Inactivation of the Mycobacterium bovis homologue of the polymorphic RD1 gene Rv3879c (Mb3909c) does not affect virulence

The RD1 locus is deleted from all strains of Mycobacterium bovis BCG but present in virulent isolates of M. bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The RD1 gene Rv3879c encodes a proline- and alanine-rich protein that shows sequence polymorphism across members of the M. tuberculosis complex. The role of this protein in virulence was investigated by deleting the Rv3879c homologue from M. bovis (Mb3909c) and testing the virulence of the mutant in the guinea pig model. The M. bovis Delta Mb3909c mutant was not attenuated in the guinea pig model, showing that this gene does not encode a virulence factor and plays no role in the attenuation caused by loss of RD1.     

对BACTEC^TM MGIT960培养报告结果为阴性的培养管中颗粒性物质的研究

目的 探讨使用BACTEC^TM MGIT960进行分枝杆菌培养时,仪器报告结果为阴性的MGIT960培养管中颗粒的性质及成因。 方法 收集北京市结核病胸部肿瘤研究所2010年1月至2010年12月进行分枝杆菌培养的标本中31份仪器报告阴性但有颗粒形成的培养管,分别对颗粒性物质进行抗酸染色、罗氏培养和BACTEC^TM MGIT960传代培养。对培养阳性的标本进行菌种鉴定、药敏试验。选择8株培养阳性的标本进行低细菌载量接种试验来分析颗粒形成的原因,包括2株结核分枝杆菌复合群,3株蟾蜍分枝杆菌和3株胞内分枝杆菌,每株将1个麦氏浓度的菌悬液用生理盐水连续稀释至10^-5、 10^-6、10^-7、 10^-8 倍,各接种到2支培养管。 结果 31份仪器报告阴性但有颗粒形成的培养管,有29份经再次传代培养后获得阳性培养结果,其中24份（24/29）用颗粒直接涂片后进行显微镜抗酸杆菌检查结果为阳性。29份培养阳性的菌株包括7株蟾蜍分枝杆菌,4株胞内分枝杆菌和18株结核分枝杆菌复合群。接种量为10^-6、10^-7、 10^-8 浓度的蟾蜍分枝杆菌培养管中均有颗粒形成,阳性比例分别为4/6、5/6、6/6。 结论 BACTEC^TM MGIT960进行结核分枝杆菌培养时,仪器报告阴性的MGIT960培养管中颗粒多为活的分枝杆菌;BACTEC^TM MGIT960系统颗粒的形成与低细菌载量有关,颗粒形成也有一定的种属特异性,主要集中在蟾蜍分枝杆菌和胞内分枝杆菌。     

结核分支杆菌H37Rv株菌体抗原单克隆抗体制备,特性？…

目的 利用单克隆抗体技术分析分支杆菌多肽抗原的共性和个性,建立纯化单克隆抗体的最佳方法。方法 按常规方法制备单克隆抗体。分泌单克隆抗体阳性杂交细胞株的筛选采用ＥＬＩＳＡ法,确认采用免疫印迹法。２４种分支杆菌菌株均生长于改良罗氏培养基上,Ｈ３７Ｒｖ株分别生长于改良罗氏培养基和苏通液体培养基上。单克隆抗体的纯化采用硫酸铵沉淀法、辛酸沉淀法和离子交换法。结果 经筛选获得１４株单克隆抗体杂交细胞瘤。其中,     

The mtp40 gene is not present in Mycobacterium bovis

The mtp40 gene was initially reported to be lacking in classical Mycobacterium bovis strains, while being specific to classical M. tuberculosis strains. Later two clinical isolates reported to be M. bovis were shown to possess the mtp40 gene (A. Weil, B.B. Plikaytis, W.R. Butler, C.L. Woodley and T.M. Shinnik, J Clin Microbiol 1996; 34: 2309-2311). The two strains were, however, not fully characterized biochemically or genotypically. By PCR amplification of whole cell lysates and subsequent spoligotyping, which classifies isolates within the M. tuberculosis complex, the two strains were found to possess the spacers 40-43 which typically are lacking in classicalM. bovis, but had a spoligotyping pattern compatible with M. africanum. We conclude that the two strains, previously designated M. bovis, should be designated M. africanum. This reinvestigation has implications for the phylogenetic classification of M. bovis.     

Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium bovis BCG: Romanian sub-strain.

The Romanian sub-strain used for BCG vaccine production was characterized by polymorphic GC-rich repetitive sequence (PGRS) restriction profile and IS6110 detection. For comparison, the Pasteur and Moscow Mycobacterium bovis BCG sub-strains, M. bovis AN5, and M. tuberculosis H37Rv were analyzed. The BCG sub-strains showed the same restriction profile for PGRS after Pvu II, BamH I and Sal I digestion. They could be distinguished from the strains M. bovis AN5 and M. tuberculosis H37Rv after Pvu II and Sal I digestion. Sal I can also distinguish between M. bovis AN5 and M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Digestion with Pvu II, Sal I, Sca I, Mlu I and BamH I gave identical profiles of IS6110 hybridization for the Romanian and Pasteur BCG substrains.     

Radiometric measurement of differential metabolism of fatty acid by mycobacteria

An assay system has been developed based on automated radiometric quantification of 14CO2 produced through oxidation of [1-14C] fatty acids by mycobacteria. Two stains of M. tuberculosis (H37Rv and Erdman) and one of M. bovis (BCG) in 7H9 medium (ADC) with 1.0 microCi of one of the fatty acids (butyric, hexanoic, octanoic, decanoic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic) were studied. Results previously published on M. lepraemurium (Hawaiian) were also included for comparison. Both strains of M. tuberculosis had maximum 14CO2 production from hexanoic acid. Oxidation of butyric and avid oxidation of lauric acids were also found with the H37Rv strain but not with Erdman. In contrast, 14CO2 production by M. bovis was greatest from lauric and somewhat less from decanoic acid. M. lepraemurium showed increasing oxidation rates from myristic, decanoic and lauric acids. Assimilation studies of M. tuberculosis H37Rv confirmed that most of the oxidized substrates were converted into by-products with no change in those from which no oxidation was found. These data suggest that the radiometric measurement of differential fatty acid metabolism may provide a basis of strain identification of the genus Mycobacterium.     

Genotyping did not evidence any contribution of Mycobacterium bovis to human tuberculosis in Brazil

The contribution of Mycobacterium bovis to the global burden of tuberculosis (TB) in man is likely to be underestimated due to its dysgonic growth characteristics and because of the absence of pyruvate in most used media is disadvantageous for its primary isolation. In Brazil Mycobacterium culture, identification and susceptibility tests are performed only in TB reference centers, usually for selected cases. Moreover, solid, egg-based, glycerol-containing (without pyruvate supplementation) L?wenstein-Jensen (L-J) or Ogawa media are routinely used, unfavouring M. bovis isolation. To determine the importance of M. bovis as a public health threat in Brazil we investigated 3046 suspected TB patients inoculating their clinical samples onto routine L-J and L-J pyruvate enriched media. A total of 1796 specimens were culture positive for Mycobacterium spp. and 702 TB cases were confirmed. Surprisingly we did not detect one single case of M. bovis in the resulting collection of 1674 isolates recovered from M. bovis favourable medium analyzed by conventional and molecular speciation methods. Also, bacillary DNA present on 454 sputum smears from 223 TB patients were OxyR genotyped and none was recognized as M. bovis. Our data indicate that M. bovis importance on the burden of human TB in Brazil is marginal.     

Differentiation between mycobacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by pyrolysis mass spectrometry.

32 isolates belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex were examined by pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PyMS). This technique demonstrated that recent clinical isolates of M. africanum were indistinguishable from those of M. bovis and together formed a homogeneous group distinct from M. tuberculosis. Isolates of BCG were heterogeneous and more closely related to laboratory-adapted strains of M. tuberculosis than to recent isolates of either M. tuberculosis or M. bovis. PyMS is a simple and inexpensive technique which gives interesting information on the relationships between members of the M. tuberculosis complex and can make the clinically important distinction between strains of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis accurately and much more rapidly than conventional techniques.     

一种新型结核杆菌快速培养促生长剂的研制

目的以改良罗氏培养基为基础成分,研制一种快速培养结核杆菌的新型快速促生长剂。方法将结核杆菌H37Rv株和20株结核杆菌临床分离株,分别接种于含促生长剂的改良罗氏培养基和改良罗氏培养基上,观察两者的生长效果。结果结核杆菌H37Rv株在含促生长剂的罗氏培养基上5~7d可形成肉眼可见的米粒状菌落,而在改良罗氏培养基上14d才形成肉眼可见的米粒状菌落;采用结核杆菌临床分离株分别进行20组实验,在含促生长剂的罗氏培养基上的平均生长时间为7d,而在不含促生长剂的培养基上的平均生长时间为14.7d(P<0.01)。结论新型结核杆菌促生长剂能使结核杆菌标准株和临床分离株在7d内快速培养出,此快速促生长剂的研制为结核杆菌的快速培养及结核病的诊断、化疗效果观察、流行病学调查、抗结核药物作用研究等有效的手段。     

Expression, characterization and subcellular localization of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis PPE gene Rv1917c.

SETTING: The PPE gene family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is thought to be of immunological significance. One member, Rv1917c, is highly polymorphic in clinical isolates. OBJECTIVE: To characterize Rv1917c gene polymorphism and expression, and to determine the cellular location and glycosylation status of the encoded protein. DESIGN: Tandem repeat regions of Rv1917c were amplified and sequenced to determine the molecular basis for the gene polymorphism. RT-PCR analysis was utilized to detect expression of Rv1917c mRNA in liquid cultures of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. The gene was cloned as a 3'-terminal green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion, downstream of an acetamide-inducible promoter, and expressed in Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG. The expression product was characterized in terms of cellular location and glycosylation status. RESULTS: PCR and sequence data demonstrated that variable numbers of tandem repeats within Rv1917c contribute to gene polymorphism. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that Rv1917c mRNA is expressed in liquid cultures of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Expression of the recombinant protein in M. smegmatis and M. bovis BCG was visualized by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. A protein of the predicted size (166 kDa) was confirmed by Western blotting. Cell fractionation studies demonstrated that the recombinant protein is hydrophobic, suggestive of cell wall-association, while flow cytometric data derived from antibody binding experiments suggested that it is surface exposed. Analysis of the glycosylation status of the expressed protein failed to demonstrate glycosylation. CONCLUSION: Rv1917c mRNA is expressed in M. tuberculosis H37Rv, and Rv1917c gene polymorphism is associated with variable numbers of tandem repeats. The recombinant Rv1917c protein is surface exposed.     

Tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis in the Australian population: DNA typing of isolates, 1970-1994.

SETTING: Bacteriologically confirmed cases of Mycobacterium bovis in the Australian population. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the DNA fingerprinting techniques commonly used for M. bovis on isolates from humans and determine whether they were useful for determining the origin of human infection. DESIGN: M. bovis strains isolated between 1970 and 1994 were obtained from five Australian Reference Laboratories. Four DNA fingerprinting techniques, comprising Southern hybridisation with three different probes (the insertion sequence [IS]6110, the polymorphic guanine-cytosine-rich sequence [PGRS] and the direct repeat [DR]) and a PCR-based method (spoligotyping) were used. RESULTS: The PGRS, DR and IS6110 RFLP methods identified 32, 22 and 14 different types respectively from the 45 isolates available. Spoligotyping identified 18 different types. When all methods were combined 41 different strains were identified. Clear differences were found between many isolates from Australian-born patients and those from patients born overseas. CONCLUSIONS: The PGRS RFLP method was the most effective method for typing the human strains, but a combination of methods is recommended for maximum sensitivity. Most Australian-born patients that had worked in the meat and livestock industries were infected with strains similar to those that are commonly found in Australian cattle, confirming the occupational risk in these industries. Patients born overseas were typically infected with strains genetically different from those of patients born in Australia. This suggests that patients born overseas identified with M. bovis were presenting with reactivation of infection acquired outside Australia.     

结核分枝杆菌Rv0341蛋白编码基因iniB的多态性分析

目的研究结核分枝杆菌假设蛋白Rv0341编码基因iniB的多态性,确认其保守性,分析依赖利福平结核分枝杆菌(依R菌)在利福平(R)培养管中Rv0341高表达的可能原因。方法用大肠埃希菌做为阴性对照,提取依R菌(14株)、耐R菌(23株)、R敏感的结核分枝杆菌(12株)、结核分枝杆菌标准株H37Rv及BCG(共51株)的细菌基因组DNA,利用PCR自基因组DNA中扩增iniB基因,通过ApaⅠ/EcoRⅤ、KpnⅠ/SmaⅠ双酶切,琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测其带型,对iniB基因进行限制性片段长度多态性分析并测序。结果实验组中iniB基因的酶切图谱完全相同,测序结果亦证实iniB基因无突变。结论 iniB基因在对R依赖、耐药和敏感等不同类型的结核分枝杆菌中是相对保守的;依R菌在Rv0341蛋白表达方面的差异可能是RNA转录差异或利福平诱导的结果。     

Drug susceptibility of Spanish Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from animals

Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium caprae are zoonotic bacteria that cause tuberculosis with several clinical manifestations. We have evaluated the susceptibility to anti-tuberculosis drugs of a panel of Spanish isolates of animal origin. The analysis of the sequence of the main genes involved in resistance was performed in 41 M. bovis and five M. caprae. The katG, inhA, rpsL, embB and gyrA genes had single nucleotide polymorphisms, not previously described in other organisms of the complex. Thirty-two M. bovis and three M. caprae isolates were tested for susceptibility to isoniazid (INH), rifampin, streptomycin, ethambutol, and ofloxacin using the standard proportion method. The results revealed that the isolates were sensitive to the five drugs. However, interference caused by sodium pyruvate in the INH test was detected: 94.3% grew at 0.2 microg INH/ml and 68.6% grew at 1 microg INH/ml. In the medium without pyruvate, 34.3% of the isolates did not grow whereas growth of the others was poor and slow. Nine M. bovis isolates were also tested by ESP Culture System II test and were sensitive to INH. The susceptibility of M. bovis to INH cannot be reliably determined using the standard proportion method due to the M. bovis growth requirements and the interference of pyruvate with INH.     

Deletion of the putative antioxidant noxR1 does not alter the virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.

SETTING: The cloned M. tuberculosis noxR1 gene has been shown to confer resistance to reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI) and reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) upon Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium smegmatis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of noxR1 in resistance to RNI and virulence of M. tuberculosis. DESIGN: The noxR1 gene was deleted from M. bovis BCG and M. tuberculosis H37Rv by allelic exchange. The mutants were compared to wild type strains with respect to resistance to chemically generated RNI. The virulence of the M. tuberculosis mutant was investigated in a murine model of infection. RESULTS: The NoxR1 mutants grew normally in Sautons and 7H9 broths. The BCG mutant demonstrated decreased resistance to in vitro generated RNI compared to the wild type. Resistance to RNI could be restored to the mutant by reintroduction of the noxR1 locus on a replicating plasmid. However, deletion of noxR1 from M. tuberculosis H37Rv did not result in decreased resistance to RNI nor a difference in growth and survival of the bacterium during murine infection. CONCLUSION: The noxR1 gene locus in M. bovis BCG bestows ability to resist RNI generated in vitro. In M. tuberculosis H37Rv, however, noxR1 is either not involved in RNI resistance and virulence or is better compensated for by other mechanisms.     

Antigen proteins specific to mycobacteria

More than 10 mycobacterial proteins (MPB or MPT) have been isolated from the nutrient fluids after cultivation of Mycobacterium bovis BCG (Japanese substrain) or M. tuberculosis H37Rv on Sauton medium. The genes for 4 antigens, MPB70, MPB64, alpha-antigen (MPB59), and MPB57, were cloned so far and the complete nucleotide and amino acid sequences were determined. MPB70 is a quite unique protein in 3 points; a highly species-specific antigen for M. bovis, a large amount of secretion more than 10% of the total protein amount in the culture fluid when the cells are actively growing, and a composition with hydrophobic amino acids in a high rate. MPB64 was also a unique antigen specific to M. bovis and M. tuberculosis with a strong reactivity in delayed-type hypersensitivity. MPB59, corresponds to alpha-antigen, was a protein of a group of several similar configurations and was commonly found in the mycobacterial species. These 3 antigens are synthesized in the cells binding with each signal peptide which is characteristic of secreted proteins. A heat stable protein, MPB57, a dominant component of PPD, corresponded to BCG-a or 10kD protein and is supposed to be one of the heat shock proteins.     

Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv: Delta RD1 is more virulent than M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin in long-term murine infection

Region of difference (RD1) genes are present in virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis but not the vaccine strain M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The deletion of RD1 from M. tuberculosis produces an attenuation strikingly like that of BCG, which suggests the use of RD1 mutant strains for improvement of the tuberculosis (TB) vaccine. We performed long-term murine infection with M. tuberculosis H37Rv: Delta RD1 and BCG. Mice infected with H37Rv: Delta RD1 gained less weight than did BCG-infected control mice, and, after >1 year, their lungs harbored many more bacteria and displayed significant levels of inflammation. This difference in virulence has important implications for the pursuit of strains lacking RD1 in the development of the TB vaccine.