Construction and Verification of LuxS-negative Mutants of Streptococcus Mutans and the Effect of the Absence of LuxS Gene on the Acid Tolerance

Objective: To knock out the entire Luxs gene of Streptococcus mutans(S.mutans) UA159 strain via homologous recombination and construct a Luxs-deleted mutant strain of S. mutans. To study the difference between the acid resistance of S. mutans Ingbritt C international standard strain and the acid resistance of LuxS mutant strain. Methods: Two DNA fragments locating in the upper and downstream of Luxs gene were amplified and a erythromycin resistance gene of PJT10 between them were engineered into PUC19 plasmid for constructing the recombination plasmid pUCluxKO. Electrotransformation of S.mutans cells with pUCluxKO-mutant resulted in isolation of erythromycin resistant S. mutans transformants, which was identified by polymerase chain reaction, V.harveyi BB170 luminescence bioassay and sequencing analysis. Solutions of S. mutans standard strain and LuxS mutant strain with same density were made and cultured at pH 3.5 to 7.0 BHI liquid for the same period.Terminal growth situation was compared.Firstly acidized in pH 5.5 BHI liquid,the two strains were cultured at pH 3.0 BHI liquid. The acid tolerance responses of the two strains were compared.Results:Restriction endonuclease analyses showed that pUCluxKO-mutant vector had been successfully recombined. The Luxs-deleted status of S.mutans mutants was confirmed by PCR with primers which were specific for the genes of Luxs and Erythromycin resistance. S.mutans mutant can not induce bioluminescence, indiating the mutant had been successfully recombined. After twenty generations of culture, the constructed Chinese S.mutans mutants were confirmed to be stable. Significant difference of aciduricity was observed between S.mutans standard strain and LuxS mutant strain.The acid resistance of standard strain was stronger than that of LuxS mutant strain.The two strains both displayed the capability of acid tolerance responses. Conclusion:The S.mutans gene allelic exchange plasmid is constructed correctively and a Luxs-negative mutants of S.mutans is constructed, which can help to further study the role of Luxs in the pathogenesis of S.mutans. LuxS mutant strain is more sensitive to acid inactivation,but the capability of acid tolerance responses exist still.

Survival of Pseudomonas fluorescence X16(luxAB)Strain in Soils Accumulated with Mixed Rare Earth Elements

Rare earth elements(REE)are applied as micro-fertilizer in large scale in China and there is growing concern about the environmental effects of REE accumulation in soils. Accumulation of REE was simulated in lab by adding REE to three soils and the survival of Pseudomonas fluorescence X16 strain marked with luxAB gene in soils was detected. Curvilinear regression method was applied to analyze the survival pattern. The stimulation values, EC_(50) and NOEC values for X16 strain were calculated to compare the toxic intensity of REE in different soils. The stimulation(peak)values in red soil, yellow fluovo-aquic soil and yellow cinnamon soil, are 11.55～18.08,(0～2.13), 2.37～4.62 mg·kg^(-1) , respectively. EC_(50) values are 13.47～39.12, 6.59～56.18, 372～1034 (mg·kg^(-1)), respectively.NOEC values are 5.62 ～21.41, 0.00～4.53, 133.3～327.1 mg·kg^(-1), respectively. Tangents values of regression equation of the survival of X16 strain in red soil are the maximum ones indicating that REE accumulation in red soil has stronger inhibitory effects than in other two soils. The soil order, reflecting toxic intensity of REE is as follows: red soil>yellow fluovic-aquic soil>yellow cinnamon soil.