title: Comparative Proteomics Analysis of Two Strains of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup B and Neisseria lactamica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antigenic similarities between Neisseria lactamica as a commensal species and N. meningitidis serogroup B (NmB) as an important cause of meningitis infection have been considered for the development of an effective vaccine based on their common proteins to prevent life-threatening bacterial meningitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main aims of this study were to determine whole proteome profiles of N. lactamica strains and to compare them with whole proteome profile of a reference strain of NmB for identification of some of common proteins between the two species.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the whole proteomic profiles of N. lactamica strains and a reference strain of NmB. Lysates from bacterial strains were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), followed by Coomassie Brilliant blue staining. Some of the protein spots were excised from the gel and subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of Coomassie-stained gels using ImageMaster 2D Platinum software identified approximately 800 reproducible protein spots in the range of pI 4.5 - 9.5 and M r of 8 - 100 kDa for each 2-DE gel of the studied bacterial strains. By comparing proteome maps of 2-DE gels, more than 200 common protein spots were recognized between the two species. Forty-eight common protein spots between the studied bacterial strains were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. The results indicated that among the protein spots identified by MOLDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry, the groups of proteins included cell surface, energy metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, coenzyme metabolism, defense, multifunctional cellular processes, DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, ribosomal structure, regulatory functions, replication, transcription, translation, unknown and hypothetical proteins with unknown function. We found that N. lactamica strains have a proteome profile somewhat similar to each other and slightly different with NmB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show the usefulness of proteome analysis in successful identification of the common proteins between N. lactamica strains and NmB. This proteomics analysis is the starting point in the path of knowledge development about whole proteome profiles of N. lactamica strains.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, IR Iran.
authors: Raheleh
authors: R
authors: Sheikhi
authors: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran; Department of Microbiology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Mansour
authors: M
authors: Amin
authors: Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Hamidinia
authors: Department of Immunology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Mohammad Ali
authors: MA
authors: Assarehzadegan
authors: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors: Soodabeh
authors: S
authors: Rostami
authors: Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Mojtahedi
keywords: Mass Spectrometry; Neisseria lactamica; Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup B; Proteomics; Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis