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Alves MLF, Ferreira MRA, Rodrigues RR, Conceição FR. Clostridium haemolyticum, a review of beta toxin and insights into the antigen design for vaccine development. Mol Immunol 2022; 148:45-53. [PMID: 35665660 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2022.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Phospholipases C (PLCs) represent an important group of lethal toxins produced by pathogenic bacteria of the Clostridium genus, including the beta toxin of C. haemolyticum. Bacillary hemoglobinuria in cattle and sheep is the main disease caused by this pathogen and its incidence can be reduced by annual vaccination of herds. Currently, widely used vaccines depend on cultivating the pathogen and obtaining high concentrations of the toxin, disadvantages that can be overcome with the use of recombinant vaccines. In the development of this new generation of immunizing agents, identifying and understanding the structural and immunological aspects of the antigen are crucial steps, but despite this, the beta toxin is poorly characterized. Fortunately, the time and resources required for these investigations can be reduced using immunoinformatics. To advance the development of recombinant vaccines, in addition to a brief review of the structural and immunological aspects of beta toxin, this work provides in silico mapping of immunodominant regions to guide future vaccinology studies against C. haemolyticum. A review of alternatives to overcome the limitations of beta toxin vaccines (conventional or recombinant) is also proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariliana Luiza Ferreira Alves
- Instituto Federal Sul-rio-grandense - IFSUL, Praça Vinte de Setembro, 455, Centro, Pelotas CEP 96.015-360, RS, Brazil; Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, CP 354, Pelotas CEP 96.160-000, RS, Brazil.
| | - Marcos Roberto Alves Ferreira
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, CP 354, Pelotas CEP 96.160-000, RS, Brazil
| | - Rafael Rodrigues Rodrigues
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, CP 354, Pelotas CEP 96.160-000, RS, Brazil
| | - Fabricio Rochedo Conceição
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, CP 354, Pelotas CEP 96.160-000, RS, Brazil
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Sinha AK, Dutta A, Chandravanshi M, Kanaujia SP. An insight into bacterial phospholipase C classification and their translocation through Tat and Sec pathways: A data mining study. Meta Gene 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2019.100547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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Siqueira FDF, Silva ROS, do Carmo AO, de Oliveira-Mendes BBR, Horta CCR, Lobato FCF, Kalapothakis E. Immunization with a nontoxic naturally occurring Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin induces neutralizing antibodies in rabbits. Anaerobe 2017; 49:48-52. [PMID: 29246841 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 12/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin, encoded by plc gene, has been implicated in gas gangrene, a life threatening infection. Vaccination is considered one of the best solutions against Clostridium infections. Although studies have identified many low quality clostridial vaccines, the use of recombinant proteins has been considered a promising alternative. Previously, a naturally occurring alpha toxin isoform (αAV1b) was identified with a mutation at residue 11 (His/Tyr), which can affect its enzymatic activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the mutation in the αAV1b isoform could result in an inactive toxin and was able to induce protection against the native alpha toxin. We used recombinant protein techniques to determine whether this mutation in αAV1b could result in an inactive toxin compared to the active isoform, αZ23. Rabbits were immunized with the recombinant toxins (αAV1b and αZ23) and with native alpha toxin. αAV1b showed no enzymatic and hemolytic activities. ELISA titration assays showed a high titer of both anti-recombinant toxin (anti-rec-αAV1b and anti-rec-αZ23) antibodies against the native alpha toxin. The alpha antitoxin titer detected in the rabbits' serum pool was 24.0 IU/mL for both recombinant toxins. These results demonstrate that the inactive naturally mutated αAV1b is able to induce an immune response, and suggest it can be considered as a target for the development of a commercial vaccine against C. perfringens alpha toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia de Faria Siqueira
- Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais, Campus Betim, Betim, 32656-840, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Otávio Silveira Silva
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Anderson Oliveira do Carmo
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Carolina Campolina Rebello Horta
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Mestrado Profissional em Biotecnologia e Gestão da Inovação, Centro Universitário de Sete Lagoas, Sete Lagoas, 32701-242, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Francisco Carlos Faria Lobato
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Evanguedes Kalapothakis
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Siqueira FF, Almeida MO, Barroca TM, Horta CC, Carmo AO, Silva RO, Pires PS, Lobato FC, Kalapothakis E. Characterization of polymorphisms and isoforms of the Clostridium perfringens phospholipase C gene (plc) reveals high genetic diversity. Vet Microbiol 2012; 159:397-405. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2012.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2011] [Revised: 04/09/2012] [Accepted: 04/10/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Uppalapati SR, Kingston JJ, Murali HS, Batra HV. Generation and characterization of an inter-generic bivalent alpha domain fusion protein αCS from Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus for concurrent diagnosis and therapeutic applications. J Appl Microbiol 2012; 113:448-58. [PMID: 22563989 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2012.05333.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate an inter-generic recombinant alpha domain fusion protein for simultaneous detection and neutralization of Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus alpha toxins. METHODS AND RESULTS Truncated portions of clostridial and staphylococcal alpha haemolysin genes were PCR amplified and linked to each other through a hydrophilic flexible Glycine linker sequence using overlap-extension PCR to form a chimeric gene αCS. The recombinant αCS fusion protein was expressed and characterized for its toxicity, cell binding capacity and haemolysis inhibition properties. The fusion protein was nontoxic and effectively retarded staphylococcal alpha haemolysis, probably by competitively interacting with putative staphylococcal alpha haemolysin receptors on erythrocytes. Murine hyperimmune polysera raised against r-αCS specifically detected 42-kDa and 33-kDa proteins when culture supernatants of Cl. perfringens (clostridial alpha toxin) and Staph. aureus (staphylococcal alpha toxin), respectively, were analysed in Western blot. The polyclonal antisera effectively diminished the haemolytic action of both the wild-type toxins in vitro. CONCLUSIONS The r-αCS fusion protein was nontoxic competitive inhibitor of staphylococcal alpha haemolysin. The protein elicited specific immune response against Cl. perfringens and Staph. aureus alpha toxins. The antisera also neutralized the toxicities of both the native wild-type toxins in vitro. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The bivalent recombinant αCS protein could be a novel intervention in the field of diagnostics and therapeutics against Cl. perfringens and Staph. aureus infections, particularly, in case of co-infections like gangrenous ischaemia, gangrenous mastitis, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Uppalapati
- Microbiology Division, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Siddarthanagar, Mysore, Karnataka, India
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Abildgaard L, Engberg RM, Pedersen K, Schramm A, Hojberg O. Sequence variation in the alpha-toxin encoding plc gene of Clostridium perfringens strains isolated from diseased and healthy chickens. Vet Microbiol 2008; 136:293-9. [PMID: 19070974 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2008] [Revised: 10/31/2008] [Accepted: 11/03/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to analyse the genetic diversity of the alpha-toxin encoding plc gene and the variation in alpha-toxin production of Clostridium perfringens type A strains isolated from presumably healthy chickens and chickens suffering from either necrotic enteritis (NE) or cholangio-hepatitis. The alpha-toxin encoding plc genes from 60 different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types (strains) of C. perfringens were sequenced and translated in silico to amino acid sequences and the alpha-toxin production was investigated in batch cultures of 45 of the strains using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) approach. Overall, the truncated amino acid sequences showed close similarity (>98% at the amino acid level) to previously reported sequences from chicken-derived C. perfringens isolates. Variations were however observed in 23 out of 379 aa positions leading to the definition of 26 different alpha-toxin sequence types among the 60 strains. Moreover, a type II intron of 834 non-coding nucleotides was identified in the plc gene of three of the investigated strains. The in vitro alpha-toxin production investigated in 45 of the strains, including the three harbouring the intron, revealed no correlation between PFGE type, alpha-toxin sequence type, health status of the host chickens and level of alpha-toxin production. It is therefore concluded that neither plc gene type nor alpha-toxin production level seems to correlate to origin (healthy or diseased chicken) of the C. perfringens strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lone Abildgaard
- Institute of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
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