ABSTRACT
Recombinant E. coli strains expressing the Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579T resD and resEgenes fused with the ubiquitin gene were constructed, and purification of the ResD and ResE proteins was performed. The approach used in the study allowed us to increase the protein yield of the electrophoretic homogeneous ResD andResE proteins without denaturation steps up to 150 mg per gram of wet cell weight.
Subject(s)
Bacillus cereus/genetics , Bacterial Proteins , Escherichia coli/metabolism , Recombinant Fusion Proteins , Transcription Factors , Bacillus cereus/metabolism , Bacterial Proteins/biosynthesis , Bacterial Proteins/chemistry , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/isolation & purification , Escherichia coli/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/biosynthesis , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/chemistry , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/isolation & purification , Transcription Factors/biosynthesis , Transcription Factors/chemistry , Transcription Factors/genetics , Transcription Factors/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
Increased cell proliferation in early atherosclerotic lesions is recognized as an essential event of atherogenesis but the levels of cell proliferation in different stages of atherosclerotic plague formation in different types of human large arteries are still insufficiently studied. In the present work, we studied intima thickness and proliferation of newly "infiltrates" hematogenous and resident cells in atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid and coronary arteries and compared these parameters with those in the aorta, reported by us in earlier publication. Analysis of intima thickness and proliferation in grossly unaffected intima and in different types pf atherosclerotic lesions (initial lesions, fatty streaks, lipofibrous, plaques, and fibrous plaque) revealed that although there were similar tendencies in the change of the infiltration levels of hematogenous cells and proliferation in different types of arteries, there were significant quantitative differences between different types of arteries. Hematogenous cells in lipofibrous plaques of the coronary and carotid arteries were found to account for a third and almost for a half of the total cell population, respectively, while atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta, as it has been shown by us earlier, to contain no more than 15% ofhematogenous cells. This suggests that the contribution of hematogenous cells to the development of atherosclerosis in the carotid and the coronary artery appears to be more significant than that in the aorta. Despite the differences in numbers of accumulating hematogenous cells in the intima, a similar "bell-shaped" dependence of cell numbers on the lesion type, involved in the following sequence: unaffected intima-initial lesions-fatty streaks-lipofibrous plaques-fibrous plaques, was detected in the coronary and carotid arteries. The visualization of proliferating cells (PCNA-positive) in atherosclerotic and unaffected zones of the coronary and carotid arteries revealed similar patterns. The maximum numbers of PCNA-positive resident cells were identified in lipofibrous plaques. The changes in the total cell numbers were accompanied by the changes in the numbers of both proliferating resident cells and proliferating hematogenous cells.
Subject(s)
Aorta/pathology , Atherosclerosis/pathology , Carotid Arteries/pathology , Carotid Stenosis/pathology , Coronary Vessels/pathology , Plaque, Atherosclerotic/pathology , Tunica Intima/pathology , Adult , Aged , Aorta/metabolism , Atherosclerosis/metabolism , Autopsy , Carotid Arteries/metabolism , Carotid Stenosis/metabolism , Cell Count , Cell Proliferation , Coronary Vessels/metabolism , Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism , Endothelium, Vascular/pathology , Female , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Ki-67 Antigen/analysis , Ki-67 Antigen/immunology , Male , Microscopy, Electron , Middle Aged , Organ Specificity , Plaque, Atherosclerotic/metabolism , Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen/analysis , Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen/immunology , Severity of Illness Index , Tunica Intima/metabolismABSTRACT
Abstract-Phylogenetic interrelation between 40 strains of the Bacillus cereus group has been established using BcREP fingerprinting. The PCR method has shown that the frequency of occurrence of the genes of cytotoxin K (cytK) and hemolysin II (hlyII) is 61% and 56%, respectively, and the gene of the hemolysin II regulator (hlyIIR) occurs together with hlyII. Comparison of the results of fingerprinting, PCR, and RFLP of the toxin genes showed that bacteria with the hlyII+ and cytK+ genotypes did not form separate clusters. However, microorganisms with the similar fingerprints were shown to have toxin genes of the same type. The proposed variant of RFLP analysis made it possible to clearly distinguish between the cytK1 and cytK2 genes. Twenty-three strains having the cytK genes carried no cytK1 dangerous for mammals. Additionally, the entire collection of microorganisms was tested for the ability to grow at 4 degrees C. This property was revealed for five strains, which should most likely be classified as B. weihenstephanensis. Two of the five psychrotolerant microorganisms carried the hemolysin II gene variant of the same type according to RFLP. None of the five strains had the cytK gene. These strains did not form close groups upon clustering by the applied method of Bc-REP fingerprints.
