RESUMO

Gram-negative bacteria are major pathogens that develop antibiotic resistance and cause distinct types of infections. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), bacterial resistance is considered a public health problem. Multiresistance Klebsiella pneumoniae and E. coli are prevalent in many hospitals. These bacteria produce outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) these vesicles can contribute to bacterial survival by eliminating toxic compounds, removing misfolded periplasmic proteins, establishing a colonization niche, biofilm formation, drug delivery, and modulation of host defense and response. This work aimed to evaluate the production and extraction of OMVs produced by E. coli and K. pneumoniae, comparing two different gel filtration and ultracentrifugation methods. Furthermore, we evaluated the interference of OMVs on the growth of enteropathogenic E. coli, uropathogenic E. coli, and hematophatogenic K. pneumoniae strains verifying the viability test. The gel filtration extraction system obtained an elevated concentration when compared to ultracentrifugation method. We observed the presence of OmpA by eletrophoresis and Dot blotting, responsible for the structure of OMVs. The results showed interferences of OMV EC086-UC, EC086-GF and OMV-KP70 on E2348/69 growth were directly proportional to the concentration of OMVs but inversely proportional to the concentration of OMVs with OMV-KP70 on EC086 and KP70 growth. We concluded that vesicle interference on EC086, E2348/69, and KP70 growth should not be based only on optical density parameters but complemented with the viability test of each bacterium strain. The use of biotechnology tools like genetic modifications, OMVs can perform multiple functions carrying molecules with many capabilities to be applied in many fields such as immunology, diagnostics, clinical medicine.

As bactérias Gram-negativas são patógenos que apresentam resistência a diversos antibióticos. De acordo com a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS), a resistência antimicrobiana é um problema de saúde pública. A Escherichia coli e a Klebsiella pneumoniae são multirresistentes e prevalentes nos ambientes hospitalares. Estas bactérias produzem vesículas de membrana externa (OMVs) e possuem diversas funções como: contribuição para a sobrevivência das bactérias através da neutralização de componentes tóxicos, eliminação de proteínas desnaturadas, estabelecimento do nicho de colonização, formação de biofilme, entrega de drogas, modulação do sistema de defesa e resposta imune. Este trabalho avaliou a produção e extração de OMVs produzidas por cepas de E. coli e K. pneumoniae comparando os métodos de extração das mesmas por da gel filtração e ultracentrifugação. Além disso, através do teste de viabilidade bacteriana avaliamos a interferência das OMVs no crescimento de E. coli enteropatogência, E. coli uropatogênica e K. pneumoniae hematopatogênica. A purificação das OMVs por gel filtração apresentou uma concentração elevada quando comparada com o método de ultracentrifugação. Identificamos, para ambos os métodos, através da eletroforese e imunoensaio a presença da proteína de membrana externa a OmpA, responsável pela estrutura das OMVs. Demonstramos pelos resultados que as EC086-UC, EC086-GF e OMV-KP70 interferiram no crescimento da cepa E2348/69 com padrão diretamente proporcional quando comparado com a concentração das vesículas. O contrário ocorreu na interferência da OMV KP70-UC, atuando sobre o crescimento de EC086 e KP70 de forma inversamente proporcional quando comparado com a concentração das vesículas. Concluímos que a interferência das vesículas sobre o crescimento deve levar em conta os parâmetros de densidade óptica e a viabilidade bacteriana. Assim, com as diversas ferramentas da biotecnologia como a engenharia genética podemos desenvolver OMVs capazes de carrear diversas moléculas e ser aplicada em vários campos da imunologia, diagnósticos e na medicina clínica.

RESUMO

The Transcription Termination factor Rho is a ring-shaped, homohexameric protein that causes transcript termination by interaction with specific sites on nascent mRNAs. The process of transcription termination is essential for proper expression and regulation of bacterial genes. Although Rho has been extensively studied in the model bacteria Escherichia coli (EcRho), the properties of other Rho orthologues in other bacteria are poorly characterized. Here we present the heterologous expression and purification of untagged Rho protein from the diazotrophic environmental bacterium Azospirillum brasilense (AbRho). The AbRho protein was purified to >99% through a simple, reproducible and efficient purification protocol, a two-step chromatography procedure (affinity/gel filtration). By using analytical gel filtration and dynamic light scattering (DLS), we found that AbRho is arranged as an homohexamer as observed in the EcRho orthologue. Secondary structure and enzyme activity of AbRho was also evaluate indicating a properly folded and active protein after purification. Enzymatic assays indicate that AbRho is a RNA-dependent NTPase enzyme.

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Sulfate polysaccharides with unique structures of the chondroitin/dermatan and heparin/heparan families of sulfated glycosaminoglycans have been described in several species of ascidians (Chordata-Tunicata). These unique sulfated glycans have been isolated from the ascidians and characterized by biochemical and spectroscopic methods. The ascidian glycans can be extracted by different tissues or cells by proteolytic digestion followed by cetylpyridinium chloride/ethanol precipitation. The total glycans are then fractionated by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and/or Mono Q (HR 5/5) columns. Alternatively, precipitation with different ethanol concentrations can be employed. An initial analysis of the purified ascidian glycans is carried out by agarose gel electrophoresis on diaminopropane/acetate buffer, before or after digestion with specific glycosaminoglycan lyases or deaminative cleavage with nitrous acid. The disaccharides formed by exhaustive degradation of the glycans are purified by gel-filtration chromatography on a Superdex Peptide column and analyzed by HPLC on a strong ion-exchange Sax Spherisorb column. 1H- or 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in one or two dimensions is used to confirm the structure of the intact glycans.

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In this work, we studied strategies for adsorption and desorption of FVII with NaCl gradient and with CaCl2 gradient in ANX Sepharose FF resin. The four-factor activated prothrombin complex concentrate contains factors II, VII, IX, and X and is indicated primarily for the treatment of type A or B haemophilia patients with inhibitors. We checked the possibility of producing it in the anion exchange column. The purification analysis was performed using chromogenic methods to determine the activity of coagulation factors, Bradford method for total protein dosage and 7.5% polyacrylamide gel. The results obtained indicate that the adsorption of FVII to the column and its desorption with NaCl gradient was possible, but it is still necessary to determine the experimental conditions for elution using CaCl2. We observed that the affinity of FVII to the anion exchange resin is lower than that of the FII and FIX factors, and can be purified separately from these proteins. This indicates that it is possible to obtain FVII alone, which is important, since activated FVII alone is also used in the treatment of hemophilia A and B with inhibitors. In order to obtain the 4-factor prothrombin complex, the obtained FVII can be added to the 3-factor prothrombin complex concentrate. We also studied the IgM separation of IgG and IgA by applying plasma directly to the Sepharose 4FF column. Purification of IgM is important because of its use in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, infections, neutralization of toxins, among other indications. IgG is separated from IgG and IgA, since IgG is also a biotechnological product and IgA, when present and preparations of other immuglobulins, can generate adverse reactions to the patient. Immunoglobulin dosing was performed by turbidimetry. The results of the purification indicate that the separation of the immunoglobulins was partial, as expected, but it will still be necessary to check the IgM elution profile in this purification.

Neste trabalho estudamos estratégias para adsorção e para dessorção do FVII com gradiente de NaCl e com gradiente de CaCl2 na resina ANX Sepharose FF. O concentrado de complexo protrombínico ativado de quatro fatores contém fatores II, VII, IX e X e é indicado principal- mente para o tratamento de pacientes hemofílicos tipos A ou B com inibidores. Verificamos a possibilidade de produzi-lo na coluna de troca aniônica. A análise das purificações foi realiza- da através dos métodos cromogênico para determinar a atividade dos fatores de coagulação, método de Bradford para dosagem de proteínas totais e gel de poliacrilamida 7,5%. Os resul- tados obtidos indicam que foi possível a adsorção do FVII à coluna e sua dessorção com gra- diente de NaCl, mas é necessário ainda determinar as condições experimentais para eluição empregando CaCl2. Observamos que a afinidade de FVII à resina de troca aniônica é menor que a dos fatores FII e FIX, podendo ser purificada separada destas proteínas. Isto indica que é possível a obtenção de FVII isoladamente, o que é importante, pois, o FVII ativado por si só é utilizado também no tratamento de hemofilias A e B com inibidores. Para a obtenção do complexo protrombínico de 4-fatores, o FVII obtido pode ser adicionado ao concentrado de complexo protrombínico de 3-fatores.Estudamos também a separação de IgM das IgG e IgA aplicando plasma diretamente à coluna Sepharose 4FF. A purificação de IgM é importante devido sua utilização no tratamento de doenças autoimune, infecções, neutralização de toxi- nas, entre outras indicações. É necessária a separação da IgM das IgG e IgA, pois a IgG é também um produto biotecnológico e a IgA, quando presente e preparações das outras imu- noglobulinas pode gerar reações adversas ao paciente. A dosagem de imunoglobulinas foi realizada por turbidimetria. Os resultados da purificação indica que a separação das imuno- globulinas foi parcial, como esperado, porém será necessário ainda verificar o perfil de elui- ção de IgM nessa purificação.

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A fucomannogalactan from Rhizoctonia solani biomass was obtained after hot aqueous extraction and purified by freeze-thaw cycles and gel filtration chromatography on Sepharose CL-6B. The polysaccharide was homogeneous after HPSEC/RID analysis (Mw/Mn~1.1), displaying an average molecular weight of 15.4×103Da. Its chemical structure was determined by methylation analysis (GC/MS) and spectroscopy (FTIR, 1D and 2D NMR). The polysaccharide had a branched α-1,6-linked Galp backbone with 66% linear residues, a number of which were at O-3 methylated. Side chains (34%) were always linked at O-2 positions of the main chain and consisted of single, non-reducing ends of α-d-Manp (6%) and α-l-Fucp (28%). Analysis of its biological activity showed that the highly purified fucomannogalactan from R. solani inhibited the proliferation of colon cancer cells in vitro, but that it did not have the same activity against lung cancer cells.

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Researchers are always searching for novel biologically active molecules including peptides. With the improvement of equipment for electrospray mass spectrometry, it is now possible to identify hundreds of novel peptides in a single run. However, after identifying the peptide sequences it is expensive to synthesize all the peptides to perform biological activity assays. Here, we describe a substrate capture assay that uses inactive oligopeptidases to identify putative biologically active peptides in complexes peptide mixtures. This methodology can use any crude extracts of biological tissues or cells, with the advantage to introduce a filter (i.e., binding to an inactive oligopeptidase) as a prior step in screening to bioactive peptides.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Researchers are always searching for novel biologically active molecules including peptides. With the improvement of equipment for electrospray mass spectrometry, it is now possible to identify hundreds of novel peptides in a single run. However, after identifying the peptide sequences it is expensive to synthesize all the peptides to perform biological activity assays. Here, we describe a substrate capture assay that uses inactive oligopeptidases to identify putative biologically active peptides in complexes peptide mixtures. This methodology can use any crude extracts of biological tissues or cells, with the advantage to introduce a filter (i.e., binding to an inactive oligopeptidase) as a prior step in screening to bioactive peptides.

RESUMO

There is an increasing interest in improving neurocysticercosis (NCC) diagnosis through the search of new and alternative antigenic sources, as those obtained from heterologous antigens. The aim of this study was to obtain potential biomarkers for NCC diagnosis after gel filtration chromatography [gel filtration fraction (GFF)] from the total saline extract (SE) from Taenia saginata metacestodes, followed by protein identification and application in immunodiagnostic. SE and GFF proteic profiles were characterized in gel electrophoresis, and diagnostic performance was verified by testing 160 serum samples through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting. Sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp) and other diagnostic parameters were calculated. Polypeptides of interest in the diagnosis of human NCC present at GFF were analysed by mass spectrometry (MS) and B-cell epitopes were predicted. GFF had the best diagnostic parameters: Se 93·3%; Sp 93%; AUC 0·990; LR+ = 13·42 and LR- = 0·07, and proved to be useful reacting with serum samples in immunoblotting. Proteic profile ranged from 64 to 68 kDa and enolase and calcium binding protein calreticulin precursor were identified after MS. The enolase and calcium-binding protein calreticulin precursor showed 18 and 10 predicted B-cell epitopes, respectively. In conclusion we identified important markers in the GFF with high efficiency to diagnose NCC.

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The present study focused on the production optimization of bacteriocin by Lactobacillus viridescence NICM 2167 followed by its purification and characterization. The bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by many Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.The bacteriocin produced by LAB (lactic acid bacteria) received attention in recent years due to their potential application as natural preservatives in food. Bacteriocinproduced by Lactobacillus viridescence showed broad range of antimicrobial activity against food borne pathogens. Production parameters were optimized showing highest production of bacteriocinin MRS broth with pH= 7.0 incubated at 37°C for 48 h. Bacteriocin was purified in two steps involving ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by gel filtration using Sephadex G-100. Purified bacteriocin with single band on SDS-PAGE showed molecular weight of 8.3 kDa. This purified bacteriocin was stable over wide range of pH (4-10) as well as temperatures (4°C-121°C) suggesting it as a potent candidate for preservation of various foods.