scholarly journals Estimation of Full-Length TprK Diversity in Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Addetia ◽  
Michelle J. Lin ◽  
Quynh Phung ◽  
Hong Xie ◽  
Meei-Li Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Deep Sequencing ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Treponema Pallidum ◽  
The United States ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Variable Regions ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Immune evasion and disease progression of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum are associated with sequence diversity in the hypervariable outer membrane protein TprK. Previous attempts to study variation within TprK have sequenced at depths insufficient to fully appreciate the hypervariable nature of the protein, failed to establish linkage between the protein’s seven variable regions, or were conducted on isolates passed through rabbits. As a consequence, a complete profile of tprK during infection in the human host is still lacking. Furthermore, prior studies examining how T. pallidum subsp. pallidum uses its repertoire of genomic donor sites to generate diversity within the variable regions of the tprK have yielded a partial understanding of this process due to the limited number of tprK alleles examined. In this study, we used short- and long-read deep sequencing to directly characterize full-length tprK alleles from T. pallidum subsp. pallidum collected from early lesions of patients attending two sexually transmitted infection clinics in Italy. We demonstrate that strains collected from cases of secondary syphilis contain significantly more unique variable region sequences and full-length TprK sequences than those from cases of primary syphilis. Our data, combined with recent data available on Chinese T. pallidum subsp. pallidum specimens, show the near-complete absence of overlap in TprK sequences among the 41 specimens profiled to date. We further estimate that the potential antigenic variability carried by TprK rivals that of current estimates of the human adaptive immune system. These data underscore the immunoevasive ability of TprK that allows T. pallidum subsp. pallidum to establish lifelong infection. IMPORTANCE Syphilis continues to be a significant public health issue in both low- and high-income countries, including the United States where the rate of syphilis infection has increased over the past 5 years. Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, carries the outer membrane protein TprK that undergoes segmental gene conversion to constantly create new sequences. We performed full-length deep sequencing of TprK to examine TprK diversity in clinical T. pallidum subsp. pallidum strains. We then combined our results with data from all samples for which TprK deep sequencing results were available. We found almost no overlap in TprK sequences between different patients. Moreover, our data allowed us to estimate the total number of TprK variants that T. pallidum subsp. pallidum can potentially generate. Our results support how the T. pallidum subsp. pallidum TprK antigenic variation system is an equal adversary of the human immune system leading to pathogen persistence in the host.

scholarly journals Estimation of Full-Length TprK Diversity in Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Addetia ◽  
Michelle Lin ◽  
Quynh Phung ◽  
Hong Xie ◽  
Meei-Li Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Deep Sequencing ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Treponema Pallidum ◽  
The United States ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Variable Regions

AbstractImmune evasion and disease progression of Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum are associated with sequence diversity in the hypervariable, putative outer membrane protein TprK. Previous attempts to study variation within TprK have sequenced at depths insufficient to fully appreciate the hypervariable nature of the protein, failed to establish linkage between the protein’s 7 variable regions, or were conducted on strains passed through rabbits. As a consequence, a complete profiling of tprK during infection in the human host is still lacking. Furthermore, prior studies examining how T. pallidum uses its repertoire of genomic donor sites to generate diversity within the V regions of the tprK also yielded a partial understanding of this process, due to the limited number of tprK alleles examined. In this study, we used short- and long-read deep sequencing to directly characterize full-length tprK alleles from T. pallidum collected from early lesions of patients attending two STD clinics in Italy. Our data, combined with recent data available on Chinese T. pallidum strains, show the near complete absence of overlap in TprK sequences among the 41 strains profiled to date. Moreover, our data allowed us to redefine the boundaries of tprK V regions, identify 55 donor sites, and estimate the total number of TprK variants that T. pallidum can potentially generate. Altogether, our results support how T. pallidum TprK antigenic variation system is an unsurmountable obstacle for the human immune system to naturally achieve infection eradication, and reiterate the importance of this mechanism for pathogen persistence in the host.ImportanceSyphilis continues to be a significant public health issue in both low- and high-income nations, including the United States, where the number of infectious syphilis cases has increased dramatically over the past five years. T. pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, encodes an outer membrane protein TprK that undergoes segmental gene conversion to constantly create new sequences. We performed deep TprK profiling to understand full-length TprK diversity in T. pallidum-positive clinical specimens and compared these to all samples for which TprK deep sequencing is available. We found almost no overlap in TprK sequences between different patients. We further estimate that the total baseline junctional diversity of full-length TprK rivals that of current estimates of the human adaptive immune system. These data underscore the immunoevasive ability of TprK that allows T. pallidum to establish lifelong infection.

scholarly journals A Homology Model Reveals Novel Structural Features and an Immunodominant Surface Loop/Opsonic Target in the Treponema pallidum BamA Ortholog TP_0326

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (11) ◽  
pp. 1906-1920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Luthra ◽  
Arvind Anand ◽  
Kelly L. Hawley ◽  
Morgan LeDoyt ◽  
Carson J. La Vake ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Treponema Pallidum ◽  
Cell Epitope ◽  
Homology Model ◽  
Surface Topology ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bona Fide

ABSTRACTWe recently demonstrated that TP_0326 is a bona fide rare outer membrane protein (OMP) inTreponema pallidumand that it possesses characteristic BamA bipartite topology. Herein, we used immunofluorescence analysis (IFA) to show that only the β-barrel domain of TP_0326 contains surface-exposed epitopes in intactT. pallidum. Using the solved structure ofNeisseria gonorrhoeaeBamA, we generated a homology model of full-length TP_0326. Although the model predicts a typical BamA fold, the β-barrel harbors features not described in other BamAs. Structural modeling predicted that a dome comprised of three large extracellular loops, loop 4 (L4), L6, and L7, covers the barrel's extracellular opening. L4, the dome's major surface-accessible loop, contains mainly charged residues, while L7 is largely neutral and contains a polyserine tract in a two-tiered conformation. L6 projects into the β-barrel but lacks the VRGF/Y motif that anchors L6 within other BamAs. IFA and opsonophagocytosis assay revealed that L4 is surface exposed and an opsonic target. Consistent with B cell epitope predictions, immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed that L4 is an immunodominant loop inT. pallidum-infected rabbits and humans with secondary syphilis. Antibody capture experiments usingEscherichia coliexpressing OM-localized TP_0326 as aT. pallidumsurrogate further established the surface accessibility of L4. Lastly, we found that a naturally occurring substitution (Leu593→ Gln593) in the L4 sequences ofT. pallidumstrains affects antibody binding in sera from syphilitic patients. Ours is the first study to employ a “structure-to-pathogenesis” approach to map the surface topology of aT. pallidumOMP within the context of syphilitic infection.IMPORTANCEPreviously, we reported that TP_0326 is a bona fide rare outer membrane protein (OMP) inTreponema pallidumand that it possesses the bipartite topology characteristic of a BamA ortholog. Using a homology model as a guide, we found that TP_0326 displays unique features which presumably relate to its function(s) in the biogenesis ofT. pallidum's unorthodox OM. The model also enabled us to identify an immunodominant epitope in a large extracellular loop that is both an opsonic target and subject to immune pressure in a human population. Ours is the first study to follow a structure-to-pathogenesis approach to map the surface topology of aT. pallidumrare OMP within the context of syphilitic infection.

scholarly journals Expression of Multiple Outer Membrane Protein Sequence Variants from a Single Genomic Locus of Anaplasma phagocytophilum

2003 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 1706-1718 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Barbet ◽  
P. F. M. Meeus ◽  
M. Bélanger ◽  
M. V. Bowie ◽  
J. Yi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽  
Outer Membrane Proteins ◽  
The United States ◽  
Variable Regions ◽  
Genomic Expression ◽  
Expression Site

ABSTRACT Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of an emerging tick-borne zoonosis in the United States and Europe. The organism causes a febrile illness accompanied by other nonspecific symptoms and can be fatal, especially if treatment is delayed. Persistence of A. phagocytophilum within mammalian reservoir hosts is important for ensuring continued disease transmission. In the related organism Anaplasma marginale, persistence is associated with antigenic variation of the immunoprotective outer membrane protein MSP2. Extensive diversity of MSP2 is achieved by combinatorial gene conversion of a genomic expression site by truncated pseudogenes. The major outer membrane protein of A. phagocytophilum, MSP2(P44), is homologous to MSP2 of A. marginale, has a similar organization of conserved and variable regions, and is also encoded by a multigene family containing some truncated gene copies. This suggests that the two organisms could use similar mechanisms to generate diversity in outer membrane proteins from their small genomes. We define here a genomic expression site for MSP2(P44) in A. phagocytophilum. As in A. marginale, the msp2(p44) gene in this expression site is polymorphic in all populations of organisms we have examined, whether organisms are obtained from in vitro culture in human HL-60 cells, from culture in the tick cell line ISE6, or from infected human blood. Changes in culture conditions were found to favor the growth and predominance of certain msp2(p44) variants. Insertions, deletions, and substitutions in the region of the genomic expression site encoding the central hypervariable region matched sequence polymorphisms in msp2(p44) mRNA. These data suggest that, similarly to A. marginale, A. phagocytophilum uses combinatorial mechanisms to generate a large array of outer membrane protein variants. Such gene polymorphism has profound implications for the design of vaccines, diagnostic tests, and therapy.

scholarly journals Anaplasma phagocytophilum Outer Membrane Protein A Interacts with Sialylated Glycoproteins To Promote Infection of Mammalian Host Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (11) ◽  
pp. 3748-3760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nore Ojogun ◽  
Amandeep Kahlon ◽  
Stephanie A. Ragland ◽  
Matthew J. Troese ◽  
Juliana E. Mastronunzio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Mammalian Host ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein A ◽  
Sialylated Glycoproteins

ABSTRACTAnaplasma phagocytophilumis the tick-transmitted obligate intracellular bacterium that causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA).A. phagocytophilumbinding to sialyl Lewis x (sLex) and other sialylated glycans that decorate P selectin glycoprotein 1 (PSGL-1) and other glycoproteins is critical for infection of mammalian host cells. Here, we demonstrate the importance ofA. phagocytophilumouter membrane protein A (OmpA) APH_0338 in infection of mammalian host cells. OmpA is transcriptionally induced during transmission feeding ofA. phagocytophilum-infected ticks on mice and is upregulated during invasion of HL-60 cells. OmpA is presented on the pathogen's surface. Sera from HGA patients and experimentally infected mice recognize recombinant OmpA. Pretreatment ofA. phagocytophilumorganisms with OmpA antiserum reduces their abilities to infect HL-60 cells. The OmpA N-terminal region is predicted to contain the protein's extracellular domain. GlutathioneS-transferase (GST)-tagged versions of OmpA and OmpA amino acids 19 to 74 (OmpA19-74) but not OmpA75-205bind to, and competitively inhibitA. phagocytophiluminfection of, host cells. Pretreatment of host cells with sialidase or trypsin reduces or nearly eliminates, respectively, GST-OmpA adhesion. Therefore, OmpA interacts with sialylated glycoproteins. This study identifies the firstA. phagocytophilumadhesin-receptor pair and delineates the region of OmpA that is critical for infection.

scholarly journals The Helicobacter pylori Autotransporter ImaA (HP0289) Modulates the Immune Response and Contributes to Host Colonization

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 2286-2296 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Sause ◽  
Andrea R. Castillo ◽  
Karen M. Ottemann
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Helicobacter Pylori ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
H Pylori ◽  
Murine Infections

ABSTRACTThe human pathogenHelicobacter pyloriemploys a diverse collection of outer membrane proteins to colonize, persist, and drive disease within the acidic gastric environment. In this study, we sought to elucidate the function of the host-induced geneHP0289, which encodes an uncharacterized outer membrane protein. We first generated an isogenicH. pylorimutant that lacksHP0289and found that the mutant has a colonization defect in single-strain infections and is greatly outcompeted in mouse coinfection experiments with wild-typeH. pylori. Furthermore, we used protease assays and biochemical fractionation coupled with an HP0289-targeted peptide antibody to verify that the HP0289 protein resides in the outer membrane. Our previous findings showed that theHP0289promoter is upregulated in the mouse stomach, and here we demonstrate thatHP0289expression is induced under acidic conditions in an ArsRS-dependent manner. Finally, we have shown that theHP0289mutant induces greater expression of the chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) and the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in gastric carcinoma cells (AGS). Similarly, transcription of the IL-8 homolog keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) is elevated in murine infections with the HP0289 mutant than in murine infections with wild-typeH. pylori. On the basis of this phenotype, we renamed HP0289 ImaA forimmunomodulatoryautotransporter protein. Our work has revealed that genes inducedin vivoplay an important role inH. pyloripathogenesis. Specifically, the outer membrane protein ImaA modulates a component of the host inflammatory response, and thus may allowH. pylorito fine tune the host immune response based on ImaA expression.

scholarly journals Porin activity and sequence analysis of a 31-kilodalton Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum rare outer membrane protein (Tromp1).

1995 ◽  
Vol 177 (12) ◽  
pp. 3556-3562 ◽  
Author(s):  
D R Blanco ◽  
C I Champion ◽  
M M Exner ◽  
H Erdjument-Bromage ◽  
R E Hancock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Analysis ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Treponema Pallidum

scholarly journals Sequence Polymorphism, Predicted Secondary Structures, and Surface-Exposed Conformational Epitopes of Campylobacter Major Outer Membrane Protein

2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 5679-5689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qijing Zhang ◽  
Jerrel C. Meitzler ◽  
Shouxiong Huang ◽  
Teresa Morishita
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane Proteins ◽  
Major Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Variable Regions ◽  
Conserved Sequences ◽  
Conformational Epitopes

ABSTRACT The major outer membrane protein (MOMP), a putative porin and a multifunction surface protein of Campylobacter jejuni, may play an important role in the adaptation of the organism to various host environments. To begin to dissect the biological functions and antigenic features of this protein, the gene (designatedcmp) encoding MOMP was identified and characterized from 22 strains of C. jejuni and one strain of C. coli. It was shown that the single-copy cmp locus encoded a protein with characteristics of bacterial outer membrane proteins. Prediction from deduced amino acid sequences suggested that each MOMP subunit consisted of 18 β-strands connected by short periplasmic turns and long irregular external loops. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of MOMP from different strains indicated that there were seven localized variable regions dispersed among highly conserved sequences. The variable regions were located in the putative external loop structures, while the predicted β-strands were formed by conserved sequences. The sequence homology of cmp appeared to reflect the phylogenetic proximity of C. jejuni strains, since strains with identical cmp sequences had indistinguishable or closely related macrorestriction fragment patterns. Using recombinant MOMP and antibodies recognizing linear or conformational epitopes of the protein, it was demonstrated that the surface-exposed epitopes of MOMP were predominantly conformational in nature. These findings are instrumental in the design of MOMP-based diagnostic tools and vaccines.

scholarly journals Structure of the Expression Site Reveals Global Diversity in MSP2 (P44) Variants in Anaplasma phagocytophilum

2006 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 6429-6437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony F. Barbet ◽  
Anna M. Lundgren ◽  
A. Rick Alleman ◽  
Snorre Stuen ◽  
Anneli Bjöersdorff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Outer Membrane Protein ◽  
Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
The United States ◽  
Genomic Locus ◽  
Global Diversity ◽  
Expression Site

ABSTRACT Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a recently reclassified bacteria in the order Rickettsiales, infects many different animal species and causes an emerging tick-borne disease of humans. The genome contains a large number of related genes and gene fragments encoding partial or apparently full-length outer membrane protein MSP2 (P44). Previous data using strains isolated from humans in the United States suggest that antigenic diversity results from RecF-mediated conversion of a single MSP2 (P44) expression site by partially homologous donor sequences. However, whether similar mechanisms operate in naturally infected animal species and the extent of global diversity in MSP2 (P44) are unknown. We analyzed the structure and diversity of the MSP2 (P44) expression site in strains derived from the United States and Europe and from infections of different animal species, including wildlife reservoirs. The results show that a syntenic expression site is present in all strains of A. phagocytophilum investigated. This genomic locus contained diverse MSP2 (P44) variants in all infected animals sampled, and variants also differed at different time points during infection. Although similar variants were found among different populations of U.S. origin, there was little sequence identity between U.S. strain variants (including genomic copies from a completely sequenced U.S. strain) and expression site variants infecting sheep and dogs in Norway and Sweden. Finally, the possibility that combinatorial mechanisms can generate additional diversity beyond the basic donor sequence repertoire is supported by the observation of shared sequence blocks throughout the MSP2 (P44) hypervariable region in reservoir hosts. These data suggest similar genetic mechanisms for A. phagocytophilum variation in all hosts but worldwide diversity of the MSP2 (P44) outer membrane protein.

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