title: CAMP factor homologues in Propionibacterium acnes: a new protein family differentially expressed by types I and II.
abstract: Analysis of the draft genome sequence of the opportunistic pathogen Propionibacterium acnes type strain NCTC 737 (=ATCC 6919) revealed five genes with sequence identity to the co-haemolytic Christie-Atkins-Munch-Peterson (CAMP) factor of Streptococcus agalactiae. The predicted molecular masses for the expressed proteins ranged from 28 to 30 kDa. The genes were present in each of the three recently identified recA-based phylogenetic groupings of P. acnes (IA, IB and II), as assessed by PCR amplification. Conserved differences in CAMP factor gene sequences between these three groups were also consistent with their previous phylogenetic designations. All type IA, IB and II isolates were positive for the co-haemolytic reaction on sheep blood agar. Immunoblotting and silver staining of SDS-PAGE gels, however, revealed differential protein expression of CAMP factors amongst the different groups. Type IB and II isolates produced an abundance of CAMP factor 1, detectable by specific antibody labelling and silver staining of SDS-PAGE gels. In contrast, abundant CAMP factor production was lacking in type IA isolates, although larger amounts of CAMP factor 2 were detectable by immunoblotting compared with type II isolates. While the potential role of the abundant CAMP factor 1 in host colonization or virulence remains to be determined, it should be noted that the type strain of P. acnes used in much of the published literature is a type IA isolate and is, therefore, lacking in this attribute.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BN, UK.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valanne
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BN, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BN, UK.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramage
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BN, UK.
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tunney
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BN, UK.
authors.forename: Gisli G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Einarsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BN, UK.
authors.forename: Seamus
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Hagan
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: G Brian
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Wisdom
authors.affiliation: QUESTOR Centre, Queen's University, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fairley
authors.affiliation: Corixa Corporation, Infectious Disease Institute, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.affiliation: Corixa Corporation, Infectious Disease Institute, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
authors.forename: Jean-Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Maisonneuve
authors.affiliation: Corixa Corporation, Infectious Disease Institute, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lodes
authors.affiliation: Corixa Corporation, Infectious Disease Institute, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Persing
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BN, UK.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patrick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C039092:CAMP protein, Streptococcus; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins