Characterization of Histophilus somni sialic acid uptake mutant (ΔnanP-ΔnanU) using a mouse septicemia and mortality model.

Histophilus somni is an important pathogen of the bovine respiratory disease complex, yet the mechanisms underlying its virulence remain poorly understood. It is known that H. somni can incorporate sialic acid into lipooligosaccharide (LOS), and sialylated H. somni is more resistant to phagocytosis and complement-mediated killing by serum compared to non-sialylated bacteria in vitro. However, the virulence of non-sialylated H. somni has not been evaluated in vivo using an animal model. In this study, we investigated the contribution of sialic acid to virulence by constructing an H. somni sialic acid uptake mutant (ΔnanP-ΔnanU) and comparing the parent and mutant strains in a mouse septicemia and mortality model. Intraperitoneal challenge of mice with wildtype H. somni (1 × 108 colony forming units/mouse, CFU) was lethal to all animals. Mice challenged with three different doses (1, 2, or 5 × 108 CFU/mouse) of an H. somni ΔnanP-ΔnanU sialic acid uptake mutant exhibited survival rates of 90 %, 60 %, and 0 % respectively. High-performance anion exchange chromatography analyses revealed that LOS prepared from both parent and the ΔnanP-ΔnanU mutant strains of H. somni were sialylated. These findings suggest the presence of de novo sialic acid synthesis pathway, although the genes associated with de novo sialic acid synthesis (neuB and neuC) were not identified by genomic analysis. The lower attenuation in mice is most likely attributed to the sialylated LOS of H. somni nanPU mutant.

Comparative study of antibacterial activity and stability of D-enantiomeric and L-enantiomeric bovine NK-lysin peptide NK2A.

L-enantiomers of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are sensitive to proteolytic degradation; however, D-enantiomers of AMPs are expected to provide improved proteolytic resistance. The present study aimed to comparatively investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity, trypsin and serum stability, toxicity, and in vivo antibacterial activity of L-enantiomeric bovine NK2A (L-NK2A) and its D-enantiomeric NK2A (D-NK2A). Circular dichroism spectroscopy of D-NK2A and L-NK2A in anionic liposomes showed α-helical structures and the α-helical conformation of D-NK2A was a mirror image of L-NK2A. Both D-NK2A and L-NK2A displayed minimal in vitro and in vivo toxicities. RP-HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses revealed that D-NK2A, but not L-NK2A, was resistant to trypsin digestion. D-NK2A and L-NK2A showed similar in vitro bacterial killing activities against Histophilus somni. Slightly reduced antibacterial activity was observed when D-NK2A and L-NK2A were pre-incubated with serum. Confocal and transmission electron microscopic findings confirmed that both peptides induced disruption of bacterial inner- and outer-membranes. Improved survivals with D-NK2A treatment were observed when compared to L-NK2A in a murine model of acute H. somni septicemia. We conclude that antibacterial activity and mode of action of NK2A are not chiral specific. With further optimization, D-NK2A may be a viable AMP candidate to combat bacterial infections.

Protection against Mycoplasma bovis infection in calves following intranasal vaccination with modified-live Mannheimia haemolytica expressing Mycoplasma antigens.

Novel live vaccine strains of Mannheimia haemolytica serotypes (St)1 and St6, expressing and secreting inactive yet immunogenic leukotoxin (leukotoxoid) fused to antigenic domains of Mycoplasma bovis Elongation Factor Tu (EFTu) and Heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 were constructed and tested for efficacy in cattle. Control calves were administered an intranasal mixture of M. haemolytica St1 and St6 mutants (ΔlktCAV4) expressing and secreting leukotoxoid while vaccinated calves were administered an intranasal mixture of like M. haemolytica St1 and St6 leukotoxoid mutants coupled to M. bovis antigens (EFTu-Hsp70-ΔlktCAV4). Both M. haemolytica strains were recovered from palatine tonsils up to 34 days post intranasal exposure. On day 35 all calves were exposed to bovine herpes virus-1, four days later lung challenged with virulent M. bovis, then euthanized up to 20 days post-challenge. Results showed all cattle produced systemic antibody responses against M. haemolytica. The vaccinates also produced systemic antibody responses to M. bovis antigen, and concurrent reductions in temperatures, middle ear infections, joint infection and lung lesions versus the control group. Notably, dramatically decreased lung loads of M. bovis were detected in the vaccinated cattle. These observations indicate that the attenuated M. haemolytica vaccine strains expressing Mycoplasma antigens can control M. bovis infection and disease symptoms in a controlled setting.

Complete genome sequence of a Histophilus somni strain 91 isolated from a beef calf with pneumonia.

Histophilus somni is an important causative agent of bovine respiratory disease complex. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a Histophilus somni strain 91, which was isolated from a pneumonic lung tissue sample collected from a beef calf.

Transcriptomic profiles of Mannheimia haemolytica planktonic and biofilm associated cells.

Mannheimia haemolytica is the principal agent contributing to bovine respiratory disease and can form biofilms with increased resistance to antibiotic treatment and host immune defenses. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying M. haemolytica biofilm formation, transcriptomic analyses were performed with mRNAs sequenced from planktonic and biofilm cultures of pathogenic serotypes 1 (St 1; strain D153) and St 6 (strain D174), and St 2 (strain D35). The three M. haemolytica serotypes were cultured in two different media, Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 and brain heart infusion (BHI) to form the biofilms. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that the functions of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in biofilm associated cells were not significantly affected by the two media. A total of 476 to 662 DEGs were identified between biofilm associated cells and planktonic cells cultured under BHI medium. Functional analysis of the DEGs indicated that those genes were significantly enriched in translation and many biosynthetic processes. There were 234 DEGs identified in St 1 and 6, but not in St 2. The functions of the DEGs included structural constituents of ribosomes, transmembrane proton transportation, proton channels, and proton-transporting ATP synthase. Potentially, some of the DEGs identified in this study provide insight into the design of new M. haemolytica vaccine candidates.

An injectable subunit vaccine containing Elongation Factor Tu and Heat Shock Protein 70 partially protects American bison from Mycoplasma bovis infection.

Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is the etiologic agent of high mortality epizootics of chronic respiratory disease in American bison (Bison bison). Despite the severity of the disease, no efficacious commercial vaccines have been licensed for the prevention of M. bovis infection in bison. Elongation factor thermal unstable (EFTu) and Heat Shock Protein 70 (Hsp70, DnaK) are highly conserved, constitutively expressed proteins that have previously been shown to provide protection against M. bovis infection in cattle. To assess the suitability of EFTu and Hsp70 as vaccine antigens in bison, the immune response to and protection conferred by an injectable, adjuvanted subunit vaccine comprised of recombinantly expressed EFTu and Hsp70 was evaluated. Vaccinates developed robust antibody and cellular immune responses against both EFTu and Hsp70 antigens. To assess vaccine efficacy, unvaccinated control and vaccinated bison were experimentally challenged with bovine herpes virus-1 (BHV-1) 4 days prior to intranasal infection with M. bovis. Vaccinated bison displayed reductions in joint infection, lung bacterial loads, and lung lesions compared to unvaccinated controls. Together, these results showed that this subunit vaccine reduced clinical disease and bacterial dissemination from the lungs in M. bovis challenged bison and support the further development of protein subunit vaccines against M. bovis for use in bison.

Comparative genome analysis of an avirulent and two virulent strains of avian Pasteurella multocida reveals candidate genes involved in fitness and pathogenicity.

BACKGROUND: Pasteurella multocida is the etiologic agent of fowl cholera, a highly contagious and severe disease of poultry causing significant mortality and morbidity throughout the world. All types of poultry are susceptible to fowl cholera. Turkeys are most susceptible to the peracute/acute forms of the disease while chickens are most susceptible to the acute and chronic forms of the disease. The whole genome of the Pm70 strain of P. multocida was sequenced and annotated in 2001. The Pm70 strain is not virulent to chickens and turkeys. In contrast, strains X73 and P1059 are highly virulent to turkeys, chickens, and other poultry species. In this study, we sequenced the genomes of P. multocida strains X73 and P1059 and undertook a detailed comparative genome analysis with the avirulent Pm70 strain. The goal of this study was to identify candidate genes in the virulent strains that may be involved in pathogenicity of fowl cholera disease. RESULTS: Comparison of virulent versus avirulent avian P. multocida genomes revealed 336 unique genes among the P1059 and/or X73 genomes compared to strain Pm70. Genes of interest within this subset included those encoding an L-fucose transport and utilization system, several novel sugar transport systems, and several novel hemagglutinins including one designated PfhB4. Additionally, substantial amino acid variation was observed in many core outer membrane proteins and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis confirmed a higher dN/dS ratio within proteins localized to the outer membrane. CONCLUSIONS: Comparative analyses of highly virulent versus avirulent avian P. multocida identified a number of genomic differences that may shed light on the ability of highly virulent strains to cause disease in the avian host, including those that could be associated with enhanced virulence or fitness.

Bivalent vaccination against pneumonic pasteurellosis in domestic sheep and goats with modified-live in-frame lktA deletion mutants of Mannheimia haemolytica.

A temperature-sensitive shuttle vector, pBB80C, was utilized to generate in-frame deletion mutants of the leukotoxin structural gene (lktA) of Mannheimia haemolytica serotypes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12. Culture supernatants from the mutants contained a truncated protein with an approximate molecular weight of 66 kDa which was reactive to anti-leukotoxin monoclonal antibody. No protein reactive to anti-LktA monoclonal antibody was detected at the molecular weight 100-105 kDa of native LktA. Sheep and goats vaccinated intramuscularly with a mixture of serotypes 5 and 6 mutants were resistant to virulent challenge with a mixture of the wild-type parent strains. These vaccinates responded serologically to both vaccine serotypes and exhibited markedly-reduced lung lesion volume and pulmonary infectious load compared to control animals. Control animals yielded a mixture of serotypes from lung lobes, but the proportion even within an individual animal varied widely from 95% serotype 5-95% serotype 6. Cultures recovered from liver were homogeneous, but two animals yielded serotype 5 and the other two yielded serotype 6 in pure culture.

Enhanced phagocytosis and complement-mediated killing of Mannheimia haemolytica serotype 1 following in-frame CMP-sialic acid synthetase (neuA) gene deletion.

IMPORTANCE: The Gram-negative coccobacillus Mannheimia haemolytica is a natural inhabitant of the upper respiratory tract in ruminants and the most common bacterial agent involved in bovine respiratory disease complex development. Key virulence factors harbored by M. haemolytica are leukotoxin, lipopolysaccharide, capsule, adhesins, and neuraminidase which are involved in evading innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, we have shown that CMP-sialic acid synthetase (neuA) is necessary for the incorporation of sialic acid onto the membrane, and inactivation of neuA results in increased phagocytosis and complement-mediated killing of M. haemolytica, thus demonstrating that sialylation contributes to the virulence of M. haemolytica.

Differential identification of Mannheimia haemolytica genotypes 1 and 2 using colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

OBJECTIVE: Mannheimia haemolytica is the primary bacterial pathogen associated with bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). While M. haemolytica has been subdivided into 12 capsular serotypes (ST), ST1, ST2 and ST6 are commonly isolated from cattle. More recently, M. haemolytica strains isolated from North American cattle have been classified into genotypes 1 (ST2) and 2 (ST1 and ST6). Of the two genotypes, genotype 1 strains are frequently isolated from healthy animals whereas, genotype 2 strains are predominantly isolated from BRDC animals. However, isolation of both genotypes from pneumonic lung samples can complicate diagnosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to differentiate M. haemolytica genotypes. RESULTS: The genotype specificity of the LAMP was tested using purified genomic DNA from 22 M. haemolytica strains (10 genotype 1, 12 genotype 2) and strains from four related Pasteurellaceae species; Bibersteinia trehalosi, Mannheimia glucosida, Pasteurella multocida, and Histophilus somni. Genotype 1 (adhesin pseudogene B1) specific-LAMP reactions amplified DNA only from genotype 1 strains while genotype 2 (adhesin G) reactions amplified DNA only from genotype 2 strains. The overall detection sensitivity and specificity of the newly developed colorimetric LAMP assay for each genotype were 100%. The limits of detection of two LAMP assays were 1-100 target gene copies per reaction. LAMP primers designed in this study may help the differential identification of M. haemolytica genotypes 1 and 2.

Mucosal and parenteral vaccination against pneumonic pasteurellosis in cattle with a modified-live in-frame lktA deletion mutant of Mannheimia haemolytica.

A new temperature-conditional shuttle vector, pBB80C, was constructed and utilized to generate an in-frame deletion in the leukotoxin structural gene of Mannheimia haemolytica serotype 1. Culture supernatants from the mutant contained no detectable cytotoxicity to BL-3 lymphocyte targets, and contained a new protein with an approximate molecular weight of 66 kDa which was reactive to anti-leukotoxin monoclonal antibody. No protein reactive to anti-LktA monoclonal antibody was detected at the molecular weight 100-105 kDa of native LktA. Calves vaccinated mucosally by top-dressing the live mutant onto feed, or parenterally by subcutaneous injection, were resistant to virulent challenge with the parent strain. Serologic antibody response, reduction in lung lesion, and reduction in pulmonary infectious load were greater among calves mucosally vaccinated than those which were vaccinated by injection.

Cross-protection against fowl cholera disease with the use of recombinant Pasteurella multocida FHAB2 peptides vaccine.

It has been demonstrated that fhaB2 (filamentous hemagglutinin) is an important virulence factor for Pasteurella multocida in development of fowl cholera disease and that vaccination with recombinant FHAB2 peptides derived from P. multocida, P-1059 (serotype A:3) protects turkeys against P-1059 challenge. Here the hypothesis that vaccination with the same rFHAB2 peptides could cross-protect turkeys against challenge with P. multocida chi73 (serotype A:1) was examined. Three rFHAB2 peptides were purified and pooled, and two doses, consisting of equal amounts of each, were administered subcutaneously to turkeys at 2-wk intervals. Simultaneously, control birds were administered sham inoculations. One week later, vaccinates and controls were challenged intranasally with P-1059 or chi73. The results showed vaccination with rFHAB2 peptides significantly protected turkeys against lethal challenge from both P. multocida serotypes (P < 0.01). The high degree of FHAB2 conservation across serotypes likely allow the observed cross-protection.

Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale North American field isolates express a hemolysin-like protein.

Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale is a gram-negative bacterium responsible for the sporadic outbreaks of airsacculitis in poultry, accounting for millions of dollars in losses to the poultry industry annually. Although the organism was originally classified as non-beta-hemolytic, recent North American field isolates of O. rhinotracheale obtained from pneumonic lungs and air sacs indicated hemolytic activity on blood agar plates upon extended incubation for 48 hr at room temperature in air after initial incubation at 37 C for 48 hr under 7.5% CO2. This report characterizes the beta-hemolytic activity of O. rhinotracheale isolates by using in vitro kinetic hemolysis assays with sheep red blood cells, western blotting with leukotoxin-specific monoclonal antibodies, and isobaric tagging and relative and absolute quantitative (iTRAQ) analysis of O. rhinotracheale outer membrane protein digest preparations. The kinetic analyses of the hemolytic activity with red blood cells indicated that the protein is a pore former. iTRAQ analysis with membrane preparations revealed four peptides with homology to Mannheimia haemolytica leukotoxin and two peptides with homology to Actinobacillus actinoacetemcomitans leukotoxin. This is the first report that North American field isolates of O. rhinotracheale may express a hemolysin-like activity.

Sialic acid uptake is necessary for virulence of Pasteurella multocida in turkeys.

Many pathogenic bacteria employ systems to incorporate sialic acid into their membranes as a means of protection against host defense mechanisms. In Pasteurella multocida, an opportunistic pathogen which causes diseases of economic importance in a wide range of animal species, sialic acid uptake plays a role in a mouse model of systemic pasteurellosis. To further investigate the importance of sialic acid uptake in pathogenesis, sialic acid uptake mutants of an avian strain of P. multocida P-1059 (A:3) were constructed, characterized, and an in-frame sialic acid uptake deletion mutant was assessed for virulence in turkeys. Inactivation of sialic acid uptake resulted in a high degree of attenuation when turkeys were challenged either intranasally or intravenously. Resistance of the sialic acid uptake mutant to killing by turkey serum complement was similar to that of the parent, suggesting other mechanisms are responsible for attenuation of virulence in turkeys.

Protection against fowl cholera conferred by vaccination with recombinant Pasteurella multocida filamentous hemagglutinin peptides.

Three gene fragments, derived from Pasteurella multocida strain P-1059 (serotype A:3), encoding approximately the 5' one-third of fhaB2 were overexpressed individually in Escherichia coli. The recombinant peptides were purified, pooled, and administered to turkey poults to evaluate immunity. The results showed that turkeys immunized twice with the recombinant peptides were significantly protected against intranasal challenge with P. multocida strain P-1059. Vaccination elicited antibody responses, based on Western blotting, that were reactive with a wild-type P-1059 cellular product approximately 170 kDa in size and multiple high molecular weight products in culture supernatant. These antibodies did not react with cell or supernatant blots of a P-1059 fhaB2 isogenic mutant. Pasteurella multocida fhaB2 genes of a bovine strain (A:3) and an avian strain (F:3) are highly conserved as is the portion of P-1059 fhaB2 examined here (>99% identities). These findings suggest that broad cross-protection against this heterogeneous pathogen may be achievable through immunization with specific recombinant FHAB2 peptides.

Synthetic bovine NK-lysin-derived peptide (bNK2A) does not require intra-chain disulfide bonds for bactericidal activity.

Bovine NK-lysins are cationic antimicrobial proteins found predominantly in the cytosolic granules of T lymphocytes and NK-cells. NK-lysin-derived peptides show antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Mature NK-lysin protein has six well-conserved cysteine residues. This study was performed to assess whether synthetic bovine NK-lysin-derived peptide (bNK2A) forms disulfide bonds and whether disulfide bonds were essential for bNK2A antimicrobial activity. Two 30-mer bNK2A peptides were synthesized: one with two original cysteines and an analog with cysteines substituted with two serines. Mass spectrometry revealed lack of disulfide bonds in original peptide while CD spectrophotometry showed both peptides have similar α-helical structures. Since both peptides were equally inhibitory to Histophilus somni, disulfide bonds appeared dispensable for synthetic bNK2A peptide antibacterial activity.

Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on bovine respiratory pathogen Histophilus somni.

Bovine NK-lysins, which are functionally and structurally similar to human granulysin and porcine NK-lysin, are predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Although antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin has been assessed for several bacterial pathogens, not all the important bacterial pathogens that are involved in the bovine respiratory disease complex have been studied. Therefore the objective of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on bovine respiratory pathogen Histophilus somni. Four, 30-mer peptides corresponding to the functional region of NK-lysin helices 2 and 3 were synthesized and assessed for antibacterial activity on four bovine pneumonic H. somni isolates. Although there were some differences in the efficiency of bactericidal activity among the NK-lysin peptides at lower concentrations (2-5 µM), all four peptides effectively killed most H. somni isolates at higher concentrations (10-30 µM) as determined by a bacterial killing assay. Confocal microscopic and flow cytometric analysis of Live/Dead Baclight stained H. somni (which were preincubated with NK-lysin peptides) were consistent with the killing assay findings and suggest NK-lysin peptides are bactericidal for H. somni. Among the four peptides, NK2A-derived peptide consistently showed the highest antimicrobial activity against all four H. somni isolates. Electron microscopic examination of H. somni following incubation with NK-lysin revealed extensive cell membrane damage, protrusions of outer membranes, and cytoplasmic content leakage. Taken together, the findings from this study clearly demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of all four bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides against bovine H. somni isolates.

Capsular Polysaccharide Interferes with Biofilm Formation by Pasteurella multocida Serogroup A.

Pasteurella multocida is an important multihost animal and zoonotic pathogen that is capable of causing respiratory and multisystemic diseases, bacteremia, and bite wound infections. The glycosaminoglycan capsule of P. multocida is an essential virulence factor that protects the bacterium from host defenses. However, chronic infections (such as swine atrophic rhinitis and the carrier state in birds and other animals) may be associated with biofilm formation, which has not been characterized in P. multocida Biofilm formation by clinical isolates was inversely related to capsule production and was confirmed with capsule-deficient mutants of highly encapsulated strains. Capsule-deficient mutants formed biofilms with a larger biomass that was thicker and smoother than the biofilm of encapsulated strains. Passage of a highly encapsulated, poor-biofilm-forming strain under conditions that favored biofilm formation resulted in the production of less capsular polysaccharide and a more robust biofilm, as did addition of hyaluronidase to the growth medium of all of the strains tested. The matrix material of the biofilm was composed predominately of a glycogen exopolysaccharide (EPS), as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and enzymatic digestion. However, a putative glycogen synthesis locus was not differentially regulated when the bacteria were grown as a biofilm or planktonically, as determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Therefore, the negatively charged capsule may interfere with biofilm formation by blocking adherence to a surface or by preventing the EPS matrix from encasing large numbers of bacterial cells. This is the first detailed description of biofilm formation and a glycogen EPS by P. multocidaIMPORTANCEPasteurella multocida is an important pathogen responsible for severe infections in food animals, domestic and wild birds, pet animals, and humans. P. multocida was first isolated by Louis Pasteur in 1880 and has been studied for over 130 years. However, aspects of its lifecycle have remained unknown. Although formation of a biofilm by P. multocida has been proposed, this report is the first to characterize biofilm formation by P. multocida Of particular interest is that the biofilm matrix material contained a newly reported amylose-like glycogen as the exopolysaccharide component and that production of capsular polysaccharide (CPS) was inversely related to biofilm formation. However, even highly mucoid, poor-biofilm-forming strains could form abundant biofilms by loss of CPS or following in vitro passage under biofilm growth conditions. Therefore, the carrier state or subclinical chronic infections with P. multocida may result from CPS downregulation with concomitant enhanced biofilm formation.

Genome Sequences of Mannheimia haemolytica Serotype A2 Isolates D171 and D35, Recovered from Bovine Pneumonia.

Here, we report two genomes, one complete and one draft, from isolates of serotype A2 Mannheimia haemolytica recovered from pneumonic bovine lung.

Genome Sequences of Serotype A6 Mannheimia haemolytica Isolates D174 and D38 Recovered from Bovine Pneumonia.

Here, we report two genomes, one complete and one draft, from virulent bovine strains of Mannheimia haemolytica serotype A6 recovered prior to the field usage of modern antimicrobial drugs.