The identification of MacSe in Streptococcus equi ssp. equi

Abstract

Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi ssp. equi) causes equine strangles, a highly contagious and widespread purulent lymphadenitis of the head and neck. We have identified MacSe, a novel protein of S. equi, by screening a phage library of 3-8 kb random DNA fragments of S. equi CF32. MacSe shares 62% and 67.5% amino acid homology with Mac5005 and Mac8345 of S. pyogenes respectively. Expression during infection was shown by strong reactivity of the protein with convalescent sera and mucosal wash IgA of ponies infected by commingling exposure. Release into the culture medium was detected during the log phase of growth. Dose dependent anti-phagocytic activity for equine neutrophils involved interaction of MacSe with C3 and neutrophils.

Key words： Streptococcus equi ssp. equi; MacSe; anti-phagocytic activity

References

1 Agniswamy J, Lei B, Musser J M, Sun P D (2004). Insight of host immune evasion mediated by two variants of group a Streptococcus Mac protein. J Biol Chem, 279(50): 52789-52796

2 Artiushin S, Timoney J F, Nally J, Verma A (2004). Host-inducible immunogenic phingomyelinase-like protein, Lk73.5, of Leptospira interrogans. Infect Immun, 72(2): 742-749

3 Boschwitz J S, Timoney J F (1994a). Inhibition of C3 deposition on Streptococcus equi subsp. equi by M protein: a mechanism for survival in equine blood. Infect Immun, 62(8): 3515-3520

4 Boschwitz J S, Timoney J F (1994b). Characterization of the antiphagocytic properties of fibrinogen for Streptococcus equi subsp. equi. Microb Pathog, 17(2): 121-129

5 Corbi A L, Kishimoto T K, Miller L J, Springer T A (1988). The human leukocyte adhesion glycoprotein Mac-1 (complement receptor type 3, CD11b) alpha subunit. Cloning, primary structure, and relation to the integrins, von Willebrand factor and factor B. J Biol Chem, 263(25): 12403-12411

6 Cunningham M W (2000). Pathogenesis of group A streptococcal infection. Clinical Microbi Rev, 13(3): 470-511

7 Harrington D J, Sutcliffe I C, Chanter N (2002). The molecular basis of Streptococcus equi infection and disease. Microb Infect, 4(4): 501-510

8 Lei B, DeLeo F R, Hoe N P, Graham M R, Mackie S M, Cole R L, Liu M, Hill H R, Low D E, Federle M J, Scott J R, Musser J M (2001). Evasion of human innate and acquired immunity by a bacterial homolog of CD11b that inhibits opsonophagocytosis. Nature Medicine, 7(12): 1298-1305

9 Lei B, DeLeo F R, Reid S D, Voyich J, Magoun M L, Liu M, Braughton K R, Ricklefs S, Hoe N P, Cole R L, Leong J M, Musser J M (2002). Opsonophagocytosis-inhibiting mac protein of group a streptococcus: identification and characteristics of two genetic complexes. Infect Immun, 70(12): 6880-6890

10 Nilsson M, Weineisen M, Andersson T, Truedsson L, Sjobring U (2005). Critical role for complement receptor 3 (CD11b/CD18), but not for Fc receptors, in killing of Streptococcus pyogenes by neutrophils in human immune serum. Eur J Immunol, 35(5): 1472-1481

11 Sheoran A S, Artiushin S, Timoney J F (2002). Nasal mucosal immunogenicity for the horse of a SeM peptide of Streptococcus equi genetically coupled to cholera toxin. Vaccine, 20(11-12): 1653-1659

12 Sheoran A S, Sponseller B T, Holmes M A, Timoney J F (1997). Serum and mucosal antibody isotype responses to M-like protein (SeM) of Streptococcus equi in convalescent and vaccinated horses. Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 59(3-4): 239-251

13 Timoney J F (2004). The pathogenic equine streptococci. Vet Res, 35(4): 397-409

14 Timoney J F, Trachman J (1985). The immunologically reactive protein of Streptococcus equi. Infect Immun, 48(1): 29-38

15 Timoney J F, Walker J, Zhou M, Ding J (1995). Cloning and sequence analysis of a protective M-like protein gene from Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus. Infect Immun, 63(4): 1440-1445

16 Verma A, Artiushin S, Matsunaga J, Haake D A, Timoney J F (2005). LruA and LruB, novel lipoproteins of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans associated with equine recurrent uveitis. Infect Immun, 73(11): 7259-7266