Genomic profile of antibiotic resistant, classical ctxB positive Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor isolated in 2003 and 2005 from Puri, India: A retrospective study.

Objectives: To examine eight strains of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolated in 2003 and 2005 from Puri, India, for antibiotic susceptibility, presence of virulence and regulatory genes, cholera toxin (CT) production, CTX arrangement and genomic profiles. Materials and Methods: Bacterial strains were tested for antibiotic susceptibility using disc diffusion assay. Polymerase chain reaction determined the presence of antibiotic resistance, virulence and regulatory genes. To determine the type of cholera toxin subunit B (ctxB), nucleotide sequencing was performed. Southern hybridisation determined the number and arrangement of CTXΦ. Ribotyping and pulsed‑field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were used to determine the genomic profile of isolates. Results: All the eight strains, except one strain, showed resistant to nalidixic acid, sulphamethoxazole, streptomycin and trimethoprim and possessed the sullI, strB, dfrA1 and intSXT genes. All the strains carried the toxin‑co‑regulated pilus pathogenicity island, the CTX genetic element, the repeat in toxin and produced CT. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis showed that V. cholerae O1 possess a single copy of the CTX element flanked by tandemly arranged RS element. Nucleotide sequencing of the ctxB gene showed the presence of classical ctxB. RFLP analysis of conserved rRNA gene showed two ribotype patterns. PFGE analysis also showed at least three PFGE patterns, irrespective of year of isolations, indicating the genomic relatedness among them. Conclusion: Overall, these data suggest that classical ctxB‑positive V. cholerae O1 El Tor strains that appeared in 2003 continue to cause infection in 2005 in Puri, India, and belong to identical ribotype(s) and/or pulsotype(s). There is need to continuous monitor the emergence of variant of El Tor because it will improve our understanding of the evolution of new clones of variant of V. cholerae.

Phenotypic diversity of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains identified in China / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To understand the phenotypic diversity of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains isolated from different provinces in China during the last 50 years. Methods Traditional biotyping testings including susceptibility to polymyxin B,sensitivity to groupⅣphage, Voges-Proskauer test and haemolysis of sheep erythrocytes were conducted. Results Data from Biotype-specific phenotype analysis revealed that only 133 isolates carryed the typical El Tor phenotypes while the other 251 isolates displayed atypical El Tor phenotypes. Combined with ctxB, rstR genotypes and phenotypic characteristics,64 isolates were identified as typical El Tor biotype,21 were El Tor variants that showing the typical El Tor biotype-specific phenotype but with ctxBclas . 280 isolates were defined as the hybrid groups with traits of both classical and El Tor biotypes that could be further classified into 45 groups,based on the combination of genotypes of ctxB,rstR and phenotypic characteristics. Conclusion Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains that isolated from different provinces in China displayed high phenotypic diversity. The traditional biotype traits could not be used to correctly distinguish the two different biotypes.

Phenotypic diversity of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains identified in China / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To understand the phenotypic diversity of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains isolated from different provinces in China during the last 50 years. Methods Traditional biotyping testings including susceptibility to polymyxin B,sensitivity to groupⅣphage, Voges-Proskauer test and haemolysis of sheep erythrocytes were conducted. Results Data from Biotype-specific phenotype analysis revealed that only 133 isolates carryed the typical El Tor phenotypes while the other 251 isolates displayed atypical El Tor phenotypes. Combined with ctxB, rstR genotypes and phenotypic characteristics,64 isolates were identified as typical El Tor biotype,21 were El Tor variants that showing the typical El Tor biotype-specific phenotype but with ctxBclas . 280 isolates were defined as the hybrid groups with traits of both classical and El Tor biotypes that could be further classified into 45 groups,based on the combination of genotypes of ctxB,rstR and phenotypic characteristics. Conclusion Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains that isolated from different provinces in China displayed high phenotypic diversity. The traditional biotype traits could not be used to correctly distinguish the two different biotypes.

Comparison of two recombinant systems for expression of cholera toxin B subunit from Vibrio cholerae.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the production of recombinant cholera toxin B subunit (rCTB) protein in two different expression systems (pAE_ctxB and pQE_ctxB constructs) in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Materials and Methods: The ctxB fragment was amplified from Vibrio cholerae O 1 ATCC14035 and cloned in pGETM-T easy vector after which it was transformed to E. coli Top 10F' and grown on LB-ampicillin agar medium. Sequence analysis confirmed the complete ctxB gene sequence in the construct which was further subcloned to pQE-30 vector. The construct was subsequently transformed to E. coli M15 (pREP4). The recombinant pAE_ctxB and pQE_ctxB were transformed to competent E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells to express CTB protein. Result: Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis showed the maximum expression of rCTB in both systems at 5 h after induction and western blot analysis confirmed the presence of recombinant CTB in blotting membranes. Conclusion: Expression of rCTB in pAE_ctxB construct was more efficient (15-fold) than pQE_ctxB, and it seems that Lac UV5 in E. coli BL21 (DE3) is more compatible with the former construct. This expression system can be used to produce recombinant CTB in high yield which may enable us to study the oral tolerance or mucosal adjuvant properties of rCTB using animal models.

Preparation and immunologenicity study of HpaA-CtxB fusion protein to Helicobacter pylori in mice / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To explore the immune response in mice fed orally with the conjugated antigen of HpaA-CtxB(HCTB).Methods:A recombinant strain which could express bivalent antigen of HpaA and CtxB subunit was constructed. HpaA and CtxB gene was amplified by PCR. The DNA products of HpaA and CtxB were inserted into a prokaryotic expression vector pQE-30 respectively, and then translated into E.coli strain DH5? to express HCTB fusion protein. Its immunogenicity was analyzed by Western blot. After purification, to fed mice by oral immunization. The change of antigen-specific ASC antibody(IgG and IgA) in the mucosa of the animals were detected by ELISPOT and ELISA assay. Results:HCTB fusion gene was sequenced as 1 161 bp, the fusion protein encoded polypeptides of 387 amino acid residues.The molecular weight was 40 kD analysed by SDS-PAGE. The level of soluble expression product was about 41.67% of total cell protein. After affinity chromatography, the purity of fusion protein was above 92%.Western blot analysis confirmed that fusion protein could be specifically recognized by the serum of anti-HpaA and anti-CT. Antigen-specific ASC and antibody response in animals immunized with HCTB or HpaA was determined by ELISPOT and ELISA. The results showed that the number of sIgA and IgG-ASC increased significantly in PP and gastric mucosa, especially those of the sIgA-ASC by orally immunization with HCTB. The levels of specific antibody were also higher than those of controls. Conclusion:The results indicated that the oral immunization with HCTB induces effective mucosal immune respones and produced higher levels sIgA. The recombinant fusion protein HCTB can be used as an effective oral vaccine for prevention and treatment of infection of Hp.