Genome sequence of Bluetongue virus serotype 17 isolated in Brazil in 2014

The complete genome sequence of Bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 17 strain 17/BRA/2014/73, isolated from a sheep in Brazil in 2014, is reported here. All segments clustered with western topotype strains and indicated reassortment events with other BTV from the Americas. The strain 17/BRA/2014/73 represents a novel reference strain for BTV-17 from South America

Genome sequence of Bluetongue virus serotype 17 isolated in Brazil in 2014

The complete genome sequence of Bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 17 strain 17/BRA/2014/73, isolated from a sheep in Brazil in 2014, is reported here. All segments clustered with western topotype strains and indicated reassortment events with other BTV from the Americas. The strain 17/BRA/2014/73 represents a novel reference strain for BTV-17 from South America

Obtaining of recombinant strains of the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis producers of streptavidin

A forte interação da proteína estreptavidina pela molécula de biotina constitui um excelente sistema para a separação e/ou imobilização de proteínas e de enzimas de interesse industrial. Com a intenção de produzir proteínas com propriedades de adsorção biosseletiva, nós temos modificado a seqüência do plasmídeo pKLAC1 pela inserção do domínio de afinidade da estreptavidina pela biotina. Utilizando a técnica da Reação da Polimerase em cadeia (PCR), a seqüência de cerca de 355pb foi amplificada a partir do vetor pSTP4 que contém toda seqüência de nucleotídeos referente à proteína estreptavidina. O Fragmento amplificado apresentou 100% de identidade com a seqüência de nucleotídeos da proteína estreptavidina depositada no Gene Bank. O fragmento foi inserido no vetor pKLAC1 nos sítios Xho I e Bgl II em fase com a seqüência do peptídeo sinal do mating-α-factor. O plasmídeo pKLAC1/cStp foi linearizado com enzima Ahd I e foi utilizado para a transformação das linhagens de K. lactis MW 98.8C e CBS 2359. Os transformantes selecionados em meio YCB (Yeast Carbon Base) contendo 5 mM de acetamida como única fonte de nitrogênio e confirmados por PCR foram mitoticamente estáveis. A alta biomassa celular (DO600 = 18) obtida em erlenmeyer de 250 mL contendo 50 mL de meio YPD foi centrifugada e transferida para meio de indução contendo 2% (p/v) de lactose. O sobrenadante das culturas foi analisado qualitativamente para estreptavidina pela técnica de SDS PAGE. As proteínas totais foram determinadas pelo método de BRADFORD utilizando BSA (Albumina Bovina Sérica) como padrão. As amostras foram coletadas a cada 24 horas durante 6 horas de cultivo sob regime de batelada. A atividade da proteína estreptavidina presente no sobrenadante das culturas recombinantes foi determinada pelo teste do reagente HABA. Os meios YPL e YNB contendo 0,5% de extrato de levedura exibiram os melhores resultados quanto à produção extracelular de estreptavidina ativa e de proteínas totais.The high affinity interaction streptavidin-biotin provides an excellent system for industrial enzyme separation or immobilization involving a fused streptavidin-enzyme and a biotinylated support. In order to produce proteins with affinity to biotin, we have modified the commercial K. lactis system, pKLAC1 (New England Biolabs), a LAC4 promoter-driven integration vector for protein expression, with the gene coding streptavidin. The codifying sequence for biotin binding domain of streptavidin (cStp) was amplified by PCR from pSTP4, purified and subcloned to the pCR2.1TOPO (Invitrogen). The fragment has revealed 100% identity with streptavidin gene according to Gene Bank and it was inserted into Xho I / Bgl II pKLAC1 in frame with mating-α-factor signal peptide. The pKLAC1/cStp cut by Ahd I enzyme was used to transform the strains K. lactis MW 98.8C and CB S2359. The transformants selected in Yeast Carbon Base (YCB) containing 5 mM acetamide and confirmed by PCR were mitotically stable. A high cell biomass (OD 600 = 18), obtained in shake-flask 50 mL YPD medium, was centrifuged and transferred to an induction medium, containing 2% of lactose. The cell free medium was qualitatively analyzed for streptavidin and proteins by SDS PAGE. The samples were collected in each 24 hours during 6 days of bath culture. The biotin binding activity of streptavidin in the culture supernatant was determined by HABA test. The medium YPL and YNB with 0,5% of yeast extract have exhibited the best yields for streptavidin extracellular protein production.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic

Metabolic engineering of Kluyveromyces lactis for L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) synthesis

O Ácido L-ascórbico (L-AA), popularmente conhecido como vitamina C é naturalmente sintetizado pelas plantas a partir de D-glicose por uma via de 10 etapas. L- galactose é o intermediário chave para a biossíntese de L-ascórbico, cuja via de biossíntese foi recentemente elucidada. As leveduras produzem um composto análogo ao L-AA, o ácido D-eritroascórbico, mas em presença de um de seus precursors tais como L-galactose, L galactono-1,4-lactona, ou L-gulono-1 ,4-lactona, as leveduras são capazes de sintetizar o L-AA. Para evitar alimentar a cultura de levedura com o "L" enantiômero, a levedura Kluyveromyces lactis CBS2359 foi engenheirada com genes da via de biossíntese de L-galactose: GDP-manose-3 ,5-epimerase (GME), GDP-L- galactose fosforilase (VTC2) e L-galactose-1-fosfato fosfatase (VTC4) isolados de Arabidopsis thaliana. Com este objetivo plasmídeos foram construídos visando a integração por recombinação homóloga dos cassetes de expressão no Locus LAC4 (beta- galactosidase) Após o processo de transformação, o promotor do gene LAC4 promove a transcrição do gene GME, enquanto que genes VTC2 e VTC4 estão sob o controle dos promotores GPD1 e ADH1 respectivamente provenientes da levedura S. cerevisiae. A expressão dos genes da via de biossíntese de L-galactose em K. lactis foi determinada por RT-PCR e western blot. As leveduras recombinantes foram capazes de produzir cerca de 23 mg.L-1 de ácido L-ascórbico após 48 horas de cultivo, quando cultivados em meio YP suplementado com 2% (p/v) de D-galactose. A biossíntese de L-AA foi também realizada quando as linhagens recombinantes foram cultivadas em meio de soro de queijo, fonte alternativa rica em lactose proveniente da indústria de laticínios. Este trabalho é um dos primeiros relatos de engenharia metabólica na levedura K. lactis visando a biossíntese de ácido L-ascórbico por um processo fermentativo sem a adição de intermediários precursores no meio de cultura.L-ascorbic acid is naturally synthesized in plants from D-glucose via a ten-step pathway. The branch pathway to synthesize L-galactose, the key intermediate for L- ascorbic biosynthesis, has been recently elucidated. Budding yeast is only able to synthesize L-ascorbic acid if it is cultivated in the presence of one of its precursors: L- galactose, L-galactono-1,4-lactone, or L-gulono-1,4-lactone extracted from plants or animals. To avoid feeding the yeast culture with this “L” enantiomer, we engineered Kluyveromyces lactis with L-galactose biosynthesis pathway genes: GDP-mannose-3,5- epimerase (GME), GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (VTC2) and L-galactose-1- phosphate phosphatase (VTC4) isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana. Plasmids were constructed to target the cloned plant genes to the K. lactis LAC4 Locus by homologous recombination and the expression was associated to the growth of the cells on D- galactose or lactose. Upon K. lactis transformation, GME was under the control of the native LAC4 promoter while VTC2 and VTC4 genes were transcribed by the S. cerevisiae promoters GPD1 and ADH1 respectively. The expression in K. lactis of the endogenous L-galactose biosynthesis plant genes was determined by RT-PCR and western blotting. The recombinant yeasts were able to produce about 23 mg.L-1 of L- ascorbic acid in 48 hours of cultivation when cultured on rich medium with 2% (w/v) D-galactose. We have also successfully evaluated the L-AA production culturing recombinant strains in cheese whey as an alternative source of lactose and which is a waste product during cheese production. This work is the first attempt to engineering K. lactis cells for L-ascorbic acid biosynthesis through a fermentation process without any trace of “L” isomers precursors in the culture medium.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic

Investigating acid stress response in different saccharomyces strains.

Yeast cells need to respond to a variety of stresses found in such different conditions as gastrointestinal tract after probiotic ingestion or fermentation vat during ethanol production. In the present study, H+ neutralisation capacity, membrane fatty acid composition, H+-ATPase activity, and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration were evaluated in yeast cells used for probiotic (Saccharomyces boulardii) and laboratory (Saccharomyces cerevisiae W303) purposes, as well as in some W303 mutant strains for ENA1 gene and S. cerevisiae BY4741. Results show that the H+ internal concentration of yeast is regulated by several systems, including the plasma membrane H+-ATPase, and that Ena1p has an important but undefined role in the cellular response to acid.Membrane fatty acid composition of S. cerevisiae W303 strain was affected by exposure to acidic pH, but the presence of 86mM NaCl prevented this effect, whereas membrane fatty acid composition of S. boulardii was unaffected by acidic pH. We also demonstrated that the acid stress response is dependent on calcium metabolism and blocked by FK 506

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus sp. and Escherichia coli isolated from captive Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis)

ABSTRACT: The Amazonian manatee (Trichechusinunguis) is an aquatic mammal threatened with extinction. However, few studies have investigated the pathogens in this species, which may affect both animal and human health. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency, distribution, and patterns of antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus spp. and Escherichiacoli colonizing the nasal and rectal cavities of Amazonian manatees kept in captivity at the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA) in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Rectal and nasal swabs from 44 manatees of different ages were used in this study. The genus Staphylococcus was isolated from the nasal swabs of 32 (72.7%) animals, with two individuals harboring more than one species of Staphylococcus. S. sciuri was the most commonly isolated species. Resistance to penicillin was observed in 13 (40.6%) isolates, more frequent than the other antimicrobials tested (P = 0.01). E. coli was isolated from the rectal swabs of all animals, with phylogroup B1 being the most frequent among the strains obtained (P = 0.0008). Four isolates (6.8%) were positive for virulence factors, three of which were classified as enterotoxigenicE. coli (ETEC) and one as enteropathogenicE. coli (EPEC). To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate Staphylococcus spp. and E. coli in Amazonian manatee samples. This study revealed nasal colonization by Staphylococcus spp., mainly S. sciuri, and diarrheagenicE. coli isolates, including antimicrobial-resistant strains

Núcleos de Ensino da Unesp: artigos 2008

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq