Sequence diversity of the immunogenic outer membrane lipoprotein PlpE from Mannheimia haemolytica serotypes 1, 2, and 6

Mannheimia haemolytica serotype 1 (S1), S6 and S2 are the most common bacterial isolates found in shipping fever pneumonia in beef cattle. Currently used vaccines against M. haemolytica do not provide complete protection against the disease. Research with M. haemolytica outer membrane proteins (OMPs) has shown that antibodies to one particular OMP from S1, PlpE, may be important in immunity. Recombinant PlpE (rPlpE) is highly immunogenic in cattle, and the acquired immunity markedly enhanced resistance to experimental challenge. We previously demonstrated that the immunodominant epitope (R2) is located between residues 26 and 76 on the N-terminus of PlpE from a reference S1 strain ( Ayalew et al., 2004). This region consists of eight hexapeptide repeats. The potential of this epitope as a vaccine or supplement to commercial vaccines is dependant on its state of conservation amongst isolates of the three serotypes. To determine this, we sequenced plpE genes from 32 isolates. The sequences from S1 and S6 were identical with one exception. Substantial variation was observed among sequences from S2 strains, particularly in the R2 region of the protein. These variations in S2 isolates range from 3 to 28 hexapeptide repeats. Calculated molecular weight of PlpE from S1 and S6 isolates was 37 kDa, where as PlpE from S2 strains ranged from 30 to 50 kDa. These similarities and differences were demonstrated by western blot. Competitive binding assay was used to determine that antibody against rPlpE from S1 binds native PlpE on surfaces of both S1 and S2 cells.