African countries, is known to possess a type IV fimbriae (pili) as one of the virulent factors. In the present study, ptfA gene encoding for type IV fimbrial subunit of P. multocida serogroup B:2 (strain p52), an Indian HS vaccine strain, has been cloned and over-expressed in recombinant Escherichia coli. The recombinant type IV fimbrial subunit protein (～31kDa) including N-terminus histidine tag was purified under denaturing condition and confirmed by western blotting. A homology model of HS causing P. multocida serogroup B:2 fimbrial subunit has also been discussed. The study indicated the potential possibilities to use the recombinant fimbrial protein in developing HS subunit vaccine along with suitable adjuvant.     

Virulence and toxigenicity of capsular serogroup D Pasteurella multocida strains isolated from avian hosts

Five capsular serogroup D strains of Pasteurella multocida isolated from avian hosts were examined for virulence and toxigenicity. Virulence was based on development of lethal infections or lesions following intramuscular exposure of turkey poults. The four strains isolated from turkeys varied from slightly to moderately virulent; the strain isolated from a chicken was avirulent. Poults exposed by intra-airsac inoculation with relatively few organisms of the more virulent of the strains had a high mortality rate; however, intranasal exposure of poults with this strain did not cause clinical disease or establish infections. All strains from turkeys were toxigenic, producing heat-labile toxins that killed poults when administered intraperitoneally and caused focal dermal lesions when administered intradermally. Using these criteria, the strain from a chicken was not toxigenic. The demonstration of virulence, particularly the high mortality in poults exposed via air sacs, indicates avian capsular serogroup D strains are a potential cause of fowl cholera.     

Genetic organisation of the capsule biosynthetic locus of Pasteurella multocida M1404 (B:2)

Capsules from a range of bacterial species have been shown to be major virulence determinants and capsule has been implicated in virulence in Pasteurella multocida. Moreover, capsular serogroup appears to be related to disease predilection. Haemorrhagic septicaemia strains belong to serogroup B and E, fowl cholera strains to serogroup A and atrophic rhinitis strains to serogroup D. The entire capsule biosynthetic locus of P. multocida A:1 has been cloned and its nucleotide sequence determined (Chung et al., 1998. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 166, 289-296); however, nothing is known of the P. multocida B:2 capsule locus. In this work we have determined the nucleotide sequence and genetic organisation of the P. multocida M1404 (B:2) capsule locus. By analogy with the cap loci of other bacteria, the nucleotide sequence can be divided into three functional regions. Regions 1 and 3 comprise six genes involved in transport of the polysaccharide capsule to the cell surface. The deduced products of these genes show high similarity to proteins involved in capsule export in other bacteria. Region 2 comprises nine genes which are likely involved in biosynthesis of the polysaccharide capsule. The deduced products of three of these genes (bcbA, bcbB and bcbC) show significant similarity to proteins known to be involved in polysaccharide biosynthesis while the other six show no similarity to known proteins. However, their organisation indicates they are co-transcribed with bcbA, bcbB, bcbC and the Region 1 capsule export genes, suggesting strongly that they are also involved in capsule biosynthesis.     

兔多杀性巴氏杆菌外膜蛋白OMPH1基因的克隆及原核表达

本试验旨在克隆和表达兔多杀性巴氏杆菌外膜蛋白OMPH1基因,并对其表达产物的反应原性进行研究。以兔多杀性巴氏杆菌C51-2-499株总DNA为模板,进行外膜蛋白基因OMPH1的PCR扩增,得到了1条大小为1 041 bp的基因片段,克隆至pMD-18T中。测序分析证明,它与国内外报道的多杀性巴氏杆菌OMPH1基因的核苷酸序列相似性达99%以上。将该基因克隆到原核表达载体pET-30a(+)中,经酶切和测序分析表明,重组表达载体pET-30a(+)-OMPH1构建成功。将此重组质粒转化至大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中,用IPTG进行诱导。SDS-PAGE检测结果证实,该基因在大肠杆菌中以融合蛋白的形式得到表达,表达产物的分子质量约47KD,与预期的结果一致。Western-blot分析表明,OMPH1重组表达蛋白具有反应原性,可被兔多杀性巴士杆菌阳性血清识别,为兔多杀性巴氏杆菌基因重组疫苗及新型诊断试剂的研究奠定了基础。     

羊源多杀性巴氏杆菌sodA基因的克隆、表达及其生物信息学分析

为了解羊源多杀性巴氏杆菌超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）的生物学功能,本试验对该菌sodA基因进行克隆及原核表达,并对克隆的sodA基因进行遗传进化树分析,对其表达的SOD蛋白进行生物信息学分析。参照GenBank中多杀性巴氏杆菌HN06株基因组中sodA基因序列信息设计引物进行PCR扩增,将产物与pET-28a（+）载体相连,构建pET-28a（+）-sodA重组质粒,将该质粒转化E.coli DH5α感受态细胞进行克隆,再转化E.coli BL21（DE3）感受态细胞进行表达,经IPTG诱导后对表达蛋白进行SDS-PAGE和Western blotting鉴定分析。结果显示,本试验成功扩增出大小为645 bp的目的片段,并表达出大小约28 ku的目的蛋白。遗传进化树分析表明,该基因与HN07（GenBank登录号：CP007040.1）和Pm70（GenBank登录号：AE004439.1）株亲缘关系较近,重组蛋白生物信息学分析显示,该融合蛋白为稳定的酸性亲水可溶性蛋白,分子式为C₁₀₈₅H₁₆₅₁N₂₉₃O₃₀₉S₉,分子质量为24 032.36 u,理论等电点为6.19,消光系数为45 170,不稳定系数为26.87（<40）,在哺乳动物网织红细胞的半衰期预计为30 h,疏水指数为82.15,总平均疏水性（GRAVY）为-0.282,二级结构以α-螺旋和无规则卷曲为主。以上研究结果为后续深入研究多杀性巴氏杆菌在羊体内的存活机制及研发预防巴氏杆菌病的疫苗提供了参考。     

羊源多杀性巴氏杆菌ompW基因的克隆及生物信息学分析

试验旨在克隆羊源多杀性巴氏杆菌ompW基因,并对其序列进行生物信息学分析。根据GenBank中多杀性巴氏杆菌HN07株ompW基因序列（登录号：CP007040.1）,使用DNAMAN 5.0软件设计1对引物,选取高保真酶PrimeSTAR Max DNA Polymerase进行PCR反应获取目的基因片段,并对ompW基因的核苷酸序列及预测的氨基酸序列进行生物信息学分析。结果表明,PCR扩增产物约为615 bp,编码204个氨基酸。核苷酸同源性比对分析显示,羊源多杀性巴氏杆菌ompW基因与猪源、牛源、禽源多杀性巴氏杆菌同源性较高,而与兔源同源性较低。系统进化树结果发现,羊源多杀性巴氏杆菌ompW基因与猪源多杀性巴氏杆菌ompW基因亲缘关系最近。经生物信息学分析发现,ompW蛋白分子式为C₁₀₀₇H₁₅₆₇N₂₅₇O₂₈₃S₃,分子质量为21.90 ku,理论等电点（pI）为9.16,属碱性蛋白质,疏水指数为96.57,总平均疏水性（GRAVY）为0.173（> 0）,属于疏水类蛋白;前21位氨基酸为信号肽,第5－27位氨基酸区域存在1个跨膜区,存在N-糖基化位点及磷酸化位点,不存在O-糖基化位点,具有多个B细胞、CTL细胞及Th细胞抗原表位;二级结构的α-螺旋、延伸链、β-转角和无规则卷曲分别占17.65%、35.29%、3.92%和43.14%;三级结构是呈β-桶状的单聚体,隶属于外膜蛋白家族成员之一。本研究结果为进一步阐明羊源多杀性巴氏杆菌侵染宿主过程中自身的抗宿主免疫胁迫机制及疫苗的开发与研制提供了理论依据。     

Expression of pili and capsule by the avian strain P-1059 of Pasteurella multocida

The avian strain P-1059 of Pasteurella multocida was grown on blood agar (BA), on dextrose-starch agar (DSA), or in Heddleston's hydrogen sulfide test broth. Cells were examined for the presence of pili using electron microscopy after staining with phosphotungstic acid, and they were examined for capsule after ruthenium red staining. Pili were found on the capsulated iridescent type, P-1059I, and on two non-capsulated variants, the blue, P-1059B, and the gray, P-1059G. Many cells grown on BA were heavily piliated. In contrast, fewer cells grown on DSA had pili, and piliation was only slight to moderate. The P-1059I, P-1059B, and P-1059G produced pellicles when grown on broth medium. Pili were found on the circumference of the cells grown on either agar or broth medium. Occasionally a pilus connecting two cells was seen on cells cultured in broth. Cultivation of the P-1059I on DSA containing the iron-chelating agent alpha,alpha'-bipyridyl produced a non-capsulated blue variant. The non-capsulated variant reverted to P-1059I when grown on BA but did not revert when grown on DSA.     

Modulation of cross-protection factor(s) of avian Pasteurella multocida

Cross-protection factor(s) (CPF) of Pasteurella multocida were maintained in vitro through at least 9 serial passages. Different growth media and temperatures enhanced or repressed the ability of P. multocida to produce CPF. Certain amino acids were innoculous to expression of CPF. B-vitamins enhanced CPF, whereas certain inorganic salts repressed CPF. The plasma of normal tuekeys contained a compound or compounds that were responsible for expression and maintenance of CPF.     

Solubilization of membrane-associated cross-protection factor(s) of Pasteurella multocida

Pasteurella multocida harvested from the blood of turkeys dying of experimental fowl cholera were purified by centrifugation and lysed. The soluble and membrane-associated components of the bacteria were separated by centrifugation. Nonionic (octylglucoside) and zwitterionic (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate; CHAPS) detergents were tested for their abilities to solubilize the cross-protection factor(s) (CPF) from the membrane-associated component. Protection studies in turkeys showed that optimum solubilization was by 1.0% octylglucoside and 0.5% CHAPS. Antibodies from turkeys made against solubilized membrane-associated CPF passively cross-protected poults against challenge. Ion exchange chromatography of detergent-solubilized CPF resulted in elution of two protein-containing peaks, each of which conferred active immune protection.     

Molecular characterisation of avian Pasteurella multocida isolates from Australia and Vietnam by REP-PCR and PFGE

A total of 95 isolates of Pasteurella multocida were analysed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using the enzyme ApaI, including 73 avian isolates from Australia and 22 from Vietnam. The majority of field isolates were capsular Type A, with the predominant somatic serovars of 1, 3, 4 and 3,4. Twenty-one distinct profiles were evident among the Australian isolates, with only 3 profiles observed among the 22 P. multocida strains isolated from Vietnam. Within the Australian isolates, related and unrelated outbreaks could be identified by PFGE. These results correlated well with previously published studies, with greater discrimination shown by PFGE. Repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence PCR (REP-PCR) analysis of representative isolates from PFGE classifications yielded 21 profiles, with most of the subgroups in accordance with PFGE analysis. While REP-PCR was shown to be less discriminating than PFGE, the epidemiological relatedness of strains compared favourably between the techniques. Thus, the ease and rapidity of REP-PCR while maintaining a high level of differentiation, supports the use of REP-PCR as a competent alternative to the more labour-intensive PFGE system for strain identification and epidemiological studies of avian P. multocida.