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Proteome and Antigen Profiling of Coxiella burnetii Developmental Forms

Coxiella Pathogenesis Section,¹ Host-Parasite Interactions Section, Laboratory of Intracellular Parasites,³ Microscopy Unit, Research Technology Section, Research Technology Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,² Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77843-1114⁴

Received 3 June 2006/ Returned for modification 12 July 2006/ Accepted 19 October 2006

A biphasic developmental cycle whereby highly resistant small-cell variants (SCVs) are generated from large-cell variants (LCVs) is considered fundamental to the virulence of Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of human Q fever. In this study a proteome analysis of C. burnetii developmental forms was conducted to provide insight into their unique biological and immunological properties. Silver-stained gels of SCV and LCV lysates separated by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis resolved over 675 proteins in both developmental forms. Forty-eight proteins were greater than twofold more abundant in LCVs than in SCVs, with six proteins greater than twofold more abundant in SCVs than in LCVs. Four and 15 upregulated proteins of SCVs and LCVs, respectively, were identified by mass spectrometry, and their predicted functional roles are consistent with a metabolically active LCV and a structurally resistant SCV. One-dimensional and 2-D immunoblots of cell form lysates probed with sera from infected/vaccinated guinea pigs and convalescent-phase serum from human patients who had recovered from acute Q fever, respectively, revealed both unique SCV/LCV antigens and common SCV/LCV antigens that were often differentially synthesized. Antigens recognized during human infection were identified by mass spectroscopy and included both previously described immunodominant proteins of C. burnetii and novel immunogenic proteins that may be important in the pathophysiology of clinical Q fever and/or the induction of protective immunity.

Published ahead of print on 6 November 2006.

Editor: J. B. Bliska

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