Expression and characterization of Campylobacter jejuni benzoylglycine amidohydrolase (Hippuricase) gene in Escherichia coli

Circulation of thermophilic Campylobacter in pigeons, turkeys, and humans at live bird markets in Egypt

Live bird markets increase the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases. Few studies have investigated the potential zoonotic transmission of Campylobacter in Egypt. Therefore, our study was carried out to investigate the presence of Campylobacter species, mainly Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Campylobacter coli (C. coli), in pigeons and turkeys sold at poultry shops. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore the potential occupational risk of Campylobacter infection, mainly among workers at poultry shops. Six hundred (n = 600) samples from various organs were obtained from pigeons and turkeys from live bird shops in the Giza and Asyut provinces in Egypt. Additionally, 100 stool samples were collected from persons working at poultry shops. Circulation of thermophilic Campylobacter in pigeons, turkeys, and humans was investigated based on culture and molecular methods. The rate of detection of Campylobacter species from the samples was significant when the culture method was used alone in comparison to when it was used in combination with mPCR. The prevalence rates of Campylobacter species detected by mPCR were 36% (C. jejuni 20%; C. coli 16%), 28% (C. jejuni 12%; C. coli16%), and 29% (C. jejuni 15%; C. coli 14%) in pigeons, turkeys, and workers, respectively. In pigeons, significant variations in the C. jejuni and C. coli occurrence rates were reported in terms of the intestinal content (15, 4%), liver (4, 13%), and skin (9, 7%), respectively. In turkeys, Campylobacter species were mostly detected in liver samples with a percentage of 19%, followed by the skin (12%), and the intestinal content (8%). In conclusion, Campylobacter species are circulating in poultry farms in Egypt and could represent a hazard for humans. It is recommended that biosecurity measures should be applied to mitigate the occurrence of Campylobacter in poultry farms. Moreover, there is an urgent need to transform live bird markets into chilled poultry markets.

Development and validation of a CRISPR interference system for gene regulation in Campylobacter jejuni

BACKGROUND

Campylobacter spp. are the leading cause of bacterial food-borne illness in humans worldwide, with Campylobacter jejuni responsible for 80% of these infections. There is an urgent need to understand fundamental C. jejuni biology for the development of new strategies to prevent and treat infections. The range of molecular tools available to regulate gene expression in C. jejuni is limited, which in turn constrains our ability to interrogate the function of essential and conditionally essential genes. We have addressed this by developing and utilising a CRISPR-based interference system known as CRISPRi in C. jejuni to control gene expression. To achieve this, a catalytically inactive ("dead") cas9 and sgRNA backbone from the Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPRi system was combined with C. jejuni-derived promoters of predetermined expression activities to develop a CRISPRi-based repression tool in C. jejuni strains M1Cam and 81-176.

RESULTS

The CRISPRi tool was validated through successful repression of the arylsulphatase-encoding gene astA using a range of sgRNA target sequences spanning the astA gene. The tool was also applied to target astA in an M1Cam CRISPR-Cas9 deletion strain, which showed that the presence of an endogenous CRISPR-Cas9 system did not affect the activity of the CRISPRi-based repression tool. The tool was further validated against the hippicurase-encoding gene hipO. Following this, the flagella genes flgR, flaA, flaB and both flaA and flaB were targeted for CRISPRi-based repression, which resulted in varying levels of motility reduction and flagella phenotypes as determined by phenotypical assays and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report of a CRISPRi-based tool in C. jejuni, which will provide a valuable resource to the Campylobacter community.

An easy-to-perform, culture-free Campylobacter point-of-management assay for processing plant applications

Aims

Current culture‐based methods for detection and determination of Campylobacter levels on processed chickens takes at least 2 days. Here we sought to develop a new complete, low‐cost and rapid (approximately 2·5 h) detection system requiring minimal operator input.

Methods and Results

We observed a strong correlation between culture‐based cell counts and our ability to detect either Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli by loop‐mediated isothermal amplification from the same samples. This knowledge was used to develop a rapid and simple five‐step assay to quantify Campylobacter, which was subsequently assessed for its specificity, reproducibility and accuracy in quantifying Campylobacter levels from processed chickens. The assay was found to be highly specific for C. jejuni and C. coli and was capable of distinguishing between samples that are either within or exceeding the industry set target of 6000 Campylobacter colony forming units (CFU) per carcass (equivalent to 12 CFU per ml of chicken rinse) with >90% accuracy relative to culture‐based methods.

Conclusions

Our method can reliably quantify Campylobacter counts of processed chickens with an accuracy comparable to culture‐based assays but provides results within hours as opposed to days.

Significance and Impact of the Study

The research presented here will help improve food safety by providing fast Campylobacter detection that will enable the implementation of real‐time risk management strategies in poultry processing plants to rapidly test processed chickens and identify effective intervention strategies. This technology is a powerful tool that can be easily adapted for other organisms and thus could be highly beneficial for a broad range of industries.

Complete Genome Sequence of the Hippuricase-Positive Campylobacter avium Type Strain LMG 24591

Campylobacter avium is a thermotolerant Campylobacter species that has been isolated from poultry. C. avium was also the second hippuricase-positive species to be identified within Campylobacter. Here, we present the genome sequence of the C. avium type strain LMG 24591 (=CCUG 56292^T), isolated in 2006 from a broiler chicken in Italy.

Heterogeneity of Campylobacter species isolated from serial stool specimens of Egyptian children using pulsed field gel electrophoresis

BACKGROUND

The genus Campylobacter spp. is a common cause of human acute bacterial enteritis and travellers' diarrhoea worldwide.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether multiple serial isolations of Campylobacter spp., when obtained from a single child, represented the same or a different organism.

METHODS

In a birth cohort study conducted in Egypt, numerous children showed serial isolations of Campylobacter spp. Of these, 13 children were selected from different households based on the successive isolation of six or more Campylobacter isolates from stool samples.

RESULTS

Eighty isolates were recovered and identified as either Campylobacter coli (n = 25) or Campylobacter jejuni (n = 55). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed the presence of 38 unique C. jejuni and 24 C. coli profiles at a similarity level of ≥ 90%. Although no serially-identical isolates were detected in six children, others demonstrated at least one identical couple of isolates; all identified serially between one to six weeks. Two children demonstrated > 80% similar couples of isolates that appeared seven months apart. PFGE could be a useful tool for differentiating reinfection, relapse and convalescent excretion phases.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that Campylobacter infection in children is a complex process; children are exposed to multiple species in endemic environments and strains of the same bacterium appear to be shed serially between one to six weeks after the first exposure. Isolates that persisted for longer periods were relatively less similar, as shown from the results of this study.

Prevalence of putative virulence markers in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from hospitalized children, raw chicken, and raw beef in Tehran, Iran

The incidence of the virulence-associated genes cdtA, cdtB, cdtC, cadF, dnaJ, racR, and pldA has been investigated in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli collected from raw chicken and beef from retailers in Tehran, Iran, and from hospitalized children (age, ≤14 years) suffering from diarrhea. Campylobacter spp. were collectively identified by morphological and biochemical methods. Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli were discriminated from other Campylobacter spp. by amplification of a specific conserved fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. The distinction between C. jejuni and C. coli was subsequently made by molecular determination of the presence of the hipO gene in C. jejuni or the ask gene in C. coli. Fragments of the studied virulence-associated genes, cdtA, cdtB, cdtC, cadF, racR, dnaJ, and pldA, were amplified by PCR and subjected to horizontal gel electrophoresis. A total of 71 isolates of C. jejuni and 24 isolates of C. coli from meat were analyzed, while the numbers of isolates from the hospitalized children were 28 and 9, respectively. The unequal distribution of C. jejuni and C. coli in the samples has also been reported in other studies. Statistical analyses by the use of the two-tailed Fisher's exact test of the occurrence of the virulence genes in the isolates of different origins showed that the occurrence of the dnaJ gene was consistently significantly higher in all C. jejuni isolates than in C. coli. The occurrence of the other virulence markers did not differ significantly between species in the majority of the isolates. The PCR results also showed that the occurrence of the virulence markers in the analyzed isolates was much lower than in other studies, which may be caused by a divergent genomic pool of our isolates in comparison with others.

Characterization of erythromycin-resistant porcine isolates of Campylobacter coli

Erythromycin-resistant Campylobacter organisms were isolated from swine, and their resistance to the antibiotic was characterized. One hundred fourteen Campylobacter organisms were isolated from 572 swine intestinal samples. All isolates were identified as Campylobacter coli by sequence analysis of 16S rRNA gene and polymerase chain reactions with primers specific to hippuricase gene in Campylobacter jejuni and aspartokinase gene in C. coli. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of erythromycin were determined by using the agar dilution method, and 80 isolates were found to be resistant to erythromycin (MIC ≥ 4 μg/ml). Of these, 31 isolates had low-level resistance (MIC =4-16 μg/ml), and 49 isolates had high-level resistance (HLR, MIC ≥ 32 μg/ml). The HLR isolates carried a point mutation at position A2075 → G in domain V of the 23S rRNA gene, whereas the low-level resistance isolates carried no mutation. These 49 HLR isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing to study their genetic diversity. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identified 16 distinct types with 50% genetic similarity as the cutoff. On the other hand, 28 different sequence types (STs), including 10 new STs, were identified with multilocus sequence typing. Forty-six of 49 erythromycin HLR isolates showed crossresistance to 6 macrolide derivatives. The correlation between the inhibitory activity of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and the existence of cmeB, which is responsible for efflux in HLR isolates, was found to be low. Erythromycin resistance was transferred from 38 of the 43 HLR isolates to susceptible C. coli by natural transformation, with a frequency of 1.217 x 10(-8)-4.618 x 10(-5) per recipient cell. All transformants were erythromycin resistant and had A2075 → G mutation in at least one of three copies of the 23S rRNA gene. Results indicate that variable genotypes of HLR C. coli coexist in swine and high-level erythromycin resistance can be transferred to other strains.

Campylobacter capsule and lipooligosaccharide confer resistance to serum and cationic antimicrobials

The innate immune system plays a critical role in host defense against mucosal bacteria. Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of human gastroenteritis that usually resolves spontaneously within several days, suggesting that innate mechanisms are important to control the infection. However, the specific means by which this occurs is not well understood. While diarrheal isolates of C. jejuni usually are susceptible to human serum, we found that a systemic strain of C. jejuni, isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of an infant with meningitis, is relatively more resistant to human serum, the Bactericidal/Permeability-Increasing Protein (BPI), an endogenous cationic antimicrobial protein, and the cationic peptide antibiotic polymyxin B. To test the hypothesis that the surface properties of this strain contributed to its ability to withstand these innate host defenses, we constructed isogenic mutants in capsule (kpsM) and lipooligosaccharide (waaF) and complemented these mutants by insertion of the complementation construct in trans into hipO, a chromosomal locus. We found that capsule expression was essential for serum resistance, whereas lipooligosaccharide played no substantial role. In contrast, the lipooligosaccharide mutant showed increased sensitivity to polymyxin B, α-defensins, cathelicidins, and BPI. These findings suggest that the polysaccharides of C. jejuni strains contribute differently to resistance against host innate immunity; whereby capsule is more important for resisting human complement and lipooligosaccharide is more important for protection against killing mediated by cationic antimicrobial peptides and proteins.

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in children from communities in Northeastern Brazil: molecular detection and relation to nutritional status

This study determined the prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni/coli and its relation with nutritional status in children from Northeastern Brazil. This was a case-control study design. Stool samples were evaluated for hipO (C. jejuni), ask (C. coli), and cdtABC (C. jejuni's cytolethal distending toxin) genes. The nutritional status from these children was assessed by anthropometric measures and z-scores. C. jejuni and C. coli were detected in 9.6% (8/83) and 6.0% (5/83) in the diarrhea group and in 7.2% (6/83) and 1.2% (1/83) of the nondiarrhea group, respectively. Children with positive molecular detection of C. jejuni showed significantly lower z-scores than children without C. jejuni. The cdtABC operon was found in 57% of hipO(+) samples. C. jejuni/coli prevalence was similar in diarrhea and nondiarrhea groups. There was a significant association of C. jejuni infection with lower nutritional status.

Ciprofloxacin-sensitive and ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter jejuni are equally susceptible to natural orange oil-based antimicrobials

A total of 10 ciprofloxacin-sensitive (ciprofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC < 0.5 micro g/ml) and 10 ciprofloxacin-resistant (MIC 16 to 32 micro g/ml) presumptive C. jejuni were further characterized and evaluated for their inhibition by natural orange oil fractions. Partial species identification was performed by using a hippuricase gene-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. One of the isolates appeared to be atypical and failed to hydrolyze hippurate. Of the ciprofloxacin-resistant C. jejuni isolates tested, six were found to have their quinolone resistance determined by a C --> T mutation in codon 86 of gyrA. Both groups of ciprofloxacin-sensitive and -resistant C. jejuni isolates were most susceptible to cold-pressed terpeneless Valencia orange oil (C4) which yielded inhibition zones from 44.0 +/- 1.4 to 80 +/- 0.0 mm. Less inhibitory responses were recorded for 5-fold concentrated Valencia orange oil (C3) and distilled d-limonene (C7) which exerted similar effects on both ciprofloxacin-sensitive and -resistant C. jejuni isolates. In general, ciprofloxacin-resistant and -sensitive C. jejuni isolates were equally susceptible to the respective orange oil fractions.

Campylobacter avium sp. nov., a hippurate-positive species isolated from poultry

Three strains of an unusual hippurate-positive Campylobacter species were isolated at 37 degrees C from caecal contents of broiler chickens and a turkey. All strains were initially identified as Campylobacter by means of genus-specific PCR, but none was further identified using specific PCRs for known thermophilic species. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA, rpoB and groEL gene sequences revealed that these strains formed a robust clade distinct from other Campylobacter species. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis and whole-cell protein electrophoresis were subsequently carried out and confirmed the divergence between the avian strains and other taxa. These data indicate that the unidentified Campylobacter strains belong to a novel taxon which could be distinguished from other campylobacters through its phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. The name Campylobacter avium sp. nov., is proposed for the novel species, with the type strain 86/06T (=LMG 24591T=CCUG 56292T).

Quantification and differentiation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in raw chicken meats using a real-time PCR method

Campylobacter species are one of the most common causes of bacterial diarrhea in humans worldwide. The consumption of foods contaminated with two Campylobacter species, C. jejuni and C. coli, is usually associated with most of the infections in humans. In this study, a rapid, reliable, and sensitive multiplex real-time quantitative PCR was developed for the simultaneous detection, identification, and quantification of C. jejuni and C. coli. In addition, the developed method was applied to the 50 samples of raw chicken meat collected from retail stores in Korea. C. jejuni and C. coli were detected in 88 and 86% of the samples by real-time quantitative PCR and the conventional microbiological method, respectively. The specificity of the primer and probe sets was confirmed with 30 C. jejuni, 20 C. coli, and 35 strains of other microbial species. C. jejuni and C. coli could be detected with high specificity in less than 4 h, with a detection limit of 1 log CFU/ml by the developed real-time PCR. The average counts (log CFU per milliliter) of C. jejuni or C. coli obtained by the conventional methods and by the real-time PCR assay were statistically correlated with a correlation coefficient (R2) between 0.73 and 0.78. The real-time PCR assay developed in this study is useful for screening for the presence and simultaneous differential quantification of C. jejuni and C. coli.

Antimicrobial resistance of 114 porcine isolates of Campylobacter coli

Campylobacter species were isolated from 24 pig farms in 10 different regions of Korea, and were assayed with regard to their susceptibility to eight antimicrobial agents. A total of 114 Campylobacter isolates from 572 intestinal samples were all identified as C. coli via both classical methods and molecular methods, including 16S rDNA sequence analysis and polymerase chain reactions (PCR) using specific primer sets for the hippuricase gene and the aspartokinase gene, designed to differentiate C. coli from C. jejuni. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of seven antimicrobial agents were determined via agar dilution: the MIC(90)s were 64 microg/ml for ampicillin, 8 microg/ml for chloramphenicol, 64 microg/ml for ciprofloxacin, 16 microg/ml for enrofloxacin, >or=128 microg/ml for erythromycin, >or=128 microg/ml for gentamicin, and >or=128 microg/ml for tetracycline. The proportion of isolates resistant to each antimicrobial agent was as follows: 28.9% for ampicillin, 2.6% for chloramphenicol, 84.2% for ciprofloxacin, 83.3% for enrofloxacin, 46.5% for erythromycin, 20.2% for gentamicin, and 56.1% for tetracycline. All 114 isolates were found to be resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, and 61 isolates (53.5%) were found to be multi-drug resistant (resistant to more than three antimicrobial agents in different classes).

Speciation of Campylobacter coli, C. jejuni, C. helveticus, C. lari, C. sputorum, and C. upsaliensis by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry

Multiple strains of Campylobacter coli, C. jejuni, C. helveticus, C. lari, C. sputorum, and C. upsaliensis isolated from animal, clinical, or food samples have been analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Whole bacterial cells were harvested from colonies or confluent growth on agar and transferred directly into solvent and then to a spot of dried 3-methoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (matrix). Multiple ions in the 5,000- to 15,000-Da mass range were evident in spectra for each strain; one or two ions in the 9,500- to 11,000-Da range were consistently high intensity. "Species-identifying" biomarker ions (SIBIs) were evident from analyses of multiple reference strains for each of the six species, including the genome strains C. jejuni NCTC 11168 and C. jejuni RM1221. Strains grown on nine different combinations of media and atmospheres yielded SIBI masses within +/-5 Da with external instrument calibration. The highest-intensity C. jejuni SIBIs were cytosolic proteins, including GroES, HU/HCj, and RplL. Multiple intraspecies SIBIs, corresponding probably to nonsynonymous nucleotide polymorphisms, also provided some intraspecies strain differentiation. MALDI-TOF MS analysis of 75 additional Campylobacter strains isolated from humans, poultry, swine, dogs, and cats revealed (i) associations of SIBI type with source, (ii) strains previously speciated incorrectly, and (iii) "strains" composed of more than one species. MALDI-TOF MS provides an accurate, sensitive, and rapid method for identification of multiple Campylobacter species relevant to public health and food safety.

Enzymatic activity of Campylobacter jejuni hippurate hydrolase

The hippurate hydrolase enzyme of Campylobacter jejuni was expressed in Escherichia coli as a six-histidine-tagged fusion protein. The purified recombinant enzyme was characterized to gain an understanding of the structure and activity of the hippurate hydrolase. The recombinant enzyme had a native molecular mass of 193+/- 11 kDa a reduced molecular mass of 42.4+/- 0.8 kDa, and possessed 1.98+/- 0.68 molecules of zinc per enzyme subunit molecule, suggesting that it was a homotetramer with two associated zinc ions. The enzyme was a metallocarboxypeptidase that was sensitive to silver, copper and ferrous ions, and displayed optimal activity at pH 7.5 and 50 degrees C. It hydrolyzed carboxypeptidase substrates in vitro, displaying its highest activity against N-benzoyl-linked small aliphatic amino acids. A high proportion of the enzyme structure consisted of highly ordered alpha-helix and beta-sheet sequences. An alignment of the amino acid sequence of the hippurate hydrolase enzyme with those of related enzymes with similar activities revealed several conserved amino acids, which might be involved in enzyme catalysis or metal ion binding for the enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis of the recombinant enzyme demonstrated that the Asp(76), Aps(104), Glu(134), Glu(135), His(161) and His(356) positions were important for the catalytic activity of the enzyme.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter in antimicrobial-free and conventional pig production systems

The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter species in swine reared in conventional and antimicrobial-free (ABF) production systems. Campylobacter coli was the predominant species, with 1,459 isolates (99%) in the study. We found significantly higher prevalence of C. coli on the ABF farms (77.3%) than on the conventional farms (27.6%) among pigs at the nursery stage (P < 0.001). At slaughter, we found significantly higher prevalence at the postevisceration than at the preevisceration stage (P < 0.001) in both production systems. The 1,459 C. coli isolates were tested with the agar dilution method for their susceptibility to six antimicrobials: chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, and tetracycline. Resistance was most prevalent against tetracycline (66.2% of isolates) followed by erythromycin (53.6% of isolates). Frequency of resistance to these two antimicrobials was significantly higher among conventional herds (83.4% for tetracycline and 77% for erythromycin) than among ABF herds (56.2% for tetracycline and 34.5% for erythromycin). Resistance to ciprofloxacin at the MIC (> 4 mg/liter) was also found on farms in both systems. Multidrug-resistant C. coli strains were detected in both the conventional (7%) and ABF (4%) herds. This is the first report of ciprofloxacin-resistant strains of C. coli in ABF pigs in the United States. These findings highlight the high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant C. coli in both conventional and ABF pig production systems and have significant implications for the persistence of antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter in the pig production environment regardless of levels of antimicrobial use.

Campylobacter coli: prevalence and antimicrobial resistance in antimicrobial-free (ABF) swine production systems

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter species in swine reared in the intensive and extensive antimicrobial-free (ABF) production systems at farm and slaughter. In the ABF system, antimicrobials are neither used for growth promotion nor therapeutic purposes.

METHODS

Swine faecal and carcass swabs were collected from 10 groups of pigs (five each from intensive and extensive ABF farms) at the finishing farm and the slaughter plant. A total of 292 pigs at farm (extensive 118; intensive 174) and 254 carcass swabs (extensive 134; intensive 120) were collected during the study. Campylobacter species were isolated under microaerobic conditions and confirmed by biochemical testing. Up to three presumptive Campylobacter colonies per positive pig/carcass were further characterized. Speciation was done by PCR, targeting ceuE and hipO genes for Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni, respectively. The isolates were tested for their antimicrobial resistance profile using the agar dilution method against six antimicrobials.

RESULTS

A total of 526 Campylobacter isolates were cultured from 292 pigs and 254 carcasses sampled. All the isolates were found to be C. coli. Overall prevalence of C. coli was 55.8% on farm (55% extensive and 56.3% intensive) and 26% at slaughter (32.8% extensive and 18.3% intensive). There was no significant difference in C. coli between the intensive and extensive systems on the finishing farms (P = 0.83). At post-chill stage, C. coli were isolated only from the extensively reared ABF pigs. Antimicrobial resistance against ciprofloxacin (MIC > 4 mg/L) was found at the farm level in both the intensive- and extensive-reared groups. The erythromycin/nalidixic acid/tetracycline resistance pattern (3%) was the most common pattern in multidrug-resistant C. coli.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the high prevalence of diverse and antimicrobial-resistant C. coli in the ABF production systems of swine. This is the first study reporting the isolation of ciprofloxacin-resistant strains from ABF pigs in the USA and warrants concern.

Development of real-time PCR and hybridization methods for detection and identification of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in pig faecal samples

AIMS

To develop a real-time (rt) PCR for species differentiation of thermophilic Campylobacter and to develop a method for assessing co-colonization of pigs by Campylobacter spp.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The specificity of a developed 5' nuclease rt-PCR for species-specific identification of Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter lari, Campylobacter upsaliensis and of a hipO gene nucleotide probe for detection of C. jejuni by colony-blot hybridization were determined by testing a total of 75 reference strains of Campylobacter spp. and related organisms. The rt-PCR method allowed species-specific detection of Campylobacter spp. in naturally infected pig faecal samples after an enrichment step, whereas the hybridization approach enhanced the specific isolation of C. jejuni (present in minority to C. coli) from pigs.

CONCLUSIONS

The rt-PCR was specific for Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, C. lari, and C. upsaliensis and the colony-blot hybridization approach provided an effective tool for isolation of C. jejuni from pig faecal samples typically dominated by C. coli.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Species differentiation between thermophilic Campylobacter is difficult by phenotypic methods and the developed rt-PCR provides an easy and fast method for such differentiation. Detection of C. jejuni by colony hybridization may increase the isolation rate of this species from pig faeces.

Survival of cold-stressed Campylobacter jejuni on ground chicken and chicken skin during frozen storage

Campylobacter jejuni is prevalent in poultry, but the effect of combined refrigerated and frozen storage on its survival, conditions relevant to poultry processing and storage, has not been evaluated. Therefore, the effects of refrigeration at 4 degrees C, freezing at -20 degrees C, and a combination of refrigeration and freezing on the survival of C. jejuni in ground chicken and on chicken skin were examined. Samples were enumerated using tryptic soy agar containing sheep's blood and modified cefoperazone charcoal deoxycholate agar. Refrigerated storage alone for 3 to 7 days produced a reduction in cell counts of 0.34 to 0.81 log10 CFU/g in ground chicken and a reduction in cell counts of 0.31 to 0.63 log10 CFU/g on chicken skin. Declines were comparable for each sample type using either plating medium. Frozen storage, alone and with prerefrigeration, produced a reduction in cell counts of 0.56 to 1.57 log10 CFU/g in ground chicken and a reduction in cell counts of 1.38 to 3.39 log10 CFU/g on chicken skin over a 2-week period. The recovery of C. jejuni following freezing was similar on both plating media. The survival following frozen storage was greater in ground chicken than on chicken skin with or without prerefrigeration. Cell counts after freezing were lower on chicken skin samples that had been prerefrigerated for 7 days than in those that had been prerefrigerated for 0, 1, or 3 days. This was not observed for ground chicken samples, possibly due to their composition. C. jejuni survived storage at 4 and -20 degrees C with either sample type. This study indicates that, individually or in combination, refrigeration and freezing are not a substitute for safe handling and proper cooking of poultry.

Species identification by genotyping and determination of antibiotic resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from humans and chickens in Sweden

Campylobacter is today the most common cause of human bacterial enteritis in Sweden, as well as in most other industrialized countries. Common sources of infection are undercooked chicken meat, unpasteurized milk and contaminated drinking water. One aim with our present study was to identify the species Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains from humans and chickens using a polymerase chain reaction/restriction enzyme analysis (PCR/REA) method, as well as traditional hippurate hydrolysis test. Another aim was to investigate the antibiotic resistance pattern of the human domestic C. jejuni/C. coli isolates from infected patients and isolates from healthy Swedish chicken, as well as isolates from humans infected abroad. If discrimination between C. jejuni and C. coli was based on testing for hippurate hydrolysis, 95% of the human domestic strains and 88% of the chicken strains were identified as C. jejuni. Based on genotyping by PCR/REA, 100% of the human domestic strains and 98% of the chicken strains were attributed to C. jejuni. The E-test and disc diffusion methods were used for phenotypic antibiotic resistance studies. The two methods gave similar results. Most Swedish C. jejuni/C. coli isolates both from humans and chickens were sensitive to doxycycline and erythromycin, which are antibiotics used to treat human infection. Only 7% of the human domestic strains and 2% of the chicken strains were resistant to the quinolones tested. As a comparison, more than 94% of strains isolated from travelers to Asia and southern Europe showed antibiotic resistance to one or more drugs.

Detection of seven virulence and toxin genes of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from Danish turkeys by PCR and cytolethal distending toxin production of the isolates

A total of 117 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from Danish turkeys were tested for the presence of seven virulence and toxin genes by PCR. One hundred seventeen (100%) isolates were positive for flaA, cadF, and ceuE gene primers. One hundred three (88%) isolates were positive for cdt gene cluster PCR detection (cdt gene cluster-PCR), whereas 101 (86.3%), 102 (87.2%), and 110 (94%) isolates were positive for cdtA-, cdtB-, and cdtC-PCR, respectively. Only 39 (33.3%) isolates were positive for virB11. Of 117 isolates, 114 (97.4%) produced cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) in Vero cell assays, 105 (89.7%) in Colon 205 assays, and 109 (93.2%) in chicken embryo cell assays. The CDT titers were determined in Vero cell assays. Of 117 isolates, 50 (42.7%) produced a CDT titer of 1:100, 29 (24.8%) of 1:50, and 27 (23%) of 1:5 to 1:10; 8 (6.8%) produced a CDT titer at undiluted supernatants and 3 (2.6%) produced no toxin. Twenty-nine C. jejuni isolates that were PCR negative for one or more individual cdt toxin genes also produced low or no CDT toxin. The high prevalence of the seven virulence and toxin genes demonstrates that these putative pathogenic determinants are widespread among Campylobacter isolates from turkeys and calls for further investigation for the elimination of Campylobacter infection in industrial turkey production and in industrial food chains.

Use of culture, PCR analysis, and DNA microarrays for detection of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from chicken feces

A DNA microarray for detection of Campylobacter spp. was recently developed and applied to detect Campylobacter spp. directly from chicken feces. Sixty-five pooled chicken cloacal swab samples from 650 individual broiler chickens were included in the study. The results of Campylobacter sp. detection obtained with DNA microarrays were compared to those obtained by conventional culture and gel electrophoresis. By conventional culture, 60% of the samples were positive for either Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli. By PCR and capillary electrophoresis, 95% of the samples were positive for Campylobacter spp., whereas with DNA microarrays all samples were positive for Campylobacter spp. By application of DNA microarray analysis, the isolates in 4 samples (6%) could not be identified to the species level, whereas by PCR-capillary electrophoresis, the isolates in 12 samples (19%) remained unidentified. Interestingly, PCR-capillary electrophoresis analysis revealed that two (3%) of the samples were positive for both C. jejuni and C. coli, while DNA microarray analysis revealed that nine (14%) of the samples were positive for both species. Of 65 samples, 2 samples were identified to contain C. coli by conventional culture but were positive for C. jejuni by both PCR-capillary electrophoresis and DNA microarray analysis. The discrepancy between the methods is discussed.

FlaC, a protein of Campylobacter jejuni TGH9011 (ATCC43431) secreted through the flagellar apparatus, binds epithelial cells and influences cell invasion

Type III secretion systems identified in bacterial pathogens of animals and plants transpose effectors and toxins directly into the cytosol of host cells or into the extracellular milieu. Proteins of the type III secretion apparatus are conserved among diverse and distantly related bacteria. Many type III apparatus proteins have homologues in the flagellar export apparatus, supporting the notion that type III secretion systems evolved from the flagellar export apparatus. No type III secretion apparatus genes have been found in the complete genomic sequence of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168. In this study, we report the characterization of a protein designated FlaC of C. jejuni TGH9011. FlaC is homologous to the N- and C-terminus of the C. jejuni flagellin proteins, FlaA and FlaB, but lacks the central portion of these proteins. flaC null mutants form a morphologically normal flagellum and are highly motile. In wild-type C. jejuni cultures, FlaC is found predominantly in the extracellular milieu as a secreted protein. Null mutants of the flagellar basal rod gene (flgF) and hook gene (flgE) do not secrete FlaC, suggesting that a functional flagellar export apparatus is required for FlaC secretion. During C. jejuni infection in vitro, secreted FlaC and purified recombinant FlaC bind to HEp-2 cells. Invasion of HEp-2 cells by flaC null mutants was reduced to a level of 14% compared with wild type, suggesting that FlaC plays an important role in cell invasion.

A family of auxin-conjugate hydrolases that contributes to free indole-3-acetic acid levels during Arabidopsis germination

Auxins are hormones important for numerous processes throughout plant growth and development. Plants use several mechanisms to regulate levels of the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), including the formation and hydrolysis of amide-linked conjugates that act as storage or inactivation forms of the hormone. Certain members of an Arabidopsis amidohydrolase family hydrolyze these conjugates to free IAA in vitro. We examined amidohydrolase gene expression using northern and promoter-beta-glucuronidase analyses and found overlapping but distinct patterns of expression. To examine the in vivo importance of auxin-conjugate hydrolysis, we generated a triple hydrolase mutant, ilr1 iar3 ill2, which is deficient in three of these hydrolases. We compared root and hypocotyl growth of the single, double, and triple hydrolase mutants on IAA-Ala, IAA-Leu, and IAA-Phe. The hydrolase mutant phenotypic profiles on different conjugates reveal the in vivo activities and relative importance of ILR1, IAR3, and ILL2 in IAA-conjugate hydrolysis. In addition to defective responses to exogenous conjugates, ilr1 iar3 ill2 roots are slightly less responsive to exogenous IAA. The triple mutant also has a shorter hypocotyl and fewer lateral roots than wild type on unsupplemented medium. As suggested by the mutant phenotypes, ilr1 iar3 ill2 imbibed seeds and seedlings have lower IAA levels than wild type and accumulate IAA-Ala and IAA-Leu, conjugates that are substrates of the absent hydrolases. These results indicate that amidohydrolases contribute free IAA to the auxin pool during germination in Arabidopsis.

PCR detection of seven virulence and toxin genes of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates from Danish pigs and cattle and cytolethal distending toxin production of the isolates

AIMS

To study the prevalence of seven virulence and toxin genes, and cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) production of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli isolates from Danish pigs and cattle.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The presence of the cadF, ceuE, virB11, flaA, cdtA, cdtB, cdtC and the cdt gene cluster among 40 C. jejuni and C. coli isolates was detected by polymerase chain reaction. The CDT production of the isolates was determined on Vero, colon 205 and chicken embryo cells. The cadF, flaA, ceuE and cdtB genes were detected from 100% of the isolates. The cdtA and cdtC genes were found in 95.0 and 90.0% of the isolates, respectively. The cdt gene cluster was detected in 82.5% isolates. Only 7.5% of the isolates were positive for virB11. Ninety-five per cent of the isolates produced CDT in Vero and colon 205 cell assays, and 90% of the isolates produced CDT in chicken embryo cell assays.

CONCLUSIONS

High prevalence of the cadF, ceuE, flaA and cdtB genes was found. Data of the prevalence of cdt genes was consistent with the CDT titres produced by the isolates. Campylobacter coli from pigs produced high CDT titres.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The high prevalence of seven virulence and toxin genes demonstrated that these putative pathogenic determinants are widespread among Campylobacter isolates from pigs and cattle. Campylobacter coli isolates from pigs produced much higher CDT titres compared with C. coli isolates from other sources suggesting that C. coli may be particularly adapted to or associated with this species.

Development of a sensitive DNA microarray suitable for rapid detection of Campylobacter spp

Campylobacter is the most common cause of human acute bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, widely distributed and isolated from human clinical samples as well as from many other different sources. To comply with the demands of consumers for food safety, there is a need for development of a rapid, sensitive and specific detection method for Campylobacter. In this study, we present the development of a novel sensitive DNA-microarray based detection method, evaluated on Campylobacter and non-Campylobacter reference strains, to detect Campylobacter directly from the faecal cloacal swabs. The DNA-microarray method consists of two steps: first, both universal bacterial sequences and specific Campylobacter sequences (size range: 149-307 bp) are amplified and fluorescently labeled using multiplex-PCR, targeting the 16S rRNA, the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic region and specific Campylobacter genes. Secondly, the Cy5 labeled PCR-amplicons are hybridised to immobilised capture probes on the microarray. The method allows detection of three to thirty genome equivalents (6-60 fg DNA) of Campylobacter within 3 h, with a hands on time of only 15 min. Using the DNA-microarrays, two closely related Campylobacter species, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli could be detected and differentiated directly from chicken faeces. The DNA-microarray method has a high potential for automation and incorporation into a dedicated mass screening microsystem.

A luxR homolog, aviR, in Agrobacterium vitis is associated with induction of necrosis on grape and a hypersensitive response on tobacco

A Tn5 mutant of Agrobacterium vitis F2/5 (M1154) differs from the wild-type strain in that it has lost its abilities to cause necrosis on grape and a hypersensitive-like response (HR) on tobacco. The Tn5 insertion occurred in an open reading frame (ORF) aviR that is homologous to genes encoding the LuxR family of transcriptional regulators, thereby suggesting that the HR and necrosis are regulated by a quorum-sensing system. Fewer N-acyl-homoserine lactone autoinducers were detected in extracts from M1154 compared with extracts from F2/5 and from aviR-complemented M1154. The complemented mutant regained full ability to cause grape necrosis and HR. Eighteen ORFs located on a 36.6-kb insert in cosmid clone CPB221, which includes aviR, were sequenced and aligned with homologous genes from A. tumefaciens C58 and Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm1021. The order of several clustered genes is conserved among the bacteria; however, rearrangements are also apparent. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that ORF2 and ORF14 may be regulated by an aviR-encoded transcriptional regulator. Single site-directed mutations in each of the ORFs, however, had no effect on expression of HR or necrosis as compared with the wild-type parent.

A specific bacterial aminoacylase cleaves odorant precursors secreted in the human axilla

Human axillary odor is known to be formed upon the action of Corynebacteria sp. on odorless axilla secretions. The known axilla odor determinant 3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid was identified in hydrolyzed axilla secretions along with a chemically related compound, 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid. The natural precursors of both these acids were purified from non-hydrolyzed axilla secretions. From liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis, it appeared that the acids are covalently linked to a glutamine residue in fresh axilla secretions, and the corresponding conjugates were synthesized for confirmation. Bacterial isolates obtained from the human axilla and belonging to the Corynebacteria were found to release the acids from these odorless precursors in vitro. A Zn(2+)-dependent aminoacylase mediating this cleavage was purified from Corynebacterium striatum Ax20, and the corresponding gene agaA was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme is highly specific for the glutamine residue but has a low specificity for the acyl part of the substrate. agaA is closely related to many genes coding for enzymes involved in the cleavage of N-terminal acyl and aryl substituents from amino acids. This is the first report of the structure elucidation of precursors for human body odorants and the isolation of the bacterial enzyme involved in their cleavage.

Rapid PCR using nested primers of the 16S rRNA and the hippuricase (hip O) genes to detect Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in environmental samples

Identification of sources Campylobacter infection in the poultry houses is in general problematic due to the lack of reliable methods to detect campylobacteria in environmental samples. Detection of campylobacteria in environmental samples by conventional culture methods is difficult and of limited sensitivity due to the use of selective media, the low number of bacteria in the samples and possibly also due to the presence of non-culturable or sub-lethally injured stages of the bacteria. The present paper describes a rapid PCR assay using nested primers of the 16S rRNA or the hippuricase (hip O) genes to detect Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in environmental samples. The sensitivity of the nested PCR was determined to be 0.01 pg/PCR, corresponding to 2-3 colony forming units (cfu) per ml. The nested PCR assays were applied to detect C. jejuni and C. coli in 269 environmental samples collected from ten broiler farms. The sensitivity, specificity and the usefulness of the PCR assay for detection of C. jejuni and C. coli in environmental samples are presented and discussed.

Characterization of a family of IAA-amino acid conjugate hydrolases from Arabidopsis

The mechanisms by which plants regulate levels of the phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) are complex and not fully understood. One level of regulation appears to be the synthesis and hydrolysis of IAA conjugates, which function in both the permanent inactivation and temporary storage of auxin. Similar to free IAA, certain IAA-amino acid conjugates inhibit root elongation. We have tested the ability of 19 IAA-l-amino acid conjugates to inhibit Arabidopsis seedling root growth. We have also determined the ability of purified glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusions of four Arabidopsis IAA-amino acid hydrolases (ILR1, IAR3, ILL1, and ILL2) to release free IAA by cleaving these conjugates. Each hydrolase cleaves a subset of IAA-amino acid conjugates in vitro, and GST-ILR1, GST-IAR3, and GST-ILL2 have K(m) values that suggest physiological relevance. In vivo inhibition of root elongation correlates with in vitro hydrolysis rates for each conjugate, suggesting that the identified hydrolases generate the bioactivity of the conjugates.

Generation of Campylobacter jejuni genetic diversity in vivo

Molecular epidemiology studies suggest that horizontal genetic exchange is a major cause of pathogen biodiversity. We tested this concept for the bacterial enteropathogen Campylobacter jejuni by seeking direct in vivo evidence for the exchange of genetic material among Campylobacter strains. For this purpose, two antibiotic resistance markers were inserted into the hipO or htrA gene of genetically distinct and naturally transformable C. jejuni strains. Genetic exchange of the resistance markers was analysed after co-cultivation of homologous and heterologous strains in vitro and in vivo during experimental infection of chickens. Double-resistant recombinants were obtained both in vitro and from the chicken intestine for all combinations of strains tested. Bidirectional genetic exchange of DNA between homologous and heterologous strains was confirmed by Southern blotting in combination with flaA polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Extensive PFGE analyses of isolated recombinants indicated the frequent occurrence of genetic rearrangements during the experimental infection, in addition to the homologous recombination of the antibiotic resistance genes. Together, the data indicate unequivocally that interstrain genetic exchange as well as intragenomic alterations do occur in vivo during C. jejuni infection. These events probably explain the genome plasticity observed for this pathogen.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for hippurate hydrolase of Campylobacter jejuni

Eleven monoclonal antibodies raised against recombinant Campylobacter jejuni hippurate hydrolase were tested for binding to lysates from 19 C. jejuni strains, 12 other Campylobacter strains, and 21 non-Campylobacter strains. Several monoclonal antibodies bound to C. jejuni but not to other Campylobacter species and may be useful in a species-specific immunoassay.

Identification and analysis of Staphylococcus aureus components expressed by a model system of growth in serum

A model system mimicking Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia was developed by growth in serum under microaerobic conditions. Eight genes induced by growth in serum were identified, including an antimicrobial peptide biosynthesis locus, amino acid biosynthetic loci, and genes encoding putative surface proteins. Nine independent insertions were found in the major lysine biosynthesis operon, which encodes eight genes, is repressed by lysine in vitro, and is expressed in vivo.

Characterization of an aminoacylase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus

Aminoacylase was identified in cell extracts of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus by its ability to hydrolyze N-acetyl-L-methionine and was purified by multistep chromatography. The enzyme is a homotetramer (42.06 kDa per subunit) and, as purified, contains 1.0 +/- 0.48 g-atoms of zinc per subunit. Treatment of the purified enzyme with EDTA resulted in complete loss of activity. This was restored to 86% of the original value (200 U/mg) by treatment with ZnCl(2) (and to 74% by the addition of CoCl(2)). After reconstitution with ZnCl(2), the enzyme contained 2.85 +/- 0.48 g-atoms of zinc per subunit. Aminoacylase showed broad substrate specificity and hydrolyzed nonpolar N-acylated L amino acids (Met, Ala, Val, and Leu), as well as N-formyl-L-methionine. The high K(m) values for these compounds indicate that the enzyme plays a role in the metabolism of protein growth substrates rather than in the degradation of cellular proteins. Maximal aminoacylase activity with N-acetyl-L-methionine as the substrate occurred at pH 6.5 and a temperature of 100 degrees C. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified aminoacylase was used to identify, in the P. furiosus genome database, a gene that encodes 383 amino acids. The gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli by using two approaches. One involved the T7 lac promoter system, in which the recombinant protein was expressed as inclusion bodies. The second approach used the Trx fusion system, and this produced soluble but inactive recombinant protein. Renaturation and reconstitution experiments with Zn(2+) ions failed to produce catalytically active protein. A survey of databases showed that, in general, organisms that contain a homolog of the P. furiosus aminoacylase (> or = 50% sequence identity) utilize peptide growth substrates, whereas those that do not contain the enzyme are not known to be proteolytic, suggesting a role for the enzyme in primary catabolism.

JlpA, a novel surface-exposed lipoprotein specific to Campylobacter jejuni, mediates adherence to host epithelial cells

A 1116 bp open reading frame (ORF), designated jlpA, encoding a novel species-specific lipoprotein of Campylobacter jejuni TGH9011, was identified from recombinant plasmid pHIP-O. The jlpA gene encodes a polypeptide (JlpA) of 372 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 42.3 kDa. JlpA contains a typical signal peptide and lipoprotein processing site at the N-terminus. The presence of a lipid moiety on the JlpA molecule was confirmed by the incorporation of [3H]-palmitic acid. Immunoblotting analysis of cell surface extracts prepared using glycine-acid buffer (pH 2.2) and proteinase K digestion of whole cells indicated that JlpA is a surface-exposed lipoprotein in C. jejuni. JlpA is loosely associated with the cell surface, as it is easily extracted from the C. jejuni outer membrane by detergents, such as sarcosyl and Triton X-100. JlpA is released to the culture medium, and its concentration increases in a time-dependent fashion. The adherence of both insertion and deletion mutants of jlpA to HEp-2 epithelial cells was reduced compared with that of parental C. jejuni TGH9011. Adherence of C. jejuni to HEp-2 cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when the bacterium was preincubated with anti-GST-JlpA antibodies or when HEp-2 cells were preincubated with JlpA protein. A ligand-binding immunoblotting assay showed that JlpA binds to HEp-2 cells, which suggests that JlpA is C. jejuni adhesin.

Eagle-type methicillin resistance: new phenotype of high methicillin resistance under mec regulator gene control

We report a novel phenotype of methicillin resistance, designated "Eagle-type" resistance, which is characteristic in its resistance to high concentrations of methicillin (64 to 512 microg/ml) and susceptibility to low concentrations of methicillin (2 to 16 microg/ml). The type of resistance was expressed in mutant strains selected with high concentrations (e.g., 128 to 512 microg/ml) of methicillin from the pre-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain N315, whose mecA gene transcription is strongly repressed by the mecI gene-encoded repressor protein MecI. The Eagle-type mutant strains harbored no mutation in the mecI gene or in the operator region of mecA gene to which MecI repressor is supposed to bind. In the representative Eagle-type strain h4, repression of mecA gene transcription and penicillin-binding protein 2' production were found to be released by exposing the cells to a high concentration (128 microg/ml) of methicillin but not to lower concentrations (1 and 8 microg/ml) of methicillin. The strain h4 expressed paradoxical susceptibility (Eagle effect) to the cytokilling activity of methicillin. Experimental deletion of mecI gene from the chromosome of h4 by mecI-specific gene substitution converted its Eagle-type resistance to homogeneously high methicillin resistance. We cloned two novel genes, designated hmrA and hmrB, from genomic library of h4, which conferred Eagle-type resistance to N315 when introduced into the cell in multiple copies. The genes were shown to confer homogeneous methicillin resistance to the heterogeneously methicillin-resistant strain LR5 when they were introduced into on multicopy plasmids. This result strongly indicated that the genetic alteration responsible for the expression of the Eagle phenotype is identical, or equivalent in its effect, to the genetic alteration underlying heterogeneous-to-homogeneous conversion of methicillin resistance in S. aureus.

Cloning of the sodA gene from Corynebacterium melassecola and role of superoxide dismutase in cellular viability

The sodA gene encoding the Corynebacterium melassecola manganese-cofactored superoxide dismutase (SOD) has been cloned in Escherichia coli and sequenced. The gene is transcribed monocistronically; the predicted polypeptide is 200 amino acids long and associates in a homotetrameric, manganese-dependent form, able to complement an SOD-deficient E. coli mutant. A second open reading frame, coding for a putative 217-amino-acid protein with high homology to peptide methionine sulfoxide reductases from various origins, has been identified immediately upstream of sodA in the opposite transcription orientation. The sodA gene was inactivated by insertion of an integrative vector carrying a kanamycin resistance gene. The growth rate of the SOD-deficient integrant was only slightly affected in BHI rich medium as well as in BMCG chemically defined medium, but was strongly affected by the presence of the redox-cycling agent paraquat. The SOD deficiency had, on the other hand, a deleterious effect on viability as soon as the culture entered the stationary phase of growth in BHI medium. Surprisingly, SOD deficiency was able to rescue the dramatic loss of viability observed for the wild-type strain in BMCG synthetic medium when glucose was not the limiting growth factor.

Antimicrobial resistance profiling and DNA Amplification Fingerprinting (DAF) of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in human, poultry and porcine samples from the Cork region of Ireland

Antimicrobial resistance (R) typing and DNA Amplification Fingerprinting (DAF) of a random collection of 84 Irish thermophilic Campylobacter isolates is described. The collection included human, veterinary (porcine) and poultry isolates cultured between 1996 and 1998 in the Cork region of Ireland. Biochemical and molecular methods were used to identify Campylobacter jejuni and Camp. coli. Many of these isolates were simultaneously resistant to several common antimicrobial agents. In particular, resistance to ampicillin, spectinomycin, sulphafurazole and tetracycline was common. A total of 74 DAF profiles was identified among the study collection, showing a high degree of diversity. Dendrogram analysis of the DNA patterns identified three main clusters at the 50% similarity level, which included two clusters of Camp. coli and a third containing a mixture of Camp. jejuni and Camp. coli.

Identification and characterisation of a gene encoding aminoacylase activity from Lactococcus lactis MG1363

Analysis of the sequence of a randomly cloned chromosomal DNA fragment (3.2 kb) from Lactococcus lactis revealed the presence of part of an open reading frame, designated amd1, which specifies a protein displaying significant similarity to aminoacylases from various bacteria. The presence of an immobilised copy of an IS982 element immediately upstream of the coding region of amd1 has probably resulted in the displacement of amd1's native promoter. This genetic organisation was shown to be retained in seven other dairy strains, one of which was only slightly different. The amd1 gene was overexpressed in L. lactis NZ9800 under the control of the inducible nisA promoter and the deacetylating capacity of its gene product was measured on a number of substrates.

Rapid identification of Campylobacter, Arcobacter, and Helicobacter isolates by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 16S rRNA gene

A rapid two-step identification scheme based on PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene was developed in order to differentiate isolates belonging to the Campylobacter, Arcobacter, and Helicobacter genera. For 158 isolates (26 reference cultures and 132 clinical isolates), specific RFLP patterns were obtained and species were successfully identified by this assay.

Arginine biosynthesis inCampylobacter jejuniTGH9011: determination of theargCOBDcluster

Arginine biosynthetic genes from Campylobacter jejuni TGH9011 were cloned by functional complementation of the respective Escherichia coli arginine biosynthetic mutants. Complementation of argA, argB, argC, argD, argE, argF, and argH auxotrophs was accomplished using a pBR322-based C. jejuni TGH9011 plasmid library. By cross-complementation analyses, the first four steps of arginine biosynthesis were shown to be closely linked on the genome. Two additional clones complementing the first (ArgA) and fifth (ArgE) steps in arginine biosynthesis were obtained. Neither recombinant showed linkage to the arg cluster, to each other, nor to other arginine biosynthetic functions by cross-complementation. Genes argF and argH were not linked to other arginine biosynthetic genes by cross-complementation analysis. Restriction enzyme patterns of recombinant plasmids fell into five groups. Group I contained the arg(ABCD) complementing locus. Group II and Group III were the two genetic loci corresponding to the argA and argE complementing genes. Group II contains the hipO gene encoding N-benzoylglycine-amino-acid amidohydrolase, also known as hippurate hydrolase. Group III contains the hipO homolog of C. jejuni. Group IV represents the argF gene. GroupV is the argH gene. Functional complementation of mutations in the first four steps of the arginine biosynthetic pathway was obtained on recombinant plasmid pARGC2. The predicted order of gene complementation was argCargA(argBargD). The sequence of the insert in plasmid pARGC2 revealed direct homologs for argC, argB, and argD. However, sequence analysis of the gene complementing ArgA function in two separate E. coli argA mutants determined that the C. jejuni gene was not a canonical argA gene. The gene complementing the argA defect, which we call argO, showed limited homology to the streptothricin acetyltransferase gene (sat) of Escherichia coli. The flanking open reading frames in pARGC2 showed no homologies to arginine biosynthetic genes. The structure of the argCOBD gene arrangement is discussed with reference to the presence and location of other arginine biosynthetic genes on the genome of C. jejuni and other bacterial organisms.Key words: arginine synthesis, Campylobacter jejuni, arginine biosynthetic genes, gene sequence, gene arrangement.

Routine identification of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from human stool samples

Correct identification of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates to the species or subspecies level is a cumbersome but nevertheless important task for a routine diagnostic laboratory. The widely used biochemical tests might be often misleading while more sophisticated phenotypic or genotypic methods are not generally available. This investigation was performed to assess the performance of common biochemical identification in comparison with species-specific PCR and gas liquid chromatography of whole cell fatty acid extracts (GLC). A total of 150 consecutive isolates from human stool samples were investigated (134 C. jejuni ssp. jejuni, 14 C. coli, two Helicobacter pullorum). From these 144, 145 and 149 isolates were correctly identified by biochemistry, GLC and PCR, respectively. Biochemical identification of all C. jejuni isolates was confirmed by PCR. GLC detected both H. pullorum strains but misidentified two C. coli strains as C. jejuni and one C. jejuni strain as C. coli. No single method can be defined as 'gold standard' for identification of C. jejuni and C. coli but a combination of techniques is needed. Therefore a stepwise identification scheme starting with biochemical reactions is suggested. All results other than C. jejuni should be confirmed by further methods. For indoxyl acetate-positive isolates species-specific PCR is recommended while GLC seems to be advantageous in indoxyl acetate-negative isolates.