Evaluation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Choleraesuis slyA mutant strains for use in live attenuated oral vaccines

SlyA protein plays a key role in virulence in Salmonella enterica. In this study, we evaluated the ability of the slyA mutant strain of S. enterica serovar Choleraesuis (S. choleraesuis) to protect against swine salmonellosis. Using a murine model infected with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium), we showed that the Salmonella strain with a deletion of slyA could be used as a highly immunogenic, effective and safe vaccine in mice. Based on these data, a slyA mutant of S. enterica serovar Choleraesuis strain RF-1 was constructed, and the ability of this mutant to protect immunized pigs from S. choleraesuis infection was examined. As with the S. typhimurium slyA mutant, immunization of pigs with the S. choleraesuis slyA mutant strain provided significant protection against subsequent challenge by the wild-type RF-1. These results demonstrate that SlyA is a potential target in the development of a novel live attenuated vaccine against S. enterica.