微生物学通报  2022, Vol. 49 Issue (11): 4848−4859

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薛松, 范殊璇, 史君涵, 傅翔, 邓子新, 马伟
XUE Song, FAN Shuxuan, SHI Junhan, FU Xiang, DENG Zixin, MA Wei
脓肿分枝杆菌MBT结构鉴定与比较演化分析
Structural identification and phylogenetic analysis of MBT from Mycobacteroides abscessus
微生物学通报, 2022, 49(11): 4848-4859
Microbiology China, 2022, 49(11): 4848-4859
DOI: 10.13344/j.microbiol.china.220391

文章历史

收稿日期: 2022-04-17
接受日期: 2022-07-06
网络首发日期: 2022-07-14
脓肿分枝杆菌MBT结构鉴定与比较演化分析
薛松1 , 范殊璇1 , 史君涵2 , 傅翔1 , 邓子新1 , 马伟1     
1. 上海交通大学生命科学技术学院 微生物代谢国家重点实验室, 上海    200240;
2. 上海交通大学生命科学技术学院, 上海    200240
摘要: 【背景】 作为临床最常见的非结核条件致病分枝杆菌,脓肿分枝杆菌(Mycobacteroides abscessus)因其天然、多耐药等特性成为目前临床治疗的一大挑战。作为分枝杆菌限制性营养元素——铁摄取的关键系统,分枝杆菌素(mycobactin,MBT)、羧基分枝杆菌素(carboxymycobactin,cMBT)与病原分枝杆菌的毒力、耐药等密切相关。【目的】 丰富分枝杆菌MBT、cMBT结构数据,探究MBT在致病分枝杆菌起源过程中的演化规律。【方法】 在MALDI-TOF-MS与FT-MS/MS解析脓肿MBT、cMBT结构的基础上,进一步开展其活性分析与生物合成基因簇比较基因组分析。【结果】 虽然脓肿分枝杆菌MBT、cMBT母核修饰模式与海洋分枝杆菌最相似,R1、R2、R3、R5等位置的修饰完全相同,而且脂肪酸链均位于R4位置;但脂肪酸链长度不同[C10−17 (MBT)、C4−8 (cMBT)],为新结构。Fe-cMBT不仅以浓度依赖方式促进脓肿分枝杆菌生长,而且利用效率显著高于FeCl3,相关结果表明MBT-cMBT是脓肿分枝杆菌高效获取铁元素的关键系统。与MBT结构结果一致,mbt-1基因簇共线性分析及mbt-1mbt-2系统发育分析结果均表明脓肿分枝杆菌与海洋分枝杆菌(M. marinum)亲缘关系最近,而非结核分枝杆菌(M. tuberculosis)或耻垢分枝杆菌(M. smegmatis) (基于16S rRNA基因序列分析)。进一步分析发现,M. marinumM. tuberculosisM. bovis等病原分枝杆菌脂肪酸链长度变化范围仅4 C,而M. abscessusM. fortuitumM. aviumM. smegmatis等条件致病与非致病菌的脂肪酸链长度变化范围为7−11 C,暗示MBT同系物脂肪酸链长度变化范围与分枝杆菌不同生活方式、环境之间可能存在关联。【结论】 作为获取铁元素的关键系统,具有独特结构的脓肿分枝杆菌MBT-cMBT在致病、耐药等方面的作用及起源、演化规律值得深入研究。
关键词: 脓肿分枝杆菌    铁载体    分枝杆菌素    羧基分枝杆菌素    系统发育    
Structural identification and phylogenetic analysis of MBT from Mycobacteroides abscessus
XUE Song1 , FAN Shuxuan1 , SHI Junhan2 , FU Xiang1 , DENG Zixin1 , MA Wei1     
1. State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China;
2. School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Abstract: [Background] As one of the common non-tuberculous conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria, Mycobacteroides abscessus is a major clinical challenge because of its natural multi-drug resistance. Mycobactin (MBT) and carboxymycobactin (cMBT), the crucial systems for mycobacteria to acquire iron, one of the limiting nutrients, are closely associated with virulence and drug resistance. [Objective] To reveal the structure of MBT in M. abscessus and explore the evolution of MBT in pathogenic mycobacteria. [Methods] The structures of MBT and cMBT were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS and FT-MS/MS. Further, the biological activities of MBT and cMBT were determined. The MBT biosynthesis gene clusters were compared between M. abscessus and several representative mycobacteria. [Results] M. abscessus and M. marinum had similar modification patterns of MBT and cMBT core structure. In particular, the modifying groups at R1, R2, R3, and R5 were exactly the same, and the fatty acid chains were both located at R4. However, the MBT and cMBT of M. abscessus are a new structure because of the different lengths of the fatty acid chains (10−17 C for MBT and 4−8 C for cMBT). The growth of M. abscessus in iron-deprived media could be significantly recovered by supplying with Fe-cMBT in a dosage-dependent manner, and M. abscessus can much efficiently absorb Fe-cMBT than FeCl3, which proved that MBT-cMBT system was vital for M. abscessus to acquirie iron from the environment. Synteny and phylogenetic analysis of the MBT biosynthetic gene cluster mbt-1 showed that M. abscessus was closely related to M. marinum rather than M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis (referring to 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic tree). This result is consistent with that based on the structure of MBT. Further analysis revealed that the variation range of the fatty acid chain length of pathogenic mycobacteria such as M. marinum, M. tuberculosis, and M. bovis was only 4 C, while that of conditionally pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria such as M. abscessus, M. fortuitum, M. avium, and M. smegmatis was 7−11 C, which suggested that the range variation of fatty acid chain length of MBT might be associated with the lifestyles and habitats of mycobacteria. [Conclusion] As an important system for obtaining iron with unique structure, M. abscessus MBT deserved further study, especially its roles in pathogenesis and drug resistance, as well as its evolution in pathogenic mycobacteria.
Keywords: Mycobacteroides abscessus    siderophore    mycobactin    carboxymycobactin    phylogeny    

脓肿分枝杆菌是非结核条件致病分枝杆菌(non-tuberculosis mycobacteria,NTM),以囊性纤维化、支气管扩张、艾滋病患者及器官移植、老年等免疫低下人群为主要易感群体[1-2],可感染肺部、关节及皮肤等部位[3-4]。在发达国家,临床上脓肿分枝杆菌占快生长非结核分枝杆菌肺部感染的80%且呈逐年上升趋势[5]。由于独特的细胞壁结构与代谢机制[6-7],其能够抵御巨噬细胞和中性粒细胞等免疫细胞攻击,加之天然多耐药[8],导致其治疗周期长、疗效不理想[9]。例如,囊性纤维化患者6个月以上的长周期治疗,治愈率也仅有30%−50%[10]

铁元素参与细菌的呼吸、DNA合成及自由基清除等重要过程[11],因此与细菌侵染、生长、抵抗巨噬细胞等免疫细胞攻击[12-13]及抗生素耐药[14-15]等密切相关。在生理pH条件下,Fe3+溶解度比细菌生长所需浓度低3−4个数量级[16],在炎症情况下,非特异免疫细胞可以局部产生乳铁蛋白、铁调素等抑制感染部位细菌对铁的获取[17],因此,铁限制是人类等宿主抵御病原菌感染的重要防御手段[18-19]。然而病原菌则通过合成与铁离子亲和性极高的铁载体从宿主转铁蛋白等蛋白中夺取铁[20]。针对结核分枝杆菌的研究发现,铁载体合成缺陷菌株在巨噬细胞中的生长受到显著抑制[21];而铁载体受体蛋白FecB缺失导致其对万古霉素、美罗培南等多种抗生素敏感性增强[22]

正是由于铁载体的重要功能与作用,目前,有研究将抗生素与病原菌铁载体偶联,以提高抗生素进入菌体效率从而提升菌体内抗生素浓度,即所谓的特洛伊木马策略[23-24],以及针对铁载体合成关键酶开发抑制剂[25]等已成为抗生素研发热点。例如体外实验表明,3-苯基丙烯酸酯类化合物通过竞争性底物抑制结核分枝杆菌铁载体合成途径中的关键酶从而限制其生长[26]

在缺铁环境中,分枝杆菌主要通过合成疏水的分枝杆菌素(mycobactin,MBT)[27]和亲水的羧基分枝杆菌素(carboxymycobactin,cMBT)高效吸收铁[28]。以结核分枝杆菌为例,细胞外的cMBT螯合铁后,通过HupB将Fe3+转移给位于周质空间中的MBT,Fe-MBT通过铁载体转运蛋白IrtAB将铁元素转运至细胞内,但铁元素从HupB转移到MBT的机制尚不清楚[29]。结核分枝杆菌的MBT生物合成基因簇由mbt-1mbt-2两部分组成,mbt-1基因簇由mbtAmbtJ等10个基因构成,主要负责MBT母核的合成[30]mbt-2基因簇包括mbtKmbtN等4个基因,负责MBT疏水脂肪酸链的组装[31]。结核、耻垢等菌的MBT相关研究表明,分枝杆菌MBT、cMBT母核结构高度保守(图 1),而母核苯环上R1−R5等位置修饰模式及脂肪酸链长度[29, 31]具有物种特异性。在所有MBT结构已被研究的分枝杆菌中,除海洋分枝杆菌脂肪酸链位于R4外[32],结核、耻垢等其他分枝杆菌脂肪酸链均位于R3[29]。脂肪酸链为MBT固着于细胞膜及IrtAB转运MBT所必需[33]。研究发现,各菌均会合成一系列脂肪酸链长短不一的MBT和cMBT,如结核MBT为C17−20[29, 34],而耻垢为C9−19[29, 35],但其生物学功能与意义尚不清楚。

图 1 分枝杆菌素母核结构与关键修饰基团 Figure 1 Schematic representation of the core structure and key modifications of mycobactins/carboxymycobactin from mycobacteria.

针对在水体、人体组织等多种环境中均可生长且具有条件致病性的脓肿分枝杆菌的MBT结构的研究,无疑将对于揭示分枝杆菌铁元素获取机制具有重要意义。

1 材料与方法 1.1 菌株与培养基

菌株:M. abscessus ATCC 19977菌株由本实验室保存。

培养基:M. abscessus采用7H9[36]于37 ℃、120 r/min培养2−3 d至指定OD600值,用于后续实验。用于铁载体提取时,采用除铁最低营养培养基[32],经除铁最低营养培养基中传代2次之后,以0.5%比例接种至500 mL除铁最低营养培养基中培养,于37 ℃、120 r/min培养14 d,25 ℃、6 000 r/min离心30 min,分别取上清和沉淀用于cMBT与MBT提取。

1.2 实验方法

1.2.1 铁载体提取

M. abscessus铁载体提取参照文献[32]方法进行。

1.2.2 质谱分析

MALDI-TOF-MS:将溶于乙腈中的铁载体与HCCA等体积混合,氮气吹干后,进行分析,m/z检测范围为700−1 100。

FT-MS/MS:鞘层气体流速:5 250 kPa,辅助气流速:1 750 kPa,毛细管温度:350 ℃,全扫描模式分辨率:120 000,MS/MS扫描模式分辨率:7 500,喷雾电压:4.0 kV (阳离子)或−3.8 kV (阴离子)。

1.2.3 Fe-cMBT对缺铁脓肿分枝杆菌生长恢复作用分析

经缺乏铁元素的最低营养培养基连续培养2代后,按1%接种于按指定浓度添加Fe-cMBT、FeCl3或等体积ddH2O的最低营养培养基,37 ℃、120 r/min培养4 d,每12 h测量OD600值。

1.2.4 系统发育学分析

自NCBI (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/)与KEGG (https://www.kegg.jp/kegg/kegg2.html)公共数据库下载M. tuberculosis H37Rv、M. smegmatis MC2 155、M. abscessus ATCC 19977、M. marinum M、M. canettii CIPT 140010059、M. bovis AF2122/97、M. avium 2285 (R)、M. fortuitum subsp. fortuitum ATCC 6841等菌株的MBT生物合成蛋白序列,对未注释蛋白采用M. tuberculosis的相关蛋白对目标菌蛋白数据集进行BLASTp,相似度最高、E-value < 10−20的比对结果认作同源蛋白,具体序列accession号如表 1所示。使用MEGA X[37]软件的最大似然方法进行系统发育树构建,通过1 000次自举重复评估节点支持。

表 1 用于系统发育分析的mbt基因簇编码蛋白登录号 Table 1 Accession No. of mbt gene cluster coding proteins for phylogenetic analysis
Coding protein M. abscessus M. avium M. canetti M. marinum
MbtA WP_005088755.1 EUA36076.1 WP_014001248.1 ACC42114.1
MbtB WP_005110650.1 EUA36980.1 WP_014001247.1 WP_012395305.1
MbtC WP_005080165.1 EUA39465.1 WP_003412278.1 WP_012395309.1
MbtD WP_005110643.1 EUA38842.1 WP_014001246.1 WP_012395310.1
MbtE WP_005110645.1 EUA38931.1 WP_041180111.1 WP_012395307.1
MbtF WP_005110647.1 EUA39107.1 WP_041180276.1 WP_012395306.1
MbtG WP_005086054.1 EUA37716.1 WP_014001243.1 WP_041324786.1
MbtH CAM62331.1 EUA36332.1 WP_003412265.1 WP_011741377.1
MbtI WP_005096783.1 EUA39884.1 WP_014001250.1 ACC42122.1
MbtJ WP_005098458.1 EUA39656.1 WP_041180112.1 WP_012395313.1
MbtK WP_005076691.1 EUA40352.1 WP_003406956.1 WP_012393422.1
MbtM CAM64737.1 EUA36117.1 WP_003406950.1 WP_237708340.1
MbtN WP_005082911.1 EUA39862.1 WP_003406953.1 WP_012396082.1
Coding protein M. smegmatis M. tuberculosis M. bovis M. fortuitum
MbtA ABK70627.1 WP_003412282.1 WP_003412282.1 CRL54347.1
MbtB WP_011729889.1 WP_003899299.1 WP_010950705.1 CRL56150.1
MbtC WP_011729888.1 WP_003412278.1 WP_003412278.1 EJZ16316.1
MbtD ABK75467.1 WP_003412277.1 WP_003412277.1 WP_003879643.1
MbtE ABK72785.1 WP_003899297.1 WP_003899297.1 WP_051018853.1
MbtF AFP40852.1 WP_023637453.1 WP_031657277.1 WP_003879641.1
MbtG WP_011729884.1 WP_003899296.1 WP_003899296.1 WP_003879640.1
MbtH WP_011729883.1 WP_003916994.1 WP_003412265.1 WP_003884873.1
MbtI WP_011729893.1 WP_003412287.1 WP_003412287.1 EJZ16323.1
MbtJ WP_011726795.1 WP_003899300.1 WP_003899300.1 WP_038563859.1
MbtK WP_011728178.1 WP_003406956.1 WP_003406956.1 WP_003879974.1
MbtM ABK75882.1 WP_003406950.1 WP_003406950.1 WP_003879972.1
MbtN ABK70771.1 WP_003406953.1 WP_003406953.1 WP_003881372.1

1.2.5 统计学分析

实验结果为3次独立实验平均值,采用GraphPad Prism软件paired t-test模块进行组间差异统计学分析,P < 0.05认定为差异显著。

2 结果与分析 2.1 脓肿分枝杆菌分枝杆菌素的结构

从MALDI-TOF-MS谱图(图 2)中可以观察到MBT、Fe-MBT与cMBT、Fe-cMBT的分子离子峰,表明两者均具有与Fe3+的结合能力。MBT的脂肪链长度变化范围为C10−17,其中高丰度同系物链长为C10−13、C15、C17,详见图 2A。从图 2B中可以看到,cMBT脂肪链长度大约从C4−8不等,高丰度组分的链长为C5−8。

图 2 Mycobacteroides abscessus MBT与cMBT的MALDI-TOF-MS谱图 Figure 2 MALDI-TOF-MS mass spectrum of MBT and cMBT from Mycobacteroides abscessus. A:MBT谱图;B:cMBT谱图 A: Mass spectrum of MBT; B: Mass spectrum of cMBT.

高分辨FT-MS/MS二级质谱谱图分析分别确定了M. abscessus的MBT、cMBT的R1、R2、R3、R4、R5等修饰基团(表 2)。值得注意的是,脓肿分枝杆菌脂肪酸链位于R4位置,即母核的中心酯基团与酰胺基团之间(图 3)。

表 2 分枝杆菌MBT/cMBT母核修饰基团 Table 2 Variable residues of different mycobacteria's MBT/cMBT
Strains R1
MBT/cMBT
R2
MBT/cMBT
R3
MBT/cMBT
R4
MBT/cMBT
R5
MBT/cMBT
Pathogenicity and growth speed Reference
M. abscessus H CH3 CH3 C10-17/C4-8 or C3-7 CH3 Opportunistic Pathogens (RGM) This Study
M. tuberculosis H H/H, CH3 C17-20/C3-9 or C1-9 CH3 H True Pathogens [29-30]
M. smegmatis H H/H, CH3 C9-19/Not available CH3 H Saprophytes (RGM) [29, 31]
M. bovis H H/H, CH3 C17-20/C3-9 or C1-9 CH3 H True Pathogens [29-30]
M. avium H CH3 C11-14, 18/C1-9 or C2-5 CH2CH3 CH3 Opportunistic Pathogens (SGM) [29-30]
M. fortuitum CH3/Not available CH3/Not available C9-17/Not available CH3/Not available H/Not available Opportunistic Pathogens (RGM) [29]
M. marinum H CH3 CH3 C15-18/C7-9 or C3-6 CH3 True Pathogens (SGM) [32]
注:cMBT的R3或R4末端中有羧基(RCOOH)和甲酯(RCOOCH3)两种形式。RGM:Rapidly-growing mycobacteria;SGM:Slowly-growing mycobacteria。所有的病原性分枝杆菌均为慢生长型
Note: The R3 or R4 terminus of cMBT have two types:carboxyl (RCOOH) and methyl ester (RCOOCH3). RGM: Rapidly-growing mycobacteria; SGM: Slowly-growing mycobacteria. All pathogenic mycobacteria are slowly-growing type.

图 3 Mycobacteroides abscessus MBT和cMBT的FT-MS/MS谱图与推测结构 Figure 3 FT-MS/MS mass spectrum of MBT and cMBT from Mycobacteroides abscessus. A和B:MBT质谱谱图及推测结构;C和D:cMBT质谱谱图与结构 A, B: Mass spectrum and speculated structure of MBT; C, D: Mass spectrum and speculated structure of cMBT.
2.2 Fe-cMBT促进脓肿分枝杆菌在缺铁培养基中的生长

图 4中可以看到,Fe-cMBT可显著促进M. abscessus生长,培养至72 h,添加1、5和10 μmol/L的Fe-cMBT组OD600值分别比对照组高37.8%、120.7%和178.5%,84 h后分别高10.7%、56.0%和105.2%,96 h后分别高9.4%、61.9%和100.8% (图 4)。

图 4 Fe-cMBT对缺铁条件下脓肿分枝杆菌生长作用 Figure 4 Effect of Fe-cMBT on the growth of M. abscessus in iron deprivation. *: P < 0.1; **: P < 0.05; ***: P < 0.01.

对比cMBT螯合铁与无机铁可以发现,虽然铁离子较为丰富时(如10 μmol/L),Fe-cMBT与FeCl3组无显著差异(结果未展示),但是5 μmol/L铁离子浓度下,培养至60 h时Fe-cMBT组OD600值高于FeCl3组21.1% (P=0.012 4),72 h时高14.7% (P=0.003 9),84 h高16.7% (P=0.052 7),96 h高15.2% (P=0.112 7)。

2.3 分枝杆菌典型菌MBT合成基因簇比较基因组分析

2.3.1 分枝杆菌家族MBT合成基因簇共线性分析

图 5中可以看到,虽然M. smegmatis mbt-1基因簇各成员在基因组中的排列方向与M. tuberculosisM. canettiM. bovis等菌相反,M. fortuitummbtBmbtC间插入了2个与MBT合成无关基因及M. aviummbtE基因的长度比其他分枝杆菌的mbtE长约1 500 bp,但是这些菌mbt-1基因簇成员均按mbtAmbtH顺序排列。M. abscessusM. marinummbt-1基因簇中仅D-C-E-F-B的排列顺序相同,其他基因排列顺序并不相同;而且M. abscessusmbt-1由两段构成,中间相隔100多个基因且各包含一个mbtE

图 5 分枝杆菌家族不同菌株的mbt-1合成基因簇的排列模式 Figure 5 Alignment patterns of mbt-1 synthesis gene clusters in different strains of the mycobacterium family. 使用不同的颜色标注出了mbtAmbtJ。从上至下分别为:结核分枝杆菌、偶发分枝杆菌、耻垢分枝杆菌、鸟分枝杆菌、海洋分枝杆菌和脓肿分枝杆菌。卡内蒂分枝杆菌、牛分枝杆菌的基因排列模式与结核分枝杆菌完全相同 The mbtAmbtJ genes are labeled using different colors from top to bottom: M. tuberculosis, M. fortuitum, M. smegmatis, M. avium, M. marinum, M. abscessus. The gene clusters alignment patterns of M. canetti and M. bovis are same as M. tuberculosis.

观察mbt-2相关基因在基因组中的分布可以看出,M. tuberculosisM. fortuitumM. smegmatisM. bovisM. canetti等菌的mbtKmbtLmbtMmbtN在基因组中连续排列;M. aviummbtL独立,其余3个基因连续排列;而M. abscessusM. marinum不仅mbtL缺失,其余3个基因均分散排列(表 3)。

表 3 不同分枝杆菌mbt-2基因簇基因构成 Table 3 Genes in mbt-2 cluster from different mycobacteria
Strains mbtK mbtL mbtM mbtN
M. abscessus Mab_3125c Mab_4668c Mab_1070c
M. avium Mav_2875 Mav_0029 Mav_2874 Mav_2876
M. canetti Mcan_RS07180 Mcan_RS07165 Mcan_RS07170 Mcan_RS07175
M. marinum Mmar_1587 Mmar_3272 Mmar_4532
M. smegmatis Msmei_2080 Msmei_2083 Msmei_2082 Msmei_2081
M. tuberculosis Rv1347c Rv1344 Rv1345 Rv1346
M. bovis BQ2027_RS07055 BQ2027_RS07040 BQ2027_RS07045 BQ2027_RS07050
M. fortuitum Mfort_06229 Mfort_06214 Mfort_06219 Mfort_06224
注:−:通过BLASTp比对后无法找到对应的同源基因(E-value > 10−20)
Note: −: The corresponding homologous gene cannot be found after BLASTp alignment (E-value > 10−20).

2.3.2 分枝杆菌代表菌mbt-1基因簇系统发育分析

对脓肿等菌的mbt-1基因簇基因编码的蛋白进行系统发育分析发现,M. tuberculosisM. canettiM. bovis最相似,M. fortuitumM. smegmatis最相似,而M. abscessusM. marinum最相似且独立成簇(图 6A)。

图 6 分枝杆菌代表菌MBT合成基因编码蛋白系统发育分析 Figure 6 Phylogenetic analysis of proteins encoded by MBT synthesis genes from representative mycobacteria. A:mbt-1系统发育树;B:mbt-2系统发育树。括号中序号为菌株序列的GenBank登录号;分支点处数值为1 000次自举验证可信率(百分比值);系统树枝上数值为其进化距离 A: Phylogenetic tree of mbt-1; B: Phylogenetic tree of mbt-2. The number in brackets is the GenBank accession number of the strain; The value at the branch point is the confidence rate (percentage value) of 1 000 times bootstrap verification; The value on the phylogenetic branch is the evolutionary distance.

基于MbtK、MbtM与MbtN的mbt-2系统发育分析发现(M. abscessusM. marinummbtL),mbt-2进化树结构与mbt-1相似,M. abscessusM. marinum亲缘关系最近(图 6B)。

3 讨论与结论

本研究对MBT与cMBT结构鉴定发现,M. abscessus MBT、cMBT母核R1、R2、R3、R5等位置的修饰模式与海洋分枝杆菌相同,脂肪酸链也位于R4位置;但MBT、cMBT脂肪酸链长度分别为C10−17和C4−8,该结构未见报道。Fe-cMBT生物活性分析发现,cMBT以浓度依赖方式促进缺铁M. abscessus生长,而且M. abscessus对cMBT利用效率显著高于无机铁。上述实验结果表明,MBT-cMBT系统是M. abscessus高效吸收环境铁元素的关键系统。

在已有MBT结构报道的分枝杆菌中,M. abscessus MBT母核修饰模式与慢生长型的M. marinum最接近,但脂肪酸链长度及变化范围又与之存在明显差异。对它们进行比较分析可以发现,M. marinumM. tuberculosisM. bovis等慢生长型、病原分枝杆菌[30, 38]脂肪酸链长度变化范围仅4个碳,而条件致病菌,无论是慢生长型的M. avium还是快生长型的M. abscessusM. fortuitum及非致病菌M. smegmatis等条件致病菌的脂肪酸链长度变化范围达C7−11。即致病菌脂肪酸链长度变化范围远小于条件致病菌与环境菌,而且更倾向于合成脂肪酸侧链较长的MBT。我们推测,具有较大变化范围脂肪酸链的MBT或许更有利于细菌从多样、多变环境中获取铁;而长但变化范围小的脂肪酸链或有利于病原分枝杆菌从较为稳定宿主环境,如人体中高效夺取铁元素。

MBT合成基因簇无论是共线性还是系统发育树均为M. abscessusM. marinum最相似(图 5图 6),该结果与基于16S rRNA基因序列的亲缘关系分析结果完全不同[39],我们推测两者MBT生物合成基因簇发生过水平转移事件。

M. tuberculosis脂肪酸链位于R3位置,其MBT生物合成研究发现,MbtMN首先将脂肪酸链转移到mbtL编码的酰基载体蛋白上并活化[40],然后由mbtK编码的N-酰基转移酶通过转酰基反应连接到母核的氨基上,最终由MbtG通过酰胺基羟基化等反应生成异羟肟酸[33]。然而M. abscessusM. marinum的脂肪酸链直接连接在碳链上(R4),这就意味着脂肪酸链是以完全不同的方式添加或母核合成方式与结核等菌不同。同时,脂肪酸链着生于R4位置时,螯合铁的MBT母核与细胞膜距离比R3着生方式更远(图 1)。2种方式对铁元素获取效率是否存在影响值得深入研究。

总而言之,MBT结构解析与功能研究不仅有助于深入阐明分枝杆菌铁获取及致病菌侵染、免疫抵抗、耐药等机制,更能通过揭示MBT在病原分枝杆菌起源过程中的演化规律,为M. abscessus治疗方案与药物研发提供有价值的信息。

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