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Identification of Antigenic Components of Staphylococcus epidermidis Expressed during Human Infection

Mohammad R. Pourmand,^1, Simon R. Clarke,^1* Richard F. Schuman,^2, James J. Mond,² and Simon J. Foster¹

Department of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom,¹ Biosynexus Inc., 9119 Gaither Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877²

Received 30 March 2006/ Returned for modification 4 May 2006/ Accepted 9 May 2006

A spectrum of in vivo-expressed Staphylococcus epidermidis antigens was identified by probing a bacteriophage lambda library of S. epidermidis genomic DNA with human serum from infected and uninfected individuals. This analysis resulted in identification of 53 antigen-encoding loci. Six antigenic polypeptides were expressed from these loci and purified. These polypeptides were the propeptide, mature amidase, and repeat sequence domains of the major autolysin AtlE, GehD (lipase), and two members of a conserved family of surface proteins (ScaA [AaE] and ScaB). AtlE, ScaA, and ScaB all exhibit human ligand binding capacity. Screening a bank of human serum samples revealed that there were significant increases in the amounts of reactive immunoglobulin G in infected individuals compared to the amounts in healthy individuals for the repeat sequence and mature amidase domains of AtlE, ScaB, and GehD. Vaccination of mice with recombinant antigens stimulated an immune response which in vitro opsonized S. epidermidis. In this study we identified prospective candidate antigens for prophylaxis or immunotherapy to control disease.

Editor: D. L. Burns

Present address: Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran.

Present address: Capital Genomix Inc., 9290 Gaither Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

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