• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.99-104
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• 2018

Streptococcus pneumoniae는 pneumolysin과 같은 병원성 인자를 가지고 있으며, 지역사회에서 전파되는 심각한 병원성균에 포함된다. Pneumolysin (PLY)은 콜레스테롤 의존적으로 세포막에 구멍을 형성하는 세포독소로서 백신의 주요한 표적 항원이다. PLY의 연구를 위하여 Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 균주에서 추출한 genomic DNA를 주형으로 하여 PCR을 시행하였다. 합성된 PLY 유전자 DNA를 pQE-30 vector에 삽입하고, E. coli M15에 형질전환 시킨 후 LB 배지에 IPTG를 첨가하여 PLY 단백질을 생산하였다. 재조합 단백질은 $Ni^{2+}$-agarose column을 사용하여 정제하였다. 또한, EGFP를 PLY C-말단에 부착한 융합단백질도 동일한 방법으로 클로닝하여 재조합 단백질을 생산하였다. 500 ng/ml 농도의 재조합 PLY는 1.0% 적혈구 현탁액을 100% 용혈시켰으며, 240 ng/ml 농도는 50% 용혈을 나타내었다. 그러나 재조합 PLY-EGFP는 용혈 활성이 전혀 나타나지 않았으나 형광현미경으로 관찰하였을 때 적혈구 막에 결합되어 있었다. 즉, EGFP의 PLY C-말단 부착은 PLY의 세포막 결합능은 유지시켰으나 용혈기능은 방해하였다. PLY C-말단은 용혈기능에 아주 중요한 영역이며, 세포막 결합은 PLY의 다른 영역이 보다 중요하게 작용할 것으로 추측된다. 따라서, 육안으로 관찰이 가능한 결합능은 가졌으나 용혈 기능이 결여된 PLY-EGFP를 대조군으로 활용함으로써 두 재조합 단백질은 폐렴 유발에 있어서 PLY 작용 연구에 사용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.58-64
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• 2015

Activating transcription factor-3 (ATF3) acts as a negative regulator of cytokine production during Gram-negative bacterial infection. A recent study reported that ATF3 provides protection from Streptococcus pneumoniae infection by activating cytokines. However, the mechanism by which S. pneumoniae induces ATF3 after infection is still unknown. In this study, we show that ATF3 was upregulated via Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways in response to S. pneumoniae infection in vitro. Induction was mediated by TLR4 and TLR2, which are in the TLR family. The expression of ATF3 was induced by pneumolysin (PLY), a potent pneumococcal virulence factor, via the TLR4 pathway. Furthermore, ATF3 induction is mediated by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Thus, this study reveals a potential role of PLY in modulating ATF3 expression, which is required for the regulation of immune responses against pneumococcal infection in macrophages.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.355-361
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• 2011

We evaluated the performance of the NOW $Streptococcus$ $pneumoniae$ urinary antigen test, standard culture and polymerase chain reaction for detecting $S.$ $pneumoniae$. The urinary antigen test of pneumonia patients represented sensitivity at 72% and specificity at 79%. The results of PCR were targeting for autolysin ($lyt$A), pneumolysin ($ply$), and spn9828. The $lyt$A sensitivity and specificity stood at 56% and 87% respectively while $ply$ sensitivity reported 83% and specificity was 47%, sensitivity and specificity of spn9828 stood at 83% and 73% respectively. The results of urinary antigen test and three genes were all statistically meaningful within $P$ <0.05. When the urinary antigen test of $S.$ $pneumoniae$ was positive, the three kinds of genes were also likely to be positive. According to the result of urinary antigen test, the results of PCR presented a meaningful difference ($P$ <0.05). Especially, the urinary antigen test of $S.$ $pneumoniae$ was likely to be positive ($P$ <0.05) when more than two genes were positive in PCR results.