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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Poultry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #203375
Title: The Recognition of a vlhA Protein from the F-Strain of Mycoplasma gallisepticum with Monoclonal Antibody 6F10

Author
item PHARR, G - MISS STATE UNIVERSITY
item Branton, Scott
item COOKSEY, A - MISS STATE UNIVERSITY
item HANSON, L - MISS STATE UNIVERSITY
item BURGESS, S - MISS STATE UNIVERSITY
item BOTTOMS, C - COLLIN CO COMMUNITY COLLE
item MCCARTHY, F - MISS STATE UNIVERSITY
item Collier, Stephanie

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2006
Publication Date: 11/15/2006
Citation: Pharr, G.T., Branton, S.L., Cooksey, A.M., Hanson, L.A., Burgess, S.C., Bottoms, C.C., Mccarthy, F.M., Collier, S.D. 2006. The Recognition of a vlhA Protein from the F-Strain of Mycoplasma gallisepticum with Monoclonal Antibody 6F10. International Journal of Poultry Science. 5(8):789-795, 2006.

Interpretive Summary: Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a bacteria that is found in about 85% of all commercial table egg chickens in the U.S. and is associated with a yearly loss of approximately 16 eggs per hen. Once a chicken acquires the MG organism it remains with the chicken for the duration of its life as no antibiotic is known that is capable of totally removing it. In the present study, the goal was to identify the genes that encode surface proteins which are recognized by specific antibody reagents and to characterize the role of each gene product in the host (chicken) colonization to ultimately use that information to produce a vaccine. The results of this study were the identification and characterization of a 70-k Da surface protein recognized by monoclonal antibody 6F10. The protein is comprised of 21 peptides 19 of which matched with proteins of a specific lipoprotein family termed the vlhA lipotrotein family. Further, the 70-k Da surface protein is the predominately expressed vlhA protein on the surface of MG.

Technical Abstract: The goal of this project is to identify the genes encoding M. gallisepticum F-strain surface proteins recognized by specific antibody reagents to characterize the individual role of each gene product in host colonization. Here we report the characterization of a 70-kDa surface protein recognized by monoclonal antibody 6F10. The surface protein was gel isolated and digested with trypsin for evaluation with mass spectrometry. The results showed that 19 out of the 21 tryptic peptides matched with proteins of the vlhA lipoprotein family. We suggest that monoclonal antibody 6F10 is specific for the predominantly expressed vlhA protein (formerly pMGA) of the F-strain of M. gallisepticum.