Thèse d'exercice : Médecine. Médecine générale : Paris 12 : 2004. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr.

Bacterial pathogens rely on precise regulation of gene expression to coordinate host infection processes and resist invasion by mobile genetic elements. An interconnected network of protein and RNA regulators dynamically controls the expression of virulence factors using a variety of mechanisms. In this thesis, the role of selected regulators, belonging to the class of small RNAs (sRNAs), is investigated. Streptococcus pyogenes is a pathogen responsible for a wide range of human diseases. Genome-wide screenings have indicated that S. pyogenes encodes numerous sRNAs, yet only a limited number have been characterized. A major goal of this study was to identify and characterize novel sRNAs and antisense RNAs (asRNAs) using RNA sequencing analysis. We validated 30 novel sRNAs and asRNAs, and identified 9 sRNAs directly cleaved by the ribonucleases RNase III and/or RNase Y. Previous work from the laboratory has highlighted the role of sRNAs from the type II Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-CRISPR associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) systems in S. pyogenes. CRISPR-Cas systems provide adaptive immunity to prokaryotes against infection by mobile genetic elements. Two sRNAs, forming a complementary duplex (dual-RNA), are effectors of this system: the mature CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) and the trans-activating crRNA (tracrRNA). The dual-RNA guides the Cas9 endonuclease to cleave both strands of the invading DNA in a sequence-specific manner. This RNA-programmable CRISPR-Cas9 system is now utilized for genome editing and engineering in a wide range of cells and organisms. To expand the potentialities of this tool, we both, searched for Cas9 orthologs and predicted numerous tracrRNA orthologs. We defined tracrRNA as a new family of sRNAs sharing the ability to base-pair to cognate crRNAs, without conservation of structure, sequence or location. We show that Cas9 and the dual tracrRNA:crRNAs are only interchangeable between closely related type II CRISPR-Cas systems. In summary, this thesis presents new insights into RNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms in S. pyogenes. We identified and described the expression of novel sRNAs, highlighting potential antisense RNAs. Focusing on the dual-RNA programmable type II CRISPR-Cas system, we provided evidence for co-evolution of the Cas9 enzyme with tracrRNA:crRNA, a basis for Cas9 multiplexing in genome editing.

Some pathogenic bacteria derive significant amounts of iron heme from their hosts. In this study we investigated SiaA, a heme binding protein from Streptococcus pyogenes. The wildtype methionine79 putative axial ligand was mutated to alanine. SiaA M79A was expressed in E. coli in three production runs, lysed by sonication or French press, and purified by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Nickel affinity FPLC was found to give much purer SiaA when 30 mM imidazole was added to the binding buffer. The protocol using extensive sonication resulted in SiaA weighing 30464 Da. The protocol using French press resulted in SiaA weighting 33358 Da. Despite the difference in masses, the two forms of SiaA interacted with heme similarly.

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a strictly human pathogen that causes infections ranging from asymptomatic carriage to the highly lethal streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). GAS are classified according to the sequence of the variable 5’ end of the emm-gene that encodes the surface associated M-protein. In the late 1980s, outbreaks of GAS infections with high rates of STSS were reported in several parts of the world, including Sweden. Superantigens (SAgs), a group of exotoxins, have been described as key mediators of STSS due to their capacity to polyclonally activate T-cells and induce a massive release of inflammatory cytokines. Previous reports have revealed that sera from STSS patients have lower capacity to neutralize this SAg-mediated immune stimulation and a higher prevalence of GAS isolates with specific emm-genotypes during disease outbreaks. The aims of this thesis were to analyse the protective antibody response mounted by the host against SAgs produced by the infecting GAS isolate and to characterise the isolates emm-genotypes and SAg gene profiles. The clinical material examined was collected from patients with STSS, sepsis, erysipelas, or tonsillitis in Sweden between 1986 and 2001. Both acute- and convalescence-phase sera were analyzed, along with the infecting GAS isolates. The 92 clinical GAS isolates examined were found to exhibit a high degree of genetic diversity in terms of the number and identity of their SAg genes. Isolates with a given emm-genotype could be divided into subgroups on the basis of their SAg gene profiles. Ten different SAg gene profiles were identified in the 45 emm1 isolates examined; one of these ten was highly persistent, being observed in 22 isolates collected over 14 years. Two of the 11 known SAg genes in GAS, smeZ-1 and speA, were more prevalent in the emm1 associated profiles than in the SAg gene profiles of isolates with other emm-genotypes. Patients infected by GAS with the emm1-genotype were less likely to produce acute-phase sera that could effectively neutralize the T-cell mitogenicity induced by the infecting isolate’s extracellular products (EP). Sepsis patients whose sera exhibited this lack of neutralizing ability were more prone to developing STSS. Most patients whose acute-phase sera did not effectively neutralize the EP from the infecting isolate lacked protective antibodies in their convalescent-phase sera despite having elevated ELISA titers. The results reported herein show that combining SAg gene profiling with emm-genotyping may be useful for tracking the spread of GAS clones in the community. It was also shown that a lack of neutralizing activity in convalescence-phase sera might be due to an inability of those patients to mount a protective immune response against SAgs produced by the infecting GAS isolate.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, School of Biological Sciences. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 269-331.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Clinical Pathology))--Mahidol University, 1978. / Supported by the National Research Council.

Submitted by Reginaldo Soares de Freitas (reginaldo.freitas@ufv.br) on 2015-12-01T16:44:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1782590 bytes, checksum: 4e7ceb4862034e40682c3378f1bef0d1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-01T16:44:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1782590 bytes, checksum: 4e7ceb4862034e40682c3378f1bef0d1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A bovinocultura leiteira vem sofrendo por profundas transformações nos últimos anos no que diz respeito, principalmente, ao aumento da produtividade com um custo de produção cada vez menor. Em meio a todos os fatores que comprometem o êxito de um sistema de produção de leite, o estado reprodutivo dos animais ocupa um lugar de destaque. Problemas reprodutivos em uma fazenda levam a perdas econômicas devido ao aumento no intervalo entre partos, custos extras com o tratamento da enfermidade, aumento no descarte involuntário de animais e uma diminuição no potencial genético do rebanho. Neste cenário, as patologias infecciosas e inflamatórias uterinas do puerpério (período pós-parto) como metrite, endometrite clínica e endometrite subclínica são as mais comuns, sendo, geralmente, causadas por microorganismos de origem ambiental como Escherichia coli, Trueperella pyogenes, Fusobacterium necrophorum e Prevotella spp. A utilização de antibióticos e hormônios são os tratamentos mais utilizados no controle destas enfermidades, porém o uso indiscriminado de antibióticos nas últimas décadas proporcionou o aparecimento de bactérias resistentes a mais de uma classe de agentes antimicrobianos. Sendo assim, a fagoterapia surge como uma alternativa natural, não tóxica e economicamente viável para o controle destes microorganismos. Neste estudo, isolamos e caracterizamos três bacteriófagos (vB_TpyM-UFV13, vB_TpyP-UFV21 e vB_TpyM-26) que apresentaram perfil protéico e padrão de bandas (RAPD) diferentes, o que auxiliou na diferenciação viral, principalmente entre os membros da família Myoviridae. Estes fagos reduziram o número de células viáveis de T. pyogenes (variação de 9,7 a 17,4%). Além disso, foram capazes de prevenir a formação de biofilme, com valores de redução que oscilarem entre 42,5 a 63,1%. Este trabalho possui como perspectiva o sequenciamento de seus genomas, testes farmacocinéticos utilização destes vírus no controle de enfermidades que acometem vacas de leite como mastite e metrite. / The dairy cattle has suffered profound changes in recent years with regard mainly to increased productivity with a cost of production dwindling. Amid all the factors that impact the success of a system of milk production, reproductive status of animals takes a prominent place. Reproductive problems in a farm lead to economic losses due to increased calving interval, extra costs to the treatment of disease, increased involuntary culling of animals and a decrease in the genetic potential of the herd. In this setting, uterine infectious and inflammatory diseases of the puerperium (postpartum) as metritis, clinical endometritis and subclinical endometritis are the most common and are usually caused by organisms of environmental origin such as Escherichia coli, Trueperella pyogenes, Fusobacterium necrophorum and Prevotella spp. The use of antibiotics and hormones are the most commonly used treatments in the control and treatment of these diseases, but the indiscriminate use of antibiotics over the past decades afforded the appearance of bacteria resistant to more than one class of antimicrobial agents. Thus, the phage appears as a non-toxic, natural and economically viable alternative for the control of these microorganisms. In this study, we isolated and characterized three bacteriophages (vB_TpyM-UFV13, vB_TpyP-UFV21 and vB_TpyM-26) that showed protein profile and banding pattern (RAPD) different, which helped in the their differentiation, especially among members of the family Myoviridae. These phages reduced the number of viable cells of T. pyogenes (range 9.7 to 17.4%). In addition, they were able to prevent biofilm formation, with reduction values that oscillate between 42.5 to 63.1%. This work has as perspective the genome sequence of their genomes and pharmacokinetic tests using these viruses in the control of diseases that affect dairy cows as mastitis and metritis. / Não foi encontrado o cpf do autor e nem o termo de autorização.

Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria utilize cell-surface anchored proteins to bind and transport heme into the cell. These bacteria acquire iron from host proteins containing heme e.g., hemoglobin. Proteins like HmuT from Corynebacterium diphtheriae bind and help transport heme into the cell. Residues His136 and Tyr235 are utilized as the axial ligands, with a conserved Arg237 residue acting as the hydrogen bonding partner to the axial Tyr235. Similarly, Streptococcus pyogenes utilizes the cell anchored protein Shr to transfer heme into the cell. Shr-NEAT2 is hexacoordinated by two axial methionines and is prone to autoreduction where lysines are the most likely source of electrons. Lastly, PefR of Group A Streptococcus is a DNA transcription factor which regulates protein expression. Preliminary studies indicate a cysteine may coordinate the heme. A combination of UV-visible, resonance Raman, and magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopies shows these proteins play a crucial role heme transport and regulation.