Production of mouse monoclonal antibody against Streptococcus dysgalactiae GapC protein and mapping its conserved B-cell epitope.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae (S. dysgalactiae) GapC protein is a protective antigen that induces partial immunity against S. dysgalactiae infection in animals. To identify the conserved B-cell epitope of S. dysgalactiae GapC, a mouse monoclonal antibody 1E11 (mAb1E11) against GapC was generated and used to screen a phage-displayed 12-mer random peptide library (Ph.D.-12). Eleven positive clones recognized by mAb1E11 were identified, most of which matched the consensus motif TGFFAKK. Sequence of the motif exactly matched amino acids 97-103 of the S. dysgalactiae GapC. In addition, the epitope (97)TGFFAKK(103) showed high homology among different streptococcus species. Site-directed mutagenic analysis further confirmed that residues G98, F99, F100 and K103 formed the core of (97)TGFFAKK(103), and this core motif was the minimal determinant of the B-cell epitope recognized by the mAb1E11. Collectively, the identification of conserved B-cell epitope within S. dysgalactiae GapC highlights the possibility of developing the epitope-based vaccine.

Analysis of CRISPR in Streptococcus mutans suggests frequent occurrence of acquired immunity against infection by M102-like bacteriophages.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) consist of highly conserved direct repeats interspersed with variable spacer sequences. They can protect bacteria against invasion by foreign DNA elements. The genome sequence of Streptococcus mutans strain UA159 contains two CRISPR loci, designated CRISPR1 and CRISPR2. The aims of this study were to analyse the organization of CRISPR in further S. mutans strains and to investigate the importance of CRISPR in acquired immunity to M102-like phages. The sequences of CRISPR1 and CRISPR2 arrays were determined for 29 S. mutans strains from different persons. More than half of the CRISPR1 spacers and about 35 % of the CRISPR2 spacers showed sequence similarity with the genome sequence of M102, a virulent siphophage specific for S. mutans. Although only a few spacers matched the phage sequence completely, most of the mismatches had no effect on the amino acid sequences of the phage-encoded proteins. The results suggest that S. mutans is often attacked by M102-like bacteriophages, and that its acquisition of novel phage-derived CRISPR sequences goes along with the presence of S. mutans phages in the environment. Analysis of CRISPR1 of M102-resistant mutants of S. mutans OMZ 381 showed that some of them had acquired novel spacers, and the sequences of all but one of these matched the phage M102 genome sequence. This suggests that the acquisition of the spacers contributed to the resistance against phage infection. However, since not all resistant mutants had new spacers, and since the removal of the CRISPR1 array in one of the mutants and in wild-type strains did not lead to loss of resistance to infection by M102, the acquisition of resistance must be based on further elements as well.

Rapid selection of phage-resistant mutants in Streptococcus thermophilus by immunoselection and cell sorting.

Immunoselection and flow cytometry allowed the isolation from Streptococcus thermophilus strain Str31 of double mutants displaying resistance to the phage phi31 and good acid production. Strain Str31 is very sensitive to phage phi31. This phage-host system seemed therefore particularly suitable to test the validity of the selection method adopted in this study. Mutants were stable with respect to both characters. The isolation of the double mutants required 4 to 5 days. The approach does not involve genetic manipulations and can therefore be an alternative to genetic engineering when this technology cannot be applied.

Selection of bacteriophage-resistant mutants of Streptococcus thermophilus.

Phage-resistant mutants have been isolated from Streptococcus thermophilus. Selection was carried out using anti-phage antibodies or Hoechst 33258-labelled phages. Two mutants out of eight tested displayed reduced acidifying capacity. Selection of the bacteria that extruded more rapidly the fluorochrome 5-6-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (CFDA) restored the acidifying capacity of these two mutants to the level of the parental strains. Mutants displaying phage resistance and good acidifying capacity were obtained in 4-5 days. New phages that are able to overcome the protection mechanisms of the existing bacteria arise continually in the dairy environment. The procedures described here permit to replace promptly the starter culture susceptible to newly emerged phages with a resistant one.

The fundamental contribution of phages to GAS evolution, genome diversification and strain emergence.

The human bacterial pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes many different diseases including pharyngitis, tonsillitis, impetigo, scarlet fever, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, necrotizing fasciitis and myositis, and the post-infection sequelae glomerulonephritis and rheumatic fever. The frequency and severity of GAS infections increased in the 1980s and 1990s, but the cause of this increase is unknown. Recently, genome sequencing of serotype M1, M3 and M18 strains revealed many new proven or putative virulence factors that are encoded by phages or phage-like elements. Importantly, these genetic elements account for an unexpectedly large proportion of the difference in gene content between the three strains. These new genome-sequencing studies have provided evidence that temporally and geographically distinct epidemics, and the complex array of GAS clinical presentations, might be related in part to the acquisition or evolution of phage-encoded virulence factors. We anticipate that new phage-encoded virulence factors will be identified by sequencing the genomes of additional GAS strains, including organisms non-randomly associated with particular clinical syndromes.

Selection of an immunogenic and protective epitope of the PsaA protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae using a phage display library.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important pathogen that causes disease in young and elderly individuals. The currently available polysaccharide vaccines have limited efficacy in those age groups most susceptible to pneumococcal infections. This study focuses on mapping the epitopes of a surface protein of S. pneumoniae by biopanning a 15 mer phage display library using 5 different monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the Pneumoccal surface adhesin A (PsaA). PsaA is a component of the bacterial cell wall that is highly species specific and is involved in bacterial adherence and virulence. Biopanning of the phage display library reveals three distinct epitopes on the PsaA protein. The sequence homology of these epitopes ranges from two to six amino acids when compared to the native PsaA protein type 2. Two of these epitopes have been evaluated for their immunogeneicity in mice. The peptide selected by the MAbs 8G12, 6F6, and 1B7 is referred to as the consensus peptide and is immunogenic in mice. Optimal anti-PsaA response is observed in mice immunized with 50microg of the consensus peptide complexed to proteosomes in 1:1 ratio. The anti-PsaA response is significantly lower than the response to the PsaA native protein. The peptide selected by monoclonal antibody 4E9 in its lipidated form is significantly protective in mice challenged with S. pneumoniae serotype 2 when compared to mice immunized with the native protein. These results show that the selected epitopes of PsaA protein are immunogenic and protective in mice. These epitopes need to be evaluated further as alternatives to currently available vaccines.