Biomedical subjects

J J Iandolo

Publications and source records attributed to J J Iandolo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

FnrP interactions with the Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin promoter.

Pasteurella haemolytica FnrP is homologous to Fnr, the global transcriptional regulator of anaerobic respiration in Escherichia coli. To investigate the role of O(2) in the expression of P. haemolytica leukotoxin, we tested a lktC::lacZ fusion constructed in E. coli for a FnrP-mediated regulatory effect under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Both E. coli Fnr and FnrP suppressed leukotoxin transcription under aerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, Fnr suppressed transcription, while FnrP increased transcription. These results were confirmed using FnrP*, a mutant form of FnrP that activates anaerobically inducible genes under aerobic conditions. In mobility shift assays, partially purified FnrP bound to a potential regulatory site in a P. haemolytica lktC promoter fragment.

Aerobiosis↗

PubMed1999

The crystal structure of exfoliative toxin B: a superantigen with enzymatic activity.

The exfoliative toxins (ETs) cause staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, a disease characterized by specific separation of layers of the skin. Evidence suggests that the toxins act as serine proteases, though the specific substrate and mode of action are not known for certain. The crystal structure of exfoliative toxin A (ETA) was reported earlier and shown to be similar to that of the chymotrypsin-like serine proteases. Here, we report the 2.4 A resolution crystal structure of the other exfoliative toxin, ETB, which is 40% identical to ETA. The overall structures of ETA and ETB are similar including the positions of key residues within the active site. The structure of ETB supports the previous findings that the ETs are serine proteases that cleave substrates after glutamic acid residues. In this study we also discuss a number of structural differences including a large 14 residue loop insertion which may be a key feature involved in the differing biological properties of the ETs, particularly the pyrogenic and lethal activities of ETB not shared by ETA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Unique superantigen activity of staphylococcal exfoliative toxins.

Certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus express one or both of two related, but immunologically distinct, exfoliative toxins (ETA and ETB). These toxins induce the symptoms associated with staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. Both ETs have been shown to stimulate T cell proliferation. Recently, it was reported that ETA is a superantigen that stimulates T cells bearing human Vbeta2 or several murine Vbetas. However, other investigators have proposed that the superantigenicity reported for ETA resulted from contaminants in commercial preparations. This present study addresses those conflicting reports by assessing the biological and immunologic activities of highly purified rETs. ETA and ETB required APCs to induce selective polyclonal expansion of several human Vbetas (huVbetas), although, neither toxin expanded huVbeta2. ETB induced expansion of murine T cells bearing Vbetas 7 and 8, those that have the highest homology to the huVbetas expanded by ETA and ETB. Although flow cytometry of ETB-stimulated T cells matched PCR results, stimulation by ETA reduced percentages of T cells positive for several huVbetas that had been shown to have increased levels of mRNA transcripts. ETA and ETB induced contrasting reactions in vivo. In rabbits, ETB was moderately pyrogenic and enhanced susceptibility to lethal shock, while ETA lacked both activities. Predictions based on comparisons with other superantigens suggest molecular regions potentially involved in receptor binding in the ETA crystal structure and a modeled ETB three-dimensional structure. These results show that ETs are superantigens with unique properties that could account for the discrepancies reported.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding Pasteurella haemolytica FnrP, a regulator of the Escherichia coli silent hemolysin sheA.

A Pasteurella haemolytica A1 gene was identified from a recombinant library clone that expressed hemolysis in host Escherichia coli cells. The gene, designated fnrP, had sequence identity to E. coli fnr, a global transcriptional regulator of genes required for conversion to anaerobic growth. FnrP complemented anaerobic deficiencies of a fnr-null mutant strain of E. coli and increased expression of the Fnr-dependent, anaerobic terminal reductase gene, frdA. FnrP was purified, identified by immunoblotting, and shown to be nonhemolytic. When FnrP was expressed in E. coli DeltasheA, a null mutant of the cryptic hemolysin SheA, the transformants were nonhemolytic, indicating that FnrP activates this silent hemolysin.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed1999

Cloning and expression of cadD, a new cadmium resistance gene of Staphylococcus aureus.

A cadmium resistance gene, designated cadD, has been identified in and cloned from the Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pRW001. The gene is part of a two-component operon which contains the resistance gene cadD and an inactive regulatory gene, cadX*. A high degree of sequence similarity was observed between cadD and the cadB-like gene from S. lugdunensis, but no significant similarity was found with either cadA or cadB from the S. aureus plasmids pI258 and pII147. The positive regulatory gene cadX* is identical to cadX from pLUG10 over a stretch of 78 codons beginning at the N terminus, but it is truncated at this point and inactive. Sequence analysis showed that the cadmium resistance operon resides on a 3,972-bp element that is flanked by direct repeats of IS257. The expression of cadD in S. aureus and Bacillus subtilis resulted in low-level resistance to cadmium; in contrast, cadA and cadB from S. aureus induced higher level resistance. However, when the truncated version of cadX contained in pRW001 is complemented in trans with cadX from plasmid pLUG10, resistance increased approximately 10-fold suggesting that the cadmium resistance operons from pRW001 and pLUG10 are evolutionarily related. Moreover, the truncated version of cadX contained in pRW001 is nonfunctional and may have been generated by deletion during recombination to acquire the cadmium resistance element.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

The enterotoxin D plasmid of Staphylococcus aureus encodes a second enterotoxin determinant (sej).

Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin D is one of the serotypes most commonly associated with food poisoning. Further characterization of the enterotoxin D-encoding plasmid revealed the presence of an open reading frame which encodes a previously unidentified enterotoxin, designated staphylococcal enterotoxin J (SEJ). SEJ is a protein of 269 amino acid residues which has substantial sequence similarity to the staphylococcal A, E, D family of enterotoxins. The enterotoxin D and J open reading frames are transcribed in opposite directions and are separated by an 895 nucleotide intergenic region which contains a perfect inverted repeat, with each arm of the repeat having a length of 21 nucleotides. Chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (cat) transcriptional fusions were used to quantify expression from the enterotoxin gene promoters. Both enterotoxin genes are expressed in S. aureus. However, only sed is regulated by the agr virulence gene signal transduction pathway. Western blot analyses utilizing anti-enterotoxin antisera have confirmed the results obtained with the cat reporter system. PCR amplification studies suggest that the sej determinant may be present on all sed-encoding plasmids.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Genetic instability of the global regulator agr explains the phenotype of the xpr mutation in Staphylococcus aureus KSI9051.

Staphylococcus aureus KSI9051 has a complex mutation that was associated with the aberrant expression of cell surface and extracellular proteins (M. S. Smeltzer, M. E. Hart, and J. J. Iandolo, J. Bacteriol. 61:919-925, 1993). This mutation was named xpr, although no specific gene was identified. Here this mutation is referred to as Delta1058::Tn551. In this study, we show that in strain KSI9051, the Delta1058::Tn551 mutation occurred coincidentally with a frameshift in agrC that is expected to truncate the sensor component of the known staphylococcal global regulatory locus agr. Remarkably, pleiotropic mutations affecting cell surface and extracellular proteins are generated at frequencies approaching 50% upon the transduction of erythromycin resistance (Emr) encoded by Delta1058::Tn551 from S. aureus KSI905 back to its parental strain, S6C. Three independent isolates created in the manner of KSI9051 contained mutations within agrC. Each isolate had different mutations, suggesting that the transduction of Emr encoded by Delta1058::Tn551 affects the stability of agrC in S6C. In similar experiments with strains from an S. aureus 8325 genetic background, a mutant AgrC phenotype could not be isolated, implying that strain S6 has aberrant genetic behavior. A comparison of the nucleotide sequences of AgrC from several strains revealed seven errors in the GenBank entry for agr (X52543); these data were confirmed with plasmid pRN6650, the original wild-type clone of agr.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Prevalence and chromosomal map location of Staphylococcus aureus adhesin genes.

Using genomic DNA from 25 unrelated strains and probes specific for each gene, we assessed the prevalence of the Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) adhesion genes cna, fnbA, fnbB, fib, clfA, fbpA, ebpS and map. All 25 strains encoded fib, clfA, ebpS, map and at least one of the fnb genes. fbpA and coa appeared to be allelic variants of the same gene with the fbpA variant being present in only four of 25 isolates. cna was present in 10 of 25 strains. Using Southern blot analysis of SmaI-digested genomic DNA resolved by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, the adhesion genes were mapped to SmaI fragments A (ebpS), B (fib and clfA), C (fnbA/fnbB), E (fbpA), F (map) and G (cna). Despite variations in SmaI restriction profiles, co-localization of adhesin genes with genes known to map to specific SmaI fragments in the Sa 8325-4 chromosome strains suggests that the chromosomal location of each adhesin gene is conserved.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

PubMed1997

The Staphylococcus aureus collagen adhesin-encoding gene (cna) is within a discrete genetic element.

Although the gene (cna) encoding the Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) collagen adhesin is not present in all strains, the DNA both upstream and downstream of cna is present in all Sa strains. Using oligo primers corresponding to the conserved nt flanking cna and template DNA from Sa strains that do not encode cna, we amplified a 372-bp fragment. These results illustrate that the conserved regions upstream and downstream of cna are contiguous in strains that do not encode cna. Using primers corresponding to the conserved flanking DNA together with primers corresponding to the 5' and 3' ends of cna, we also amplified DNA fragments containing the junctions between the cna genetic element and the conserved flanking sequences. Sequence comparisons of the amplification products from four cna negative and four cna positive strains revealed that cna is within a discrete genetic element that extends 202 bp upstream from the cna start codon and 100 bp downstream of the cna stop codon. Sequence analysis of the ends of the cna element did not reveal any of the repeats characteristic of transposable elements. These results suggest that cna may be part of a larger element (e.g., a phage) that may or may not contain cna. Alternatively, cna may be a subject to a precise excision event resulting in its deletion from the chromosome. Based on sequence analysis of the flanking DNA amplified from strains that do not encode cna, the presence of a cna genetic element does not disrupt an ORF.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

PubMed1997

Exploiting the unique biophysical properties of bacteriocins to purify Bac 1829 from Staphylococcus aureus KSI1829.

Bac1829 from Staphylococcus aureus KSI1829 is a newly identified peptide bacteriocin that inhibits a broad spectrum of bacteria. By taking advantage of its cationic and hydrophobic nature, a purification scheme was developed utilizing preparative isoelectric focusing and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Due to a high pI value of approximately 9-10, 71% of the total Bac1829 activity was concentrated in two fractions by preparative isoelectric focusing. Final purification by high performance liquid chromatography on a propyl hydrophobic interaction column resulted in a 136-fold purification with an increase in specific activity from 181 to 24,623 antimicrobial units (AU)/mg protein. A total of 14,848 AU of Bac 1829 were purified using this revised procedure, compared to 8702 AU as described previously. Mass spectrographic analysis of the purified sample yielded a single peak of 6418 +/- 2 daltons. Since many bacteriocins possess similar biophysical attributes, the purification scheme presented in this communication may be applicable to those which have proven difficult to purify or have not been purified.

Bacteriocins↗

PubMed1997

Purification and characterization of staphylococcin BacR1, a broad-spectrum bacteriocin.

The bacteriocin BacR1 was purified from culture supernatant of Staphylococcus aureus UT0007 by sequential ammonium sulfate precipitation, cation-exchange chromatography, and C4 reverse-phase chromatography steps. Mass spectrographic analysis indicated that the purified peptide has a molecular mass of 3,338 Da. It is resistant to environmental conditions, retaining full biological activity after exposure to pH extremes (pHs 3 to 11), heating at 95 degrees C for 15 min, and exposure to strong chaotropic agents. BacR1 was destroyed with a complete loss of biological activity after digestion with trypsin and proteinase K. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed a high concentration of Asx, Gly, and Pro residues and a high proportion of hydrophobic amino acids. The peptide is bactericidal and kills in a dose-dependent manner, but it does not lyse log-phase cells of Corynebacterium renale, the routine indicator organism for bacteriocin assay. A specific receptor for binding was detected on sensitive cells but not on insensitive cells. Competition assays showed that UV-inactivated cells could protect susceptible cells from antibacterial action. A partial inhibitory spectrum revealed that organisms from the following genera are susceptible: Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Haemophilus, Bordetella, Moraxella, Pasteurella, Neisseria, and Bacillus.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1996

Purification and partial characterization of a novel antibacterial agent (Bac1829) Produced by Staphylococcus aureus KSI1829.

A novel antimicrobial agent from Staphylococcus aureus KSI1829, designated Bac1829, was purified by sequential steps of ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-50 gel filtration chromatography, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Purified Bac1829 has a molecular mass of 6,418 +/- 2 Da. The peptide in heat stable, since full biological activity is retained after heating at 95 degrees C for 15 min, and it is destroyed by digestion with proteases. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed a high concentration of Ala and Gly residues, which respectively comprised 24 and 19% of the total amino acid content. Additionally, high levels of hydrophobic amino acids were present, accounting for the hydrophobic nature of Bac1829. Purified Bac1829 killed exponentially growing Corynebacterium renale in a dose-dependent manner by a bactericidal mode of action. A partial inhibitory spectrum analysis revealed that the following organisms were sensitive to the inhibitory activity of Bac1829: S. aureus RN4220, Streptococcus suis, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, C. renale, Corynebacterium diptheriae, Haemophilus parasuis, Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella bronchoseptica, Moraxella bovis, and Pasteurella multocida.

Bacteria↗

PubMed1995

Staphylococcal enterotoxins bind H-2Db molecules on macrophages.

We screened a panel of monoclonal antibodies against selected macrophage cell surface molecules for their ability to inhibit enterotoxin binding to major histocompatibility complex class II-negative C2D (H-2b) macrophages. Two monoclonal antibodies, HB36 and TIB126, that are specific for the alpha 2 domain of major histocompatibility complex class I, blocked staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B (SEA and SEB, respectively) binding to C2D macrophages in a specific and concentration-dependent manner. Inhibitory activities were haplotype-specific in that SEA and SEB binding to H-2k or H-2d macrophages was not inhibited by either monoclonal antibody. HB36, but not TIB126, inhibited enterotoxin-induced secretion of cytokines by H-2b macrophages. Lastly, passive protection of D-galactosamine-sensitized C2D mice by injection with HB36 antibody prevented SEB-induced death. Therefore, SEA and SEB binding to the alpha 2 domain of the H-2Db molecule induces biological activity and has physiological consequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Accessory gene regulator controls Staphylococcus aureus virulence in endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the contribution of toxins to the severity of Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis. METHODS: Experimental endophthalmitis was established by injecting rabbit eyes with wild type S. aureus ISP479 and the isogenic attenuated strain, ISP546, defective in expression of the global regulator locus agr. agr regulates expression of at least 19 exoproteins that are potentially important in the pathogenesis of endophthalmitis. Infections were evaluated using electroretinography, slit lamp biomicroscopy, and histology. Two concentrations (approximately 10 and 1000 organisms) of bacteria were injected. RESULTS: The agr- strain consistently resulted in slower loss of b-wave response when compared to the wild type strain, irrespective of inoculum size. Clinical signs were less severe among the agr- group at 24 and 48 hours when 10 organisms were injected. However, when the number of bacteria injected was increased to 1000, earlier onset of clinical signs was observed, with both groups showing maximum cell and flare and a white fundal reflex at 48 hours after infection. Histologic examination of eyes enucleated 36 hours after inoculation revealed that the wild type strain induced focal retinal destruction and mild vitritis, whereas eyes infected with the agr- strain remained completely normal. Histologic examination carried out when loss of B-wave response was 100% revealed that retinal changes for both groups could not be distinguished. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that toxin production by S. aureus contributes to severity of endophthalmitis by accelerating the rate of onset of retinal damage. Therefore, toxin-targeting therapies instituted early in the course of infection could preserve retinal function.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

A genetic and molecular characterization of the recA gene from Staphylococcus aureus.

Previous studies have identified mutant strains of Staphylococcus aureus that have deficiencies in genetic recombination and DNA repair. Although these phenotypes were tentatively attributed to mutations within the S. aureus recA gene, experimental evidence to confirm this has never been reported. To characterize recA from S. aureus, we first isolated transposon insertion mutations that were in close proximity to the recA-like mutation (uvs-568) in strain 112 UVS-1. This allowed for the mobilization of the uvs-568 mutation into strain RN4220, the common laboratory strain of S. aureus. Next, using Bacillus subtilis recA as a probe, we cloned S. aureus recA and determined its nucleotide sequence. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence of RecA contained 347 aa and was 74% identical to B. subtilis RecA. Using a cloned DNA fragment originating from within S. aureus recA, we then constructed a recA null mutant strain, designated KB103, which exhibited the same phenotypic characteristics imposed by the uvs-568 mutation in the same background. Furthermore, genetic and physical mapping of S. aureus recA placed it in the same region as the uvs-568 mutation. These data strongly suggest that these mutations represent different alleles of the same recA gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

The effect of lysogeny on the genomic organization of Staphylococcus aureus.

The genome of Staphylococcus aureus strain S6C was shown to contain a prophage inserted within the beta-toxin (BT)-encoding structural gene (hlb). The phage att site was identical to that reported for the BT-converting phages phi 13 and phi 42. The prophage carried the genes encoding staphylokinase (sak) and enterotoxin A (sea), which suggests that it is similar to phi 42. However, it was not included in the presence of mitomycin C (MC) and appears to be defective. Mapping studies revealed that the genomes of the BT-converting phages present in strains S6C and PS42D (a phi 42 lysogen) encode at least one SmaI restriction site. Moreover, the PS42D chromosome contained a second prophage that also had at least one SmaI site, carried both sak and sea, and hybridized with DNA probes that also hybridize with the BT-converting phages. The second phage in strain PS42D was mapped to a SmaI fragment corresponding to fragment A of the S. aureus strain 8325 genomic map. Although the BT-converting phage present in strain S6C could not be induced, a phage was induced from strain S6C using MC. Southern blots suggest that is is similar to phi 11; however, the restriction patterns of DNA from the induced phage and phi 11 were clearly distinct. We have designated the inducible phage present in strain S6C as phi 15, to denote the distinction. Relatively weak hybridization signals were also observed when phi 15 DNA was used to probe genomic DNA from S. aureus strains lysogenized with the BT-converting phages, phi 13, phi 42 and 42E.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacterial Toxins↗

PubMed1994

Differential RNA regulation by staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B in murine macrophages.

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is significantly better than enterotoxin B (SEB) in activating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) secretion by B6MP102 cells. Both toxins bound to B6MP102 cells; however, SEB competed less effectively with SEA than SEA competed with SEB. This suggested that receptors unique to SEA were present on B6MP102 cells. Signal transduction occurred in response to both toxins. Within 30 s after addition, SEA and SEB significantly increased the F-actin concentration in B6MP102 cells. However, only SEA induced increased TNF mRNA levels. B6MP102 cells incubated with interferon-gamma and SEB secreted TNF. However, enhanced mRNA expression was delayed and the concentration of TNF secreted was less than that of B6MP102 cells stimulated with SEA. Although these data suggest that receptors unique to SEA are present on B6MP102 cells, they also indicate that staphylococcal enterotoxins differentially regulate TNF at the RNA level, perhaps because of differences in binding to the plasma membrane.

Actins↗

PubMed1994

Binding and activation of major histocompatibility complex class II-deficient macrophages by staphylococcal exotoxins.

Macrophages from C2D transgenic mice deficient in the expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II proteins were used to identify binding sites for superantigens distinct from the MHC class II molecule. Iodinated staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B (SEA and SEB) and exfoliative toxins A and B (ETA and ETB) bound to C2D macrophages in a concentration-dependent and competitive manner. All four toxins increased F-actin concentration within 30 s of their addition to C2D macrophages, indicating that signal transduction occurred in response to toxin in the absence of class II MHC. Furthermore, ETA, ETB, SEA, and, to a lesser extent, SEB induced C2D macrophages to produce interleukin 6. Several molecular species on C2D macrophages with molecular masses of 140, 97, 61, 52, 43, and 37 kDa bound SEA in immunoprecipitation experiments. These data indicate the presence of novel, functionally active toxin binding sites on murine macrophages distinct from MHC class II molecules.

Actins↗