Caries Inhibition by and Safety of Lactobacillus paracasei DSMZ16671

Lactobacillus paracasei DSMZ16671, even if heat-killed, sensitively co-aggregates mutans streptococci specifically. Mutans streptococci are strongly implicated in caries induction in humans and rodents. We hypothesized: (1) that S. mutans recoveries from rats’ teeth in vivo will decrease, with an associated decrease in caries, if these lactobacilli are fed to rats in an established caries model; and (2) that toxicological assays of these lactobacilli will show them to be benign. Four groups of specific-pathogen-free rats were formed: S. mutans 10449S-inoculated/16671-supplemented diet; un-inoculated/16671-supplemented diet; S. mutans 10449S-inoculated/placebo diet; and un-inoculated/placebo diet. Standard tests of toxicity and mutagenicity of heat-killed DSMZ16671 were performed. S. mutans recoveries were significantly reduced both in mid-experiment and at termination, as were caries lesion scores for the rats inoculated by S. mutans and fed the DSMZ16671 supplement, by comparison with controls. Neither toxicity nor mutagenicity of DSMZ16671 was detected. Use of heat-killed DSMZ16671 is efficacious in rats and appears safe.

Specific Lactobacillus/Mutans Streptococcus co-aggregation

Selective interaction of mutans streptococci with benign bacteria could present an opportunity for their removal from the mouth without disruption of other oral flora. This study was conducted to find probiotic lactobacilli that could specifically co-aggregate in vitro with mutans streptococci, but not with other plaque commensals. A search of 624 lactobacilli among a large culture library revealed 6 strains, all classifiable as L. paracasei or L. rhamnosus, which met this criterion. Such novel, specific co-aggregation, however, was not a general characteristic of these species or the genus Lactobacillus. The co-aggregation by these specific lactobacilli was characterized as heat treatment (autoclaving)- and protease-resistant, lectin-independent, not inactivated by sugar substitutes, operational over a wide pH range, unaffected by whole saliva, but calcium-dependent. It is thus seen to present a potential strategy for in vivo alteration of plaque biofilm and caries.

Two-chain bacteriorhodopsin synthesized by Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Bacteriorhodopsin (BR), the light-driven proton pump of Halobacterium salinarium purple membrane, was produced in functional form as a two-chain protein by simultaneous expression in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe of two separate structural genes, one coding for an aminoterminal BR fragment encompassing the first two transmembrane helices of BR, the other coding for the remainder of the protein. The fragments assemble spontaneously in vivo to yield functional BR which can be purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography.

Properties of bacteriorhodopsin derivatives constructed by insertion of an exogenous epitope into extra-membrane loops

Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is folded into a bundle of seven alpha-helices which is embedded in the cellular membrane of Halobacterium salinarium; these helices are connected by short extra-membrane loops, three on the cytoplasmic side and three on the outside. Oligonucleotide-directed insertion or replacement mutagenesis was used to integrate the C-terminal sequence (13 amino acids long) of Sendai virus L-protein individually into each of the six helix-connecting loops. The altered gene products were obtained by expression of the mutant genes in either Escherichia coli or Schizosaccharomyces pombe and were used to reconstitute BR in proteoliposomes. In four cases (altered loops B/C, C/D, D/E or E/F), the mutant BRs were found to be fully functional as judged by light-driven proton pumping and photocycle kinetics. Within the four functional BR variants, recognition of the viral epitope by a monoclonal antibody is restricted to modified loops B/C and E/F. Immunogold staining of S.pombe cells producing either of the two latter BR variants shows that the protein is distributed among various cellular membranes but is not present in mitochondrial membranes. Sequence alteration of loop A/B or F/G resulted in loss of function, most plausibly due to a folding defect of the respective proteins. These results on the one hand document differences in structural importance of the various BR extra-membrane loops and on the other hand open the door to the construction of multifunctional membrane proteins via loop replacement mutagenesis of BR.

Peptide production by a combination of gene expression, chemical synthesis, and protease-catalyzed conversion

We describe a new approach for the production of peptides using a combination of recombinant DNA technology, chemical synthesis, and proteinase-catalyzed processing. An artificial substance P-precursor is produced as a beta-galactosidase (1-459) fusion protein containing nine copies of the decapeptide sequence Arg-Leu-Arg-Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe. The fusion protein accumulates in E. coli as insoluble inclusion bodies which are easily isolated and purified. The decapeptide blocks are selectively cleaved from the insoluble fusion protein by alpha-chymotrypsin. Alternatively, a dodecapeptide ester is produced when a dipeptide ester is included in the chymotrypsin reaction mixture. This peptide ester is converted converted to substance P by papain-catalyzed acyl transfer and subsequent tryptic cleavage. These results demonstrate that peptides can be readily produced by a combination of recombinant DNA technology and proteinase-catalyzed conversion. The approach allows incorporation of groups other than natural amino acids into oligo- and polypeptides.

High-yield production of bacteriorhodopsin via expression of a synthetic gene in Escherichia coli

A gene (bos) coding for bacterioopsin (BO), the apoprotein of bacteriorhodopsin was assembled from chemically synthesized oligonucleotides by a new method of repeated rounds of insertion mutagenesis. The gene sequence was designed for convenient manipulation in future protein engineering experiments. In-frame fusion of bos to the lacZ454 gene allowed high-yield production in Escherichia coli of a beta-Gal454/BO fusion protein, deposited as intracellular inclusion bodies. These were enriched by virtue of their insolubility in 0.5% Triton X-100 and cleaved in aqueous suspension with IgA protease at a specific site provided at the beta-Gal454/BO boundary. Pure BO could be obtained from the mixture of water-insoluble cleavage products by selective extraction into organic solvent. The yield was in the range 30-50 mg pure protein/l culture medium, depending on individual preparation. This material could be used for reconstitution of fully functional bacteriorhodopsin. Taken together, the procedure constitutes a practical basis for the production of genetically engineered bacteriorhodopsins.