Cell-surface properties of Lactococcus garvieae strains and their immunogenicity in the yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata

• Published in: Diseases of aquatic organisms Vol. 51; no. 3; pp. 169 - 177
• Main Authors: OOYAMA, Tsuyoshi, HIROKAWA, Yusuke, MINAMI, Takayuki, YASUDA, Hiroshi, NAKAI, Toshihiro, ENDO, Makoto, RUANGPAN, Lila, YOSHIDA, Terutoyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oldendorf Inter-Research 04.10.2002
• Subjects: Agglutination Tests - veterinary; Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Bacterial Capsules - immunology; Bacterial Vaccines; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Wall - chemistry; Fish Diseases - immunology; Fish Diseases - microbiology; Fish Diseases - prevention & control; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - immunology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - veterinary; Immune Sera - blood; Immunization, Passive - veterinary; Lactococcus - immunology; Lactococcus - pathogenicity; Lactococcus - ultrastructure; Lactococcus garvieae; Marine; Perciformes; Phenotype; Pisciculture; Seriola quinqueradiata; Vertebrate aquaculture; Virulence; Biological properties; Animal microorganism relation; Immune response; Host; Cell surface; Strain; Marine environment; Streptococcaceae; Vertebrata; Seriola quinqueradiata; Sensitivity resistance; Immunogenicity; Pisces; Micrococcales; Bacteria; Intraspecific comparison; Humoral immunity; Aquaculture
• ISSN: 0177-5103; 1616-1580
• DOI: 10.3354/dao051169

The cell-surface properties of strains of Lactococcus garvieae were examined. Two capsular types were found, one with a highly developed capsule (KG9408) and one with a micro-capsule (MS93003) carrying fimbriae-like components projecting from the cell surface. One strain (NSS9310) had neither cell capsular nor fimbriae-like structures on its cell surface. The strains with the highly developed capsule were more virulent to fish than either the micro-capsular or non-capsular strains. The KG9408, MS93003 and NSS9310 strains could be clearly differentiated by their susceptibility to bacteriophages. Protection against L. garvieae infection was induced in the yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata by immunization with formalin-killed L. garvieae KG9408 and MS93003 cells. Although protection was also induced by immunization with NSS9310, the level of protection was significantly lower than that with KG9408 and MS93003 vaccines. Passive immunization with yellowtail immune sera raised against KG9408 and MS93003 conferred strong protection on yellowtail with rapid bacterial clearance after challenge with L. garvieae. Immunoblotting analysis of protein antigens extracted from L. garvieae strains using rabbit anti-KG9408 and anti-MS93003 sera and yellowtail anti-KG9408 and anti-MS93003 sera indicated that some bands in KG9408 and MS93003 strains were not detectable in NSS9310.