• BMB Reports
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• 제53권12호
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• pp.611-621
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• 2020

Bacterial endoribonuclease toxins belong to a protein family that inhibits bacterial growth by degrading mRNA or rRNA sequences. The toxin genes are organized in pairs with its cognate antitoxins in the chromosome and thus the activities of the toxins are antagonized by antitoxin proteins or RNAs during active translation. In response to a variety of cellular stresses, the endoribonuclease toxins appear to be released from antitoxin molecules via proteolytic cleavage of antitoxin proteins or preferential degradation of antitoxin RNAs and cleave a diverse range of mRNA or rRNA sequences in a sequence-specific or codon-specific manner, resulting in various biological phenomena such as antibiotic tolerance and persister cell formation. Given that substrate specificity of each endoribonuclease toxin is determined by its structure and the composition of active site residues, we summarize the biology, structure, and substrate specificity of the updated bacterial endoribonuclease toxins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.86-90
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• 2000

We have earlier reported on the cloning and identification of bft-k from an enterotoxigenic strain of Bacteroides fragilis 419, which was isolated from the blood of a Korean patient who suffered from systemic infections [4,5]. The bft-k gene encodes a 397-amino-acids metalloprotease enterotoxin, and the protein has been identified as a new isoform of B. fragilis enterotoxins (BFTs), which are cytopathic to intestinal epithelial cells to induce fluid secretion and tissue damage in ligated intestinal loops [4, 6, 18, 20]. This report describes the cloning and sequencing of the enterotoxin pahogenicity islet of B. fragilis 419 which contains the bft-k gene. the cloned enterotoxin pathogenicity islet was found to have 6,045 bp in length and to contain 120bp direct repeats near its end. In the pathogenicity islet, in addition to the BFR-K, two putative open reading frames (ORFs) were identified; (1) the t-3 gene encoding a 396-amino-acids protein of a putative metalloprotease; (2) the third gene encoding an ORF of a 59-amino-acids protein, whose function has not yet beenn characterized. The expression of the t-3 gene in B. fragilis 419 was verified by western blot analysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권9호
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• pp.1200-1209
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• 2021

Sepsis is an acute inflammatory response that leads to life-threatening complications if not quickly and adequately treated. Cytolysin, hemolysin, and pneumolysin are toxins produced by gram-positive bacteria and are responsible for resistance to antimicrobial drugs, cause virulence and lead to sepsis. This work assessed the effects of aloe-emodin (AE) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) on sepsis-associated gram-positive bacterial toxins. Standard and antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumonia bacterial strains were cultured in the dark with varying AE concentrations and later irradiated with 72 J/cm^-2 light. Colony and biofilm formation was determined. CCK-8, Griess reagent reaction, and ELISA assays were done on bacteria-infected RAW264.7 cells to determine the cell viability, NO, and IL-1β and IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokines responses, respectively. Hemolysis and western blot assays were done to determine the effect of treatment on hemolysis activity and sepsis-associated toxins expressions. AE-mediated PDT reduced bacterial survival in a dose-dependent manner with 32 ㎍/ml of AE almost eliminating their survival. Cell proliferation, NO, IL-1β, and IL-6 cytokines production were also significantly downregulated. Further, the hemolytic activities and expressions of cytolysin, hemolysin, and pneumolysin were significantly reduced following AE-mediated PDT. In conclusion, combined use of AE and light (435 ± 10 nm) inactivates MRSA, S. aureus (ATCC 29213), S. pneumoniae (ATCC 49619), MDR-S. pneumoniae, E. faecalis (ATCC 29212), and VRE (ATCC 51299) in an AE-dose dependent manner. AE and light are also effective in reducing biofilm formations, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, hemolytic activities, and inhibiting the expressions of toxins that cause sepsis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권12호
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• pp.4753-4758
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• 2014

In recent times, a number of studies have provided evidence that biotoxins present great potential as antitumor agents, such as snake venom, bee venom, some bacteria toxins and plant toxins, and thus could be used as chemotherapeutic agents against tumors. The biodiversity of venoms and toxins make them a unique source from which novel anticancer agent may be developed. Biotoxins, also known as natural toxins, include toxic substances produced by plants, animals and microorganisms. Here, we systematically list representative biological toxins that have antitumor properties, involving animal toxins, plant toxins, mycotoxins as well as bacterial toxins. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge involving biotoxins and the active compounds that have anti-cancer activity to induce cytotoxic, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and apoptotic effects in different tumor cells in vivo or in vitro. We also show insights into the molecular and functional evolution of biotoxins.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.185-189
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• 2001

Wild type Bacilus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and B. sphaericus toxins have been used separately as active in ingredients for bacterial insecticides to control mosquito larvae due to their comparable toxicity to chemical insecticides. Cry11B, recently cloned from B. thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan, shows higher toxicity against three major species of mosquito larvae than Cry11A, one of the major component of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis inclusion body. To determine whether the combination of cry11B and B. sphaericus binary toxins is as toxic as B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis parental strain, cry11B and B. sphaericus binary toxins genes were co-expressed as an operon using cytlA promoters/STAB-SD hybrid expression system in B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis acrystalliferous strain 4Q7. However, unexpectedly, B. sphaericus binary toxins were barely produced, whereas relatively large amount of Cry11B was produced. When this strain was grown in four different media, NB+G and Peptonized Milk produced more toxin proteins and spores per unit of media than GYS and G-Tris. Toxicity of this strain against fourth instar Culex quinquefasciatus was ranged from of 8.3 to 45.7 ng/ml, with NB+G culture being the highest, and GYS culture was the lowest.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제60권2호
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• pp.149-153
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• 2017

원목과 톱밥배지에서 푸른곰팡이의 오염과 성장은 표고버섯의 생장을 심하게 저해할 수 있다. 표고버섯 재배에서 푸른곰팡이병의 방제를 위하여 농약과 항생제와 같은 화학 약품의 사용은 일반적으로 허용되지 않는다. 본 연구에서는 푸른곰팡이병의 방제를 위하여 느타리버섯에서 갈반병을 일으키는 세균성 병원균을 분리하고 이들의 펩티드 독소를 분리하였다. Pseudomonas tolaasii 균주들은 항진균 활성을 갖는 톨라신 및 이와 구조적 유사체인 다양한 펩티드 독소를 분비한다. 이러한 펩티드들은 표고버섯의 생장에는 영향을 주지 않는다는 것이 알려져 있다. 펩티드 독소들을 Trichoderma harzianum H1 푸른곰팡이에 처리하였을 때, 푸른곰팡이의 성장을 저해하였다. 펩티드를 분비하는 20 종의 P. tolaasii 균주 중에서 강, 중, 약의 항진균 활성을 가진 균주의 수는 각각 8, 5, 7 종으로 나타났다. 표고버섯을 재배하는 동안에, 펩티드 독소를 함유한 세균 배양액에서 세균을 제거한 배양원액을 톱밥배지 표면에 자란 푸른곰팡이 균사에 분무하였다. 배양원액은 푸른곰팡이의 성장은 억제할 수 있는 반면, 표고버섯 생장과 생산에는 영향을 주지 않았다. 펩티드 독소를 함유하는 배양원액은 곰팡이의 흰색 균사체를 노란색의 마른 딱지로 변화시켰고, 이것은 펩티드 독소가 강력한 항진균 활성과 살균 활성을 갖고 있음을 보여준다.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제61권1호
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• pp.69-73
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• 2018

표고버섯(Lentinus edodes)은 원목이나 톱밥배지를 사용하여 재배한다. 이 배지에 푸른곰팡이(Trichoderma)가 감염되면 표고버섯의 생장을 크게 억제한다. 버섯은 신선식품이기 때문에 푸른곰팡이를 방제하기 위한 항생제와 화학약품의 사용은 허용되지 않는다. Pseudomonas tolaasii에 의해 분비되는 펩티드 독소인 톨라신과 톨라신 유사체들은 항진균 활성을 가져 푸른곰팡이병 방제에 성공적이었다. 푸른곰팡이 Trichoderma harzianum H1에 톨라신 펩티드를 처리하였을 때 곰팡이의 성장은 효과적으로 억제되었고, 실제 톱밥배지에서 균주 배양액을 푸른곰팡이 균사에 분사하였을 때, 균사 성장은 완벽하게 억제되었다. 특히, P. tolaasii 6264와 HK11 균주의 배양 추출액을 혼합하여 처리하였을 때에 항진균 활성이 크게 증가하였다. 따라서 이러한 균주들과 펩티드 독소들은 푸른곰팡이의 성장을 억제할 수 있고, 표고버섯 재배에서 푸른곰팡이병을 방제하기 위한 좋은 후보가 될 수 있다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권5호
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• pp.525-529
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• 2009

Cytolethal distending toxins (CDTs) represent an emerging family of newly described bacterial products that are produced by a number of pathogens. The genes encoding these toxins have been identified as a cluster of three adjacent genes, cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC, plus 5 cdt genetic variants, designated as cdt-I, cdt-II, cdt-III, cdt-IV, and cdt-V, have been identified to date. In this study, a general multiplex PCR system designed to detect Escherichia coli cdts was applied to investigate the presence of cdt genes among isolates. As a result, among 366 E. coli strains, 2.7% were found to carry the cdtB gene. In addition, the use of type-specific primers revealed the presence of cdt-I, cdtIV, and cdt-V types of the cdt gene, yet no cdt-II or cdt-III strains. The presence of other virulence genes (stxl, stx2, eae, bfp, espA, espB, and espD) was also investigated using a PCR assay. Among the 10 cdtB gene-positive strains, 8 were identified as COT-producing typical enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains ($eae^+$, $bfp^+$), whereas 2 were identified as CDT-producing atypical EPEC strains ($eae^+$, $bfp^-$). When comparing the cytotoxic activity of the CDT-producing typical and atypical EPEC strains, the CDT-producing atypical EPEC strains appeared to be less toxic than the CDT-producing typical EPEC strains.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.159-164
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• 2013

Purpose: Indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate are important protein-bound uremic retention solutes whose levels can be partially reduced by renal replacement therapy. These solutes originate from intestinal bacterial protein fermentation and are associated with cardiovascular outcomes and chronic kidney disease progression. The aims of this study were to investigate the levels of indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate as well as the effect of probiotics on reducing the levels of uremic toxins in pediatric patients on dialysis. Methods: We enrolled 20 pediatric patients undergoing chronic dialysis; 16 patients completed the study. The patients underwent a 12-week regimen of VSL#3, a high-concentration probiotic preparation, and the serum levels of indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate were measured before treatment and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the regimen by using fluorescence liquid chromatography. To assess the normal range of indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate we enrolled the 16 children with normal glomerular filtration rate who had visited an outpatient clinic for asymptomatic microscopic hematuria that had been detected by a school screening in August 2011. Results: The baseline serum levels of indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate in the patients on chronic dialysis were significantly higher than those in the children with microscopic hematuria. The baseline serum levels of p-cresyl sulfate in the peritoneal dialysis group were significantly higher than those in the hemodialysis group. There were no significant changes in the levels of these uremic solutes after 12-week VSL#3 treatment in the patients on chronic dialysis. Conclusion: The levels of the uremic toxins p-cresyl sulfate and indoxyl sulfate are highly elevated in pediatric patients on dialysis, but there was no significant effect by probiotics on the reduction of uremic toxins in pediatric dialysis patients. Therefore, studies for other medical intervention to reduce uremic toxins are also necessary in pediatric patients on dialysis.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.265-274
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• 2016

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) system은 박테리아와 고세균에서 진화적으로 보존되어 흔히 발견되는 유전적 모듈이다. 기본적으로 이 시스템은 세포 내 toxin과 그들의 억제자로 작용하는 antitoxin으로 구성되어있으며, 현재 총 다섯가지 유형으로 구분된다. 공통적으로 toxin은 스트레스 조건에서 활성화됨으로써 세포 내 다양한 과정을 억제하는 활성을 가지는데 이는 결과적으로 세포 사멸 혹은 가역적인 생장 저해를 일으킨다. Toxin의 이러한 효과들은 유전자 발현의 조절, 성장 조절, programmed cell arrest, programmed cell death, persister cell의 형성, 박테리오파지 방어기작, 가동성 유전인자의 안정화, 플라스미드 유지 기작 등 다양한 생리학적 역할을 나타낸다. 그러므로 TA system은 일반적인 스트레스 반응모듈로서 여겨진다. 하지만 이를 역이용한다면 TA system으로부터 toxin을 활성화 시키는 인자를 개발하여 새로운 항균 물질로 이용할 수 있다. 그뿐만 아니라 TA system은 toxin의 세포 사멸 효과를 이용하여 원하는 타겟 유전자가 존재하는 세포만 선택적으로 살아남도록 하는 효율적인 클로닝 전략에 이용될 수 있다. 또한, toxin의 서열 특이적 리보핵산 가수분해효소 활성을 이용하여 타겟 단백질 이외의 단백질 합성을 막아 효과적인 단일 단백질 대량 생산을 위해서도 이용할 수 있다. 더 나아가 일부 TA system의 toxin은 진핵 세포에서도 세포 독성을 나타내기 때문에 암세포, 바이러스 감염 세포에서 toxin의 발현을 유도하여 세포사멸을 일으킴으로써 인간의 질병 치료로 이어질 수 있다.