Investigation of the mechanism for capsular switching in S. suis

• Project/Area Number: 26870840
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Bacteriology (including mycology); Veterinary medical science
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: OKURA Masatoshi 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 動物衛生研究部門 細菌・寄生虫研究領域, 主任研究員 (60508315)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 細菌学 / レンサ球菌 / 抗原性変換 / 血清型

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Streptococcus suis is an important bacterium which can cause severe disease in pigs and humans. S. suis strains are classified into more than 30 serotypes on the basis of the antigenicity of their capsular polysaccharides (CPSs). In this study, we demonstrated that switching of CPS can be occurred by mixing with the sigX RNA polymerase sigma factor (SigX)-inducing peptide (XIP) and a genomic DNA extracted from the strain of other serotype. In addition, we found that unencapsulation increase the XIP-induced competence efficiencies. We also revealed a recovery of a capsule after in vivo passages of a non-encapsulated strain in mice.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] A locus encoding variable defence systems against invading DNA identified in Streptococcus suis. (2017)
  • Author(s): Okura M, Nozawa T, Watanabe T, Murase K, Nakagawa I, Takamatsu D, Osaki M, Sekizaki T, Gottschalk M, Hamada S, Maruyama F.
  • Journal Title: Genome Biol Evol Volume: 9 Issue: 4 Pages: 1000-1012
  • DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx062
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Streptococcus suis Serotype 2 Capsule In Vivo. (2016)
  • Author(s): Jean-Philippe Auger, Nattakan Meekhanon, Masatoshi Okura, Makoto Osaki, Marcelo Gottschalk, Tsutomu Sekizaki, and Daisuke Takamatsu.
  • Journal Title: Emerg. Infect. Dis. Volume: 22 Issue: 10 Pages: 1793-1796
  • DOI: 10.3201/eid2210.151640
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Structure determination of Streptococcus suis serotype 9 capsular polysaccharide and assignment of functions of the cps locus genes involved in its biosynthesis. (2016)
  • Author(s): Vinogradov E, Goyette-Desjardins G, Okura M, Takamatsu D, Gottschalk M, Segura M.
  • Journal Title: Carbohydrate Research Volume: 433 Pages: 25-30
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2016.07.005
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Current Taxonomical Situation of Streptococcus suis. (2016)
  • Author(s): Okura M, Osaki M, Nomoto R, Arai S, Osawa R, Sekizaki T, Takamatsu D.
  • Journal Title: Pathogens Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Pages: 45-45
  • DOI: 10.3390/pathogens5030045
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Explaining the Serological Characteristics of Streptococcus suis Serotypes 1 and 1/2 from Their Capsular Polysaccharide Structure and Biosynthesis. (2016)
  • Author(s): Van Calsteren MR, Goyette-Desjardins G, Gagnon F, Okura M, Takamatsu D, Roy R, Gottschalk M, Segura M.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Biological Chemistry Volume: 291 Issue: 16 Pages: 8387-8398
  • DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.700716
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Role of the capsular polysaccharide as a virulence factor for Streptococcus suis serotype 14. (2015)
  • Author(s): Roy D, Auger JP, Segura M, Fittipaldi N, Takamatsu D, Okura M, Gottschalk M.
  • Journal Title: Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research Volume: 79 Pages: 141-146
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Differences in genetic competence among Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains and a factor that affects the ability (2016)
  • Author(s): Masatoshi Okura, Makoto Osaki, Mari Tohya, Takayasu Watanabe, Fumito Maruyama, Takashi Nozawa, Ichiro Nakagawa, Shigeyuki Hamada, Tsutomu Sekizaki, Daisuke Takamatsu
  • Organizer: 3rd International Workshop on Streptcoccus suis
  • Place of Presentation: ブラウンシュバイク（ドイツ）
  • Year and Date: 2016-09-08
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Recovery of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 capsule and its virulence in vivo (2016)
  • Author(s): 高松大輔,大倉正稔,大崎慎人,関崎勉
  • Organizer: 第89回日本細菌学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪国際交流センター（大阪府、大阪市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-03-23
• [Presentation] 豚レンサ球菌の特定集団で見られた莢膜欠失による自然形質転換能の上昇 (2016)
  • Author(s): 大倉正稔,大崎慎人,高松大輔,関崎勉
  • Organizer: 第89回日本細菌学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪国際交流センター（大阪府、大阪市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-03-23
• [Presentation] A hot-region promoting intraspecific divergence by shift of genetic elements related to defense systems against invading DNA (2016)
  • Author(s): Masatoshi Okura, Takashi Nozawa, Takayasu Watanabe, Kazunori Murase, Ichiro Nakagawa, Daisuke Takamatsu, Makoto Osaki, Tsutomu Sekizaki, Marcelo Gottschalk, Shigeyuki Hamada and Fumito Maruyama
  • Organizer: Satellite Workshop on Genome Evolution in Pathogen Transmission and Disease
  • Place of Presentation: 志賀レークホテル（長野県、下高井郡）
  • Year and Date: 2016-02-22
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] ゲノム解析から明らかとなったStreptococcus suisにおける曖昧な種の境界及び進化の鍵となるスポット (2015)
  • Author(s): 大倉正稔, 野澤孝志, 渡辺孝康, 中川一路, 髙松大輔, 大﨑慎人, 関崎勉, 浜田茂幸, 丸山史人
  • Organizer: 第88回日本細菌学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: 長良川国際会議場（岐阜県・岐阜市）
  • Year and Date: 2015-03-26 – 2015-03-28
• [Presentation] Genome sequencing of miscellaneous strains revealed the genes for characterizing the species “Streptococcus suis” and potentially hazardous populations for human (2014)
  • Author(s): 大倉正稔, 野澤孝志, 渡辺孝康, 中川一路, 髙松大輔, 大﨑慎人, 関崎勉, Marcelo Gottschalk, 浜田茂幸, 丸山史人
  • Organizer: XIX Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases
  • Place of Presentation: ブエノスアイリス（アルゼンチン）
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-10 – 2014-11-12
• [Presentation] 多株ゲノム比較解析により明らかになったStreptococcus suisに特徴的な遺伝子 (2014)
  • Author(s): 大倉正稔, 野澤孝志, 渡辺孝康, 中川一路, 髙松大輔, 大﨑慎人, 関崎勉, 浜田茂幸, 丸山史人
  • Organizer: 第46回レンサ球菌研究会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京大学農学部弥生キャンパス（東京都・文京区）
  • Year and Date: 2014-06-27 – 2014-06-28