Predicting genetic traits and epitope analysis of apxIVA in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

J Microbiol. 2011 Jun;49(3):462-8. doi: 10.1007/s12275-011-0449-y. Epub 2011 Jun 30.

Abstract

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae causes a severe hemorrhagic pneumonia in pigs. Fifteen serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae express four different Apx toxins that belong to the pore-forming repeats-in-toxin (RTX) group of toxins. ApxIV, which is conserved and up-regulated in vivo, could be an excellent candidate for the development of a protective cross-serotype immunity vaccine, and could aid in the differential diagnosis of diseases caused by A. pleuropneumoniae. We identified and sequenced apxIVA from A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 isolated in Korea (Kor-ApxIVA). The Kor-ApxIVA was closely related to Switzerland (AF021919), China (CP000687), and China (GQ332268), showing 98.6%, 98.4%, and 97.2% amino acid homology, respectively. The level of amino acid homology, however, was higher than the nucleotide homology. The structural characteristics of ApxIVA showed RTX proteins, including N-terminal hydrophobic domains, signature sequences for potential acylation sites, and repeated glycine-rich nonapeptides in the C-terminal region of the protein. Thirty glycine-rich nonapeptides with the consensus sequence, L/V-X-G-G-X-G-N/D-D-X, were found in the C-terminus of the Kor-ApxIVA. In addition, the Kor-ApxIVA was predicted for the linear B-cell epitopes and conserved domains with determined peptide sequences. This genetic analysis of the Kor-ApxIVA might be an important foundation for future biological and functional research on ApxIVA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actinobacillus Infections / microbiology*
  • Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / classification
  • Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / genetics*
  • Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / immunology*
  • Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology*
  • Epitope Mapping
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Republic of Korea
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Serotyping
  • Swine Diseases / microbiology

Substances

  • ApxIVA protein, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte

Associated data

  • GENBANK/HM021153