[Accumulation of the bvg- Bordetella pertussis a virulent mutants in the process of experimental whooping cough in mice].

The duration of the persistence and dynamics of accumulation of insertion bvg- Bordetella pertussis mutants were studied in lungs of laboratory mice after intranasal and intravenous challenge by virulent bacteria of the causative agent of whooping cough. The capability of the virulent B. pertussis bacteria to long-term persistence in the body of mice was tested. Using the real-time PCR approximately hundred genome equivalents of the B. pertussis DNA were detected in lungs of mice in two months after infection regardless of the way of challenge. Using the bacterial test bacteria were identified during only four weeks after challenge. Bvg- B. pertussis avirulent mutants were accumulated for the infection time. The percentage of the avirulent bacteria in the B. pertussis population reached 50% in 7-9 weeks after challenge. The obtained results show that the laboratory mice can be used for study of the B. pertussis insertion mutant formation dynamics in vivo and confirm the hypothesis about insertional bvg- B. pertussis virulent mutants accumulation during development of pertussis infection in human.

[Experimental whooping cough of nonhuman primate].

Despite considerable success in study of Bordetella pertussis virulence factors, pathogenesis of whooping cough, duration of B. pertussis bacteria persistence, types and mechanisms of immune response are still keep underinvestigated. It can be explained by the absence ofadequate experimental animal model for pertussis study. Our study estimates clinical and laboratory parameters of whooping cough in non-human primates of the Old World in the process of intranasan infection by virulent B. pertussis bacteria. Also the duration of B. pertussis bacteria persistence in animals was investigated. 14 animal units of 4 species of non-human primates of the Old World were used for intranasal infection. The examination of infect animals included: visual exploration of nasopharynx, thermometry, clinical and biochemical blood analyses, identification ofB. pertussis, using microbiologic and molecular genetic analyses, estimation of innate and adoptive immune factors. The development of infectious process was accompanied by generation of B. pertussis bacteria, catarrhal inflammation of nasopharyngeal mucosa, leucocytosis, hypoglycemia specific for pertussis, and activation of innate and adaptive immunity for all primates regardless of specie were seen. While repeated experimental infection in primates single bacterial colonies were registered during only first week after challenge. It occurs like the absence of inflammation of nasopharyngeal mucosa and the lack of laboratory marks of whooping cough, recorded after first challenge. The evident booster effect of humoral immunity was observed. As a model for investigation of B. pertussis bacteria persistence and immune response against whooping cough we suggest the usage of rhesus macaque as more available to experiments.

[Construction of the genetically attenuated bacteria Bordetella pertussis devoid of dermonecrotic toxin activity and producing modified nontoxic pertussis toxin form].

The recombinant modified (attenuated) bacteria A. pertussis were constructed. These bacteria contained knockout mutation of the dnt gene and produced nontoxic pertussis toxin derivative. The immunological properties of the mutant bacteria B. pertussis strain KS were studied. The recombinant bacteria B. pertussis strain KS were found to be devoid of dermonecrotic toxin activity, conserved the structure of the mutant dnt gene in condition of cultivation on selective growth media, and long-term survival in laboratory animal organism. Intranasal immunization of mice with living bacteria B. pertussis, attenuated strain KS provided protection of animals from virulent strains of the pertussis. The efficiency of the protection was comparable with protection efficiency provided by standard corpuscular pertussis vaccine OSO-3.

[The influence of Bordetella pertussis bvgAS operon on formation and resolution of plasmid-chromosome cointegrates in Escherichia coli K12 mutants with damages in common components of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system].

The plasmids containing the genetically marked variants of Bordetela pertussi transposon TnBP were synthesized on the base of the plasmid with thermosensitive replication. The integration frequency of these plasmids into the E.coli K12 chromosome at non-permissive temperature (42 degrees C) was determined. It was found that the frequency of forming of RSBP-induced plasmid-chromosome cointegrated in bacteria E.coli K12 deficient in HPr or Enzyme I of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system was decreased. The bvgAS operon from B.pertussis in trans-position restores the ability of mutant E.coli K12 to form and resolve.

[Engineering of attenuated Bordetella pertussis bacteria producing immunogenic non-toxic form of pertussis toxin].

AIM: To engineer attenuated Bordetella pertussis strain producing non-toxic immunogenic derivative of pertussis toxin (toxoid KT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, allelic exchange as well as methods for determination of immunobiological characteristics of toxoid KTwere used. RESULTS: Attenuated B. pertussis strains 5 and 35 containing mutant operon ptx and gene of resistance to canamycin were engineered. Recombinant bacteria retained marker of resistance to canamycin as well as structure of mutant operon during cultivation on growth media and long-term survival in lung of laboratory mice. Immunobiologic characteristics of attenuated B. pertussis were studied. CONCLUSION: Intranasal immunization of laboratory animals with live attenuated B. pertussis 5 and 35 provides protection from infection with virulent B. pertussis strain, which is comparable with efficacy of standard whole-cell vaccine.

[A comparative study of the role of the yadA, invA, and psaA genes in the pathogenicity of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis].

The roles of yadA, invA, and psaA genes introduced into the genetic background of the Y. pseudotuberculosis strain possessing the large p VM82 plasmid in virulence and invasion capacity were studied. Isogenic single mutants as well as double and multiple mutants of these genes were constructed and used. LD50 was used as a measure of virulence and the estimation of the ability to invade mammalian cells and the effect of infection on the weight changes of infected mice were used as additional indicators of pathogenicity. It was shown that the YadA had a major effect on the bacterial virulence when compared with the effects of PsaA and InvA. InvA appears to mediate the main pathway of the cellular invasion. YadA is responsible for the weight loss after infection of mice with sublethal doses of Y. pseudotuberculosis. The effects of YadA on virulence and of InvA on bacterial invasion were independent of the expression of the other genes studied. To our knowledge, this study showed for the first time the direct involvement of YadA in the virulence of Y. pseudotuberculosis in mice. Further pathomorphological studies are required to reveal the differences in the pathogenesis of pseudotuberculosis caused by yadA mutants or yadA+ bacteria of Y. pseudotuberculosis.

[Molecular evidence for the lysogenic state of microorganisms belonging to the genus Bordetella and characterization of Bordetella parapertussis temperate bacteriophage 66(2.2)].

A new bacteriophage phiK of microorganisms belonging to the genus Bordetella was isolated from cells of the earlier characterized strains 66(2-2) (1 and 2) obtained upon phage conversion of B. parapertussis 17903 cells by B. pertussis bacteriophage phi134. Bacteriophage phiK is identical to previously described Bordetella bacteriophages phiT, phi134, and phi214 in morphology and some biological properties but has a permuted genome different from all other phages. DNA of bacteriophage phiK is not integrated in the chromosome of B. parapertussis 17903, similar to DNA of bacteriophages phiT, phi134, and phi214 that are not integrated into B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica chromosomes, but may be present in a small part of the bacterial population as linear plasmids. Sequences homologous to DNA of bacteriophage phiK were detected in the chromosome of strain 66(2-2) (1 and 2) and in chromosomes of all tested strains B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica. Prophage integration in chromosomes of microorganisms of the genus Bordetella may vary in different bacterial strains and species. An assumption about abortive lysogeny of B. parapertussis bacteria for phiK phage and of B. bronchiseptica for closely related phages phiT, phi134, and phi214 has been advanced. The possibility of involvement of B. pertussis insertion sequences in the formation of the chromosomal structure in 66(2-2) convertants and in phage genomes is considered.

[Functional activity of transposase of Bordetella pertussis IS element in Escherichia coli cells].

An Escherichia coli strain producing transposase of a repeated sequence of Bordetella pertussis chromosome (RSBP) was constructed. A defective MGE-helper plasmid method, which allowed the determination of transposase functional activity was developed. It was shown that transposase synthesized in E. coli cells ensures transposition of "defective" RSBP into the host chromosome. Overexpression of transposase was shown to markedly decrease the vital activity of E. coli cells under selective cultivation conditions. Reasons for a decrease in viability transposase-producing cells are discussed. Results showing the impact of transposase on replication of recombinant plasmids and E. coli cell division were obtained.

[Bvg-negative regulation of repeated sequence transferring in Bordetella pertussis cells].

A method of monitoring the sequential events of IS481 transposition into the ctag site of bvg operon of Bordetella pertussis has been developed. Reproduction of virulent B. pertussis cells in vitro is accompanied by intrachromosomal site-specific IS481 transposition, which, in turn, results in inactivation of bvg operon of the causative agent and cell avirulent state. Avirulent bvg mutants of B. pertussis are incapable of intramolecular IS481 transposition. The frequency of the transposition increases when MgSO4 and nicotinic acid are present the culture medium. In the absence of these modulating factors. IS481 transposition along B. pertussis chromosome is inhibited but not arrested completely. Negative regulation of the bvg-repressed genes of B. pertussis seems to be a mechanism that controls bvg-dependent IS481 transposition.

[Features of expression of the pertussis toxin operon under the control of its own and heterologous promotors in Bordetella bronchiseptica cells]. / Osobennosti ékspressii operona kokliushnogo toksina pod kontrolem sobstvennogo i geterologichnogo promotorov v kletkakh Bordetella bronchiseptica.

Expression of the cloned operon encoding the pertussis toxin synthesis under the control of operons own vir-dependent promoter or vir-independent promoter of Escherichia coli origin was studied. Proteins produced by the recombinant strains have been characterized. The pertussis toxin operon was shown to express under the control of both homologous and heterologous promoters in Bordetella bronchiseptica cells. Use of the lac-promoter increases the yield of produced toxin twofold. Copy number of operon in the cell does not influence the level of toxin production. The synthesized protein can be transported into the culture medium. The biological and physico-chemical properties of the protein are similar to the ones of the natural pertussis toxin. Bordetella bronchiseptica strain producing the toxin with decreased toxic activity has been obtained. Thus, a simple system for cellular expression of the toxin operon was constructed in Bordetella bronchiseptica. It permits one to construct new strains producing nontoxic derivatives of the pertussis toxin for construction of nonreactogenic vaccines.

[Identification of the open reading frame coding transposase of Bordetella pertussis RS-element]. / Identifikatsiia otkrytoi ramki schityvaniia, kodiruiushchei transpozazu RS-élementa Bordetella pertussis.

A computer-aided analysis of the repeating sequence of Bordetella pertussis chromosome (RSBP3) revealed 3 open reading frames, one of whose (ORF1) can code a protein whose structure and properties are similar to those of transposasas, i.e. enzymes in charges for the traveling of migrating genetic elements of pro- and eukaryote. Mutants of the RSBP3 insertion sequence with the affected and unaffected ORF1 sequence were constructed in order to substantiate the above assumption. Two independent experimental models (formation of inter-plasmid co-integrates and of co-integrates between plasmid and E. coli chromosome) were used to show that the RSBP3-stimulated formation of co-integrates is only true for plasmids containing RSBP3 with the unaffected ORF1 sequence. An activity of the Hpr protein (a component of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase) was proven to influence the formation process of inter-plasmid co-integrates.

[Nucleotide sequence and properties of an inverted repeating element of a Bordetella pertussis chromosome]. / Nukleotidnaia posledovatel'nost' i svoistva invertirovannogo povtoriaiushchegosia élementa khromosomy Bordetella pertussis.

The repeated sequence from Bordetella pertussis chromosome was cloned using the method described by Ohtsubo. The sequences of the characterized B. pertussis chromosome are homologous to the previously described sequences and analogous in the structure to the already known IS elements. The parental recombinant plasmids containing the RS were unstable and segregated to the plasmids of different structure. The segregants' structure is characterized in this paper. It is shown in our study that the RS element is able to stimulate intragenomic rearrangements, such as deletions. It is shown that at least one deletion begins precisely after 3' end of RS and terminates with the sequence which is completely homologous to ten terminal nucleotides of this one. Probably, RSs stimulate at high frequency the formation of deletions, which appear to be the result of recA-independent site-specific recombination between short direct repeats.

[Nucleotide sequence and properties of a transposon-like structure cloned from a Bordetella pertussis chromosome]. / Nukleotidnaia posledovatel'nost' i svoistva transpozonopodobnoi struktury, klonirovannoi iz khromosomy Bordetella pertussis.

The 2.3 kb BamHI-EcoRI subclone has been isolated and sequenced from the 15 kb BamHI chromosomal fragment of Bordetella pertussis comprising also the vir gene. The sequence contained one copy of a transposon-like structure, very similar to the RSs of B. pertussis recently characterized, the unique sequence of B. pertussis chromosomal DNA and an inverted sequence complementary to 402 bp of 3' end of the B. pertussis RS element. The fragment of plasmid pUC4K containing the gene for kanamycin resistance (Km) was integrated in the XhoI site of the unique portion of the transposon-like structure of plasmid DNA (Ap(r), Km(r)). The clones in amount of 2% tested had the Ap-S phenotype. The recombinant plasmid from the Ap(s) phenotype clones lost one of the repeats and a portion of the gene bla as a result of deletion. The conclusion is drawn that RSs of B. pertussis stimulate the formation of deletions.

[Characterisation of major biological properties of Bordetella bacteriophages]. / Kharakterstika osnovnykh biologicheskikh svoistv bakteriofagov Bordetella.

The main biological properties (morphology of negative colonies, parameters of adsorption and single development cycle) of B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica phages, isolated spontaneously and by induction with mitomycin C, were studied. To compare these characteristics, one B. parapertussis indicator strain was used, and the experiments were carried out under identical conditions. Highly active sera were obtained with the use of complete Freund's adjuvant. B. pertussis phages isolated from the strains of different serovars were serologically related, but not identical, and differed in their constant characterizing their rate of neutralization with homologous antisera. The adsorption of the phages on homologous strains was more intensive than on the cells of B. parapertussis indicator strain. However, the authors failed to observe the further development of the phages in the host cells.

[Transparent solid nutrient medium for studying the lytic spectrum of bacteriophages of microbes of the genus Bordetella]. / Prozrachnaia plotnaia pitatel'naia sreda dlia izucheniia liticheskogo spektra bakteriofagov mikrobov roda Bordetella.

A solid, transparent culture medium for the study of the lytic spectrum of the phages, active against B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica, in respect to homologous and heterologous bacteria of the genus Bordetella has been developed. The Cohen-Wheeler liquid medium with nicotinic acid and nicotinamide added, solidified with agar, is nicotinamide added, solidified with agar, is used as the base of the new medium. This base ensures the growth of B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica. To stimulate the growth of B. pertussis, the tissue stimulant of B. pertussis growth (a transparent substrate obtained from the tissue of the large intestine of a rabbit) has been used. With 10% of this stimulant added, B. pertussis cells have been found to preserve their typical morphological and immunobiological properties.

[Toxigenicity conversion by pertussis phages in Bordetella parapertussis]. / Konversiia toksigennosti kokliushnymi fagami u bordetella parapertussis.

For the first time toxigenicity conversion in B. parapertussis induced by B. pertussis phages was discovered. The clones of B. parapertussis recipient strain No. 17903 used in this study were subjected to lysogenization with 4 B. pertussis phages; as a result, 95% of these clones became immune to the repeated phage infection, developed spontaneous phage production and showed toxic properties (lethal toxicity due to the action of thermolabile and thermostable toxins) characteristic of the donor strains from which B. pertussis phages had been obtained. Differences in the degree of toxicity shown by the converted strains were determined by means of the spleen index. The convertants thus obtained did not possess protective potency.

[Bordetella pertussis bacteriophage]. / Bakteriofag Bordetella pertussis.

For the first time Bordetella pertussis bacteriophage was isolated, and its presence was confirmed by electron microscopy and by agar layer titration. The lysogenic strains were activated by their treatment with mitomycin C in a dose of 4.5 mg/ml. The phage system of the Bordetella genus, heretofore unknown, has been revealed: Bordetella pertussis phage lyzed all the tested strains of Bordetella parapertussis (25 strains) and could be passaged in these strains. The phage formed turbid and transparent negative colonies 0.1 mm and 0.15 mm in size. The phage titer (e. g., in strain No. 3865) was 1 X 10(10). The lysogenic variants of Bordetella pertussis, capable of spontaneous release of the phage, were obtained. These variants were characterized by changes in some of their phenotypical properties, e.g., the increased content of certain toxic substances and increased virulence.

[The phenotypic properties of freshly isolated strains of Bordetella]. / Izuchenie fenotipicheskikh svoistv svezheizolirovannykh shtammov bordetell.

As the result of our investigations, newly isolated B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica strains were studied. The results of these investigations showed that B. pertussis strains isolated under the conditions of immunoprophylaxis were characterized by sufficient stability of the main phenotypical properties which determined their pathogenicity: B. pertussis toxin, fimbrial agglutinogens and filamentous hemagglutinin. At the same time B. bronchiseptica strains isolated from animals proved to be phenotypically variable both in vivo and in the process of in vitro passage.