Simultaneous variation of the immunodominant outer membrane proteins, MSP2 and MSP3, during anaplasma marginale persistence in vivo.
Vector-borne bacterial pathogens persist in the mammalian host by varying surface antigens to evade the existing immune response. To test whether the model of surface coat switching and immune evasion can be extended to a vector-borne bacterial pathogen with multiple immunodominant surface proteins, we examined Anaplasma marginale, a rickettsia with two highly immunogenic outer membrane proteins, major surface protein 2 (MSP2) and MSP3. The simultaneous clearance of variants of the two most immunodominant surface proteins of A. marginale followed by emergence of unique variants indicates that the switch rates and immune selection for MSP2 and MSP3 are sufficiently similar to explain the cyclic bacteremia observed during infection in the immunocompetent host.
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7040, USA. kbrayton@vetmed.wsu.edu
Kelly A
KA
Brayton
Patrick F M
PF
Meeus
Anthony F
AF
Barbet
Guy H
GH
Palmer
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D003870:Dermacentor; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C103346:major surface protein 3, Anaplasma marginale; C450839:p44 protein, Anaplasma phagocytophila