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C L Gyles

Publications and source records attributed to C L Gyles.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Immunization of pigs with a purified Shiga-like toxin II variant toxoid.

Passive transfer of neutralizing antibodies and active immunization with a toxoid of purified Shiga-like toxin II variant (SLT-IIv, edema disease toxin) were used to protect pigs against challenge with SLT-IIv. Six 6-week-old pigs were passively immunized by intraperitoneal administration of an immunoglobulin preparation from porcine antiserum against purified SLT-IIv. Six 6-week-old pigs and twelve 2-week-old pigs were actively immunized by two intramuscular injections of 25 micrograms of SLT-IIv toxoid given 2 weeks apart. The 24 immunized pigs and an equal number of age-matched unimmunized control pigs were all challenged by intravenous injection of purified SLT-IIv (6 ng/kg body weight). The six passively immunized pigs acquired neutralizing SLT-IIv antibody titers of 1280 or 2560 and the 18 actively immunized pigs mounted a serum immune response with toxin neutralizing titers ranging from 128 to 10,240. All 24 immunized pigs survived the challenge but nine pigs with the lowest titers showed mild clinical signs of edema disease. All 24 control pigs died within 30 hours of challenge.

Animals↗

Physicochemical and biological properties of purified Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxin II variant.

Purified Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxin II variant (SLT-IIv) was characterized with regard to selected physical, chemical, and biological properties. N-terminal amino acid sequencing confirmed the identities of 33,000-, 27,500-, and 7,500-molecular-weight (MW) bands seen on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of purified SLT-IIv as the A subunit, A1 fragment, and B subunit, respectively. The arginine-serine bond between amino acids 247 and 248 in the A subunit was determined to be the site for proteolytic cleavage into A1 and A2 fragments. As with other SLTs, gel filtration chromatography of SLT-IIv gave estimates of the MW of holotoxin that were variable and less than predicted for a 1-A-subunit-5-B-subunit configuration. The MWs were estimated to be 40,000 and 43,000 by Sephacryl S-100 and Sephadex G-100 and less than 2,000 by Bio-Sil Sec-250 gel filtration chromatography. The isoelectric point of SLT-IIv holotoxin was 9.0. Cytotoxicity of SLT-IIv was destroyed by heating at 65 degrees C for 30 min and by incubation with 2-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol, but it increased 30-fold by incubation with trypsin, chymotrypsin, or pepsin and 2-fold by incubation with thermolysin. SLT-IIv cytotoxic activity was stable at neutral and alkaline pH values but was lost at pHs 3, 4, and 5. SLT-IIv was stable in fluid from the anterior and posterior small intestines of pigs but was not enterotoxic in pig intestinal loops. The smallest doses of SLT-IIv that inhibited protein synthesis in porcine endothelial cells and Vero cells were 0.1 ng and 0.1 fg, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Reproduction of edema disease of swine with purified Shiga-like toxin-II variant.

Twenty-one weaned Yorkshire-Landrace pigs were injected intravenously with graded doses of purified Shiga-like toxin-II variant (edema disease toxin). In a preliminary study, three pigs (Nos. 1, 2, 3) were injected with 48, 24, and 12 ng, respectively, of SLT-IIv/kg of body weight. Subsequently, three groups (Nos. 4, 5, 6) of six pigs each were injected with 6, 3, and 1.5 ng, respectively, of SLT-IIv/kg of body weight. Severe clinical signs and histologic lesions characteristic of edema disease developed in pigs Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and all six pigs in group No. 4. Eight of these pigs were euthanatized in extremis (mean time to death was 34 hours) and one died of the disease (52 hours). Moderate signs and lesions of edema disease were observed in all pigs in group No. 5, and three pigs were euthanatized (mean time to euthanasia was 42 hours). Mild signs and lesions were observed in three pigs in group No. 6. The most common gross pathologic changes were edema of the eyelids, submucosa of the stomach, and mesentery of the spiral colon and hemorrhage of the colon and cerebellum. Microscopic lesions were associated with vascular injury and included vessel necrosis, perivascular edema and hemorrhage, and superficial colonic and cecal erosions. The vascular lesions were observed in the cerebellar folia, submucosa and mucosa of the stomach, cecum, colon, and sporadically in the retina. None of the clinical signs associated with endotoxin were observed.

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Characteristics of the Shiga-like toxin produced by Escherichia coli associated with porcine edema disease.

Shiga-like toxin (SLT-IIv) from Escherichia coli strains associated with edema disease of pigs was characterized and compared with SLT-I, SLT-II, and the SLT of E. coli strain HI8 (SLT-HI8). SLT-IIv from an E. coli K12 in which the genes for SLT-IIv had been cloned was indistinguishable from SLT-IIv of wild strains of E. coli from edema disease. There was cross-neutralization among all SLTs except SLT-I. The different SLTs could be distinguished by heat lability, with the descending order of heat lability being SLT-IIv, SLT-II, SLT-I, and SLT-HI8. SLT-IIv and SLT-HI8 had lower cytotoxic titers on HeLa cells compared with Vero cells and were more active on MDBK cells than were the other SLTs. All SLTs were enterotoxic in rabbit but not in pig intestine and SLT-IIv was less enterotoxic than SLT-I. SLT-IIv had a lower LD50 in mice than did the other SLTs.

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Prevalence of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli in ground beef, pork, and chicken in southwestern Ontario.

Samples of ground beef (225), pork (235) and chicken (200) were randomly selected from meat processing plants in the southwestern Ontario area. Supernatants of broth cultures of the samples were tested for verocytotoxins using a Vero cell assay. Neutralization of cytotoxic activity using antisera specific for three types of verocytotoxin (Verotoxin 1, Verotoxin 2 and Shiga-like toxin II) was performed on positive samples. Isolation of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) was attempted from positive samples. VTEC were confirmed as E. coli biochemically, tested for drug resistance, and serotyped. Based on neutralization studies, the prevalence of VTEC in beef and pork was at least 36.4% and 10.6%, respectively. This is much higher than has been reported from a survey of retail meats in which a method designed to detect only E. coli O 157.H7 was used. Isolations of VTEC were made from 10.4% of the beef samples and 3.8% of the pork samples. No VTEC were recovered from the chicken samples. The majority of VTEC isolates were susceptible to commonly used antimicrobial agents. A number of the serotypes of the VTEC isolates recovered have been associated with human disease; however, no VTEC of serotype O 157.H7 were isolated.

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Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of another variant of the Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxin II family.

Escherichia coli strain H.I.8 (O128:B12) produces low levels of a Shiga-like toxin (SLT) which we have called SLTIIva because of its close relationship with SLTIIv. The Vero cell cytotoxicity of SLTIIva is neutralized by antisera against SLTII and SLTIIv but not by antisera against SLTI. These data indicate that the SLT of strain H.I.8 is a member of the SLTII family. Since SLTIIva shares with SLTIIv the property of having low cytotoxicity to HeLa cells compared with Vero cells, it is appropriate to consider both toxins as variants of SLTII. SLTIIva differs from SLTIIv in that it is more heat-stable. Further, SLTIIv-producing strains of E. coli have only been isolated from pigs while the SLTIIva-producing E. coli strain examined in this study was isolated from a human infant with diarrhoea. The genes for this SLT were cloned from a cosmid library of total cellular DNA by screening recombinants for Vero cell toxicity and with a DNA probe derived from SLTIIv structural genes. Nucleotide sequence analysis was performed on a 2.0 kb AvaII-HincII fragment which encodes the toxin gene. The nucleotide sequence data confirm the close relationship between SLTIIva and SLTIIv: they have 98% nucleotide sequence homology in the B subunit gene and 70.6% homology in the A subunit gene. Comparison of DNA sequences indicated that SLTIIva was most closely related to SLTIIv, closely related to SLTII and less closely related to SLTI.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and characterization of an Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxin II variant.

A Shiga-like toxin II variant was purified to homogeneity from Escherichia coli TB1(pCG6), which contained the toxin genes cloned in multicopy plasmid pUC18. The purification scheme involved polymyxin B extraction of the toxin from bacterial cells, followed by differential (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, anion- and cation-exchange fast-protein liquid chromatography, and immunoaffinity exclusion chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of purified toxin revealed three protein bands that migrated with calculated molecular weights of 33,000, 27,500, and 7,500. These bands correspond to values for the A, A1, and B subunits, respectively, that would be expected on the basis of the nucleotide sequence and comparison with data for Shiga toxin and other Shiga-like toxins. Electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions resulted in disappearance of the 27,000-molecular-weight band. Western blot (immunoblot) analysis revealed three protein bands with molecular weights of 33,000, 27,500, and 7,500. The purified toxin induced typical signs of edema disease in pigs injected intravenously with doses as small as 3 ng/kg of body weight. The 50% cytotoxic doses for Vero, PK15, and Madin-Darby bovine and canine kidney cells were 0.5, 2.0, 8.0, and 8.0 pg, respectively. The 50% lethal dose of purified toxin for mice was 0.9 pg by the intraperitoneal route. Approximately 75 micrograms of purified toxin was required to induce a 1-ml/cm fluid response in rabbit ileal loops. Antiserum to the Shiga-like toxin II variant neutralized homologous toxin, Shiga-like toxin II, and Verotoxin 2 but not Shiga-like toxin I.

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Isolation of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli from milk filters in south-western Ontario.

A total of 1012 milk filters collected from 498 dairy farms in south-western Ontario during three study periods (December 1985-March 1986) were tested for the presence of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC). VTEC were detected and isolated using a Vero cell assay. Supernatants from 20 of the milk filter cultures had verocytotoxic activity and 7 VTEC strains were isolated from these positive samples. The prevalence of VTEC in the samples in each of the three study periods were 0.44, 0.65 and 0.99% respectively. All seven VTEC strains isolated were sensitive to commonly used antimicrobial agents. The serotypes of these strains were O 26.H11, O43.H2, O 153.H25, O ?. H8, O? .H19, O ?. non-motile, and Orough.H19. Two of these serotypes (O 153.H25 and O 26.H11) have previously been associated with disease in humans.

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Effects of culture conditions on yield of Shiga-like toxin-IIv from Escherichia coli.

The effects of selected culture conditions on production of Shiga-like toxin-II variant by an edema disease strain of Escherichia coli (412) and E. coli TB1 (pCG6) containing the cloned genes for Shiga-like toxin-II variant were examined. Incubation time, culture media, incubation temperature, starting pH of the culture medium, aeration, static culture, anaerobiosis, carbon sources, amino acids, antibiotics, and mitomycin C were investigated. The study showed that Shiga-like toxin-II variant was primarily cell associated and that strain TB1 (pCG6) produced as much as 100 times more toxin than did strain 412. Culture conditions that resulted in the greatest yield of Shiga-like toxin-II variant were incubation at 37 degrees C for 24 h with shaking in syncase broth initially adjusted to pH 8.5. Aerobic culture with shaking resulted in higher yields of Shiga-like toxin-II variant than did static aerobic or anaerobic culture. Addition of various carbon sources or amino acids, or tetracycline, lincomycin, or trimethoprim:sulfadoxine did not increase yields of toxin. The amount of Shiga-like toxin-II variant in supernatant preparations from strain TB1 (pCG6) was significantly increased by addition of mitomycin C to the culture medium.

Aerobiosis↗

Effects of Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxins (verotoxins) in pigs.

Escherichia coli K12 strains TB1(pCG5), with the genes for Shiga-like toxin IIv from an edema disease isolate of E. coli and TB1(pCG5-1), with the toxin genes inactivated by transposon mutagenesis, were used to test the hypothesis that Shiga-like toxin IIv was the same as edema disease principle. Ammonium sulfate precipitated culture supernatants from the pair of E. coli K12 strains and from a wild edema disease isolate of E. coli (E145) were tested for their ability to induce signs and lesions of edema disease in intravenously inoculated weaned pigs. Similar preparations from E. coli which produce Shiga-like toxins I and II were also tested. Preparations from E. coli TB1 (pCG5) and E145 contained high levels of Shiga-like toxin IIv and induced signs and lesions similar to those seen in edema disease, whereas preparations from E. coli TB1 (pCG5-1) failed to induce signs or lesions of edema disease. All Shiga-like toxin preparations produced delayed neurological signs, fibrinoid necrosis of arterioles and hemorrhages in the cerebellum of pigs. High doses of Shiga-like toxin IIv were associated with superficial necrosis of the colonic epithelium and vasculitis. Shiga-like toxins I and II resulted in kidney lesions but no enteric pathology. Shiga-like toxin II preparations had the lowest median lethal dose for pigs, Shiga-like toxin IIv was intermediate and Shiga-like toxin I was the least toxic.

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Hybridization studies with a DNA probe derived from the virulence region of the 60 Mdal plasmid of Salmonella typhimurium.

Plasmid DNA of 68 strains of Salmonella that belonged to 18 serovars and exhibited 48 different plasmid profiles was examined for hybridization with a 32P-labelled DNA probe which consisted of a 3750 base pairs (bp) HindIII-HindIII fragment derived from the virulence region of the 60 megadalton (Mdal) plasmid of Salmonella typhimurium. The 32 Mdal plasmid of S. cholerae-suis, the 50 Mdal plasmid of S. dublin, the 36 Mdal plasmid of S. enteritidis, the 60 Mdal plasmid of S. gallinarum, the 60 Mdal plasmid of S. pullorum, and the 60 Mdal plasmid of S. typhimurium, plasmids that have been associated with virulence, all hybridized with the probe. Digestion of plasmid DNA of these strains with PvuII and hybridization with the probe revealed that the plasmids of strains of all six serovars contained fragments of approximately 2520 and 1520 bp that hybridized with the probe. Similarly, hybridization with BglI digests of DNA of the virulence-associated plasmids of strains of these six serovars showed that all six plasmids contained a fragment of approximately 3690 bp that hybridized with the probe. No other plasmids of these strains nor any plasmids of 12 other Salmonella serovars hybridized with the probe. Chromosomal DNA did not hybridize with the probe. The 60 Mdal plasmids of S. gallinarum and S. pullorum showed similar digestion patterns with restriction endonucleases BglI, BglII and PvuII.

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Tagging and elimination of plasmids in Salmonella of avian origin.

This study compared the effectiveness of a number of procedures designed to label and eliminate plasmids that may play a role in virulence in Salmonella. Twenty strains of Salmonella of 9 serovars were subjected to 3 methods for labelling plasmids with transposons. Strains containing labelled and unlabelled plasmids were exposed to physical and chemical curing agents. Plasmids in 9 of 20 strains of Salmonella were tagged by conjugation with a donor Escherichia coli containing a temperature-sensitive RP4 plasmid that carried the Tn1 transposon. Plasmids in 2 of 5 strains of Salmonella were labelled by conjugation with a donor E. coli that contained a F' tslac::Tn5 plasmid. Transduction of Salmonella with a P22 bacteriophage that carried a temperature-sensitive Tn10 transposon resulted in chromosomal insertion of Tn10 in 2 of 10 strains. Use of chemical curing agents resulted in curing of plasmids in only 6 of 17 strains. Two strains were cured by ethidium bromide, two by a combination of ethidium bromide and novobiocin, two by a combination of imipramine and methylene blue, and none by acridine orange, novobiocin, sodium dodecyl sulfate or rifampicin. In contrast, plasmids in 14 of 17 Salmonella strains were eliminated by incubation at 45.5 degrees C.

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Cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of the genes determining verocytotoxin production in a porcine edema disease isolate of Escherichia coli.

The structural genes determining the edema disease principle were cloned from the total cellular DNA of Escherichia coli strain 412 (O139:K82) isolated from a case of porcine edema disease. An assay for cytotoxicity in Vero cells was used to detect the edema disease principle. A 7.5 kb EcoRI-SalI fragment specifying cytotoxin production was subcloned in pUC18. Sequences which specified production of cytotoxin were localized to a 0.9 kb region by transposon Tn5 mutagenesis. A 2.4 kb EcoRI-BglII fragment encompassing this region was subcloned into pUC18. Using nucleotide sequence analysis, two open reading frames separated by 12 bp were identified. They encoded proteins of 319 (A subunit) and 87 (B subunit) amino acids which both had N-terminal sequences typical of E. coli signal peptides. Comparison of these with the published sequence for the Shiga-like toxin II (SLT-II) showed 91% overall nucleotide sequence similarity. The nucleotide sequence similarity extended to 200 base pairs upstream of the putative A subunit translational start site suggesting a common regulatory mechanism. The deduced amino acid sequences of the processed A and B subunits had 94% and 84% similarity, respectively. These findings confirm the close genetic relationship between SLT-II and edema disease principle.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characteristics of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli from pigs.

Porcine verotoxigenic Escherichia coli were characterized with respect to frequency of occurrence, serogroup, and association with disease, weaning, and selected properties of the bacterium. Of 668 strains of E. coli from southern Ontario pigs with enteric disease, 32 (4.8%) produced verotoxin at 10(3)-10(7) cytotoxic doses per mL of culture supernatant. Of 22 isolates which belonged to O serogroups 138, 139 and 141, 15 produced verotoxin. Among other enterotoxigenic types of E. coli, two of 57 isolates of O157:K"V17" and two of 96 isolates of O149:K91 were verotoxigenic. The remaining 13 verotoxigenic E. coli belonged to O groups 2, 107, 120, 121 and 130. An additional 21 verotoxigenic E. coli belonging to O groups 138, 139 and 141 and three to O157:K"V17" were identified in a collection of 47 E. coli recovered from weaned pigs with enteric disease. Verotoxigenic E. coli were associated with postweaning diarrhea, bloody stools, sudden death and edema disease. They were isolated at similar frequencies (14%) from healthy weaned pigs, and from weaned pigs with enteric disease. Isolation rates from neonates were low and significantly different from rates in weaned pigs. Neutralizing antibody to verotoxin was not detected in the sera of 45 pigs, which included pigs from herds with a history of edema disease. Verotoxin was not associated with production of colicin, hemolysin, or enterotoxins or with any of 23 biochemical properties of the organisms. The serological data indicate that porcine verotoxigenic E. coli are not a common source of verotoxigenic E. coli for humans. Porcine verotoxin may play a role in postweaning diarrhea and absence of detectable neutralizing antibody in serum may be an important aspect of pathogenesis.

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Plasmids of Salmonella muenster and their relation to virulence.

The plasmid content of 104 strains of Salmonella muenster collected from bovine and human sources in Ontario from 1982 to 1984 was determined. The strains were classified into 17 different groups on the basis of the sizes of the plasmids they contained. Further division was made on the basis of the fragments obtained following digestion of the plasmids with restriction endonucleases BglI and BglII. Representative strains from each plasmid profile group were compared for resistance to serum and for virulence in mice. No differences in serum resistance or in LD50 by the oral or intraperitoneal route in mice could be associated with the presence of plasmids. Although the strains of S. muenster were recovered from clinical cases in cattle and humans, they were of low virulence for mice: the LD50 values were approximately 10,000-fold greater than that of Salmonella typhimurium.

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Vaccination of calves with a diaminopimelic acid mutant of Salmonella typhimurium.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a diaminopimelic acid mutant of Salmonella typhimurium as a vaccine for calves. Transposon techniques were used to create a stable nonreverting diaminopimelic acid mutant of a virulent S. typhimurium strain. Calves were vaccinated at weekly intervals with the diaminopimelic acid mutant given as an oral dose of 10(10) organisms, followed by two subcutaneous doses of 10(9) organisms. The calves tolerated vaccination well and the vaccine strain was eliminated from the feces within four days. Of five vaccinated calves, three survived challenge with 5 X 10(9) organisms of the parent strain whereas all five unvaccinated calves that were challenged died. The surviving calves eliminated the challenge organism from the feces within three weeks.

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Virulence of wild and mutant strains of Salmonella typhimurium in ligated intestinal segments of calves, pigs, and rabbits.

A ligated intestine model in calves, pigs, and rabbits was tested for its value as an indicator of virulence of potential vaccine strains of Salmonella typhimurium. A wild virulent strain (3860C), a laboratory strain LT2, and mutants of these 2 strains were evaluated. Inoculation of calf intestinal segments with strain 3860C revealed that fluid responses were greatest in the proximal portion of the small intestine and that doses greater than 10(7) organisms were required to produce fluid responses and mucosal damage. Immunoperoxidase-stained sections of intestine revealed that a large dose of Salmonella organisms was required before mucosal invasion could be detected. Aromatic (aroA), galactose epimerase (galE), and diaminopimelic acid (dap) mutants of strain 3860C all resulted in much less fluid response, mucosal invasion, and mucosal damage compared with those by the parent organism. Strain LT2 induced such weak responses that it was not possible to evaluate reductions in virulence of its mutants. In 6-week-old pigs, there was no fluid response to any strains; however, in 1-week-old pigs, there was fluid response to the wild strain and some of its mutants. In adult rabbits, fluid responses were not observed, except when the wild strain was inoculated in the proximal portion of the small intestine. The calf and 1-week-old pig models appeared to be best suited for assessment of virulence of mutant strains of S typhimurium.

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