title: Repeats in an extracellular protein of weakly pathogenic strains of Streptococcus suis type 2 are absent in pathogenic strains.
abstract: Streptococcus suis type 2 strains that are pathogenic for pigs produce a 110-kDa extracellular protein factor (EF). Nonpathogenic and weakly pathogenic strains do not produce EF or produce a protein (EF*) that is immunologically related to EF. To study the pathogenesis of S. suis type 2 in pigs and to develop tools and methods for the control of S. suis type 2 infections, we cloned and characterized the genes encoding EF and various EF* proteins. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences showed that the first 833 amino acids at the N terminus of the EF and EF* proteins were nearly identical. The proteins differed, however, at their C termini. Unlike the 110-kDa EF protein, the EF* proteins contained several repeated units of 76 amino acids. The number and arrangement of the repeats in the EF* proteins varied. The data suggest that the gene encoding EF could have evolved from an epf* gene by a specific deletion event. The lack of repeated amino acid units in the EF protein may be related to virulence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, DLO-Central Veterinary Institute, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Reek
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vecht
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gielkens
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Smits
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D017011:Streptococcus suis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C082316:Epf protein, Streptococcus suis