title: Expression and morphology of enterotoxigenic  Escherichia coli  surface antigen CS31A in E. coli K12 and  Vibrio cholerae.
abstract: Enterotoxigenic  Escherichia coli  (ETEC) is known as a worldwide cause of diarrheal disease. The pathogenesis involves the attachment of the microorganisms to the mucosa and the production of enterotoxins. Surface expression of CS31A fimbriae was assessed by Western blots, dot blots, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy using negative staining and immunogold labeling. These investigations revealed significant differences in both the morphology of the wild-type and recombinant strains and the antigen exposure of CS31A in the wild-type and recombinant strains. In the wild-type ETEC strain, expression of CS31A was subject to phase variation. The recombinant E. coli strain produced CS31A but was prone to epitope shedding. In  Vibrio cholerae  vaccine strain CVD 103-HgR, the recombinant CS31A antigen was expressed but was only found intracellularly. Thus, E. coli strains seem to lend themselves better to the development of recombinant vaccines expressing ETEC-specific antigens at the cell's surface than strains from other orders or genera such as V. cholerae.
authors.affiliation: Division of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Berne, Veterinary School, P.O. Box 8466 CH-3001 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuehni-Boghenbor
authors.forename: Helene A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Jordi
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: Edy M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Vilei
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Favre
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Stoffel
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003967:Diarrhea; D054307:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C071730:clpG protein, E coli