杀鲑气单胞菌杀鲑亚种和杀日本鲑亚种PCR检测方法的建立

杀鲑气单胞菌(Aeromonas salmonicida)是一种重要的鱼类致病菌,可以感染多种海淡水鱼类。杀鲑气单胞菌包括5个亚种,目前常用的生理生化特征和16S rDNA序列分析方法很难实现亚种的快速精确区分。为实现杀鲑气单胞菌亚种的快速鉴定和检测,针对我国常见的杀鲑气单胞菌杀鲑亚种(A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida)和杀日本鲑亚种(A. salmonicida subsp. masoucida),本研究开发了其特异性的PCR检测方法。根据Gene Bank已公布的杀鲑气单胞菌基因组信息,选择杀鲑亚种phoB基因和杀日本鲑亚种LOC111476736基因作为目标基因,根据其序列设计特异性引物,进一步对PCR反应的退火温度、引物浓度、dNTPs浓度、Mg2+浓度和酶浓度5个方面进行了优化,并测试了该方法的特异性、敏感性和应用效果。结果显示,2对引物分别可以扩增出杀鲑气单胞菌杀鲑亚种522 bp的phoB特异性基因片段和杀日本鲑亚种515 bp的LOC111476736特异性基因片段。杀鲑亚种特异性引物最适退火温度为64 ℃,10 µmol/L引物、2 mmol/L dNTPs、25 mmol/L MgSO4和1 U/µL KOD酶的最适添加量分别为1.5、2、1.5和0.5 µL。杀日本鲑亚种特异性引物最适退火温度为64 ℃,10 µmol/L引物、2 mmol/L dNTPs、25 mmol/L MgSO4和1 U/µL KOD酶的最适添加量分别为0.75、1、1.5和0.5 µL。以鳗弧菌(Vibrio anguillarum)、美人鱼发光杆菌(Photobacterium damselae)、杀鱼爱德华氏菌(Edwardsiella piscicida)、杀鲑气单胞菌其他亚种等14种其他水产病原菌或常见环境菌为模板进行PCR检测,均无特异性条带。该方法对杀鲑气单胞菌杀鲑亚种的检测灵敏度为12.8 CFU/反应(菌体)或17.6 fg/反应(DNA),对杀鲑气单胞菌杀日本鲑亚种的检测灵敏度为23.8 CFU/反应(菌体)或27.2 fg/反应(DNA)。利用杀鲑气单胞菌杀鲑亚种和杀日本鲑亚种分别对大菱鲆(Scophthalmus maximus)进行人工感染实验,感染后取病鱼组织进行PCR检测,结果显示,本方法可以从感染后的大菱鲆中分别检测到相应病原。综上所述,本研究建立了杀鲑气单胞菌杀鲑亚种和杀日本鲑亚种的特异性PCR检     

水产动物气单胞菌鉴定方法研究进展

<正>气单胞菌属于γ-变形菌纲、气单胞菌目、气单胞菌科、气单胞菌属(Aeromonas),该属包括嗜水气单胞菌(A.hydrophila)、温和气单胞菌(A.sobria)、豚鼠气单胞菌(A.caviae)、维氏气单胞菌(A.veronii)和杀鲑气单胞菌(A.salmonicida)等20个种,其中嗜水气单胞菌和杀鲑气单胞菌又分别包括5个亚种[1]。气单胞菌广泛分布于自然生态系统     

不同来源杀鲑气单胞菌毒力因子的比较基因组学研究

自凡纳滨对虾养殖水体中分离得到1株杀鲑气单胞菌YK-48,为确定YK-48与在鞍山养殖场金鱼体内分离出来的AS.17和烟台大西洋鲑体内分离出来的S68和S121等不同来源的杀鲑气单胞菌的毒力基因特征之间是否存在差异,对YK-48的形态、生理生化特征和药物敏感性进行分析,随后进行全基因组测序,对4株杀鲑气单胞菌进行基因组...     

斑点叉尾■溃烂症的病原鉴定和致病特性

为探明斑点叉尾[鱼回](Ictalunes punctatus)溃烂症的病因,从4尾患鱼肝脾中分离纯化出4株优势菌株,并进行病原鉴定、毒力基因检测、动物回归感染和药敏试验。4株优势菌经鉴定并命名为杀鲑气单胞菌无色亚种(Aeromonas salmonicida subsp achromogenes)X-G1,杀鲑气单胞菌杀鲑亚种(A.s subsp salmonicida)X-P2、X-P3和嗜水气单胞菌(A.hydrophila)X-P4。15℃时,杀鲑气单胞菌X-G1、X-P2和X-P3的世代时间(约14 min)均小于嗜水气单胞菌X-P4(约20 min);25℃时,杀鲑气单胞菌X-G1、X-P2和X-P3株的世代时间(约20 min)均大于嗜水气单胞菌X-P4株(约16 min)。X-G1株可检到弹性蛋白酶、溶血素和甘油磷脂胆固醇酰基转移酶等3种毒力基因;X-P2株仅可检到弹性蛋白酶1种毒力基因;X-P3株可检测到弹性蛋白酶、溶血素、细胞毒性肠毒素、丝氨酸蛋白酶、酯酶、气溶素和甘油磷脂胆固醇酰基转移酶等7种毒力基因;X-P4株可检测到鞭毛、弹性蛋白酶、气溶素、细胞毒性肠毒素、热不稳定性肠毒素、丝氨酸蛋白酶和溶血素等7种毒力基因。分离株X-G1、X-P2、X-P3和X-P4在15~17℃水温下腹腔注射攻毒的半数致死浓度(LD 50)依次为0.49×10^4、0.78×10^4、0.53×10^4、3.84×10^4 CFU/g;而在23~26℃水温下测得的LD 50依次为1.48×10^4、1.80×10^4、0.82×10^4、0.68×10^4 CFU/g。分离株混合感染比单一株感染均表现出更强的致死能力。分离菌株对多西环素、恩诺沙星、氟苯尼考均敏感,但因患病鱼不能摄食药饵而导致治疗失败。     

波罗的海希瓦氏菌和杀鲑气单胞菌致腐性及TorA还原酶差异比较

为了研究冷藏海产品中腐败菌希瓦氏菌和气单胞菌的致腐性差异，本实验比较分析了大黄鱼源波罗的海希瓦氏菌和杀鲑气单胞菌在28℃和4℃下的生长及三甲胺（TMA）、生物胺和挥发性盐基氮（TVB-N）的生成；通过PCR技术扩增2种腐败菌的氧化三甲胺还原酶基因（torA），利用生物信息学比较TorA蛋白的相似性、理化特性和蛋白空间结构。结果显示，杀鲑气单胞菌在28℃生长较快，而波罗的海希瓦氏菌在4℃生长更快。相对于杀鲑气单胞菌形成较高的尸胺，波罗的海希瓦氏菌产生更多TMA和腐胺，在冷藏鱼汁中积累更高TVB-N。同时在波罗的海希瓦氏菌和杀鲑气单胞菌中分别扩增出2 490和1 959 bp的torA基因，2种TorA蛋白与同属菌相似性高于97%，而二者相似性仅为36.90%。波罗的海希瓦氏菌TorA蛋白的分子量和等电点分别为92.3 ku和6.52，甘氨酸含量最高，而杀鲑气单胞菌中TorA蛋白的分子量和等电点分别为90.6 ku和6.74，丙氨酸含量最高，蛋白结构差异明显。且希瓦氏菌中torA 和鸟氨酸脱羧酶（DOC）基因表达量分别为气单胞菌的1.26和19.04倍。可见，波罗的海希瓦氏菌和杀鲑气单胞菌为海产品嗜冷腐败菌，其中希瓦氏菌胺类代谢能力更强，与其TorA特定理化特性和高表达量相关。本研究为揭示海产品微生物的致腐机制提供理论支持。     

亚东鲑细菌性鳃病病原菌的分离鉴定

2020年9月西藏自治区日喀则市亚东县某养殖基地的亚东鲑出现鳃病症状，主要临床症状为鳃盖打开、鳃丝充血、病鱼离群及呼吸困难。为探究此次疾病的病因，寻找其治疗方法，自患有鳃病症状的亚东鲑鳃组织中分离到1株优势菌YDX-1,采用常规细菌分析、16S rRNA基因序列比对分析和人工感染试验等方法对此株优势菌进行鉴定，同时查明菌株YDX-1的耐药性。试验结果表明，菌株YDX-1为革兰氏阴性菌，在16S rRNA基因序列比对构建的系统发育树中，其与杀鲑气单胞菌聚为一支，相似度达99%以上，结合该菌的形态学特征、生化特性和测序鉴定结果，综合鉴定菌株YDX-1为杀鲑气单胞菌。通过人工感染试验发现，杀鲑气单胞菌YDX-1对亚东鲑的致死率较高，且该菌具有传染性。药敏试验结果显示，杀鲑气单胞菌YDX-1对使用的6类(21种)药物普遍敏感，仅对复方新诺明中介。试验结果对西藏地区亚东鲑细菌性鳃病的防治具有指导意义。     

实时荧光定量PCR扩增特异性vapA基因检测杀鲑气单胞菌

为实现杀鲑气单胞菌早期快速准确定量检测,研究旨在建立杀鲑气单胞菌的SYBR Green Ⅰ实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time PCR)检测方法。根据GenBank中杀鲑气单胞菌毒力阵列蛋白基因(vapA)保守序列设计并合成一对特异性引物,对其特异性、灵敏度、可重复性和应用性进行评价。结果显示,研究设计的引物具有良好的种间特异性,仅对杀鲑气单胞菌及其亚种有阳性扩增,与其他细菌不发生交叉反应。构建的Real-time PCR标准曲线质粒拷贝数与循环阈值呈良好的线性关系,扩增所得标准曲线分别为y=–4.8345x+42.535,相关系数R~2为0.998,最低检测限为34拷贝/μL,较常规PCR的灵敏度高出约1000倍。应用建立的方法检测人工感染的虹鳟病样,15个被检样品呈阳性反应,与细菌常规鉴定方法结果一致。研究表明,所建立的基于实时荧光定量PCR技术的杀鲑气单胞菌检测方法快速、特异、灵敏,可用于临床诊断和疫病监测。     

一株从草鱼中分离的嗜水气单胞菌的病原学及基因组特征

为确定南昌地区某渔场草鱼出血性败血症的病原体及病原特征，从患病草鱼的肝脏病灶中分离出一株致病菌A1310。对分离菌进行了形态特征、理化特性等表型生物学检验、人工感染实验及对抗菌药物的敏感性实验，并对其进行了全基因组测序、基于多序列位点分型(multilocus sequence typing，MLST)的系统进化分析及毒力基因分析。结果显示，生理生化鉴定证明该菌为嗜水气单胞菌，当浓度达1.0×10⁶ CFU/mL时，对草鱼有致病性；对供试20种抗菌药物中的青霉素等7种耐药，对卡那霉素等5种敏感；A1310株基因组框架序列共包含96个与毒力和防御相关基因，其中多药耐药性外排泵基因占大多数，约为22%；与美国斑点叉尾鮰分离株(S15-242、S15-458、S15-591、S15-700)聚类为同一进化分支；比较基因组分析发现，A1310具有一个删减版的Ⅵ型分泌系统(type Ⅵ secretion system，T6SS)，基因数量为标准Ⅵ型分泌系统的80%，缺少vgrG和vca0109基因的部分片段。综上所述，来源于草鱼的嗜水气单胞菌菌株A1310，与美国斑点叉尾鮰分离株具有亲缘关系，含有多个已报道的嗜水气单胞菌的毒力基因。本研究不仅丰富了嗜水气单胞菌的生物学性状内容，也为嗜水气单胞菌的有效检验、防治和深入研究提供一定的参考，对草鱼的疾病防控具有一定意义。     

杀鲑气单胞菌的实时定量PCR检测方法的建立和应用

选取杀鲑气单胞菌A层A蛋白(VapA)保守序列,利用Primer Express2.0软件设计引物和探针.以ATCC标准株10倍系列稀释,通过血球计数板计数后进行实时定量PCR,制作标准曲线.通过SDS软件获得细菌数量(X)与Ct值的关系为:Ct＝-3.1574lgX 43.6841(相关系数R2=0.992).实时定量PCR的检测限为6个细菌.建立的方法对杀鲑气单胞菌典型株和非典型株具有较好的特异性,与其他细菌没有交叉反应.杀鲑气单胞菌实时定量PCR方法的建立,对于快速口岸检疫、临床诊断和疫病监测具有重要的应用价值.     

养殖龟鳖源气单胞菌耐药性与质粒介导喹诺酮类耐药基因分析

为了解养殖龟鳖源气单胞菌的耐药情况及质粒介导的喹诺酮类耐药(PMQR)、喹诺酮类耐药决定区(QRDR)与耐药表型之间的关系;实验采用K-B纸片法测定了1996—2013年从广东地区患病龟鳖分离的67株气单胞菌对23种常见抗菌药物的耐药性,并检测5种PMQR基因qnrA、qnrB、qnrS、qepA和aac(6')-Ib-cr,同时分析PMQR基因阳性菌株染色体上gyrA、parC基因QRDR的突变情况。结果显示,67株气单胞菌对氨苄西林、头孢噻吩和磺胺复合物的耐药率分别高达100%、92.54%和83.58%,对喹诺酮类药物呈现中等耐药,耐药率介于19.40%~64.18%,而对亚胺培南、呋喃妥因、阿米卡星、头孢噻肟敏感性较高,耐药率低于10%;79.10%(53/67)的菌株对3类或以上抗菌药物具有耐药性。19.40%(13/67)的菌株携带PMQR基因,其中,8.96%(6/67)携带qnrS1基因、5.97%(4/67)携带qnrS2基因、7.46%(5/67)携带aac(6')-Ib-cr基因[其中2株同时携带qnrS2和aac(6')-Ib-cr基因]。13株PMQR基因阳性菌株均分别携带1~4个质粒,大小介于0.8~15 kb;其中6株在gyrA基因及parC基因上均发生变异,3株仅在gyrA基因上发生变异,另外4株未发现QRDR的基因突变。研究表明,广东地区龟鳖源气单胞菌对多种抗菌药物耐药并存在多重耐药现象;而且PMQR机制的存在预示着喹诺酮类耐药性很可能会在水产临床上更加快速而广泛地传播,应引起重视。     

怀头鲇体表溃烂症病原鉴定及致病性分析

为探讨黑龙江流域怀头鲇体表溃烂症的病因及防控措施,本研究采用常规方法从患病鱼的肝脏、脾脏和肾脏等部位分离病原菌,通过人工感染试验确定分离菌株的致病性,并对菌株的基本形态、理化特性、分子特征、毒力基因携带情况及耐药性等进行了系统研究。结果显示,从患病鱼体内分离得到3株病原菌,分别命名为NY-8、NY-9和NY-12;人工感染试验发现,NY-8和NY-9株对试验鱼有较强的致病力,NY-12株毒力较弱;3株细菌混合感染后,鱼体发病症状与临床自然发病症状一致,试验鱼死亡率高达到100%。综合理化特征和16S r RNA基因序列分析结果,确定NY-8、NY-9和NY-12株分别为气单胞菌属的维氏气单胞菌、杀鲑气单胞菌和嗜水气单胞菌。5种毒力基因在3株气单胞菌中的分布表现为两种基因型,h l y+/a e r+/a c t+/a l t+/G C A T+和h l y+/a e r-/act+/alt+/GCAT+,同时携带5种毒力基因的NY-8和NY-9分离株致病性显著高于NY-12株。3株细菌在耐药谱上有一定差异性,NY-8和NY-9株均对4种氟喹诺酮类药物敏感,对氨基糖苷类、呋喃类等药物耐药;NY-12株仅对左氧氟沙星和氟苯尼考等2种药物敏感。     

Susceptibility of corkwing wrasse Symphodus melops, goldsinny wrasse Ctenolabrus rupestis, and Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolt, to experimental challenge with Vibrio tapetis and Vibrio splendidus isolated from corkwing wrasse

The virulence of two Vibrio strains, previously isolated from diseased corkwing wrasse Symphodus melops and identified as V. tapetis and V. splendidus, to corkwing and goldsinny wrasse Ctenolabrus rupestris and to Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, was studied under laboratory conditions. Both bacteria were shown to be opportunistically pathogenic to corkwing wrasse, causing significantly higher mortality in the challenged groups than in the controls. Bacterial cultivation of kidney samples and re-isolation of V. tapetis and V. splendidus from most mortalities confirmed the two strains as the probable cause of mortality in the challenged groups. The control group also suffered relatively high mortality, but no specific pathogens that were suspected to be the main cause of death were isolated, other than a mixture of Vibrio spp. and, in the case of one individual, atypical Aeromonas salmonicida. Following injection challenge with both bacterial strains, no mortality was recorded in Atlantic salmon. In bath challenge trials with goldsinny wrasse, only slight mortality was observed in the challenged groups and the unchallenged control group. Bacterial examination showed that atypical Aeromonas salmonicida was the probable cause of death in both bath challenged and control groups of goldsinny wrasse, and no indication of infection by any Vibrio sp. was found.     

Systemic infection in European perch with thermoadapted virulent Aeromonas salmonicida (Perca fluviatilis)

In non‐salmonid fish, Aeromonas salmonicidacan cause local infections with severe skin ulcerations, known as atypical furunculosis. In this study, we present a systemic infection by a virulent A. salmonicidain European perch (Perca fluviatilis).This infection was diagnosed in a Swiss warm water recirculation aquaculture system. The isolate of A.  salmonicida encodes a type three secretion system (TTSS) most likely located on a plasmid similar to pAsa5/pASvirA, which is known to specify one of the main virulence attributes of the species A. salmonicida. However, the genes specifying the TTSS of the perch isolate show a higher temperature tolerance than strains isolated from cold‐water fish. The function of the TTSS in virulence was verified in a cytotoxicity test using bluegill fry and epithelioma papulosum cyprinid cells.     

Pathogenic characterization of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. masoucida turbot isolate from China

Aeromonas salmonicida is a gram-negative bacterium that is the causative agent of furunculosis. An A. salmonicida strain was isolated from diseased turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) with the sign of furunculosis from North China. Based on vapA gene, the strain was further classified as A. salmonicida subsp. masoucida RZ6S-1. Culturing RZ6S-1 strain at high temperature (28°C) obtained the virulence attenuated strain RZ6S. Genome sequence comparison between the two strains revealed the loss of the type IV secretion system (T4SS) and type III secretion system (T3SS) from the native plasmid pAsmB-1 and pAsmC-1 of wild-type strain RZ6S-1, respectively. Further study demonstrated that the wild-type strain RZ6S-1, but not its derivative mutant RZ6S, can stimulate apoptosis. Elevated protein level of cleaved caspase-3 was detected from epithelioma papulosum cyprinid (EPC) cells infected with wild-type strain RZ6S-1 as compared with that infected with RZ6S strain. Meanwhile, the invasion of the mutant strain RZ6S was about 17-fold higher than the wild-type strain RZ6S-1, suggesting that some protein(s) from A. salmonicida subsp. masoucida RZ6S-1 suppress its invasion. The RZ6S mutant strain was attenuated, since its LD₅₀ is over 10,000 times higher compared to the wild-type strain as revealed in the turbot infection model.     

Improvements of virulence factor phenotypic tests for Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida,a major fish pathogen

Aeromonas salmonicida subspecies salmonicida, a fish pathogen, expresses various virulence factors such as an A-layer, lipases and proteases during the infection process. Not all strains of this bacterium express the same virulence factors. It is important to be able to evaluate which factors are present when characterizing strains. The A-layer and secreted lipases and proteases are usually detected by agar-based tests that require long incubation (24 h and more) and may provide ambiguous results. In the present study, protocols have been optimized to determine the presence of these virulence factors using liquid tests. For A-layer detection, the optimized method stains the positive bacteria with Coomassie Brilliant Blue. The lipases are detected by a colorimetric biochemical reaction triggered by the degradation of p-nitrophenyl dodecanoate into a yellow product detectable by spectrophotometry, if the result is positive. Both of these tests show results in less than an hour. Finally, the protease activity is measured by clarification of a medium containing milk during an overnight bacterial growth. These new protocols provide opportunities for quicker characterization of A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida strains and, particularly, provide more precise results.     

胡子鲶致病性气单胞菌的分离鉴定及其致病力与毒力基因型相关性

为探讨广西南宁市、浦北县和玉林市暴发性死亡胡子鲶的病原菌及其所携带6种毒力基因对其致病力的影响,用常规方法从病鱼的心脏、肝脏等部位分离细菌,人工感染实验确定病原菌的致病性,以API 20NE生化鉴定和16S r RNA分子鉴定相结合的方法对病原菌进行鉴定,采用PCR扩增法检测病原菌的6种毒力基因携带情况。结果显示,从患病鱼中共分离到5株病原菌,其中嗜水气单胞菌3株,温和气单胞菌2株。3株嗜水气单胞菌与标准菌株Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC 7966(CP000462)的亲缘关系最近,相似性均为99.8%,2株温和气单胞菌与标准菌株Aeromonas sobria NO.106(AB472903.1)的亲缘关系最近,相似性均达99.9%。6种毒力基因在5株病原菌中的阳性检出率分别为Act和Aer基因100%,ahal、hly和Alt基因均为80%,ahp基因仅20%;毒力基因型共3种,在5株气单胞菌中分布情况为Act+ahal+hly+Alt+ahp-Aer+3株,占实验菌株的60%,为主要的毒力基因,Act+ahal+hly+Alt+ahp+Aer+和Act+ahal-hly-Alt-ahp-Aer+各1株,各占20%。携带全部所检6种毒力基因的菌株致病力最强,只携带Act和Aer 2种毒力基因的菌株致病力最弱。ahp基因在菌株的致病力中起重要作用,病原菌的致病力是多种毒力基因协同作用的结果。     

Development and Application of a Quantitative Real‐time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for the Detection of Aeromonas salmonicida

A rapid, economical, specific, and sensitive quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay coupled with SYBR Green I chemistry was developed for the quantitative detection of Aeromonas salmonicida from farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, with the symptoms of furunculosis. The set of primers designed from the virulence array protein (vapA) gene was specific to A. salmonicida. Compared with the conventional PCR, qPCR had a lower detection limit of 5.6 copies of the positive plasmids. The standard curve, which showed the relationship between the copies of A. salmonicida and its quantification cycle (C_q) value, could be described as follows: log (copies of A. salmonicida) = ?0.3213 C_q + 10.721. The quantitative detection of copies of A. salmonicida in different tissues of the moribund Atlantic salmon showed that A. salmonicida could be detected in all tissues; the spleen contained the largest number of A. salmonicida and then the kidney. These results suggest that the qPCR assay reported here is a specific, sensitive, and quantitative method for detecting A. salmonicida. It can be used for the routine tests of A. salmonicida in local aquaculture enterprise and for the research of infection routes of A. salmonicida to Atlantic salmon.     

Observations on the role of the caseinase enzyme in the pathogenesis of furunculosis

Abstract. The role of the caseinase extracellular enzyme in the pathogenesis of furunculosis was investigated. Natural and mutant strains of Aeromonas salmonicida which were unable, or limited, in their ability to produce this enzyme were studied. The virulence of the mutant strains of A. salmonicida was not significantly reduced by the lack of extracellular caseinase production. Furthermore, there was no difference in the toxicity of extracellular products produced by these mutant strains and the wild-type A. salmonicida strain studied. It is reasonable to assume from these results that the caseinase enzyme has no major role in the pathogenesis of A. salmonicida infections.     

Phenotype of Aeromonas salmonicida sp. salmonicida cyclic adenosine 3′,5′‐monophosphate receptor protein (Crp) mutants and its virulence in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Precise deletion of genes related to virulence can be used as a strategy to produce attenuated bacterial vaccines. Here, we study the deletion of the cyclic‐3′,5′‐adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) receptor protein (Crp) in Aeromonas salmonicida, the aetiologic agent of furunculosis in marine and freshwater fish. The Crp protein is a conserved global regulator, controlling physiology processes, like sugar utilization. Deletion of the crp gene has been utilized in live attenuated vaccines for mammals, birds and warm water fish. Here, we characterized the crp gene and reported the effect of a crp deletion in A. salmonicida virulent and non‐virulent isolates. We found that A. salmonicida Δcrp was not able to utilize maltose and other sugars, and its generation time was similar to the wild type. A. salmonicida ?crp showed a higher ability of cell invasion compared to the wild type. Fish challenges showed that A. salmonicida ?crp is ~6 times attenuated in Oncorhynchus mykiss and conferred protective immunity against the intraperitoneal challenge with A. salmonicida wild type. We concluded that deletion of A. salmonicida crp influences sugar utilization, cell invasion and virulence. Deletion of crp in A. salmonicida could be considered as part of an effective strategy to develop immersion live attenuated vaccines against furunculosis.