Molecular cloning and sequencing of the aroA gene from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and its use in a PCR assay for rapid identification. (1/105)

The gene (aroA) of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, serotype 2, encoding 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase was cloned by complementation of the aroA mutation in Escherichia coli K-12 strain AB2829, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. A pair of primers from the 5' and 3' termini were selected to be the basis for development of a specific PCR assay. A DNA fragment of 1,025 bp was amplified from lysed A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1 to 12 of biovar 1 or from isolated DNA. No PCR products were detected when chromosomal DNAs from other genera were used as target DNAs; however, a 1,025-bp DNA fragment was amplified when Actinobacillus equuli chromosomal DNA was used as a target, which could be easily differentiated by its NAD independence. The PCR assay developed was very sensitive, with lower detection limits of 12 CFU with A. pleuropneumoniae cells and 0.8 pg with extracted DNA. Specificity and sensitivity make this PCR assay a useful method for the rapid identification and diagnosis of A. pleuropneumoniae infections.  (+info)

Evaluation of Salmonella typhimurium mutants in a model of experimental gastroenteritis. (2/105)

Salmonella typhimurium strains harboring independent, defined mutations in aroA, invA, ssrA, or msbB were assessed for their ability to induce fluid accumulation, tissue damage, and local inflammation in rabbit ileal loops. Three wild-type strains of S. typhimurium, TML, HWSH, and SL1344, and two mutant strains, S. typhimurium SL1344 ssrA and S. typhimurium SL1344 msbB, consistently induced fluid accumulation in the lumen of loops and inflammation of loop-associated tissues. In contrast, three different S. typhimurium aroA strains and an invA mutant of SL1344 did not induce significant fluid accumulation in the rabbit ileal loops. However, the S. typhimurium aroA strains did induce an inflammatory infiltrate and some local villus-associated damage, but the invA mutant did not. Histologically, wild-type S. typhimurium, S. typhimurium SL1344 ssrA, and S. typhimurium SL1344 msbB demonstrated more severe effects on villus architecture than S. typhimurium aroA strains, whereas S. typhimurium invA-infected loops showed no detectable damage. This suggests that villus damage most likely contributes to fluid accumulation within the loop.  (+info)

Characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase and its activation by univalent cations. (3/105)

The aroA gene (Escherichia coli nomenclature) encoding 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase from the gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae has been identified, cloned and overexpressed in E. coli, and the enzyme purified to homogeneity. It was shown to catalyze a reversible conversion of shikimate 3-phosphate (S3P) and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to EPSP and inorganic phosphate. Activation by univalent cations was observed in the forward reaction, with NH+4, Rb+ and K+ exerting the greatest effects. Km(PEP) was lowered by increasing [NH+4] and [K+], whereas Km(S3P) rose with increasing [K+], but fell with increasing [NH+4]. Increasing [NH+4] and [K+] resulted in an overall increase in kcat. Glyphosate (GLP) was found to be a competitive inhibitor with PEP, but the potency of inhibition was profoundly affected by [NH+4] and [K+]. For example, increasing [NH+4] and [K+] reduced Ki(GLP versus PEP) up to 600-fold. In the reverse reaction, the enzyme catalysis was less sensitive to univalent cations. Our analysis included univalent cation concentrations comparable with those found in bacterial cells. Therefore, the observed effects of these metal ions are more likely to reflect the physiological behavior of EPSP synthase and also add to our understanding of how to inhibit this enzyme in the host organism. As there is a much evidence to suggest that EPSP synthase is essential for bacterial survival, its discovery in the serious gram-positive pathogen S. pneumoniae and its inhibition by GLP indicate its potential as a broad-spectrum antibacterial target.  (+info)

Extending the CD4(+) T-cell epitope specificity of the Th1 immune response to an antigen using a Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium delivery vehicle. (4/105)

We analyzed the CD4 T-cell immunodominance of the response to a model antigen (Ag), MalE, when delivered by an attenuated strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (SL3261*pMalE). Compared to purified MalE Ag administered with adjuvant, the mapping of the peptide-specific proliferative responses showed qualitative differences when we used the Salmonella vehicle. We observed the disappearance of one out of eight MalE peptides' T-cell reactivity upon SL3261*pMalE immunization, but this phenomenon was probably due to a low level of T-cell priming, since it could be overcome by further immunization. The most striking effect of SL3261*pMalE administration was the activation and stimulation of new MalE peptide-specific T-cell responses that were silent after administration of purified Ag with adjuvant. Ag presentation assays performed with MalE-specific T-cell hybridomas showed that infection of Ag-presenting cells by this intracellular attenuated bacterium did not affect the processing and presentation of the different MalE peptides by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and therefore did not account for immunodominance modulation. Thus, immunodominance of the T-cell response to microorganisms is governed not only by the frequency of the available T-cell repertoire or the processing steps in Ag-presenting cells that lead to MHC presentation but also by other parameters probably related to the infectious process and to the bacterial products. Our results indicate that, upon infection by a microorganism, the specificity of the T-cell response induced against its Ags can be much more effective than with purified Ags and that it cannot completely be mimicked by purified Ags administered with adjuvant.  (+info)

Comparison of abilities of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium aroA aroD and aroA htrA mutants to act as live vectors. (5/105)

We compared the ability of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL1344 aroA aroD (BRD509) and aroA htrA (BRD807) mutants to act as live vectors for delivery of fragment C of tetanus toxin (FrgC). FrgC was expressed in these strains from either pTETnir15 or pTEThtrA1. BRD509FrgC(+) strains elicited approximately 2-log-higher serum anti-FrgC antibody titers than BRD807FrgC(+) strains. All mice immunized with BRD807pTEThtrA1, BRD509pTEThtrA1, and BRD509pTETnir15 (but not BRD807pTETnir15) were protected against tetanus.  (+info)

Interaction of the herbicide glyphosate with its target enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase in atomic detail. (6/105)

Biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants, many bacteria, and microbes relies on the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase, a prime target for drugs and herbicides. We have identified the interaction of EPSP synthase with one of its two substrates (shikimate 3-phosphate) and with the widely used herbicide glyphosate by x-ray crystallography. The two-domain enzyme closes on ligand binding, thereby forming the active site in the interdomain cleft. Glyphosate appears to occupy the binding site of the second substrate of EPSP synthase (phosphoenol pyruvate), mimicking an intermediate state of the ternary enzyme.substrates complex. The elucidation of the active site of EPSP synthase and especially of the binding pattern of glyphosate provides a valuable roadmap for engineering new herbicides and herbicide-resistant crops, as well as new antibiotic and antiparasitic drugs.  (+info)

Genetic background of attenuated Salmonella typhimurium has profound influence on infection and cytokine patterns in human dendritic cells. (7/105)

Salmonella typhimurium (ST) can cause infection in man, and attenuated strains are under consideration as live vaccine vectors. However, little is known about the interaction of ST with human dendritic cells (DC). Here, we compared the consequences of exposure of human, monocyte-derived DC with different attenuated strains of ST. Infection was observed with all four strains tested (wild type, PhoP-, PhoPc, and AroA), but the PhoPc strain was by far the most efficient. Intracellular persistence of wild type and PhoP- was longer than that of PhoPc and AroA, both of which were largely eliminated within 24 h. Most DC survived infection by the attenuated strains, although apoptosis was observed in a fraction of the exposed cells. All strains induced DC maturation, independent from the extent of infection. Although all strains stimulated secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-12 strongly, PhoPc induced significantly less IL-10 than the other three strains and as much as 10 times less IL-10 than heat-killed PhoPc, suggesting that this mutant suppressed the secretion of IL-10 by the DC. These data indicate that infectivity, bacterial elimination, and cytokine secretion in human DC are controlled by the genetic background of ST.  (+info)

Chemical shift mapping of shikimate-3-phosphate binding to the isolated N-terminal domain of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase. (8/105)

To facilitate evaluation of enzyme-ligand complexes in solution, we have isolated the 26-kDa N-terminal domain of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase for analysis by NMR spectroscopy. The isolated domain is capable of binding the substrate shikimate-3-phosphate (S3P), and this letter reports the localization of the S3P binding site using chemical shift mapping. Based on the NMR data, we propose that Ser23, Arg27, Ser197, and Tyr200 are directly involved in S3P binding. We also describe changes in the observed nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs) that are consistent with a partial conformational change in the N-terminal domain upon S3P binding.  (+info)

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