title: A conserved region from biofilm associated protein as a biomarker for detection of Acinetobacter baumannii.
abstract: Acinetobacter baumannii is the leading cause of nosocominal infection within the family Moraxellaceae. Due to multiple antibiotic resistances of the bacteria, the treatment is very difficult, hence specific and economical test for early diagnosis of infection is needed. Development of such a test requires targeting specific cell surface antigens. Bacterial ability of biofilm formation grants major contribution in antimicrobial resistance and other environmental stresses such as nutrient limitation and dehydration. Biofilm associated protein (Bap), a specific cell surface protein, is directly involved in A. baumannii biofilm formation. The goal of this study is diagnosis of A. baumannii infection exploiting specific target from Bap. A selected subunit of Bap was cloned, expressed and purified. Mice were divided into three groups. Group one was immunized with recombinant Bap subunit, mice in group two were infected with A. baumannii (positive control) and mice in groups three served as negative control. Immunization with Bap subunit resulted in high antibody titers. Animals in control group that received same amount of adjuvant and PBS showed no Bap-specific antibodies. Sensitivity and specificity of the antibodies raised were determined by ELISA and Western blotting. Recombinant Bap subunit was tested by ELISA using sera obtained from A. baumannii infected patients and healthy individuals. This conserved and immunodominant region of Bap could serve as an appropriate target for diagnosis A. baumannii infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Effat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Noori
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran; Molecular Microbiology Research Centre, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: rasooli@shahed.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rasooli
authors.affiliation: Molecular Microbiology Research Centre, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran; School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Parviz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Owlia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Latif
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mousavi Gargari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Walead
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ebrahimizadeh
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
keywords: A. baumannii; Bap; Biomarker; Diagnosis; Infection