Electrophoretic and immunochemical analysis of surface antigens of the fish pathogens Vibrio salmonicida and Vibrio anguillarum

Abstract. Outer membranes and lipopolysaccharides of the marine fish pathogens Vibrio salmonicida and Vibrio anguillarum were isolated. SDS-PAGE profiles of purified LPS preparations from V. salmonicida revealed a broad low molecular weight band, whereas V. anguillarum LPS profiles demonstrated both a low-molecular band and several weaker high-molecular weight bands. Hydrolysis of V, salmonicida and V. anguillarum LPS separating the polysaccharide chain from the lipid A part and subsequent gel-chromatography suggests a polysaccharide molecular weight of ca. 1000 ('rough type' LPS) and ca. 6000 ('smooth type' LPS), respectively. Western blot of V. salmonicida outer membrane preparations and purified lipopolysaccharides and subsequent immunostaining with mouse monoclonal antibodies was performed. Eleven out of 15 monoclonal antibodies made against V. salmonicida cells reacted with one broad antigen-band in the low molecular weight region of both outer membrane and LPS profiles, corresponding to the LPS region. The previously reported outer surface antigen, VS-P1 from V. salmonicida , was observed to carry LPS epitopes as revealed by binding of monoclonal antibodies to VS-P1 as well as purified LPS preparations. These results strongly suggest that the VS-P1 antigen is a complex of both protein and LPS molecules.     

Specific immunoglobulins in serum from Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., immunized with Vibrio salmonicida and infectious pancreatic necrosis virus

Abstract. Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., responded to intraperitoneal injection of formalin killed Vibrio salmonicida or live infectious pancreatic necrosis virus ( ipnv ) by producing specific antibodies. The antibody titre varied significantly within the group tested. Western blot analysis demonstrated that high-titre antisera recognized two major bacterial antigens with molecular weights of 12–15 kD and 22–27 kD. In addition, a few narrow bands with higher molecular weights were observed. An antiserum raised against IPNV recognised two major antigens corresponding to the structural proteins of the virus. E lisa and Western blot analysis showed that the immune serum raised against Vibrio salmonicida reacted slightly with Vibrio anguillarum , whereas no reaction to Yersinia ruckeri or Aeromonas salmonicida was detected. Indirect elisa and an elisa competition assay revealed that the immune serum raised against the N1 serotype was specific for this serotype of ipnv . The results demonstrate that Atlantic salmon has a humoral immune system capable of producing antibodies which discriminate between related bacterial antigens and between different serotypes of a virus.     

In situ adherence of Vibrio spp. to cryosections of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., tissue.

Pathogenic and presumed non-pathogenic bacteria isolated from fish were tested for their adhesion to cryosections from different mucosal surfaces of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Adhered bacteria were detected by immunohistochemistry. Mucus was stained and fixed with Alcian blue after incubation of bacteria. The majority of the bacteria tested, i.e. Vibrio anguillarum serotype O1 , Vibrio salmonicida , Vibrio viscosus, Flexibacter maritimus and 'gut vibrios', i.e. Vibrio iliopiscarius and intestinal isolates of V. salmonicida , all adhered to mucus on all salmon epithelial surfaces tested, including sections from the foregut, hindgut, pyloric caeca, gills and skin. In contrast, V. anguillarum serotype O2, including both serotypes O2a and O2b, did not adhere to mucus, but did adhere to all other components of the tissues. As a positive control for adhesion of bacteria on cryosections, Escherichia coli was bound to piglet ileal mucosal lining, and as a negative control for adhesion, Staphylococcus aureus was found not to bind to any of the tissues tested. The present study shows that adhesion to mucus was not restricted to pathogenic bacteria, and furthermore, that not all pathogenic bacteria studied adhered to mucus. Hence, on the basis of these findings, the present authors suggest that V. anguillarum O2 may have an invasion strategy which does not involve adhesion to mucus, and thus, differs from the other pathogenic bacteria in the present study, which all bound to salmon mucus.     

Enhancement of non-specific disease resistance in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., by a glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell walls

Abstract. An insoluble polysaccharide from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , called M-Glucan, has been shown to enhance the non-specific disease resistance of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., when injected intraperitoneally. M-Glucan consists only of glucose units which presumably are linked through β -1,3 and β -1,6 linkages. Enhanced resistance was demonstrated against Yersinia ruckeri , the causal agent of enteric redmouth disease, against Vibrio anguillarum , the causal agent of classical vibriosis and against Vibrio salmonicida , which causes cold water vibriosis or 'Hitra-disease' in salmon. At a dose of 2mg M-Glucan per fish (20g mean weight), maximal resistance developed in the fish 3 weeks after injection. Injection of different glucan doses and challenge one week later with Vibrio anguillarum , showed that 50-200μg glucan per fish resulted in the highest level of resistance. The level of resistance in Atlantic salmon obtained with M-Glucan was strikingly higher than that obtained with another glucan which was prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a different procedure.     

Vibrio anguillarum serovars associated with vibriosis in fish

Abstract. A total of 517 Vibrio anguillarum strains isolated from discased fish together with 14 V. anguillarum serogroup O2 and V. ordalii type strains were serotyped using the European scrotyping system. Marked species differences were recorded. In isolates from salmonids serovar O1 (70.2%) and O2 (20.2%) were dominantwhilst a minor proportion belonged to other serogroups or were non-typeable. Figures for turbot were similar to those from salmonids. In 32 isolates from sea bass, sea bream and mullet, most strains belonged to serogroup O1. while one was O2a. one O7, and the rest non-typeable In cod serovar O2 was dominant while only a minor proportion belonged to other serogroups or were non-typeable. The ecl isolates belonged equally to serovars O2 and O3. All O2 strain were subtyped with absorbed O2a and O2b antisera. O2a was dominant in all fish species. but in cod. the relative number of O2b isolates was considerably higher than in other fish species. The applicability of the European serotyping system is discussed and compared with other serotyping systems.     

Evidence for lack of antigenic competition among various combinations of Vibrio anguillarum, Yersinia ruckeri, Aeromonas salmonicida and Renibacterium salmoninarum bacterins when administered to salmonid fishes

Abstract. Bacterins of Vibrio anguillarum, Yersinia ruckeri, Aeromonas Salmonicida , and Renibacterum salmoninarum were administered alone and in combination to salmonid fishes and the level of protective immunity compared. With each pathogen, the protection obtained with monovalent with A. salmonicida bacterin alone conferred some protection against challenges with Type II V. anguillarum and Y. ruckeri. Also, the combination of A. salmonicida and R. salmoninarum bacterins appeared to potentiate the protection conferred against A. salmonicida. The potential of multivalent vaccines for protecting fish from several diseases appears to be real.     

Immunochemical analyses of Vibrio anguillarum strains isolated from cod, Gadus morhua L., suffering from vibriosis

Abstract. Vibrio anguillarum isolates were sampled from cod fry showing clinical signs of vibriosis at different cod farms along the western coast of Norway. Except for one isolate, all were shown to cause mortality in laboratory challenge experiments. Using biochemical analysis and specific rabbit antisera (O1–O5), all the pathogenic isolates were classified as typical V. anguillarum serotype O2. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis of both whole bacterial cells and purified lipopolysaccharides (LPS) showed that the LPS structures were heterogeneous. ELISA analyses using adsorbed antisera identified the presence of two different subgroups within serogroup O2, which correspond with O2a/O2α and O2b/O2β described previously.     

Surface-exposed expression of Edwardsiella tarda EseB in live attenuated Vibrio anguillarum based on novel surface display systems

Live, attenuated Vibrio anguillarum strains can serve as vectors for the delivery of heterologous antigens for development of multivalent recombinant vaccines. Based on the outer membrane anchoring elements of V. anguillarum , we have previously constructed several efficient surface display systems Lpp-Omporf1, Lpp-OmpU, Lpp-Omp26La, Wza-Omporf1, Wza-OmpU and Wza-Omp26La. In this study, with these constructed surface display systems, a putative antigen protein EseB from pathogenic Edwardsiella tarda was successfully expressed on the surface of an attenuated V. anguillarum strain to get multivalent vaccine candidates. Further immune protection evaluation in zebra fish ( Danio rerio ) demonstrated that the V. anguillarum EseB-display strain AV/pW-26La-B could trigger full protection against V. anguillarum infection and early protection against E. tarda infection in the immunized fish. These results suggest that surface display of heterologous protective antigens in attenuated V. anguillarum could be used as a tool to develop potential V. anguillarum vector vaccine.     

Isolation and characterization of a surface layer antigen from Vibrio salmonicida

Abstract. A cell surface product (VS-P1) of Vibrio salmonicida has been purified from culture supernatant by a combination of extensive dialysis, filtration and centrifugation, as well as by salt precipitation and hydrophobic chromatography. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the monomeric form of the antigen is a single polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 40000. Size exclusion HPLC of purified VS-P1 as well as VS-Pl-containing fish serum revealed, however, oligomeric forms in the range from 300000 to more than 700000 daltons. The antigen contained 6% carbohydrate and several isolectric forms were distinguishable when analysed on an analytical isoelectric focusing electrophoresis system. A 'sandwich' ELISA, utilizing polyclonal antibodies, was developed for screening sera from both healthy and moribund Atlantic salmon for the presence of the VS-P1 antigen.     

Cross-protection after immunization of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., against different strains of Vibrio salmonicida

Abstract. Atlantic salmon were immunized with one or other of two bacterins made from different strains of Vibrio salmonicida. The two strains differed both in geographic origin and plasmid profile. One of the strains had given rise to disease outbreaks in salmon and also in cod which were kept in net-pens. However, by using a virulent challenge, it appeared that salmon, immunized with any of the two strains, were also protected against infection with the other. This result indicates that the two strains are serologically similar.     

二氟沙星对3种海洋弧菌的抗菌后效应研究

采用试管二倍稀释法测定二氟沙星对鳗弧菌W-1、副溶血弧菌1614和溶藻弧菌1833的最小抑菌浓度(MIC);采用菌落计数法测定二氟沙星对鳗弧菌、副溶血弧菌和溶藻弧菌的抗菌后效应(PAE)。结果显示,二氟沙星在1×MIC、2×MIC和4×MIC浓度时,对鳗弧菌W-1、副溶血弧菌1614和溶藻弧菌1833的PAE分别为:0·64、1·09和2·16h;0·74、1·73和2·64;0·54、1·08和2·05h。二氟沙星对这3种弧菌具有明显的抗菌后效应,并且随着二氟沙星浓度的增加,抗菌后效应的时间也明显延长。     

Influence of dietary carbohydrate on blood chemistry, immunity and disease resistance in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

Abstract. The influence of dietary carbohydrate (CHO) on blood chemistry, immunity and disease resistance was studied in two experiments with Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Moist diets with increasing amounts of digestible CHO ranging from 0 to 30% (dry weight) were used. In the first experiment with adult (0.5 kg) fish, blood haemoglobin concentration was negatively correlated with increasing dietary CHO level, while serum glucose and protein did not differ between the groups. Serum cortisol increased linearly in fish fed from 5 to 30% CHO. Serum haemolytic activity was negatively correlated with dietary levels of CHO. Humoral immune responses elicited after vaccination by intraperitoneal injection or by dip immersion with Vibrio salmonicida showed no differences according to diet 10 and 17 weeks post-vaccination. Mortality after challenge with live Aeromonas salmonicida by intraperitoneal injection was lowest in fish fed 10% CHO. In the second experiment with juvenile Atlantic salmon (3g), there were minor differences in body and organ weights. Plasma glucose, protein and cholesterol were elevated in fish fed the highest CHO levels. Fish exposed to immersion challenge with different water concentrations of Vibrio anguillarum showed no statistical differences in mortality. The studies indicate that varying dietary levels of CHO affected immunity and resistance to bacterial infections to a minor extent in Atlantic salmon at low water temperatures during freshwater and seawater stages.     

Monoclonal antibodies against Vibrio salmonicida: the causative agent of coldwater vibriosis ('Hitra disease') in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

Abstract. Monoclonal antibodies (Mab) directed against Vibrio salmonicida were produced and partially characterized. The bacterium is the causative agent of 'Hitra disease' or cotdwater vibriosis (CV) and differs from all other Vibrio bacteria tested so far with respect to a unique surface antigen (VS-P1). Thirteen hybridoma clones produced antibodies which exclusively reacted with this antigen in ELISA. The remaining four clones reacted against undefined determinants and were partly cross-reactive to V. anguiilarum, V. ordalii and V. fischeri . Fifteen Mab were of IgG1/kappa and two of the IgG3/kappa isotypes. Eleven of the IgG1 plus the two IgG3 Mab reacted with the VS-P1 molecule.     

Surveillance of health status on eight marine rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), farms in Denmark in 2006

The health status of eight marine rainbow trout farms was followed from mid-June to mid-September 2006 by sampling both dead and healthy fish approximately every 2 weeks for bacteriological and virological investigation. No fish pathogenic viruses were detected, but all farms experienced disease and mortality as a result of various bacterial infections. Yersinia ruckeri was found on four and Renibacterium salmoninarum on five of the farms, but only during the first part of the surveillance period. This indicates that the fish carried the infection from fresh water, and cleared the infection in salt water. Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida caused mortality on five farms, but persisted throughout the sampling period. Although A. salmonicida was probably carried from fresh water, the fish were not able to clear the infection in the sea. Vibrio anguillarum caused mortality on six of the farms throughout the sampling period, O1 being the dominant serovar, and Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae was found on seven farms as a cause of disease. During the period of highest water temperatures Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus were detected in dead fish in five and two farms, respectively, although their significance as causative pathogens is questionable. Vibrio vulnificus has not previously been found in rainbow trout in Denmark. Both mortality and number of antimicrobial treatments during the period were considerably higher in unvaccinated compared with vaccinated fish. Resistance to commonly used antimicrobials was low or absent.     

The use of API 20E for the identification of Vibrio anguillarum and V. ordalii

Abstract. Sixty-eight strains of Vibrio anguillarum , five of V. ordalii and the type strains of V. alginolyticus, V. carchariae, V. damsela and V. parahaemolyticus were compared using the API 20E gallery. Within the V. anguillarum strains, distinct groups could be separated mainly on the basis of their reaction on indole production and the fermentation of amygdalin and arabinose. Vibrio ordalii , the former V. anguillarum biotype 2, could easily be separated from V. anguillarum and from the other fish pathogenic Vibrio spp.     

Effects of cecropin peptides on bacteria pathogenic to fish

The antibacterial effects of synthetic cecropin B and cecropin P1 were tested against the fish-pathogenic bacteria Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio salmonicida, Aeromonas salmonicida , Edwardsiella ictaluri and Yersinia ruckeri. Both cecropins were active against all bacteria tested, but the effect was strongly influenced by the growth media used. In brain heart infusion medium, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of cecropin B ranged from 0.3 to 1.3 μ m and from 0.3 to 1.0 μ m for cecropin P1, except for E. ictaluri , which was noticeably less sensitive to cecropin P1 (61 μ m ). The present authors have compared the bactericidal activity of these two peptides, showing that the killing rate for the selected bacteria was higher for cecropin B than for cecropin P1 . V. anguillarum was the most sensitive to the cecropins, and in the present study, no colony forming units were detected after 4 and 8 min of treatment with cecropin B and P1, respectively. Electron microscopy was performed to document the effect of cecropin on the bacterial surface.     

Partial purification and characterization of extracellular metalloproteases with caseinolytic, aminopeptidolytic and collagenolytic activities from Vibrio anguillarum

Abstract. Proteases produced by Vibrio anguillarum were isolated from culture supernatant by ultrafiltration, gel chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. The enzyme(s) were shown to be collagenolytic when assayed with native collagen substrates. In addition, the enzyme(s) hydrolysed azocasein, azocollagen, the collagenase substrate 4-phenylazobenzyloxycarbonyl-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-D-Arg and the aminopeptidase substrate L-Leu-pNA effectively. Separation of the proteases by Mono Q ion exchange chromatography and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed four distinct protein bands containing caseinase activity. However, only two of the bands showed aminopeptidase activity. The aminopeptidase activities could be separated from the caseinase activities by isoelectric focusing. Secreted proteases of different serotypcs of V. anguillarum showed a heterogeneous caseinolytic pattern. The molecular mass of the major enzyme was estimated at 35kDa as determined by its mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Serine protease inhibitors like PMSF, TPCK, TLCK and benzamidine had no inhibitory effects on the proteolytic activity when tested with azocasein as substrate. However, the enzyme was strongly inhibited by metal chelators like EDTA and 1, 10-phenanthroline. Also, normal salmon scrum and purified α₂-macroglobulin from salmon serum strongly inhibited the caseinolytic activity of the enzyme.     

Growth inhibition of the salmon pathogen Vibrio ordalii by a siderophore produced by Vibrio anguillarum strain VL4355

Abstract. Thirty strains of V. anguillarum were tested for the production of inhibitory substances against closely-related bacteria using the deferred antagonism test. Only one strain, Vibrio anguillarum VL4355, inhibited strains of V. ordalii and this effect was blocked by the addition of iron salts to the culture medium. Siderophore production was investigated for this strain. Results from bioassays suggested that strain VL4355 produced a siderophore related to anguibactin, the plasmid-encoded phenolate siderophore produced by V. anguillarum strain 775. However, when plasmid DNA was compared for strains 775 and VL4355 the Bam HI-generated restriction profiles were different, although hybridization experiments indicated some homology. Using the chrome-azurol sulphate assay to measure siderophore production, strain VL4355 yielded significantly higher values than other V. anguillarum strains. Amberlite XAD-2 was used to produce concentrated siderophore preparations from strains VL4355 and 775. Both preparations were inhibitory to the growth of strains of V. ordalii , but not V. anguillarum , as were solutions of the iron chelator ethylenediamine-di(o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid). The difference in sensitivity to iron-limiting conditions for V. ordalii and V. anguillarum , coupled with the inability of V. ordalii to utilize ferric-anguibactin, could reflect different mechanisms of iron uptake for these two organisms.     

创伤弧菌、溶藻弧菌外膜蛋白特性的比较研究

对用Sarkosyl法分离的创伤孤菌、溶藻弧菌、副溶血弧菌、鳗弧菌的外膜蛋白进行了初步的比较分析.这4种弧菌外膜蛋白的SDS-PAGE和Western blotting的图谱有相似性亦有差异.SDS-PAGE显示,4种弧菌中除副溶血弧菌外均能分离到47、38 ku的外膜蛋白;创伤弧菌和溶藻弧菌存在4种共同的外膜蛋白,大...     

Vibrio vulnificus serovar A: an emerging pathogen in European anguilliculture

The spread of the emerging pathogen Vibrio vulnificus biotype 2 serovar A in Danish anguilliculture is reported. Serovar A was originally isolated in a Spanish eel farm in 2000 and occurred in Denmark in the summer of 2004, affecting eels of 5-10 g body weight cultured in fresh water. The Danish eels showed clinical signs different from those reported for Spanish eels, such as severe haemorrhages in the head and gill region with necrosis of the soft tissues. Danish isolates were biochemically and serologically identical to Spanish serovar A strains and also highly virulent for eels by both intraperitoneal injection and immersion challenges. Vaccination with Vulnivaccine, a vaccine against V. vulnificus serovar E, cross-protected eels against serovar A. The LD(50) for experimentally infected vaccinated animals was significantly higher than for non-vaccinated animals.