papA gene of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli

P fimbrial adhesins may be associated with the virulence of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC). However, most APECs are unable to express P fimbriae even when they are grown under conditions that favor P fimbrial expression. This failure can be explained by the complete absence of the pap operon or the presence of an incomplete pap operon in Pap-negative APEC strains. In the present study, we analyzed the pap operon, specifically the papA gene that encodes the major fimbrial shaft, to better understand the pap gene cluster at the genetic level. First, by PCR, we examined a collection of 500 APEC strains for the presence of 11 genes comprising the pap operon. Except for papA, all the other genes of the operon were present in 38% to 41.2% of APEC, whereas the papA was present only in 10.4% of the APEC tested. Using multiplex PCR to probe for allelic variants of papA, we sought to determine if the low prevalence of papA among APEC was related to genetic heterogeneity of the gene itself. It was determined that the papA of APEC always belongs to the F11 allelic variant. Finally, we sequenced the 'papA region' from two papA-negative strains, both of which contain all the other genes of the pap operon. Interestingly, both strains had an 11,104-bp contig interruptingpapA at the 281-bp position. This contig harbored a streptomycin resistance gene and a classic Tn10 transposon containing the genes that confer tetracycline resistance. However, we noted that the papA gene of every papA-negative APEC strain was not interrupted by an 11,104-bp contig. It is likely that transposons bearing antibiotic resistance genes have inserted within pap gene cluster of some APEC strains, and such genetic events may have been selected for by antibiotic use.     

Pathotyping avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in Korea

To examine the genetic background of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) that affects virulence of this microorganism, we characterized the virulence genes of 101 APEC strains isolated from infected chickens between 1985~2005. Serotypes were determined with available anti-sera and median lethal doses were determined in subcutaneously inoculated chicks. The virulence genes we tested included ones encoding type 1 fimbriae (fimC), iron uptake-related (iroN, irp2, iucD, and fyuA), toxins (lt, st, stx1, stx2, and vat), and other factors (tsh, hlyF, ompT, and iss). Twenty-eight strains were found to be O1 (2.0%), O18 (3.0%), O20 (1.0%), O78 (19.8%), and O115 (2.0%) serotypes. The iroN (100%) gene was observed most frequently followed by ompT (94.1%), fimC (90.1%), hlyF (87.1%), iss (78.2%), iucD (73.3%), tsh (61.4%), fyuA (44.6%), and irp2 (43.6%). The strains were negative for all toxin genes except for vat (10.9%). All the strains were classified into 27 molecular pathotypes (MPs). The MP25, MP19, and MP10 pathotypes possessing iroN-fimC-ompT-hlyF-iucD-tsh-iss-irp2-fyuA (22.8%), iroN-fimC-ompT-hlyF-iucD-tsh-iss (21.8%), and iroN-fimC-ompT-hlyF-iss (11.9%) genotypes, respectively, were predominant. Redundancy of iron uptake-related genes was clearly observed and some strains were associated with higher mortality than others. Therefore, strains with the predominant genotypes can be used for diagnosis and vaccine.     

TonB is essential for virulence in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains have multiple iron-uptake systems that facilitate adaptation to iron-restricted environments and are believed to assist in colonisation of the host. These systems include several TonB-dependent transporters of ferri-siderophores encoded by the chromosome and the large virulence plasmid common to APECs. The tonB gene of the virulent APEC strain E956 was replaced with a selectable antibiotic resistance marker using Lambda Red recombinase mutagenesis. The phenotype of the ΔtonB E956 mutant was compared to the parent strain under various culture conditions and in chickens experimentally infected via the respiratory route. The mutant was resistant to streptonigrin, impaired in its ability to adapt to growth in iron-depleted medium and had greater tolerance of oxidative stress than the parental strain. The mutant was avirulent in chickens, did not affect the growth of chicks and colonisation was mostly limited to the trachea. This study has demonstrated that TonB is essential for virulence in APEC.     

Characteristics of conjugative R-plasmids from pathogenic avian Escherichia coli.

Three of four virulent avian Escherichia coli isolates transferred a single large molecular-weight R-plasmid to two recipient E. coli strains. Antibiotic resistances transferred included streptomycin (two isolates) and streptomycin-tetracycline-sulfa (one isolate). Production of colicin and siderophores, complement resistance, and embryo lethality present in the virulent isolates were not transferred to recipient organisms. From the results, it appears that the R-plasmids of these virulent avian E. coli are not associated with virulence.     

禽致病性大肠杆菌生物被膜的形成及其影响因素

为确定影响细菌生物被膜(BF)的形成条件,本研究采用BF体外定性观察和定量粘附性检测两种方法对1株野生禽致病性大肠杆菌(E.coli)在不同环境(培养时间、培养基类型、引导载体类型、营养条件)下产生BF的差异进行了研究。结果显示野生禽致病性E.coli其宿主体外BF最适形成条件是培养时间为48h,培养基为5%TSB、引导载体为平底96孔聚苯乙烯微孔板(美国Corning Costar)。其生长周期为8h时开始起始粘附、24h形成若干微菌落、36h微菌落粘连、48h形成完整的BF、72h细菌脱落开始下一轮的BF生长。糖分和适量的无机盐都可以在一定程度上促进BF的形成和被膜内细菌的粘附性提高。该研究表明禽致病性E.coliBF的形成周期,并为抑制其形成提供了实验依据。     

禽病原性大肠杆菌温度敏感性血凝素(Tsh)突变株的构建

运用基因重组方法将庆大霉素抗性基因(GM)连接到PCR扩增的tsh两端区域产生的2个目的基因片段之间,并共同插入到pUC18载体的多克隆位点中,构建出带GM标志的载体pUC18-tshFRGM,从中切下目的片段,再将之克隆到pMEG-375自杀性载体中,构建出自杀性载体pMEG375-tshFRGM,将突变载体转化到含tsh基因的受体APECE037株中,根据同源重组原理,筛选出tsh基因缺失的E037突变株。E037和E037(Δtsh)株的LD50分别为105.6CFU和109.0CFU,动物感染性试验表明,E037(Δtsh)株在内脏器官和血液中的感染能力和大肠杆菌病变程度均有了明显降低。     

Antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular characterization of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolates

Ninety-five avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) isolates recovered from diagnosed cases of avian colibacillosis from North Georgia between 1996 and 2000 were serotyped and examined for typical virulence-factors, susceptibility to antimicrobials of human and veterinary significance, and genetic relatedness. Twenty different serotypes were identified, with O78 being the most common (12%). The majority of the avian E. coli isolates (60%), however, were non-typeable with standard O antisera. Eighty-four percent of isolates were PCR positive for the temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin (tsh) gene and 86% positive for the increased serum survival (iss) gene. Multiple antimicrobial-resistant phenotypes (> or =3 antimicrobials) were observed in 92% of E. coli isolates, with the majority of isolates displaying resistance to sulfamethoxazole (93%), tetracycline (87%), streptomycin (86%), gentamicin (69%), and nalidixic acid (59%). Fifty-six E. coli isolates displaying resistance to nalidixic acid were co-resistant to difloxacin (57%), enrofloxacin (16%), gatifloxacin (2%), and levofloxacin (2%). DNA sequencing revealed point mutations in gyrA (Ser83-Leu, Asp87-Tyr, Asp87-Gly, Asp87-Ala), gyrB (Glu466-Asp, Asp426-Thr), and parC (Ser80-Ile, Ser80-Arg). No mutations were observed in parE. Twelve of the quinolone-resistant E. coli isolates were tolerant to cyclohexane, a marker for upregulation of the acrAB multi-drug resistance efflux pump. Quinolone-resistant isolates were further genetically characterized via ribotyping. Twenty-two distinct ribogroups were identified, with 61% of isolates clustering into four major ribogroups, indicating that quinolone resistance has emerged among multiple avian pathogenic E. coli serogroups and chromosomal backgrounds.     

Virulence factors of Escherichia coli, with emphasis on avian pathogenic isolates

E. coli bacteria isolated from localized and systemic disease processes in poultry are designated as Avian Pathogenic E. coli (APEC). The disease-inducing potential of these isolates has been explained by the occurrence of specific virulence factors. Despite the extensive literature on virulence factors for E. coli, unambiguous markers of virulence have not been identified yet. The relationship between serotyping and virulence is not straightforward either and raises the question whether E. coli infections in poultry should mainly be considered as opportunistic. Investigations into the occurrence of certain (combinations of) virulence factors in APEC isolates as virulence markers should fulfil the molecular version of Koch's postulates if the former question is to be answered.     

禽致病性大肠杆菌中耶尔森菌强毒力岛的分子流行病学调查

为了解耶尔森菌强毒力岛（HPI）在禽致病性大肠杆菌（APEC）中的流行情况，根据HPI结构基因irp2和fyuA参考序列设计了引物，用PCR方法和斑点杂交法对从江苏等地分离的APEC基因组进行了扩增和检测，并对E．coli NTJC040406菌株相关基因进行了克隆和序列分析。结果表明，216株APEC中有44．9％的菌株携带有HPI，序列分析表明相关基因与GenBank中参考序列的同源性高达98％以上。提示HPI在APEC中广泛存在，经进一步分析，发现分离菌株是否携带HPI与O78等特定血清型有一定的相关性。     

Rapid detection of virulence-associated genes in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli by multiplex polymerase chain reaction

Based on recently published prevalence data of virulence-associated factors in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) and their roles in the pathogenesis of colibacillosis, we developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a molecular tool supplementing current diagnostic schemes that mainly rely on serological examination of strains isolated from diseased birds. Multiple isolates of E. coli from clinical cases of colibacillosis known to possess different combinations of eight genes were used as sources of template DNA to develop the multiplex PCR protocol, targeting genes for P-fimbriae (papC), aerobactin (iucD), iron-repressible protein (irp2), temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin (tsh), vacuolating autotransporter toxin (vat), enteroaggregative toxin (astA), increased serum survival protein (iss), and colicin V plasmid operon genes (cva/cvi). In order to verify the usefulness of this diagnostic tool, E. coli strains isolated from fecal samples of clinically healthy chickens were also included in this study, as were uropathogenic (UPEC), necrotoxigenic, and diarrhegenic E. coli strains. The application of the multiplex PCR protocol to 14 E. coli strains isolated from septicemic poultry showed that these strains harbored four to eight of the genes mentioned above. In contrast, those isolates that have been shown to be nonpathogenic for 5-wk-old chickens possessed either none or, at most, three of these genes. We found only one enterohemorrhagic (EHEC), one enteropathogenic (EPEC), and two enterotoxic (ETEC) E. coli strains positive for irp2, and another two ETEC strains positive for astA. As expected, UPEC isolates yielded different combinations of the genes iss, papC, iucD, irp2, and a sequence similar to vat. However, neither the colicin V operon genes cva/cvi nor tsh were amplified in UPEC isolates. The multiplex PCR results were compared with those obtained by DNA-DNA-hybridization analyses to validate the specificity of oligonucleotide primers, and the protocol was concluded to be a useful, sensitive, and rapid assay system to detect avian pathogenic E. coli and differentiate them from nonpathogenic strains and those belonging to other pathotypes.     

禽致病性大肠杆菌ibeA基因缺失及其特性分析

运用大肠杆菌Red同源重组系统,对禽致病性大肠杆菌(Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli,APEC)DE02株的ibeA基因进行了缺失,其结果为揭示IbeA的功能奠定了基础.通过对APEC ibeA基因缺失株与人脑微血管内皮细胞(Human brain microvascular endothelial cells,HBMECs)的黏附与侵袭,发现ibeA基因缺失后与HBMECs的黏附率为45%,侵袭率为1.2%,相对于野生型APEC均显著降低;提示ibeA基因是APEC的重要致病因子.     

Evaluation of differentially expressed proteins following serum exposure in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli

Colibacillosis, caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), is an extraintestinal disease that causes great economic loss to the poultry industry each year. APEC must overcome host defenses, such as immune system components found in serum, in order to establish infection; however, the mechanism of such serum resistance has been elusive. In the present study, a proteomic approach was used to evaluate APEC proteins that were differentially expressed after exposure to chicken serum to identify specific proteins that may be involved in serum resistance of APEC isolates. Proteins were isolated and separated by two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, and 10 protein spots corresponding to differentially expressed proteins were chosen for sequencing using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Eight proteins were identified among the spots, some of which have previously been associated with the virulence of E. coli. Significantly, an outer-membrane protein previously associated with serum resistance, OmpA, was among those proteins identified, further indicating that differential regulation of this protein may be involved in serum resistance. This study opens the door to future research using a proteomic approach to identify the key players in serum resistance of APEC.     

IbeB is involved in the invasion and pathogenicity of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli

The ibeB gene in neonatal meningitis Escherichia coli (NMEC) contribute to the penetration of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). However, whether IbeB plays a role in avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) infection remains unclear. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the distribution of the ibeB gene in Chinese APEC strains and examine whether IbeB is involved in APEC pathogenicity. The ibeB gene was found in all 100 detected E. coli isolates with over 97% sequence homology. These results indicated that ibeB is a conserved E. coli gene irrelevant of pathotypes. To determine the role of ibeB in APEC pathogenicity, an ibeB mutant of strain DE205B was constructed and characterized. The inactivation of ibeB resulted in reduced invasion capacity towards DF-1 cells and defective virulence in animal models as compared to the wild-type strain. Animal infection experiments revealed that loss of ibeB decreased APEC colonization and invasion capacity in brains and lungs. These virulence-related phenotypes were partially recoverable by genetic complementation. Reduced expression levels of invasion- and adhesion-associated genes in ibeB mutant could be major reasons as evidenced by reduced ibeA and ompA expression. These results indicate that IbeB is involved in APEC invasion and pathogenicity.     

AFA and F17 adhesins produced by pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in domestic animals.

AFA and F17 are afimbrial and fimbrial adhesins, respectively, produced by pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in domestic animals. F17-related fimbriae are mainly detected on bovine and ovine E. coli associated with diarrhoea or septicaemia. The F17-G adhesin subunits recognize N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) receptors present on bovine intestinal cells. Some F17 subtypes also bind to GlcNAc receptors present on human uroepithelial and intestinal Caco-2 cells or to the laminin contained in the basement of mammalian membranes. F17 is often associated with other virulence factors (aerobactin, serum resistance, CNF2 toxin, K99, CS31A or AFA adhesins) on pathogenic E. coli. A cluster of only four genes is required to synthesize functional F17-related fimbrial structures. The hypothesis of multifunctional F17 fimbrial subunits is supported by the fact that: i) the N-terminal part of the adhesin subunit participates in receptor recognition, whereas the C-terminal part is required for biogenesis of the fimbrial filament; and ii) the interaction between structural and adhesin subunits seems to be crucial for the initiation of monomer polymerization. Recently, determinants related to the afa gene clusters from human pathogenic E. coli associated with intestinal and extra-intestinal infections were identified in strains isolated from calves and piglets with diarrhoea and septicaemia. Two afa-related gene clusters, designated afa-7 and afa-8, that encode afimbrial adhesins were cloned and characterized from bovine pathogenic E. coli. These animal afa gene clusters were plasmid and chromosome borne and were expressed by strains that produced other virulence factors such as CNF toxins, F17, PAP and CS31A adhesins. A high frequency of afa-8 and a low prevalence of afa-7 among bovine E. coli isolates were suggested by preliminary epidemiological studies. As with the human afa gene clusters, the animal ones encode an adhesive structure composed of two proteins: AfaE which mediates adhesion to epithelial cells and AfaD which is an invasin.     

应用DNA芯片技术筛选禽致病性大肠杆菌和尿道致病性大肠杆菌的差异表达基因

为研究禽致病性大肠杆菌强毒株E058的毒力相关基因在鸡体内、体外表达情况以及E058和尿道致病性大肠杆菌HEC4在LB和尿液中培养的表达情况,本研究分别提取E058株在SPF鸡体内及E058株和HEC4株在LB和尿液中静置培养的总RNA,与构建的DNA芯片杂交,检测和分析RNA的差异表达情况。芯片的检测结果表明:E058株在鸡体内和LB中培养差异表达基因共有9个,上调基因为5个,分别为neuC、iutA、cvaC、aes-15和iucCD;下调基因为4个,分别为aes-8、gyrB、aec-30和mdh。另外,芯片检测结果也显示E058株和HEC4株在LB和尿液中静置培养,具有相似的基因表达情况。     

53株禽致病性大肠杆菌的耐药表型及耐药基因的检测

为了解禽致病性大肠杆菌耐药表型及耐药基因的情况,选取江苏、安徽等地分离的53株禽致病性大肠杆菌,采用药敏纸片法对9种抗菌药物进行药敏试验,并对四环素类tet(A)、tet(B)、tet(C)、tet(W)、tet(M)、tet(O)、tet(K)、tet(L)耐药基因,喹诺酮类GryA、ParC耐药基因,磺胺类sulⅠ、sulⅡ、sulⅢ耐药基因,β-内酰胺类SHV、CTX-M、ompCA耐药基因,氨基糖苷类aac(3)-Ⅰ、aac(3)-Ⅱ、aac(6')-Ⅰb、aac(6')-Ⅱ、ant(3″)-Ⅰ、armA、rmtA、rmtB、rmtC、rmtD、npmA耐药基因进行PCR检测。结果显示:53株禽致病性大肠杆菌对磺胺异噁唑、环丙沙星、氨苄西林、多西环素的耐药率较高,分别为88.68%(47/53)、71.71%(38/53)、86.79%(46/53)、75.47%(40/53)。其中50株禽致病性大肠杆菌表现为多重耐药,耐4、5、6种药物的现象最为普遍,且不同地区菌株存在差异。tet(A)是四环素耐药基因中最为流行的一种耐药基因(52.83%,28/53),喹诺酮类耐药基因主要由gryA(94.33%,50/53)、parC(94.33%,50/53)基因编码,耐磺胺类药物sulⅠ、sulⅡ、sulⅢ基因均有检出,分别为96.23%(52/53)、98.11%(48/53)、86.79%(46/53),耐β-内酰胺类药物中仅检出ompC A基因(30.19%,16/53),在检测的11种耐氨基糖苷类耐药基因中,最为流行为aac(3)-Ⅱ、aac(6')-Ⅰb、ant(3″)-Ⅰ基因,分别为92.59%(49/53)、98.11%(52/53)、100%(53/53)。耐药基因与相关耐药菌株检出率基本呈正相关。试验结果表明:53株禽致病性大肠杆菌耐药性高,耐药谱广,耐药基因流行现象十分普遍。本试验结果能为禽致病性大肠杆菌的耐药现状与临床用药提供理论指导。     

禽致病性大肠杆菌唾液酸酶siaK1基因缺失株的构建及其生物学特性分析

禽致病性大肠杆菌(avian pathogenic Escherichia coli,APEC)是危害养禽业发展的重要病原之一。本试验利用Red同源重组技术构建APEC IMT5155唾液酸酶基因sia K1缺失株和互补株,系统比较其生物学特性的差异。生长曲线测定表明,缺失株比野生株和互补株生长速度加快,而野生株和互补株的生长速度无明显差异;生物被膜形成能力测定表明,sia K1缺失导致细菌生物被膜形成能力显著减弱,而互补株可恢复至野生株水平,说明sia K1基因缺失可影响禽致病性大肠杆菌的生长速度及生物被膜的形成。本研究为进一步探讨sia K1基因功能奠定了基础。     

Relationship of complement resistance and selected virulence factors in pathogenic avian Escherichia coli.

Complement resistance, antibiotic resistance profiles, and virulence profiles of 80 Escherichia coli isolates from the intestines of normal chickens (40 isolates) and chickens diagnosed as having colisepticemia (40 isolates) were compared. Differences were observed between the two groups for antibiotic resistance, siderophore production, presence of type 1 pili, complement resistance, motility, and size of plasmids. The systemic isolates were more likely to have siderophores and type 1 pili, and to be complement-resistant and motile than were the intestinal isolates. No differences between the two groups were observed for colicin production. Further comparison of the 10 most complement-resistant isolates from the systemic group and 10 most complement-sensitive isolates from the intestinal group revealed a correlation between an isolate's resistance to complement and its ability to kill embryos, express type 1 pili, and be motile. Virulence of avian E. coli strains appears to be correlated with complement resistance and the interaction of this resistance with the ability to produce type 1 pili and be motile.