ABSTRACT
The family of leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (lig) genes comprises ligA, ligB and ligC. This study used PCR to demonstrate the presence of lig genes among serovars from a collection of leptospiral strains and clinical isolates. Whilst ligA and ligC appeared to be present in a limited number of pathogenic serovars, the ligB gene was distributed ubiquitously among all pathogenic strains. None of the lig genes were detected among intermediate or saprophytic Leptospira species. It was also shown that, similar to the previously characterized secY gene, a short specific PCR fragment of ligB could be used to correctly identify pathogenic Leptospira species. These findings demonstrate that ligB is widely present among pathogenic strains and may be useful for their reliable identification and classification.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Bacterial/genetics , Leptospira/classification , Leptospira/genetics , Antigens, Bacterial/chemistry , Antigens, Bacterial/immunology , Bacterial Typing Techniques , Base Sequence , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial/physiology , Leptospira/immunology , Leptospira/pathogenicity , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , RNA, Bacterial/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/geneticsABSTRACT
O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a mutagenicidade e o grau de toxicidade de duas plantas tóxicas, a "mamona" (Ricinus communis) e a "coroa-de-cristo" (Euphorbia milii), utilizando infusões das sementes de mamona e o látex da coroa-de-cristo, em células meristemáticas de Allium cepa. Foram analisados: o índice mitótico (IM), as anomalias do ciclo mitótico (ACM), anomalias interfásicas, (AI) e o total de anomalias (TA). As soluções testes foram preparadas em três concentrações: MT1 - 0,5 g/l, MT2 - 1,0 g/l, MT3 - 2,0 g/l, e MT4 como controle. Da coroa-de-cristo extraiu-se o látex e dissolveu-se em água destilada nas concentrações CT1 -0,5 ml/l, CT2 - 1,0 ml/l, CT3 - 2,0 ml/l, e CT4 controle. Os resultados constataram que somente a mamona aumentou a freqüência de anomalias do ciclo mitótico, assim como, as anomalias interfásicas, demonstrando, dessa forma, uma ação tóxica para o material genético, através do teste de Allium cepa.
The aim of this work was to evaluate the mutagenicity and the degree of toxicity of two toxic plants, "castor bean" (Ricinus communis) and the "crown-of-thorns" (Euphorbia milii), using infusions of the seeds of Ricinus communis and the latex of the Euphorbia milii, in meristematic cells of Allium cepa, which were analyzed: the mitotic index (IM), the interphasics anomalies (AI), the mitotic cycle anomalies (ACM), and the total of anomalies (TA). The solutions tests were prepared in three concentrations: MT1 - 0.5 g/l, MT2 - 1.0 g/l, MT3 -2.0 g/l, and MT4 as control. From the Euphorbia milii the latex was extracted and was diluted in distilled water in concentrations: CT1 - 0.5 ml/l, CT2 - 1.0 ml/l, CT3 - 2.0 ml/l, and CT4 as control. The results evidenced that Ricinus communis increased the frequency of mitotic cycle anomalies, as well, the interphasics anomalies, demonstrating, a toxic action for the genetic material, through the test of Allium cepa.
