Staphylococcus Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Staphylococcus, including details on mrsa, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

Identification of antigenic components of Staphylococcus epidermidis expressed during human infection.

Pourmand MR, Clarke SR, Schuman RF, Mond JJ, Foster SJ

Department of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom.

A spectrum of in vivo-expressed Staphylococcus epidermidis antigens was identified by probing a bacteriophage lambda library of S. epidermidis genomic DNA with human serum from infected and uninfected individuals. This analysis resulted in identification of 53 antigen-encoding loci. Six antigenic polypeptides were expressed from these loci and purified. These polypeptides were the propeptide, mature amidase, and repeat sequence domains of the major autolysin AtlE, GehD (lipase), and two members of a conserved family of surface proteins (ScaA [AaE] and ScaB). AtlE, ScaA, and ScaB all exhibit human ligand binding capacity. Screening a bank of human serum samples revealed that there were significant increases in the amounts of reactive immunoglobulin G in infected individuals compared to the amounts in healthy individuals for the repeat sequence and mature amidase domains of AtlE, ScaB, and GehD. Vaccination of mice with recombinant antigens stimulated an immune response which in vitro opsonized S. epidermidis. In this study we identified prospective candidate antigens for prophylaxis or immunotherapy to control disease.

Published 24 July 2006 in Infect Immun, 74(8): 4644-54.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Staphylococcus Research Today. All Rights Reserved.