title: Inactivation of the gene encoding zinc-binding lipoprotein 103 impairs the infectivity of Streptococcus suis.
abstract: The Streptococcus suis 103 gene product is an immunogenic and protective lipoprotein that is a component of an ATP-binding cassette transporter implicated in zinc uptake. Belonging to the same transcriptional unit and downstream of the 103 gene is a gene that encodes a homologue of the pneumococcal histidine triad (Pht) protein Pht309. In an intraperitoneal mouse model the virulence of a mutant lacking the 103 gene was more than 50 times lower than that of the wild-type (WT) parent strain, S. suis serotype 2 strain P1/7. In addition, the immunogenicity of this mutant was dramatically decreased. In striking contrast, the virulence and immunogenicity of a P1/7 mutant lacking the Pht309 gene were similar to those of the parent strain. These results demonstrate that the 103 lipoprotein is strongly involved in S. suis virulence and support the hypothesis that this lipoprotein might be an excellent candidate for vaccines aiming to achieve broad protection against streptococci.
authors: Department de Genètica i Microbiologia, Edifici C (Facultat de Biociències), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193 Barcelona, Spain. jesus.aranda.rodriguez@gmail.com
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Aranda
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Teixidó
authors: Nahuel
authors: N
authors: Fittipaldi
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Cortés
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Llagostera
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: Gottschalk
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Barbé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D017011:Streptococcus suis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008074:Lipoproteins