title: The ABC transporter protein OppA provides protection against experimental Yersinia pestis infection.
abstract: The identification of Yersinia pestis as a potential bioterrorism agent and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains have highlighted the need for improved vaccines and treatments for plague. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter proteins to be exploited as novel vaccines against plague. Western blotting of ABC transporter proteins using sera from rabbits immunized with killed whole Y. pestis cells or human convalescent-phase sera identified four immunologically reactive proteins: OppA, PstS, YrbD, and PiuA. Mice immunized with these proteins developed antibody to the immunogen. When the immunized mice were challenged with Y. pestis, the OppA-immunized mice showed an increased time to death compared to other groups, and protection appeared to correlate with the level of immunoglobulin G antibody to OppA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Helen S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Harland
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Elvin
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stagg
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Titball
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000145:classification; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010930:Plague / Q000517:prevention & control; D010931:Plague Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008074:Lipoproteins; D010931:Plague Vaccine; C046506:oligopeptide-binding protein, bacteria