Demonstration of a receptor for mouse and human serum albumin in Streptococcus pyogenes

Determination of the mimic epitope of the M-like protein adhesin in swine Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus

Background

The M-like protein, also known as SzP, is expressed on the surface of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus). Previous studies demonstrated that SzP is similar to M protein of group A Streptococcus in the structure and characteristics of antiphagocytosis. The M protein is an adhesin that can bind to the host cells, however it is not known whether the SzP of S. zooepidemicus also functions as an adhesin. We conducted an investigation to determine SzP as an adhesin, and one SzP epitope was identified to be responsible for mediating binding to HEp-2 cells.

Methods

The gene encoding SzP was expressed in E. coli, and the purified recombinant SzP (rSzP) was recognized by rabbit anti-S. zooepidemicus antibodies using immunoblot. Furthermore, the adherence of S. zooepidemicus to HEp-2 cells was inhibited by anti-rSzP antibodies in a dose-dependent manner. We employed a random 12-peptide phage display library for screening of immunodominant mimics of the SzP, which were recognized by an anti-SzP specific monoclonal antibody (mAb 2C8). Initial positive phage clones were identified by ELISA, followed by assays to determine the adherence-inhibiting ability of the peptide.

Results

Ten out of fourteen selected positive clones showed high reactivity that effectively inhibited the binding of mAb 2C8 to rSzP. The motif XSLSRX was highly conserved among six of the ten clones.

Conclusion

Collectively, our findings suggest that the motif XSLSRX may represent an immunodominant mimic epitope of the SzP of S. zooepidemicus strain ATCC 35246, and that the same epitope may be used to mediate SzP binding to HEp-2 cells.

Characterization of the low-molecular-mass proteins of virulent Treponema pallidum

We previously demonstrated that Treponema pallidum cells incubated in vitro in the presence of heat-inactivated normal rabbit serum (HINRS) synthesize, in very small quantities, several pathogen-specific, low-molecular-mass proteins that appear to be localized extracellularly. In this study, we have taken advantage of our ability to metabolically radiolabel T. pallidum cells to high specific activity to further characterize these antigens. We found that the low-molecular-mass proteins are not related to the 15- and 17-kDa detergent-phase proteins (J. D. Radolf, N. R. Chamberlain, A. Clausell, and M. V. Norgard, Infect. Immun. 56:490-498, 1988). The low-molecular-mass proteins did not incorporate 3H-labeled fatty acids and were not precipitated by rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies directed against glutathione S-transferase fusions to the nonlipidated 15- and 17-kDa proteins. We prepared polyclonal antisera to the low-molecular-mass proteins by immunizing two rabbits with the concentrated supernatant of T. pallidum cells. IgG antibodies present in the sera of both rabbits precipitated a 21.5-kDa protein from solubilized extracts of T. pallidum supernatant and cells. IgG antibodies in the serum of the second rabbit precipitated an additional 15.5-kDa low-molecular-mass protein only from solubilized extracts of supernatant. While investigating the effect of eliminating HINRS from the extraction medium, we observed that the low-molecular-mass proteins remained associated with treponemal cells that were incubated in the absence of HINRS. These proteins could be eluted from the cells by the addition of HINRS or rabbit serum albumin, suggesting that they are located on or near the treponemal cell surface. The 15.5- and 21.5-kDa low-molecular-mass proteins were not washed off treponemal cells with buffer containing 1 M KCl. Experiments employing selective solubilization of the T. pallidum outer membrane with 0.1% Triton X-114 and proteinase K accessibility indicated that the 15.5-kDa protein, but not the 21.5-kDa protein, is cell surface exposed.

Isolation and molecular characterization of a novel albumin-binding protein from group G streptococci

Many streptococcal strains are known to bind the two most abundant plasma proteins, namely, immunoglobulin G and albumin. Protein G isolated from group C and G streptococci has been demonstrated to have separate binding regions for each of these proteins. However, some group G streptococcal strains bind only serum albumin. This report describes the isolation of a 48-kDa albumin-binding protein from such a strain (DG12). The affinity constant of this protein for human serum albumin was determined to be 5 x 10(9) M-1, and the protein interacted strongly also with serum albumin from several other mammalian species. The gene encoding the albumin-binding protein was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. DNA sequence analysis of this gene revealed a unique NH2-terminal sequence and three types of repeats in the encoded protein. One of these repeated sequences has significant homology with the albumin-binding domains of protein G, and it was demonstrated that the albumin binding of the DG12 protein was localized within these domains. Another type of repeat is localized in the putative wall-spanning region of the molecule. This repeat sequence, which has the length of only 4 amino acids (LysProGluVal), is repeated 14 times. The relationship of the albumin-binding protein to other cell-wall-associated proteins of pathogenic streptococci is discussed.

Specific binding sites for albumin restricted to plasmalemmal vesicles of continuous capillary endothelium: receptor-mediated transcytosis

The interaction of homologous and heterologous albumin-gold complex (Alb-Au) with capillary endothelium was investigated in the mouse lung, heart, and diaphragm. Perfusion of the tracer in situ for from 3 to 35 min was followed by washing with phosphate-buffered saline, fixation by perfusion, and processing for electron microscopy. From the earliest time examined, one and sometimes two rows of densely packed particles bound to some restricted plasma membrane microdomains that appeared as uncoated pits, and to plasmalemmal vesicles open on the luminal front. Morphometric analysis, using various albumin-gold concentrations, showed that the binding is saturable at a very low concentration of the ligand and short exposure. After 5 min, tracer-carrying vesicles appeared on the abluminal front, discharging their content into the subendothelial space. As a function of tracer concentration 1-10% of plasmalemmal vesicles contained Alb-Au particles in fluid phase; from 5 min on, multivesicular bodies were labeled by the tracer. Plasma membrane, coated pits, and coated vesicles were not significantly marked at any time interval. Heparin or high ionic strength did not displace the bound Alb-Au from vesicle membrane. No binding was obtained when Alb-Au was competed in situ with albumin or was injected in vivo. Gold complexes with fibrinogen, fibronectin, glucose oxidase, or polyethyleneglycol did not give a labeling comparable to that of albumin. These results suggest that on the capillary endothelia examined, the Alb-Au is adsorbed on specific binding sites restricted to uncoated pits and plasmalemmal vesicles. The tracer is transported in transcytotic vesicles across endothelium by receptor-mediated transcytosis, and to a lesser extent is taken up by pinocytotic vesicles. The existence of albumin receptors on these continuous capillary endothelia may provide a specific mechanism for the transport of albumin and other molecules carried by this protein.