Pavan María E, Pettinari María J, Cairó Fabián, Pavan Esteban E, Cataldi Angel A
Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Biochemiq S.A., CABA, C1001AFB.
Rev Argent Microbiol. 2011 Oct-Dec;43(4):294-310. doi: 10.1590/S0325-75412011000400010.
Bacillus anthracis, a gram-positive rod belonging to the Bacillus cereus group, has an extremely monomorphic genome, and presents high structural and physiological similarity with B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis. In this work, the new molecular methods for the identification and typing of B. anthracis developed in the last years, based on variable number tandem repeats or on genetic differences detected through sequencing, are described. The molecular aspects of traditional virulence factors: capsule, protective antigen, lethal factor and edema factor are described in depth, together with virulence factors recently proposed, such as the siderophores petrobactin and bacillibactin, the S-layer adhesin and the MntA lipoprotein. It is detailed the molecular organization of megaplasmids pXO1 and pXO2, including the pathogenicity island of pXO1. The genetic skeleton of these plasmids has been observed in related species, and this could be attributed to lateral gene transfer. Finally, the two anthrax toxin protective antigen receptors, ANTXR1/TEM8 and ANTXR2/CMG2, essential for the interaction of the pathogen with the host, are presented. The molecular studies performed in recent years have greatly increased knowledge in different aspects of this microorganism and its relationship with the host, but at the same time they have raised new questions about this noted pathogen.
炭疽芽孢杆菌是一种属于蜡样芽孢杆菌群的革兰氏阳性杆菌，其基因组具有极高的单态性，与蜡样芽孢杆菌和苏云金芽孢杆菌在结构和生理上具有高度相似性。在这项工作中，描述了近年来基于可变数目串联重复序列或通过测序检测到的遗传差异而开发的炭疽芽孢杆菌鉴定和分型的新分子方法。深入阐述了传统毒力因子的分子层面：荚膜、保护性抗原、致死因子和水肿因子，以及最近提出的毒力因子，如铁载体petrobactin和杆菌铁载体、S层黏附素和MntA脂蛋白。详细介绍了大质粒pXO1和pXO2的分子组织，包括pXO1的致病岛。在相关物种中观察到了这些质粒的遗传骨架，这可能归因于横向基因转移。最后，介绍了两种炭疽毒素保护性抗原受体ANTXR1/TEM8和ANTXR2/CMG2，它们对于病原体与宿主的相互作用至关重要。近年来进行的分子研究极大地增加了对这种微生物及其与宿主关系不同方面的认识，但同时也引发了关于这种著名病原体的新问题。
