Genetic characterization of GRA6 genes from Toxoplasma gondii from pigs in Okinawa, Japan

Toxoplasma gondii from pigs in Okinawa Prefecture was characterized by nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and DNA sequence analysis of the dense granule antigen GRA6 gene. By nested PCR, parasite DNA was detected in 33 out of 91 lymph node samples with lesions similar to those found in toxoplasmosis samples that had been collected from pigs at an abattoir. RFLP analysis with MseI was successfully conducted in 29 of 33 PCR-positive samples to group the isolates into one of the three genotypes of T. gondii. Genotyping of the 29 studied samples rendered the following results: 13 of type I (44.8%), 14 of type II (48.3%), and 2 of type III (6.9%). The GRA6 genes of 12 Okinawa isolates were cloned and sequenced. Nine new nucleotide sequences were found, and nucleotide substitutions specific for the Okinawa isolates were found at 13 positions. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all GRA6 sequences were divided into one of the 3 main groups, and Okinawa isolates of GRA6 genotypes II and III seemed to be closely related to the Beverley strain and the NED strain, respectively. The results from this study may provide basic and useful information for the analysis of the molecular epidemiology of T. gondii infection within Japan.     

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 diversity of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from chickens from Brazil

Until recently, Toxoplasma gondii was considered clonal with very little genetic variability. Recent studies indicate that T. gondii isolates from Brazil are genetically and biologically different from T. gondii isolates from USA and Europe. In the present study, we retyped 151 free range chicken isolates from Brazil including 117 newly isolated samples from 11 geographically areas (Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranh?o, Paraná, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, S?o Paulo, Sergipe, and Rondonia) and 34 previously reported isolates from the very north (Pará) and the very south (Rio Grande do Sul). Ten PCR-RFLP markers including SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico were used to genotype all isolates. Overall analysis of 151 T. gondii isolates revealed 58 genotypes. Half (29/58) of these genotypes had single isolate and the other half of the genotypes were characterized with two or more isolates. Only 1 of 151 isolates was clonal Type I strain and 5 were clonal Type III strains. Two isolates had mixed infections. Clonal Type II strain was absent. One strain was Type II at all loci, except BTUB. The results confirm high genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates from Brazil.     

Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii isolates in meningo-encephalitis affected striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) from Italy

This study reports the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in the brain of three striped dolphins (Stenella ceoruleoalba) found stranded on the Ligurian Sea coast of Italy between 2007 and 2008. These animals showed a severe, subacute to chronic, non-purulent, multifocal meningo-encephalitis, with the cerebral parenchyma of two dolphins harbouring protozoan cysts and zoites immunohistochemically linked to T. gondii. Molecular, phylogenetic and mutation scanning analyses showed the occurrence of Type II and of an atypical Type II T. gondii isolates in one and two dolphins, respectively. In spite of the different molecular patterns characterizing the above T. gondii genotypes, the brain lesions observed in the three animals showed common microscopic features, with no remarkable differences among them. The role of T. gondii in causing the meningo-encephalitis is herein discussed.     

Multi-locus DNA sequencing of Toxoplasma gondii isolated from Brazilian pigs identifies genetically divergent strains

Five Toxoplasma gondii isolates (TgPgBr1-5) were isolated from hearts and brains of pigs freshly purchased at the market of Campos dos Goytacazes, Northern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Four of the five isolates were highly pathogenic in mice. Four genotypes were identified. Multi-locus PCR-DNA sequencing showed that each strain possessed a unique combination of archetypal and novel alleles not previously described in South America. The data suggest that different strains circulate in pigs destined for human consumption from those previously isolated from cats and chickens in Brazil. Further, multi-locus PCR-RFLP analyses failed to accurately genotype the Brazilian isolates due to the high presence of atypical alleles. This is the first report of multi-locus DNA sequencing of T. gondii isolates in pigs from Brazil.     

桦褐孔菌多糖对弓形虫感染小鼠基因表达谱的影响

探讨桦褐孔菌多糖对感染弓形虫小鼠基因表达谱的影响,并对其抗虫机理进行分析。BABL/C小鼠腹腔接种RH株弓形虫速殖子103个,建立小鼠弓形虫感染模型。将小鼠随机分成3组:空白对照组、感染对照组、桦褐孔菌多糖治疗组。采集动物肝脏迅速冻存,提取总RNA,检测RNA质量,扩增RNA,进行芯片杂交,扫描后进行数据分析。结果:经SOM分析筛选出桦褐孔菌多糖治疗组的有效差异基因,并对其进行功能注释,分析其治疗弓形虫的主要原因。结果表明:桦褐孔菌多糖可有效治疗弓形虫感染引起的病理损伤,其抗弓形虫机理是通过调节宿主细胞因子水平,促进Th1/Th2平衡,控制Toll样受体信号通路以及对机体整体调控达到抗弓形虫目的。     

A serological study on the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in sheep of Lithuania

In the present study the seroprevalence of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep was investigated in 6 regions of Lithuania. Blood samples were taken from 354 sheep and were tested using commercial ELISA method. The total seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep was 42.1%. Significant differences in seroprevalence were observed between age groups (P < or = 0.05). The results of this investigation suggest that the Toxoplasma gondii parasite is widely spread, and can be one of reasons of sheep abortion in Lithuania.     

弓形虫ITS及5.8S序列的PCR扩增、克隆及分析

通过对国内来源于不同宿主的ZS人株、SH人株、CN猪株、QH绵羊株4个弓形虫虫株，以及国际标准强毒株RH株的核糖体DNA内转录间隔区(ITS)及5．8SDNA序列进行PCR扩增、克隆、测序和序列分析，旨在对国内不同宿主间弓形虫虫株的遗传变异情况进行分析和验证。为分子遗传学和分子诊断学研究提供资料。结果显示：QH绵羊株、ZS人株、SH人株、CN猪株的ITS及5．8S序列完全一致。且与GenBank上注册RH株的ITS及5．8S序列也一致；仅实验室传代保存的RH株的ITS2序列与其它4株的ITS2有2个碱基的差异。结果表明ITS可作为分子标记用于弓形虫与其它原虫的种间鉴定。但不适合用于弓形虫种内遗传变异的研究。     

弓形虫ROP2基因的克隆及原核表达

应用PCR技术从刚地弓形虫（Toxoplasma gondii）RH株的基因组DNA中扩增编码棒状体蛋白ROP2（rh—potryprotein2）的部分基因，构建pGEX—KG—ROP2重组表达质粒，经酶切、PCR及DNA测序鉴定后，将阳性质粒转入E．coli BL21CodonPlus中，在IPTG诱导下表达，表达产物用SDS—PAGE和Western—blot分析鉴定。结果表明，扩增的ROP2基因与GenBank上发表的相应基因序列的同源性达99.9％，该基因可以在大肠杆菌中高效表达，表达的ROP2融合蛋白表观相对分子质量约为64000，可被兔抗弓形虫免疫血清识别。     

Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from free range chickens in the Pantanal area of Brazil

The aim of this paper was to genetically characterize Toxoplasma gondii isolates from free range chickens in regions of Brazilian territory in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) where T. gondii strains have never been studied. In total, T. gondii isolates from 22 free range chickens were included in this study. Fifty chickens from Eldorado, thirty from Rio Verde and ten from Aquidauana were sampled between January and April 2007. In relation to the genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates from chickens in MS, the magnitude of the diversity in the isolates sampled in this study was comparable to the overall diversity in a composite data set. These 22 isolates in MS revealed 11 genotypes, whereas the 321 isolates ever genotyped in Brazil have revealed 95 genotypes. The values of Simpson's Diversity Index for the whole population of T. gondii isolates in Brazil, the whole population of T. gondii isolates from chickens in Brazil and the population surveyed in this study were 0.97, 0.95 and 0.90, respectively. Seven of the 11 genotypes revealed from chicken isolates from MS are newly described genotypes and six of them each have a single isolate. In conclusion, the results obtained from isolates in MS corroborate previous studies on T. gondii isolates in Brazil, thus confirming their diversity and atypicality. Nonetheless, the applicability of PCR-RFLP markers for epidemiological inferences remains controversial.     

弓形虫微线体蛋白MIC9的原核表达及免疫反应性分析

为深入了解弓形虫微线体蛋白9(MIC9)基因功能,以弓形虫RH株总基因组为模板PCR扩增MIC9基因片段,并构建MIC9的原核表达载体,采用Western blot对其免疫反应性进行鉴定分析。结果显示:扩增出大小为903 bp的MIC9基因片段,与预期结果一致;成功构建了pMD-18T-MIC9克隆质粒和pGEX-4T-1-MIC9原核表达载体,经过双酶切及测序鉴定正确,且能够在大肠杆菌中成功表达,表达蛋白的分子量为59 kDa;经免疫反应性鉴定,MIC9重组蛋白能够被弓形虫全虫抗体特异性识别,证明重组蛋白MIC9具有一定的免疫反应性。研究结果为弓形虫MIC9基因免疫功能的后续研究提供了参考。     

Study on Expression of Toxoplasma gondii Rhoptry Neck Protein 5 Gene in Different Developmental Stages

To investigate the relationship between the expression level of Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry neck protein 5 (TgRON5) gene in different developmental stages and the virulence of Toxoplasma gondii, the objective of this study was to examine the different expression of TgRON5 gene in different developmental stages of type Ⅱ Toxoplasma gondii PRU strain. Specific primers were designed according to the sequence of TgRON5 gene, and ACT1 gene of Toxoplasma gondii was used as a reference gene. Following the establishment of standard curve for the target and reference genes, in order to confirm the consistency of their amplification efficiency, Real-time PCR method was applied to determine and compare the expression level of TgRON5 gene in development stage which including tachyzoite, bradyzoite, non-sporulated oocyst and sporulated oocyst. The results demonstrated that TgRON5 was expressed in all developmental stages but the sporulated oocysts had the highest expression, followed by the non-sporulated oocysts, the third was tachyzoite, and the lowest was bradyzoite. It suggests that the synthesis and secretion of TgRON5 protein was closely associated with the invasiveness of the parasite. All these findings had important implications for elucidating the functions of TgRON5 involved in the invasion of Toxoplasma gondii.     

弓形虫不同发育时期棒状体颈部蛋白5基因的表达研究

为探究不同发育时期弓形虫棒状体颈部蛋白5（Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry neck protein 5,TgRON5）基因的表达情况与其毒力的相关性,本试验以Ⅱ型弓形虫PRU虫株作为研究对象,以弓形虫管家基因ACT1作为内参基因,分别对目的基因和内参基因设计特异性引物,通过对各基因建立标准曲线,确定二者扩增效率的一致性后,采用实时荧光定量PCR相对定量法对弓形虫4个不同发育时期（速殖子、缓殖子、未孢子化卵囊及孢子化卵囊）中TgRON5基因的表达情况进行检测与分析。结果显示,TgRON5基因在弓形虫各发育时期均有表达,其中,孢子化卵囊表达水平最高,未孢子化卵囊次之,速殖子较低,缓殖子最低,表明RON5蛋白的合成与分泌与虫体入侵宿主细胞的侵袭力有着密切的关系。本研究结果为阐明TgRON5蛋白参与弓形虫入侵的机理奠定了基础。     

Genetic and biologic characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii infections in free-range chickens from Austria

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging chickens is a good indicator of the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the soil because chickens feed from the ground. The prevalence of T. gondii in free-range chickens (Gallus domesticus) from 11 Bio-farms in Austria was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT) were found in 302 of 830 (36.3%) chickens with titers of 1:10 in 50, 1:20 in 69, 1:40 in 53, 1:80 in 40, 1:160 or higher in 90. Hearts of 218 chickens with MAT titers of 10 or higher were bioassayed individually in mice. Tissues from 1183 chickens were pooled and fed to 15, T. gondii-free cats. Feces of the cats were examined for oocysts; 11 cats shed T. gondii oocysts. T. gondii was isolated from 56 chickens by bioassay in mice. Thus, there were 67 isolates of T. gondii from these chickens. Genotyping of these 67 isolates using the SAG2 locus indicated that all 33 were Type II. Phenotypically and genetically these isolates were different from T. gondii isolates from Brazil. None of the isolates was virulent for mice. This is the first report of isolation of T. gondii from chickens from Austria.     

High tissue burden of Toxoplasma gondii is the hallmark of acute virulence in mice

Toxoplasma gondii virulence is commonly determined by mortality rate of infected mice. Limited data showed that virulent T. gondii strains had increased parasite growth in mice compared to that of less virulent strains. To determine if this is a common phenomenon for a variety of strains and to develop an alternative assay to test acute virulence in mice, we measured parasite burdens in experimentally infected outbred CD-1 mice for 19 T. gondii isolates, in which the virulence phenotypes had previously been determined by mortality assay. Our results showed that parasite concentrations in spleen tissues were two orders of magnitude higher in the virulent than the intermediately and non-virulent isolates at day 7 post infection. In competition assays, mice inoculated with mixed tachyzoites of virulent and intermediately virulent strains or virulent and non-virulent strains showed that the former always reached a higher concentration at day 7 post infection. In mixed infection of intermediate and non-virulent strains, both strains were detectable in mice at day 7 post infection. In conclusion, our data showed that the virulence of T. gondii can be predicted by parasite load in the spleen tissue of infected mice at 7 days post infection, providing an alternative method to determine virulence of Toxoplasma.     

First isolation and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from finishing pigs from São Paulo State, Brazil

Toxoplasma gondii infection is widely prevalent in humans in Brazil. Among the food animals, pigs are considered the most important meat source of T. gondii for infection in humans. In the present study, we report the first isolation of viable T. gondii from finishing pigs in Brazil. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 49 (17%) of 286 pigs prior slaughter using the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a serum dilution of 1:25. Attempts were made to isolate T. gondii from 28 seropositive pigs. Samples of heart, brain, and tongue from each pig were pooled, digested in acid pepsin, and bioassayed in five mice per pig. Viable T. gondii was isolated from seven pigs; all isolates were lethal for mice. Restriction fragment length polymorphism on products of SAG2 locus amplified by PCR revealed that two isolates were Type I and five were Type III. The results indicate that phenotypically and genetically T. gondii isolates from pigs from Brazil are distinct from isolates of T. gondii from pigs in the USA.     

弓形虫感染鼠脾细胞microRNA表达谱的检测分析

MicroRNA（miRNA）是一类约22个核苷酸组成的单链非编码RNA,在分化、发育、肿瘤形成等方面起着重要作用。本研究对弓形虫RH株感染小鼠脾细胞miRNA的表达进行了特异性基因芯片检测分析,并应用荧光定量RT-PCR方法进行验证。结果表明,感染鼠脾细胞中与免疫应答及细胞增殖和肿瘤发生相关的三大类miRNA中,有39种表达下调,同时有36种表达上调。上述结果揭示,弓形虫感染机体后伴随着靶细胞功能性miRNA表达谱的显著改变,这为进一步研究弓形虫感染致病的分子机制开辟了新的方向。     

弓形虫MIC3基因真核表达质粒的构建及在 IBRS-2细胞内的表达

采用PCR技术从弓形虫RH株的基因组DNA中扩增编码MIC3的基因,克隆入pMD18-T载体,转化至E.coliDH5α感受态细胞,经抗性平板筛选、小量抽提质粒进行酶切、PCR及DNA测序鉴定后,亚克隆入真核表达载体pcDNA3.1。然后筛选含有目的基因的重组质粒,并转染IBRS-2细胞,在G418压力下进行筛选,利用SDS-PAGE、Western blot和ELISA检测表达情况。结果显示,扩增的MIC3基因与GenBank上相应基因序列(AJ132530)的一致性达99.9%,构建的真核表达质粒pcMIC3能在转染的IBRS-2细胞中表达分子量约为39.2ku的MIC3,且表达的蛋白质具有良好的免疫活性,为进一步研究该质粒的动物免疫试验奠定了基础。     

Biologic and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from pigs from Portugal

Little is known of Toxoplasma gondii infections in animals in Portugal. In the present paper, we report the first isolation of viable T. gondii from pigs in Portugal. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 52 (15.6%) of 333 pigs prior to slaughter using the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a serum dilution of 1:20. Attempts were made to isolate T. gondii from 37 seropositive pigs. Samples of brain and/or heart from each pig were digested in acid pepsin, and bioassayed into mice. Viable T. gondii was isolated from 15 pigs. Restriction fragment length polymorphism on products of SAG2 locus amplified by PCR and microsatellite analysis revealed that 11 isolates were Type II and four were Type III. The results indicate that phenotypically and genetically T. gondii are similar to isolates from pigs from the U.S.