Microarray-based comparative genomic profiling of reference strains and selected Canadian field isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.
BACKGROUND
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, is a highly contagious respiratory pathogen that causes severe losses to the swine industry worldwide. Current commercially-available vaccines are of limited value because they do not induce cross-serovar immunity and do not prevent development of the carrier state. Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridizations (M-CGH) were used to estimate whole genomic diversity of representative Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains. Our goal was to identify conserved genes, especially those predicted to encode outer membrane proteins and lipoproteins because of their potential for the development of more effective vaccines.


RESULTS
Using hierarchical clustering, our M-CGH results showed that the majority of the genes in the genome of the serovar 5 A. pleuropneumoniae L20 strain were conserved in the reference strains of all 15 serovars and in representative field isolates. Fifty-eight conserved genes predicted to encode for outer membrane proteins or lipoproteins were identified. As well, there were several clusters of diverged or absent genes including those associated with capsule biosynthesis, toxin production as well as genes typically associated with mobile elements.


CONCLUSIONS
Although A. pleuropneumoniae strains are essentially clonal, M-CGH analysis of the reference strains of the fifteen serovars and representative field isolates revealed several classes of genes that were divergent or absent. Not surprisingly, these included genes associated with capsule biosynthesis as the capsule is associated with sero-specificity. Several of the conserved genes were identified as candidates for vaccine development, and we conclude that M-CGH is a valuable tool for reverse vaccinology.
Gouré
Julien
J
Groupe de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses du Porc, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada. julien.goure@umontreal.ca
Findlay
Wendy A
WA
Deslandes
Vincent
V
Bouevitch
Anne
A
Foote
Simon J
SJ
MacInnes
Janet I
JI
Coulton
James W
JW
Nash
John H E
JH
Jacques
Mario
M
D016977:Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002170:Canada; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D023281:Genomics; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D013045:Species Specificity
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008074:Lipoproteins