Strain- and growth condition-dependent variability in outer membrane protein expression by Bordetella bronchiseptica isolates from dogs

Abstract

Objective - To characterize strain-dependent and growth condition-dependent variability in outer membrane protein (OMP) expression of Bordetella bronchiseptica isolates from dogs and evaluate the systemic immune response to OMP of B bronchiseptica among infected dogs. Sample Population - 8 strains of B bronchiseptica isolated from dogs, including a historic reference strain, 2 commercially available vaccine strains, and 5 field strains, and serum samples collected from 3 specific-pathogen-free (SPF) dogs before and 1 month after infection with B bronchiseptica. Procedure - OMP were isolated from cultures in the late exponential phase of growth and compared among strains and, within strains, among growth conditions by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Serum samples were probed with OMP from 1 of the field strains. Results - Strain-dependent variability in OMP profiles and growth condition-dependent and strain-dependent variability in expression of filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) and pertactin was found, along with heterogeneity of the pertactin proteins produced by these B bronchiseptica strains. All 3 SPF dogs seroconverted to proteins with estimated molecular masses of 200 and 66 kDa, suggesting that FHA and pertactin were involved in the immunologic response of these dogs. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance - Results indicated that there is growth condition and strain variability in expression of OMP, FHA, and pertactin proteins produced by B bronchiseptica. This information could be useful in the improvement of vaccines for prevention of bordetellosis in dogs.