Investigation of the mechanism for capsular switching in S. suis

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• 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
• 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.

Free Research Field

細菌学