PCR-based DNA fingerprinting of Staphylococcus haemolyticus to investigate nosocomial infections

Objective: To apply PCR-based DNA fingerprinting in a clinical microbiology laboratory to investigate nosocomial infections with Staphylococcus haemolyticus.
Method: DNA fingerprints were generated by PCR on 99 S. haemolyticus isolates using different primer combinations based on ERIC, REP or arbitrarily chosen simple repeat sequences.
Results: Primer combinations REP1+(GTC)₆ and ERIC1+ERIC2 had sufficient discrimatory power and were chosen to analyze the clinical isolates. DNA fingerprint patterns from strains isolated from the patients nursed in the same hospital ward in the period 1991–94 were approximately 90% similar to each other. One staff member, sampled in 1991, carried a strain with a similar fingerprint.
Conclusions: PCR based DNA fingerprinting is a suitable method to perform in a clinical laboratory. An S. haemolyticus strain appeared to be endemic in the hospital ward and had most probably been transmitted from patient to patient. S. haemolyticus may carry glycopeptide resistance and needs attention as a causative agent of nosocomial infections.     

基于水-醇双提方式下中药复方粉末影响颗粒流动性的关键物性参数辨识研究

目的 探究水-醇双提工艺下中药复方粉末影响颗粒流动性的关键物性参数。方法 以水-醇双提工艺下杏贝止咳颗粒(Xingbei Zhike Keli,XZK)、桂枝茯苓胶囊(Guizhi Fuling Jiaonang,GFJ)以及参乌益肾片(Shenwu Yishen Pian,SYP)3个中药复方品种的制粒前粉末与制粒后颗粒为研究对象,采用多元统计分析方法,绘制粉末物理指纹图谱,结合Pearson相关系数评价粉末质量一致性;采用主成分分析(principal component analysis,PCA)结合因子分析评价颗粒流动性;并构建以松装密度(D_a)、振实密度(D_c)、休止角(α)、豪斯纳比(IH)、粒径<50μm百分比(Pf)、均匀性(HG)、均齐度(UN)、粒径(D₁₀、D₅₀、D₆₀、D₉₀)、分布宽度(span)、分布范围(width)、比表面积(SSA)、孔隙率(I_e)、卡尔指数(IC)、含水量(HR)、吸湿率(H...     

申克孢子丝菌的随机扩增DNA指纹分型

目的：对申克孢子丝菌进行基因分型研究,探索申克孢子丝菌的基因分型标准。方法：用光镜对2株标准株,4株环境分离株和24株临床分离菌株进行形态特征观察,再用随机扩增DNA指纹方法(RAPD)对DNA进行PCR扩增,根据扩增产物的电泳带型来分析DNA多态性。结果：30株菌株镜下可见2种形态结构;30株申克孢子丝菌的DNA指纹带型不同;多引物聚类分析表明,3条引物可将30株不同地区来源申克孢子丝菌分作11个型。结论：(1)在我国申克孢子丝菌中存在2种不同的形态结构。(2)申克孢子丝菌中存在不同的基因型。(3)RAPD法用于申克孢子丝菌菌株鉴定是一种快速、方便、可行的方法。     

Utility of peptide–protein affinity complexes in proteomics: identification of interaction partners of a tumor suppressor peptide*

Abstract: We used a N‐biotinylated peptide analog of the C‐terminal domain of the tumor suppressor protein, p21^cip1/waf1 to elucidate peptide/protein interacting partners. The C‐terminal domain of p21^cip1/waf1 protein spanning 141–160 amino acid residues is known to bind PCNA and this interaction is important in many biological processes including cell‐cycle control. This C‐terminal 20‐mer efficiently extracts PCNA in the presence of a variety of N‐ or C‐terminally attached affinity tags. Using difference silver stained 2D gels combined with in‐gel tryptic digests, we identified the difference spots using MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry‐based peptide mass fingerprinting followed by a database search using profound against NCBIs human nonredundant protein sequence data bank. Identified spots include the p48 subunit of chromatin assembly factor‐1, the heat shock 70 protein analog BiP, calmodulin, nucleolin and a spot similar in size to dimeric PCNA. In contrast, microcapillary ion‐trap LC‐MS/MS analysis of a tryptic digest of entire affinity extracts derived from both control and experimental runs followed by database searches using sequest confirmed the presence of most of the above proteins. This strategy also identified hnRNPA1, HPSP90α, HSP40 and T‐complex protein 1, a protein similar to prothymosin, and a possible allelic variant of the p21^cip1/waf1 protein. The use of N‐biotinylated peptide derived from the C‐terminal domain of p21^cip1/waf1 protein in proteomic analysis exemplified here suggests that peptides obtained from intracellular functional screens could also potentially serve as efficient baits to discover new drug targets.     

茯苓萜类的高效液相色谱指纹图谱研究

目的 建立茯苓三萜化合物的指纹图谱。方法 反相高效液相色谱法。结果 道地药材茯苓及不同地区收集的市场商品具有相当稳定的、相似程度很高的指纹图谱。结论 可利用液相色谱的特征峰控制茯苓及其制剂的质量。     

黄芪及其民间习用品DNA指纹图谱和有效成分含量的比较

 目的比较2000年版药典收载黄芪品种及其民间习用品的DNA指纹图谱和有效成分黄芪甲苷、总黄酮及总多糖的含量,对黄芪质量标准进行多维研究。方法RAPD法确定DNA指纹图谱,HPLC-ELS测定黄芪甲苷的含量,比色法测定总黄酮的含量,硫酸-苯酚法测定黄芪总多糖的含量。结果DNA指纹图谱分析表明膜荚黄芪、蒙古黄芪和梭果黄芪有着较近的遗传关系,而另外3种黄芪,即苦黄芪、黑毛多枝黄芪和直立黄芪有非常近的亲缘关系。有效成分含量的测定结果证实,黑毛多枝黄芪、直立黄芪中黄芪甲苷的含量高于膜荚黄芪和蒙古黄芪;总黄酮的含量以梭果黄芪最高;总多糖的含量以蒙古黄芪最高。结论对民间使用的黄芪品种进行多维质量研究,为开发黄芪的药用资源提供理论依据。     

Proteomics approach on microcystin binding proteins in mouse liver for investigation of microcystin toxicity.

Microcystins (MC) produced by freshwater cyanobacteria are potent hepatotoxins. MC inhibit protein phosphatases (PP) 1 and 2A. MC and okadaic acid (OA), which is a similar PP inhibitor whereas it has a less affinity to PP1 than PP2A, behave similarly to primary culture hepatocytes, with inducements of phosphorylations of cytoskeleton, morphological changes and apoptosis. Although the distribution of OA in mouse liver was observed immunohistochemically, no OA injury was found. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine why only MC has specific toxicities on the liver. A systematic process of MC affinity chromatography and proteomics, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOFMS, indicated the existence of some MC-binding proteins including the complexes of PP1, PP2A, and PP4 with their own regulatory subunits in mouse liver extracts. The competitive inhibition experiments using affinity chromatography with OA showed that two of the three protein complexes strongly interacted with OA, whereas only the complex of PP1 with the inhibitory subunit NIPP1 did not strongly interacted with OA. These results suggest that the PP1 complex is not related to the common behavior of MC and OA of primary culture hepatocytes, and is related to the specific hepatotoxicities of MC.     

ALIS‐FLP: Amplified ligation selected fragment‐length polymorphism method for microbial genotyping

A DNA fingerprinting method known as ALIS‐FLP (amplified ligation selected fragment‐length polymorphism) has been developed for selective and specific amplification of restriction fragments from TspRI restriction endonuclease digested genomic DNA. The method is similar to AFLP, but differs in that only one specific restriction enzyme (TspRI) is used. The cohesive ends of the DNA fragments are ligated with two types of oligonucleotide. A long oligonucleotide containing the primer site and the specific 9 nt 3 prime end, which is complementary to specific 9 nt, cohesive 3 prime end of the TspRI genomic DNA fragment, and a short, degenerated, oligonucleotide covering the remaining TspRI cohesive ends. Other cohesive ends are covered by a short degenerated oligonucleotide lacking the primer site. The ligation mixture is used as a template for amplification using a single primer corresponding to the 5 prime end of the long, specific oligonucleotide. The selection of TspRI digested genomic DNA fragments for amplification is achieved by sequence selective ligation of the specific long oligonucleotide carrying the primer site to both ends of the specific target fragment. This technique allows for differentiation of the organisms without previous knowledge of their DNA sequence. The usefulness of the method is confirmed by genotyping of 70 previously characterized clinical E. coli isolates. The grouping obtained was identical to the results of REA‐PFGE. Versatility of the method is highlighted, i.e. its combining the advantages of the AFLP technique with a simple, rapid and cheap polymerase chain reaction product detection method.     

Intracranial Distribution of Intravenously Administered Gadolinium-based Contrast Agent over a Period of 24 Hours: Evaluation with 3D-real IR Imaging and MR Fingerprinting

Purpose:To evaluate the feasibility for the detection of slight contrast effects after intravenous administration of single dose gadolinium-based contrast agent (IV-SD-GBCA), the time course of the GBCA distribution up to 24 h was examined in various fluid spaces and brain parenchyma using 3D-real IR imaging and MR fingerprinting (MRF).Methods:Twenty-four patients with a suspicion of endolymphatic hydrops were scanned at pre-administration and at 10 min, 4 and 24 h post-IV-SD-GBCA. 3D-real IR images and MRF at the level of the internal auditory canal were obtained. The signal intensity on the 3D-real IR image of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the cerebellopontine angle cistern (CPA), Sylvian fissure (Syl), lateral ventricle (LV), and cochlear perilymph (CPL) was measured. The T₁ and T₂ values of cerebellar gray (GM) and white matter (WM) were measured using MRF. Each averaged value at the various time points was compared using an analysis of variance.Results:The signal intensity on the 3D-real IR image in each CSF region peaked at 4 h, and was decreased significantly by 24 h (P < 0.05). All patients had a maximum signal intensity at 4 h in the CPA, and Syl. The mean CPL signal intensity peaked at 4 h and decreased significantly by 24 h (P < 0.05). All patients but two had a maximum signal intensity at 4 h. Regarding the T₁ value in the cerebellar WM and GM, the T₁ value at 10 min post-IV-GBCA was significantly decreased compared to the pre-contrast scan, but no significant difference was observed at the other time points. There was no significant change in T₂ in the gray or white matter at any of the time points.Conclusion:Time course of GBCA after IV-SD-GBCA could be evaluated by 3D-real IR imaging in CSF spaces and in the brain by MRF.