Immunoprotective activities of a Streptococcus suis pilus subunit in murine models of infection.
Pili of gram-positive bacteria are key virulence factors and their subunits are considered excellent vaccine candidates. Streptococcus suis is an emerging zoonotic agent that can cause epidemics of life-threatening infections in humans, but the functional role or immunoprotective potential of its pilus components have not been studied yet. Using a selective proteomics approach, we have identified a surface protein of serotype 2 S. suis showing features of an ancillary pilus subunit, as evidenced by bioinformatics analysis, immunoblot and immunoelectron microscopy. Immunization with recombinant fragments of this protein, designated herein as PAPI-2b, markedly protected mice from systemic S. suis infection.
Garibaldi
Manuela
M
The Elie Metchnikoff Department, University of Messina, Messina I-98125, Italy.
Rodríguez-Ortega
Manuel J
MJ
Mandanici
Francesca
F
Cardaci
Angela
A
Midiri
Angelina
A
Papasergi
Salvatore
S
Gambadoro
Orazio
O
Cavallari
Vittorio
V
Teti
Giuseppe
G
Beninati
Concetta
C
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D019295:Computational Biology; D005260:Female; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D040901:Proteomics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D017011:Streptococcus suis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins