Adaptive evolution of the Bordetella autotransporter pertactin

The virulence factor pertactin is expressed by the closely related pathogens Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Pertactin is an autotransporter involved in adherence of Bordetella species to the lung epithelium of mammalian hosts, and it is an important component of most current acellular pertussis vaccines. These three species produce immunologically distinct pertactin molecules, resulting in a lack of cross-protection against B. parapertussis and probably also against B. bronchiseptica. Variation in pertactin is not only inter-specific, but also occurs between isolates from the same species. Knowledge about codons that are under positive selection could facilitate the development of more broadly protective vaccines. Using different nucleotide substitution models, pertactin genes from B. bronchiseptica, B. parapertussis and B. pertussis were compared, and positively selected codons were identified using an empirical Bayesian approach. This approach yielded 15 codons predicted to be under diversifying selection pressure. These results were interpreted in an immunological context and may help in improving future pertussis vaccines.