title: Immunological response to a Staphylococcus aureus fibronectin-binding protein.
abstract: A protein (gal-FnBP), constructed by fusion of the genes encoding beta-galactosidase of Escherichia coli and the binding domains of fibronectin-binding protein (FnBP) of Staphylococcus aureus was used. FnBP is a surface protein responsible for attachment of bacteria to extracellular matrix of various host tissues. Gal-FnBP is more stable and can be produced in larger quantities than native FnBP. The binding specificity of this fusion protein was established in a Western blot analysis. Treatment of gal-FnBP with formalin inactivated the binding capacity of the protein but immunogenicity was retained. Immunisation of mice with formalin-treated gal-FnBP resulted in high antibody titres against the fibronectin-binding part of this fusion protein. These antibodies were measured by their ability to block the specific binding of fibronectin to gal-FnBP in a blocking assay. Sera raised against formalin-treated gal-FnBP and non-treated gal-FnBP blocked this binding to 40 and 25% respectively, thereby indicating the usefulness of gal-FnBP as a vaccine component.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ciborowski
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Flock
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wadström
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005353:Fibronectins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C078635:fibronectin-binding proteins, bacterial