Dieter Gerlach

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus sanguis of a gene for staphylokinase ― a bacterial plasminogen activator

SummaryThe gene coding for the bacterial plasminogen activator staphylokinase was cloned from the Staphylococcus aureus phage 42D, a serogroup F phage used for lysotyping, onto the standard Escherichia coli plasmid vector pACYC184. The coding and flanking sequences of the sak42D gene were largely identical to those of a sak gene cloned from the serologically different S. aureus phage SøC (Sako and Tsuchida 1983). Subcloning of a 2.5 kb phage 42D DNA fragment onto plasmid pGB3631 allowed the sak42D gene to be introduced into the gram-positive hosts Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus sanguis. The sak42D gene was expressed and secreted most efficiently by B. subtilis cells (25 μg/ml of culture supernatant) reduced in exoprotease production. In this host expression and secretion of Sak was initiated at the early growth phase and continued through the logarithmic phase. Formation of Sak was, however, also observed with the other cloning hosts. The Sak elaborated by the heterologous hosts was serologically identical with authentic Sak derived from S. aureus.

Isolation and characterization of erythrogenic toxins. V. Communication: identity of erythrogenic toxin type B and streptococcal proteinase precursor.

Production of erythrogenic toxin type B by Streptococcus pyogenes strain T19 was found to be strongly dependent on the pH of the cultivation medium. Maximum yields (greater than 100 mg of toxin/1) were obtained at pH 6.0. In contrast no toxin production was serologically detectable at pH values above 6.5. Purified B-toxin was shown to consist of two components when assayed by SDS-electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the two components was estimated to be 30 000 and 12 000. Isoelectric focusing revealed a heterogeneity of the preparation with isoelectric points between 8.0 and 9.0. Streptococcal proteinase precursor was isolated from culture supernatants of strains T19 and B220 by ammonium sulfate crystallization and purification on CM-Sepharose CL 6B. The protein obtained was homogeneous by SDS-gel electrophoresis and had a molecular weight of 44 000. After autocatalytic activation with mercaptoethanol two bands appeared corresponding to molecular weights 30 000 and 12 000. Isoelectric focusing of proteinase precursor preparations yielded a double band at pI 8.2-8.3. However, activation of precursor to active proteinase finally resulted in a change of the pI to 9.0. Erythrogenic toxin type B, streptococcal proteinase precursor, its intermediate activation products and the active proteinase itself reacted serologically identical with anti B-toxin antiserum. Streptococcal proteinase precursor provoked a delayed skin reaction and was pyrogenic as well as mitogenic. Its pyrogenic activity could be inhibited by antiserum against scarlet fever toxin (Wellcome Laboratories). We therefore believe erythrogenic toxin type B to be identical with streptococcal proteinase precursor. This helps to understand the heterogeneity of B toxin, its inactivation by trypsin and the different protocols for toxin production described in the literature.

Superantigens and pseudosuperantigens of gram-positive cocci.

Superantigens use an elaborate and unique mechanism of T lymphocyte stimulation. Prototype superantigen are the pyrogenic exotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Many candidate proteins of bacterial, viral and protozoal origin have recently been reported to be superantigens. In most cases the evidence that these proteins are in fact superantigens is highly indirect. In this review the evidence that grampositive cocci produce superantigens other than the pyrogenic exotoxins is critically discussed. Evidence in described demonstrating that the epidermolytic toxins of Staphylococcus aureus and the pyrogenic exotoxin B and M-proteins of Streptococcus pyrogenes are not superantigens. Criteria are described for acceptance of a candidate as a superantigen.

Expression of a streptokinase gene from Streptococcus equisimilis in Streptococcus sanguis

SummaryUsing recombinant DNA techniques, we introduced a previously cloned streptokinase gene from Streptococcus equisimilis into the Challis strain of S. sanguis (group H). The gene was expressed in the new host under the control of its own promoter and the gene product had biological properties identical to authentic streptokinase. However, the molecular weight of cloned streptokinase (42 K) as expressed by S. sanguis was substantially lower than that of authentic streptokinase (47 K). Since the cloned streptokinase gene encoded a 47 K mature protein, the lowered molecular weight of S. sanguis streptokinase may reflect posttranslational proteolytic cleavage, which leaves the biological activity of the gene product and its serological reactivity unimpaired.

Separation of mitogenic and pyrogenic activities from so-called erythrogenic toxin type B (Streptococcal Proteinase)*

It is well-established that three types of erythrogenic toxins (ETA, ETB, ETC) are produced by Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci) strains. Culture filtrate concentrates from Streptococcus pyogenes strains T19P (T19, ETA+, ETB+, ETC-), 27337 (T12, B3264, ETA-, ETB+, ETC+), 27252 (T4, ETA-, ETB+, ETC+) and 27195 (T8, ETA-, ETB+, ETC-) were analyzed by preparative isoelectric focusing. These concentrates and the purified erythrogenic toxin type B (ETB) isolated by ion exchange chromatography had mitogenic and pyrogenic activity. Now, it has been found that the mitogenic activity and the pyrogenic activity of this ETB can be separated by preparative isoelectric focusing in Sephadex gels. This means that ETB is not a superantigen as described in literature. The mitogenic and biological activity is caused by traces of ETA (strain T19P), ETC (strains 27252 and 27337) and/or by unknown mitogen(s) (MX, strain 27195) which preferentially stimulate V beta 8+ T cells. The differentiation between ETA (stimulating V beta 12+ but not V beta 8+ or V beta 2+), ETC (stimulating V beta 2+ but not V beta 8+), and MX (stimulating V beta 8+) was done using established leukemic cell lines.

Pyrogenicity and Cytokine-Inducing Properties of Streptococcus pyogenes Superantigens: Comparative Study of Streptococcal Mitogenic Exotoxin Z and Pyrogenic Exotoxin A

ABSTRACT Streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin Z (SMEZ), a superantigen derived from Streptococcus pyogenes, provoked expansion of human lymphocytes expressing the Vβ 2, 4, 7 and 8 motifs of T-cell receptor. SMEZ was pyrogenic in rabbits and stimulated the expression of the T-cell activation markers CD69 and cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen. A variety of cytokines was released by human mononuclear leukocytes stimulated with SMEZ, which was 10-fold more active than streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A. Th2-derived cytokines were elicited only by superantigens and not by streptococcal cells.

Secretory expression inEscherichia coli andBacillus subtilis of human interferon α genes directed by staphylokinase signals

SummaryA DNA segment covering the signal sequence coding region, the ribosome binding site, and the promoter of the staphylokinase (sak) 42D gene (Behnke and Gerlach 1987) was cloned into pUC19 to form a portable expression-secretion unit (ESU). Fusion of human interferon α1 (hIFNα1) and hybrid hIFNα1/2 genes to thissak ESU resulted in secretory expression of the two gene products in bothEscherichia coli andBacillus subtilis. While most of the IFNα was exported to the periplasmic space ofE. coli, about 99% was secreted to the culture medium by recombinantB. subtilis strains. The total yield inE. coli was 1.2×105 IU/ml. This level of expression and export led to instability of the recombinant strains that was spontaneously relieved in vivo by inactivation of thesak ESU through insertion of an IS1 element. No such instability was observed withB. subtilis although expression and secretion levels reached even 3×106 IU/ml. Proteolytic degradation of IFNα by extracellular proteases was avoided by a combination of constitutive expression and secretion during the logarithmic growth phase and the use of exoprotease-reduced host strains. The IFNα1 protein purified fromB. subtilis culture supernatant was correctly processed, carried the expected 11 amino acid N-terminal elongation that resulted from DNA manipulations and proved to be homogenous in Western blotting experiments. The same recombinant plasmid that directed efficient secretion of hIFNα1 inB. subtilis gave poor yields when introduced intoStreptococcus sanguis.

Neopterin production and tryptophan degradation in humans infected by Streptococcus pyogenes

Streptococcus pyogenes may cause tonsillitis, scarlet fever and so-called “streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome” (STSS). These streptococci produce exotoxins which are implicated as superantigens in the pathogenesis of STSS and scarlet fever. Using human peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells in vitro, such toxins were shown to induce neopterin production and degradation of the amino acid tryptophan to metabolites such as kynurenine by activating indoleamine (2,3)-dioxygenase via interferon-γ. We investigated the sera of seven patients with streptococcal tonsillitis and of four patients with STSS. Those with STSS showed higher serum neopterin concentrations (median: 152 nmol/l; 95th percentile in healthy controls: 8.7 nmol/l) than those with tonsillitis (median: 12 nmol/l). Similarly, kynurenine to tryptophan ratios were increased in tonsillitis and extremely high in patients with STSS. Highly increased neopterin production and tryptophan degradation in patients with STSS suggest an association between a high degree of T cell activation and the severity of the disease manifestation.

Cloning and expression of a sialic acid-binding lectin from the snail Cepaea hortensis

Highly degenerated gene-specific oligonucleotide primers (GSPs) were constructed from the amino acid sequence of tryptic fragments produced from the purified sialic acid-specific lectin of the garden snail Cepaea hortensis. From the albumin glands, the total RNA or the mRNA was prepared. Combination of a universal primer with the GSPs delivered gene-specific fragments of about 650, 620 and 280 bp by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These fragments were cloned into the vector pDrive (Qiagen) and sequenced. The resulting cDNA sequence consisted of 744 bp, including an open reading frame of 480 bp. The encoded protein consists of 159 amino acids, including the putative signal sequence peptide. The mature protein should comprise 141 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 15,529 Da. The expression of the recombinant lectin in Escherichia coli resulted in a soluble protein reacting specifically with rabbit antiserum raised against the native lectin.

Cytokine production by murine cells activated by erythrogenic toxin type A superantigen of Streptococcus pyogenes

The mode of pathogenic action of the Steptococcus pyogenes superantigen erythrogenic toxin type A (ETA) in causing toxic shock-like syndrome in humans is thought to be mediated by massive release of cytokines by patients immune cells. The cytokine-inducing capacity of ETA as an extracellular protein was compared with that of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of cell wall of gram-negative bacteria. Peritoneal macrophages and splenocytes of BALB/c and C3H/HeJ mice were stimulated by ETA and LPS. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin 3 (IL-3) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) activities in the supernatants of stimulated cells were evaluated. In contrast to LPS, ETA induced only low amounts of IL-6 and no detectable TNF activities in peritoneal macrophage supernatants. ETA-triggered BALB/c and C3H/HeJ splenocytes produced great amounts of IL-6. ETA triggered the production of IL-3 by both mice strains splenocytes in a dose dependent manner. The amounts of IL-3 in supernatants were comparable to those induced by concanavalin A. The simultaneous presence of ETA and LPS in macrophage and splenocyte cultures induced a slight enhancement above an additive value after 72-96 h. Challenge of BALB/c mice with ETA 6 h before the harvest of peritoneal macrophages led to an enhanced production of IL-6 upon stimulation with ETA as well as with LPS. Splenocytes of nude BALB/c mice did not produce IL-6 upon stimulation with ETA, whereas LPS-induced IL-6 production was similar in these mice and in their littermates. The pathogenic effect of ETA on hosts immune cells could most likely be explained as a consequence of T cell activation. The results confirm also that LPS- and ETA-induced shock is mediated by different cell types.