Analysis of Bordetella pertussis clinical isolates circulating in European countries during the period 1998-2012

Despite more than 50 years of vaccination, pertussis is still an endemic disease, with regular epidemic outbreaks. With the exception of Poland, European countries have replaced whole-cell vaccines (WCVs) by acellular vaccines (ACVs) in the 1990s. Worldwide, antigenic divergence in vaccine antigens has been found between vaccine strains and circulating strains. In this work, 466 Bordetella pertussis isolates collected in the period 1998–2012 from 13 European countries were characterised by multi-locus antigen sequence typing (MAST) of the pertussis toxin promoter (ptxP) and of the genes coding for proteins used in the ACVs: pertussis toxin (Ptx), pertactin (Prn), type 2 fimbriae (Fim2) and type 3 fimbriae (Fim3). Isolates were further characterised by fimbrial serotyping, multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The results showed a very similar B. pertussis population for 12 countries using ACVs, while Poland, which uses a WCV, was quite distinct, suggesting that ACVs and WCVs select for different B. pertussis populations. This study forms a baseline for future studies on the effect of vaccination programmes on B. pertussis populations.

Investigations into the emergence of pertactin-deficient Bordetella pertussis isolates in six European countries, 1996 to 2012

Pathogen adaptation has been proposed to contribute to the resurgence of pertussis. A striking recent example is the emergence of isolates deficient in the vaccine component pertactin (Prn). This study explores the emergence of such Prn-deficient isolates in six European countries. During 2007 to 2009, 0/83 isolates from the Netherlands, 0/18 from the United Kingdom, 0/17 Finland, 0/23 Denmark, 4/99 Sweden and 5/20 from Norway of the isolates collected were Prn-deficient. In the Netherlands and Sweden, respectively 4/146 and 1/8 were observed in a later period (2010–12). The Prn-deficient isolates were genetically diverse and different mutations were found to inactivate the prn gene. These are indications that Prn-deficiency is subject to positive selective pressure. We hypothesise that the switch from whole cell to acellular pertussis vaccines has affected the balance between ‘costs and benefits’ of Prn production by Bordetella pertussis to the extent that isolates that do not produce Prn are able to expand. The absence of Prn-deficient isolates in some countries may point to ways to prevent or delay the spread of Prn-deficient strains. In order to substantiate this hypothesis, trends in the European B. pertussis population should be monitored continuously.

Analysis of Moraxella catarrhalis by DNA typing: evidence for a distinct subpopulation associated with virulence traits

Two DNA typing methods, probe-generated restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and single-adapter amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis, were used to study the genetic relationships among 90 Moraxella catarrhalis strains. Both methods were found to be highly concordant, generating a dendrogram with 2 main branches. The division of the M. catarrhalis population into 2 subspecies was supported by analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences. Both beta-lactamase-positive and beta-lactamase-negative strains were found in all main branches, suggesting horizontal transfer of the beta-lactamase gene. In contrast, 2 virulence traits, complement resistance and adherence to epithelial cells, were strongly associated with 1 of the 2 subspecies. The branch depth suggested that complement-resistant adherent strains diverged from a common ancestor more recently than did complement-sensitive nonadherent strains. These findings suggest the existence of subpopulations of M. catarrhalis that differ in virulence, and they may have implications for vaccine development.

Temporal trends in the population structure of Bordetella pertussis during 1949-1996 in a highly vaccinated population

The population structure of Bordetella pertussis in The Netherlands in 5 successive periods, encompassing 1949-1996, was analyzed by DNA typing ("fingerprinting"). In 10 years following the introduction of wide-scale vaccination in 1953, a decrease in genotypic diversity (GD) was observed, suggesting clonal expansion of strains that were adapted to vaccine-induced immunity. In subsequent periods, GD increased to prevaccination levels, probably reflecting a gradual adaptation of the B. pertussis population involving many lineages. In the 1990s, GD decreased again. This decrease coincided with an antigenic shift in the surface protein pertactin. No evidence was found for changes in DNA types or GD in 1996, when a large pertussis epidemic occurred. Thus, gradual changes in the bacterial population previous to 1996 were probably the cause of the 1996 epidemic. The results herein suggest that vaccination has selected for strains that are adapted to a highly vaccinated population. Similar changes may have occurred in other countries, explaining the reemergence of pertussis in vaccinated populations.

Polymorphism in the Bordetella pertussis virulence factors P.69/pertactin and pertussis toxin in The Netherlands: temporal trends and evidence for vaccine-driven evolution

The Bordetella pertussis proteins P.69 (also designated pertactin) and pertussis toxin are important virulence factors and have been shown to confer protective immunity in animals and humans. Both proteins are used in the new generation of acellular pertussis vaccines (ACVs), and it is therefore important to study the degree of antigenic variation in these proteins. Sequence analysis of the genes for P.69 and the pertussis toxin S1 subunit, using strains collected from Dutch patients in the period 1949 to 1996, revealed three P.69 and three S1 variants which show differences in amino acid sequence. Polymorphism in P.69 was confined to a region comprised of repeats and located proximal to the RGD motif involved in adherence to host tissues. Variation in S1 was observed in two regions previously identified as T-cell epitopes. P.69 and S1 variants, identical to those included in the Dutch whole-cell pertussis vaccine (WCV), were found in 100% of the strains from the 1950s, the period when the WCV was introduced in The Netherlands. However, nonvaccine types of P.69 and S1 gradually replaced the vaccine types in later years and were found in approximately 90% strains from 1990 to 1996. These results suggest that vaccination has selected for strains which are antigenically distinct from vaccine strains. Analysis of strains from vaccinated and nonvaccinated individuals indicated that the WCV protects better against strains with the vaccine type P.69 than against strains with non-vaccine types (P = 0.024). ACVs contain P.69 and S1 types which are found in only 10% of recent Dutch B. pertussis isolates, implying that they do not have an optimal composition. Our findings cast a new light on the reemergence of pertussis in highly vaccinated populations and may have major implications for the long-term efficacy of both WCVs and ACVs.

Bordetella bronchiseptica expresses the fimbrial structural subunit gene fimA

The differential host species specificities of Bordetella pertussis, B. parapertussis, and B. bronchiseptica might be explained by polymorphisms in adherence factor genes. We have found that B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica, unlike B. pertussis, contain a full-length gene for the fimbrial subunit FimA. B. bronchiseptica expresses fimA in a BvgAS-dependent fashion.

Mutational analysis of the Bordetella pertussis fim/fha gene cluster: identification of a gene with sequence similarities to haemolysin accessory genes involved in export of FHA

The chromosome of Bordetella pertussis harbours a region of 27 contiguous kb, which contains the bvg, fha and fim genes, involved in the co-ordinate regulation of virulence genes, FHA production and fimbriae production, respectively. The linkage of FHA and fimbrial genes has resulted in some confusion concerning the existence and location of genes required for the production of FHA and the function of the fimbrial genes fimB-D, which were proposed to be involved in both FHA and fimbriae biosynthesis. Through the use of non-polar mutations in each of these genes, we found that fimB-D are required for the production of both serotype 2 and 3 fimbriae, but not for FHA biosynthesis. Furthermore, a large open reading frame, designated fhaC, was identified downstream of fimD. It was shown that fhaC is essential for FHA production but not for fimbriae biogenesis. We propose that insertion mutations in fimB-D affect FHA production because of polar effects on fhaC expression. An insertion in the region downstream of fhaC had only a slight effect on FHA and fimbriae production. The fhaC gene product shows homology with ShIB and HpmB, two outer membrane proteins involved in export and activation of the haemolysins, ShIA and HpmA, of Serratia marcescens and Proteus mirabilis, respectively. Homology is also observed between the N-termini of FHA, ShIA and HpmA. Export of the haemolysins requires the N-termini of these molecules, and when this region was removed from FHA by an in-frame deletion, FHA biosynthesis was abolished. These results suggest that the N-terminus of FHA interacts with FhaC, and that as a result FHA is transported across the outer membrane.

Isolation of a putative fimbrial adhesin from Bordetella pertussis and the identification of its gene

We report the purification of a minor Bordetella pertussis fimbrial subunit, designated FimD, and the identification of its gene (fimD). FimD could be purified from the bulk of major fimbrial subunits by exploiting the fact that major subunit-subunit interactions are more stable in the presence of SDS than minor-major subunit interactions. To locate the gene for FimD, internal peptides of FimD were generated, purified and sequenced. Subsequently, an oligonucleotide probe, based on the primary sequence of one peptide, was used to clone fimD. The primary structure of FimD, derived from the DNA sequence of its gene, showed homology with a number of fimbrial adhesins. Most pronounced homology was observed with MrkD, a fimbrial adhesin derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae. These observations suggest that FimD may represent a B. pertussis fimbrial adhesin. With a fimD-specific probe we detected the presence of a fimD homologue in Bordetella parapertussis and Bordetella bronchiseptica but not in Bordetella avium. Cloning and sequencing revealed that the B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica fimD product differed from the B. pertussis fimD product in 20 and 1 amino acid residues, respectively. Since B. bronchiseptica is normally not a human pathogen, but causes respiratory disease in a wide range of non-human mammalian species, this may suggest that FimD recognizes a receptor that is well conserved in mammalian species. An in-frame deletion in fimD completely abolished FimD expression and also affected the expression of the major subunits Fim2 and Fim3 suggesting that, in contrast to other adhesins that are minor components of fimbriae, FimD is required for formation of the fimbrial structure.

Characterization of a Bordetella pertussis fimbrial gene cluster which is located directly downstream of the filamentous haemagglutinin gene

The biosynthesis of fimbriae is a complex process requiring multiple genes which are generally found clustered on the chromosome. In Bordetella pertussis, only major fimbrial subunit genes have been identified, and no evidence has yet been found that they are located in a fimbrial gene cluster. To locate additional genes involved in the biosynthesis of B. pertussis fimbriae, we used TnphoA mutagenesis. A PhoA+ mutant (designated B176) was isolated which was affected in the production of both serotype 2 and 3 fimbriae. Cloning and sequencing of the DNA region harbouring the transposon insertion revealed the presence of at least three additional fimbrial genes, designated fimB, fimC and fimD. The transposon was found to be located in fimD. Analysis of PhoA activity indicated that the fimbrial gene cluster was positively regulated by the bvg locus. A potential binding site for BvgA was observed upstream of fimB. FimB showed homology with the so-called chaperone-like fimbrial proteins, while FimC was homologous with a class of fimbrial proteins located in the outer membrane and presumed to be involved in transport and anchorage of fimbrial subunits. An insertion mutation in fimB abolished the expression of fimbrial subunits, implicating this gene in the biosynthesis of both serotype 2 and 3 fimbriae. Upstream of fimB a pseudogene (fimA) was observed which showed homology with the three major fimbrial subunit genes, fim2, fim3 and fimX. The construction of a phylogenetic tree suggested that fimA may be the primordial major fimbrial subunit gene from which the other three were derived by gene duplication. Interestingly, the fimbrial gene cluster was found to be located directly downstream from the gene coding for the filamentous haemagglutinin, an important B. pertussis adhesin, possibly suggesting co-operation between the two loci in the pathogenesis of pertussis.

Construction and analysis of Bordetella pertussis mutants defective in the production of fimbriae

Although the role of fimbriae in bacterial disease has been well established, little is known about the function of Bordetella pertussis fimbriae. To study this function, well-defined fimbrial mutants were constructed. B. pertussis harbours three fimbrial genes, fim2, fim3 and fimX, and strains were constructed in which one or more fimbrial genes were inactivated by means of gene replacement. Analysis of these strains by means of immunoblotting suggested the presence of a fourth fimbrial gene, tentatively designated fimY. A fimbrial mutant was analysed in a mouse respiratory infection model, together with a strain harbouring a deletion in the gene for the filamentous haemagglutinin. Both mutants were affected in their ability to persist in the trachea. Persistence in the nasopharynx was only affected by the mutation in the filamentous haemagglutinin gene. Neither the filamentous haemagglutinin nor the fimbrial mutants were affected in their ability to persist in the lung. Our results suggest that the filamentous haemagglutinin plays a more crucial role than fimbriae in the colonization of the upper respiratory tract of the mouse.

Characterization of the 35-kilodalton Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum recombinant lipoprotein TmpC and antibody response to lipidated and nonlipidated T. pallidum antigens

The gene encoding the 35-kDa immunogenic Treponema pallidium subsp. pallidum (T. pallidum) membrane protein C, TmpC, was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The deduced amino acid sequence carries on N-terminal signal sequence with a four-amino-acid motif, which is characteristic for bacterial lipoproteins. Metabolic labeling with radioactive palmitic acid of E. coli expressing TmpC revealed incorporation of the fatty acid into the antigen. The antigen was overproduced, purified to near homogeneity and used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to evaluate its potential for the serodiagnosis of syphilis. Although all sera from untreated secondary syphilis patients were reactive in this TmpC ELISA, only a minority of the serum samples from untreated patients in the primary or early latent stage of the disease contained significant anti-TmpC antibodies. To study the influence of the lipid moiety on the antigenic properties of the TmpC, TmpA, and TpD lipoproteins, plasmids encoding nonlipidated forms of these antigens were constructed. In addition, a plasmid expressing a lipidated form of the otherwise non-lipid-modified antigen TmpB was constructed. Immunization and absorption experiments with these lipidated and nonlipidated antigens showed that antibodies against the lipid moiety of lipoproteins could not be detected on immunoblots, neither in sera from infected rabbits nor in sera from animals immunized with the lipoproteins. In addition, we were unable to demonstrate cross-reactivity between antibodies against the T. pallidum lipoproteins and those reactive to the Venereal Diseases Research Laboratories test, suggesting that antibodies reactive to the Venereal Diseases Research Laboratories test are unrelated to antilipoprotein antibodies.

Fimbrial phase variation in Bordetella pertussis: a novel mechanism for transcriptional regulation

Fimbriae belong to a class of extracellular filamentous proteins which are involved in the attachment of bacteria to host tissues. Bordetella pertussis, the etiological agent of whooping cough, produces two serologically distinct fimbriae. We show that, like a number of other B. pertussis virulence genes, transcription of the fimbrial subunit genes (fim) is positively controlled by trans-acting polypeptides encoded by the bvg locus. In addition to this coordinate control, transcription of the fim genes is regulated at an individual level by phase variation. This process is characterized by a switching between a high and low level of expression of a particular fim gene. We have identified a conserved DNA region, located close to the start of the fim genes, which is likely to be involved in both positive regulation by the bvg locus, and phase variation. This promoter region contains a stretch of approximately 15 C residues and it appears that phase transitions occur by small insertions or deletions in this C-rich region. We propose that these mutations affect transcription of the fim genes by varying the distance between the binding site for an activator and the -10 box. The fim promoter shows homology with the pertussis toxin promoter, which is also positively regulated by the bvg locus.

Structure of the Bordetella pertussis gene coding for the serotype 3 fimbrial subunit

Bordetella pertussis strains contain at least three distinct genes coding for fimbrial subunits, designated fim2, fim3, and fimX. The sequences of the fim2 and fimX genes have been published. Here we present the sequence of the fim3 gene. Proximal and distal to the fim3 gene, regions were observed that could function as rho-independent terminators, suggesting that the gene is not part of a larger operon. Comparison of the putative promoter regions of the fim2 and fim3 genes revealed a conserved region containing a stretch of approximately 13 C's. This region may be involved in fimbrial phase variation. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of the three fimbrial subunits revealed conserved, variable, and hypervariable regions. The hypervariable regions coincided with predicted antigenic determinants. Peptides derived from the conserved regions may be incorporated into a future pertussis vaccine to induce antibodies which confer protection against strains producing different fimbrial serotypes.

Characterization of fimbrial subunits from Bordetella species

Using antisera raised against serotype 2 and 3 fimbrial subunits from Bordetella pertussis, serologically related polypeptides were detected in Bordetella bronchiseptica, Bordetella parapertussis and Bordetella avium strains. The two B. pertussis fimbrial subunits, and three of the serologically related B. bronchiseptica polypeptides, were shown to be very similar in amino acid composition and N-terminal amino acid sequence. Homology was observed between the N-termini of these polypeptides, and fimbrial subunits from Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae and Proteus mirabilis. A synthetic oligonucleotide probe, derived from the N-terminal sequence of the B. pertussis serotype 2 fimbrial subunit, was used to identify fimbrial genes in genomic Southern blots. The results suggested the presence of multiple fimbrial subunit genes in B. pertussis, B. bronchiseptica and B. parapertussis. The DNA probe was used to clone one of the three tentative fimbrial subunit genes detected in B. pertussis.

Molecular cloning and expression of Treponema pallidum DNA in Escherichia coli K-12

A gene bank of Treponema pallidum DNA in Escherichia coli K-12 was constructed by cloning SauI-cleaved T. pallidum DNA into the cosmid pHC79. Sixteen of 800 clones investigated produced one or more antigens that reacted with antibodies from syphilitic patients. According to the separation pattern of the antigens produced on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, six different phenotypes were distinguished among these 16 clones. These antigens reacted also with anti-T. pallidum rabbit serum. No antibodies against the cloned antigens were found in normal rabbit serum and in nonsyphilitic human serum. The antigens produced by the E. coli K-12 recombinant DNA clones comigrated in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels with antigens extracted from T. pallidum bacteria, suggesting that the treponemal DNA is well expressed in E. coli K-12. Several of the cosmid recombinant plasmids have been subcloned, resulting in smaller T. pallidum recombinant plasmids which are more stably maintained in the cell and produce more treponemal antigen. Monoclonal antibodies were raised against T. pallidum, and one hybridoma produced antibodies that reacted not only with an antigen from T. pallidum but also with the antigen produced by one of the E. coli clones.