title: Fully virulent Bacillus anthracis does not require the immunodominant protein BclA for pathogenesis.
abstract: The BclA protein is the immunodominant epitope on the surface of Bacillus anthracis spores; however, its roles in pathogenesis are unclear. We constructed a BclA deletion mutant (bclA) of the fully virulent Ames strain. This derivative retained full virulence in several small-animal models of infection despite the bclA deletion.
authors.affiliation: Bacteriology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bozue
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Cote
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Moody
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Welkos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000276:immunology*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: C470593:BclA protein, Bacillus anthracis; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins