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Infection Function of Adhesin-Like Protein ALP609 from Spiroplasma melliferum CH-1
Guo-Dong Zha1, Dong-Hang Yang1, Jing-Jing Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
Current Microbiology
|January 25, 2018
Summary
Spiroplasma melliferum causes honeybee spiroplasmosis. Researchers identified an adhesin-like protein (ALP609) crucial for S. melliferum invasion into honeybee midgut cells.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Insect Pathology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Spiroplasma melliferum causes spiroplasmosis in honeybees.
- Adhesion factors are critical for spiroplasma infection progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize adhesion factors in Spiroplasma melliferum.
- To investigate the role of a novel adhesin-like protein (ALP609) in honeybee infection.
Main Methods:
- Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy to visualize ALP609.
- In vitro infection model using Apis mellifera midgut cells.
- Inhibition assays with anti-ALP609 antibodies and recombinant ALP609.
Main Results:
- ALP609 was identified as an adhesin-like protein in S. melliferum CH-1.
- Anti-ALP609 antibodies inhibited spiroplasma adhesion and invasion of honeybee midgut cells.
- Recombinant ALP609 reduced spiroplasma invasion in competition assays.
Conclusions:
- ALP609 is a critical adhesin-like protein for S. melliferum invasion into honeybee midgut cells.
- This study reports the first identification of adhesion-related factors in S. melliferum.
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