Assessment of cross‐protection to heterologous strains of Flavobacterium psychrophilum following vaccination with a live‐attenuated coldwater disease immersion vaccine

Bacterial coldwater disease, caused by Flavobacterium psychrophilum, remains one of the most significant bacterial diseases of salmonids worldwide. A previously developed and reported live‐attenuated immersion vaccine (F. psychrophilum; B.17‐ILM) has been shown to confer significant protection to salmonids. To further characterize this vaccine, a series of experiments were carried out to determine the cross‐protective efficacy of this B.17‐ILM vaccine against 9 F. psychrophilum isolates (representing seven sequence types/three clonal complexes as determined by multilocus sequence typing) in comparison with a wild‐type virulent strain, CSF‐259‐93. To assess protection, 28‐day experimental challenges of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fry were conducted following immersion vaccinations with the B.17‐ILM vaccine. F. psychrophilum strains used in challenge trials were isolated from several fish species across the globe; however, all were found to be virulent in rainbow trout. The B.17‐ILM vaccine provided significant protection against all strains, with relative percent survival values ranging from 51% to 72%. All vaccinated fish developed an adaptive immune response (as measured by F. psychrophilum‐specific antibodies) that increased out to the time of challenge (8 weeks postimmunization). Previous studies have confirmed that antibody plays an important role in protection against F. psychrophilum challenge; therefore, specific antibodies to the B.17‐ILM vaccine strain appear to contribute to the cross‐protection observed to heterologous strain. The ability of such antibodies to bind to similar antigenic regions for all strains was confirmed by western blot analyses. Results presented here support the practical application of this live‐attenuated vaccine, and suggest that it will be efficacious even in aquaculture operations affected by diverse strains of F. psychrophilum.     

Comparative proteomic analysis of virulent and rifampicin-attenuated Flavobacterium psychrophilum

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is the aetiologic agent of bacterial coldwater disease and rainbow trout fry syndrome. In this study, we compared a wild‐type strain (CSF 259‐93) with a rifampicin‐resistant strain and virulence‐attenuated strain of F. psychrophilum (CSF 259‐93B.17). The attenuated strain harboured a mutation in the rpoB gene consistent with resistance to rifampicin. Two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D‐PAGE) and mass spectrometry demonstrated an altered proteome with eight proteins characteristic for the parent strain and six that were unique to the attenuated strain. Immunoblotting with a diagnostic monoclonal antibody (FL‐43) identified a putative antigen (FP1493) that was subsequently cloned, expressed as a recombinant protein and confirmed as recognized by FL‐43. 2D‐PAGE, immunoblotting with rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), convalescent antisera and mass spectrometry of bacterial whole‐cell lysates revealed several uniquely expressed immunoreactive proteins including FP1493. An FP1493 recombinant subunit vaccine was tested, but did not provide protection against challenge with the CSF259‐93 strain. While the exact mechanism responsible for altered protein synthesis and attenuation of CSF 259‐93B.17 is still unknown, the differentially expressed immunoreactive proteins are a valuable resource to develop subunit vaccines and to identify proteins that are potentially involved in disease.     

Efficacy of a polyvalent injectable vaccine against Flavobacterium psychrophilum administered to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss L.)

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is one of the most important pathogens affecting cultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Recent information from UK salmonid farms showed country‐wide distribution of genetically and serologically divergent clones, which has hampered the development of a vaccine for rainbow trout fry syndrome. The current study assessed the efficacy of an injectable polyvalent vaccine containing formalin‐inactivated F. psychrophilum in rainbow trout. The vaccine was formulated with an oil adjuvant (Montanide ISA 760VG) or formalin‐killed cells alone. Duplicate groups of trout (60 ± 13 g) were given phosphate‐buffered saline or vaccine formulated with Montanide by intra‐peritoneal (i.p.) injection and challenged by intra‐muscular (i.m.) injection with a homologous and a heterologous isolate of F. psychrophilum at 525 degree days post‐vaccination (dd pv). Significant protection was achieved in vaccinated fish (p = 0.0001, RPS 76% homologous, 88% heterologous). Efficacy of the adjuvanted vaccine was also demonstrated by heterologous challenge at 1155 dd pv resulting in 100% protection, whereas survival in the un‐adjuvanted group was not significantly different from control fish. Levels of specific antibody at 1155 dd pv, as measured by ELISA, were significantly higher in the fish vaccinated with adjuvant when compared with unvaccinated fish.     

Efficacy of Common Aquaculture Compounds for Disinfection of Flavobacterium columnare and F. psychrophilum

Flavobacterium columnare and F. psychrophilum are important pathogens of the aquaculture industry, and thus disinfection of aquaculture systems and equipment is essential for disease control. This study examined commercially available compounds in vitro for their ability to eliminate these two species of Flavobacterium from the water. The compounds evaluated included Clorox, ethanol, Roccal, Lysol, iodine, formalin, Chloramine-T, glutaraldehyde, potassium permanganate, sodium chloride, and Virkon Aquatic. In this study, 70% ethanol, 50% ethanol, Clorox, Roccal, Lysol, iodine, glutaraldehyde, Chloramine-T, and Virkon Aquatic reduced the number of bacteria of both species to zero within one minute of contact time. Formalin and 30% ethanol also killed both species of bacteria, but required a longer contact time. Potassium permanganate killed F. columnare within one minute, but did not reduce the numbers of F. psychrophilum even after one hour of contact time. Sodium chloride was not effective.     

Vaccination of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), with recombinant and DNA vaccines produced to Flavobacterium psychrophilum heat shock proteins 60 and 70

Flavobacterium psychrophilum heat shock proteins (Hsp) 60 and 70 are highly immunogenic and were therefore investigated as potential vaccine candidates. Recombinant Hsps were purified from Escherichia coli and rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) were intraperitoneally injected with phosphate buffered saline/Freunds complete adjuvant (FCA), 8 μg of rHsp60/FCA, rHsp70/FCA or a combination of 4 μg each of rHsp60 and rHsp70/FCA. Antibody responses against recombinant Hsp60 and Hsp70 8 weeks post-immunization were observed, but only fish immunized with rHsp70 exhibited highly elevated antibody levels against F. psychrophilum whole cell lysate. Some cross reactivity occurred, which may have been due to the V5 tag common to both proteins. Protection against F. psychrophilum challenge was not observed in any treatments at 8 weeks post-immunization. To further investigate any protective effect of these proteins, hsps were polymerase chain reaction amplified and cloned into pVAX1. Rainbow trout were intramuscularly injected with 8 μg of pVAX1hsp60, pVAX1hsp70 or a combination of 4 μg each of pVAX1hsp60 and pVAX1hsp70. Antibody responses at 4 weeks post-immunization were low and protection was not observed following challenge at 6 or 10 weeks post-immunization. Although Hsps of F. psychrophilum have been shown to be immunodominant, these antigens do not appear to be good vaccine candidates when delivered alone or in combination.     

Immunization of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) with a crude lipopolysaccharide extract from Flavobacterium psychrophilum

Control methods for Flavobacterium psychrophilum are limited and oftentimes ineffective; hence, research efforts have focused on vaccine development. This study tested the hypothesis that a crude lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extract from F. psychrophilum will elicit a protective immune response in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) against F. psychrophilum challenge. Rainbow trout (mean weight, 3 g) were immunized intraperitoneally with the following treatment and control preparations: 10 μg of crude LPS with or without Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), 25 μg of crude LPS with or without FCA and saline with or without FCA. Immunization of fish with 10 or 25 μg of crude LPS/FCA resulted in significant antibody responses against F. psychrophilum using ELISA with a whole‐cell lysate as the coating antigen, but only minimal levels of protection were conferred following F. psychrophilum challenge at 14 weeks post immunization. Western blot analyses demonstrated that fish exhibited antibodies specific for low‐molecular mass proteins present in the crude LPS extract, but did not exhibit antibodies specific for F. psychrophilum LPS. The results indicate that higher immunization doses and/or the use of an alternative extraction method that yields larger LPS molecules (23–70 kDa) may be necessary to elicit specific antibody responses against F. psychrophilum LPS.     

Diversity of Flavobacterium psychrophilum and the potential use of its phages for protection against bacterial cold water disease in salmonids

Flavobacterium psychrophilum causes rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS) and cold water disease (CWD) in salmonid aquaculture. We report characterization of F. psychrophilum strains and their bacteriophages isolated in Chilean salmonid aquaculture. Results suggest that under laboratory conditions phages can decrease mortality of salmonids from infection by their F. psychrophilum host strain. Twelve F. psychrophilum isolates were characterized, with DNA restriction patterns showing low diversity between strains despite their being obtained from different salmonid production sites and from different tissues. We isolated 15 bacteriophages able to infect some of the F. psychrophilum isolates and characterized six of them in detail. DNA genome sizes were close to 50 Kbp and corresponded to the Siphoviridae and Podoviridae families. One isolate, 6H, probably contains lipids as an essential virion component, based on its chloroform sensitivity and low buoyant density in CsCl. Each phage isolate rarely infected F. psychrophilum strains other than the strain used for its enrichment and isolation. Some bacteriophages could decrease mortality from intraperitoneal injection of its host strain when added together with the bacteria in a ratio of 10 plaque-forming units per colony-forming unit. While we recognize the artificial laboratory conditions used for these protection assays, this work is the first to demonstrate that phages might be able protect salmonids from RTFS or CWD.     

Comparison of lipopolysaccharide and protein profiles between Flavobacterium columnare strains from different genomovars

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and total protein profiles from four Flavobacterium columnare isolates were compar. These strains belonged to genetically different groups and/or presented distinct virulence properties. Flavobacterium columnare isolates ALG-00-530 and ARS-1 are highly virulent strains that belong to different genomovars while F. columnare FC-RR is an attenuated mutant used as a live vaccine against F. columnare. Strain ALG-03-063 is included in the same genomovar group as FC-RR and presents a similar genomic fingerprint. Electrophoresis of LPS showed qualitative differences among the four strains. Further analysis of LPS by immunoblotting revealed that the avirulent mutant lacks the higher molecular bands in the LPS. Total protein analysis displayed by immunoblotting showed differences between the strains analysed although common bands were present in all the isolates. FC-RR lacked two distinct common bands (34 and 33 kDa) shared by the other three isolates. Based on the difference of LPS and total protein profiles, it is possible to discriminate the attenuated mutant FC-RR from other F. columnare strains.     

Development and evaluation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid and simple detection of Flavobacterium psychrophilum

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is the causative agent of bacterial cold-water disease and rainbow trout fry syndrome of salmonids. The pathogen has been reported from all regions in the world involved in salmonid aquaculture, but also from natural fresh-water environments. We established a quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification of DNA (LAMP) method to estimate quantities of F. psychrophilum . LAMP primers were designed based on the sequence of the DNA topoisomerase IV subunit B gene, parE , of F. psychrophilum. parE LAMP exhibited a high specificity for the parE gene of F. psychrophilum but not for other related species. parE LAMP detected the gene in a wide range of concentrations from 2.0 × 10¹ to 2.0 × 10⁹ copies/reaction within 70 min and revealed a good correlation between threshold times and gene copy number.     

Passive immunization of rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), against Flavobacterium psychrophilum,the causative agent of bacterial coldwater disease and rainbow trout fry syndrome

Flavobacterium psychrophilum, the causative agent of bacterial coldwater disease (CWD) and rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS), causes high mortality in cultured salmonids. The present study was designed to determine the role antibody plays in conferring protection to rainbow trout fry, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), by passive immunization with convalescent serum or serum from adult rainbow trout immunized with F. psychrophilum, and goat anti-F. psychrophilum serum. In each experiment, rainbow trout fry were injected intraperitoneally with antiserum and challenged by subcutaneous injection with a virulent strain (CSF-259-93) of F. psychrophilum 24-h post-immunization. Relative percentage survival (RPS) ranged from 9-42% when rainbow trout fry (mean weight 1.3 g) were injected with a 1:2 dilution of 25 microL of convalescent serum ranging in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antibody titres from 1600-102400. Rainbow trout fry (mean weight 1.0 g) passively immunized with 25 microL of serum from immunized adult fish exhibited RPS values of up to 57%. In each of these experiments, RPS increased with increasing antibody titres against F. psychrophilum. Passive immunization with 25 or 50 microL goat anti-F. psychrophilum serum, however, did not confer protection to fry (mean weight 1.3 g). These results suggest that trout antibody plays a role in conferring protection to F. psychrophilum, but antibody alone is unable to provide complete protection.     

Isolation of bacterial probiotic candidates from the gastrointestinal tract of rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), and screening for inhibitory activity against Flavobacterium psychrophilum

In this study, 318 bacterial strains were isolated from the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of 29 rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum). These bacteria were screened in vitro for their ability to inhibit growth of Flavobacterium psychrophilum, the causative agent of coldwater disease. Bacteria observed to inhibit F. psychrophilum growth were further screened against rainbow trout bile, as an indicator of their ability to survive in the GI tract. This screening resulted in narrowing the pool to 24 bacterial isolates. Those 24 isolates were then tested for pathogenicity in rainbow trout by intraperitoneal injection. Following a 28‐day challenge, eight isolates were shown to cause direct mortality and were eliminated from further study. As a result, 16 bacterial isolates were identified as probiotic candidates with the potential to control or reduce disease caused by F. psychrophilum.     

Genetic diversity of Flavobacterium psychrophilum recovered from commercially raised rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), and spawning coho salmon, O. kisutch (Walbaum)

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is the aetiological agent of rainbow trout fry syndrome and bacterial cold water disease. This study examined the genetic diversity of F. psychrophilum isolates retrieved from multiple epizootics at rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, rearing facilities and from spawning coho salmon, O. kisutch. A total of 139 isolates were confirmed as F. psychrophilum by PCR assay and were further typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Multiple epizootics at three proximally located rainbow trout rearing facilities were numerically dominated by three PFGE profiles, which accounted for 76% of all trout isolates. In coho salmon, 19 PFGE profiles were differentiated by PFGE and four numerically dominant PFGE profiles represented 56% of all coho salmon isolates. PFGE analysis also indicated that the average similarity of macrorestriction patterns of F. psychrophilum isolates was greater in rainbow trout than in coho salmon (88% vs. 70%). Furthermore, it was not unusual to isolate multiple PFGE profiles from a single coho salmon sample whereas only two PFGE profiles were shared between two sample dates separated by 1 month. It is clear that the domestic rainbow trout aquaculture facilities studied here were primarily affected by a complex of genetically related strains whereas spawning coho salmon supported a much more genetically diverse collection of F. psychrophilum.     

Isolation and characterization of Bacillus spp. M001 for potential application in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) against Vibrio anguillarum

The aim of this study was to screen Bacillus strains from the guts of Scophthalmus maximus, Paralichthys olivacues, Epinephelus coioides and Clupanodon punctatus, for use as probiotics in aquaculture. Eight Bacillus strains were screened, and strain M001 was selected for probiotic study based on its antagonistic activity against multiple aquatic bacterial pathogens including Vibrio anguillarum, V. campbellii, V. vulnificus, V. parahamolyticus, Streptococcus sp. and Edwardsiella tarda. M001 was identified as B. amyloliquefaciens based on the biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene analysis. In vitro experiments revealed that M001 was able to grow at a wider range of temperature, pH and salinity and was capable to use turbot mucus as nutrient for growth. Additionally, M001 isolate greatly inhibited the growth of V. anguillarum by producing antibacterial substances and was acid tolerance, non‐antibiotic resistance and non‐harmful. Thereafter, the potential probiotic effect of M001 was tested in turbot by dietary administration of M001 at a dose of 10⁸ CFU g^?1 diet for 42 days. No significant differences of weight gain, specific growth rate and feed ratio were found in the M001‐diet group of fish compared with control fish, but which increased, respectively, by 5.5%, 4.7% and 7.0% after 42 days of feeding. Several digestive enzyme activities were found to increase significantly in the M001‐diet group, including protease and amylase activities in hepatopancreas, protease activity in intestine and lipase activity in stomach (P < 0.05). Sera superoxide dismutase activity and total protein content (P < 0.05) were also increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the M001‐diet group. The challenge experiment showed that the M001‐diet group of fish showed a relative per cent of survival of 62.7% against V. anguillarim infection. The Bacillus M001 identified from this study has good potential to provide vibriosis control as probiotic feed additive for turbot aquaculture.     

弧菌属PCR检测方法的建立与应用

根据弧菌属细菌(Vibrio spp.)共有的rpo A基因序列,比对和设计了一对PCR引物,建立了能够快速而准确地检测弧菌属细菌的通用PCR检测方法,该方法对靶标DNA的检测灵敏度为58 fg/μL,对菌液的检测灵敏度为2.7×102cfu/m L,能够区分该属细菌与其它属的细菌,具有极高的特异性。使用建立的方法对分离自南美白对虾的病原菌进行了检验,并结合16S r DNA序列分析,结果显示待检测病原均为弧菌属的细菌,与测序结果一致,说明该检测方法可用于弧菌属细菌的检测和诊断。     

福建沿海部分地区织纹螺毒性消长及毒素成分分析

为了解福建沿海织纹螺毒性的动态变化,于2006年3月至9月,对福建省涵江、同安和霞浦三地的织纹螺毒性消长情况进行了跟踪监测,并对高毒性织纹螺样品中的毒素成分进行了分析.期间每周采样一次,采集的织纹螺经鉴定后,通过小鼠生物测试法分析其毒性,并选择毒性较高的织纹螺样品,应用高效液相色谱(HPLC)和高效液相色谱一质谱联用(LC-MS)技术分别对样品中的麻痹性贝毒(paralytic shellfish poison,PSP)和河豚毒素(tetrodotoxin,TTX)进行了分析.研究结果表明,三个采样点的织纹螺主要为半褶织纹螺,且均有阳性样品检出,涵江、同安和霞浦的织纹螺样品中阳性检出率分别为14%,43%和20%.采自福建三地的织纹螺样品总体毒性较低,毒性最高的样品为7月12日采自霞浦的半褶织纹螺,毒性为16.2 MU·g-1组织(湿重).对高毒性织纹螺样品的毒素分析结果表明,样品中不含麻痹性贝毒毒素,但是在样品中检测到了河豚毒素及其同系物三脱氧河豚毒素(trideoxy TTX).样品中河豚毒素含量为4.38μg·g-1组织(湿重),依据样品中河豚毒素含量计算得到的毒性与小鼠法测试结果基本相当,说明河豚毒素及其同系物是导致织纹螺毒性的主要毒素成分.涵江的阳性样品集中出现在3月份,而同安和霞浦的阳性样品则出现了3月份和6,7月份两个高峰时段,说明织纹螺的毒性变化具有一定的季节和地域特征.因此,建议福建地区在这两个时段加强对织纹螺毒性的监测.     

应用多重PCR检测水生动物源气单胞菌安徽分离株的毒力基因型分布

粘附素(aha1)、气溶素(aerA)和细胞兴奋性肠毒素(alt)是气单胞菌的主要毒力因子。根据aha1、aerA和alt基因序列设计三对引物建立了可同时检测三种毒力基因的多重PCR方法(MPCR)。该方法扩增出气单胞菌的aha1大小为1087bp,aerA为721bp,alt为480bp,其敏感度为102CFU·mL-1。而对金黄色葡萄球菌、恶臭假单胞菌、拟态弧菌以及非致病性气单胞菌均未扩增出任何条带。用限制性内切酶EcoRⅤ、BamHⅠ和FbaⅠ分别酶切PCR扩增产物,均获得与预期一致的酶切图谱。用建立的MPCR对15株水生动物源气单胞菌安徽分离株进行毒力基因检测,结果显示在13株致病性气单胞菌中10株细菌的毒力基因型为alt aha1 aerA ,2株为alt aha1-aerA-,1株为alt aha1 aerA-;alt、aha1和aerA基因在气单胞菌中的携带率分别为100%、84.62%和76.92%。表明气单胞菌安徽分离株的主要毒力基因型是alt aha1 aerA 的高毒力表型,alt毒力基因普遍存在于不同表型种气单胞菌中。     

溶藻弧菌双组分调控系统KdpDE减毒活疫苗的构建及其免疫效果评价

为了研究溶藻弧菌双组分调控系统KdpDE减毒活疫苗对鱼体的免疫保护作用,本研究采用Overlap PCR和同源重组技术,构建了kdpD/kdpE（kdpDE）基因无标记基因框内敲除突变株。对野生株和缺失突变株的生物学特性及致病性进行了比较研究,发现kdpDE的缺失对溶藻弧菌的生长速率和胞外蛋白酶活性的影响不明显,但是突变株的泳动能力、生物被膜形成能力较野生株下降。斑马鱼致病性实验结果显示,突变株毒力下降78.5倍,表明减毒株构建成功,可以作为减毒活疫苗的候选菌株。突变株在鱼体内存活能力实验结果显示,注射免疫7 d后,鱼体内不能检测到该菌。以突变株ΔkdpDE为抗原,分别用注射和浸泡的方式免疫斑马鱼,免疫后第28天用溶藻弧菌和哈维氏弧菌攻毒,评估该减毒活疫苗及不同免疫方式对斑马鱼的保护效果。实验结果表明,免疫后的斑马鱼能够抵抗溶藻弧菌的感染,其中注射免疫组的免疫保护率达83.3%,浸泡免疫组次之（66.7%）;同时,该减毒活疫苗能刺激斑马鱼对哈维氏弧菌产生交叉保护效应,其中注射免疫组的免疫保护率为65.5%,浸泡免疫组为55.2%。以上结果表明,kdpDE基因敲除突变株可能是抵抗溶藻弧菌感染的有效的候选减毒活疫苗。