Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae immunoproteomics: search for new antigens for recombinant vaccines

• Grant number: 14/03003-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2014
• End date: August 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Biochemistry of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Maria Teresa Marques Novo Mansur
• Grantee: Vinícius Marquioni Monteiro
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a Gram-positive, non sporulating, facultative anaerobic bacillus, which is the causative agente of erysipelas ("ruiva"). This bacteria can infect many animals, including humans, but pigs are the host of major commercial importance. In pigs, erysipelas can occur in an acute form, which is lethal few days after infection; a sub-acute form; and a chronical form, which is characterized by arthritis and endocarditis. Available vaccines against erysipelas are manufactured from whole cells of E. rhusipathiae, either attenuated or dead, and they are not very effective, since they can worsen arthritic lesions and they do not protect against the chronical form of the disease. Many authors propose the use of specific proteins from E. rhusipathiae as antigens in recombinant vaccines, but there are very few papers describing proteomical methodologies to detect proteins of this kind.In this project, we propose the use of an immunoproteomical approach to search for potentialy immunogenic proteins among those secreted by E. rhusiopathiae. In the methodology we propose, which is called SERPA (serological proteome analysis), a Western Blot analysis is conducted on a bidimensional electrophoresis gel, using the serum of immunized animals as the source of antibodies. For each immunoreactive spot, the correspondent spot on another 2D electrophoresis, conducted in parallel, can be excised and its proteins can be digested and analyzed by mass spectrometry. By using such methodology, we expect to find immunogenic proteins in the secreted sub-proteome of E. rhusiopathiae which could be candidates for new recombinant vaccines against erysipelas.