Variable expression and geographic distribution of Mycoplasma agalactiae surface epitopes demonstrated with monoclonal antibodies

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 143; no. 2; pp. 159 - 165
• Main Authors: Bergonier, Dominique, De Simone, Franco, Russo, Pierre, Solsona, Michel, Lambert, Maurice, Poumarat, François
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.1996
• Subjects: Antigenic variability; Contagious agalactia; Dot immunobinding assay; Monoclonal antibody; Mycoplasma agalactiae; Mycoplasma agalactiae; Contagious agalactia; Antigenic variability; Dot immunobinding assay; Monoclonal antibody
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-1097(96)00301-1

Species-speciGc monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were developed against Mycoplasma agalactiae reference strain PG2 and French isolate P89 to study the in vitro expression of surface epitopes and to probe the antigenic profiles of 245 field isolates originating from 10 different countries. Colony immunostaining with MAbs on clonal lineage showed that 4 out of 9 species-specific epitopes exhibited a high rate of variation, demonstrating that M. agalactiae possesses a capacity for phenotypic diversification of its surface antigenicity. The emphasis was on dot immunobinding screening of the field isolates with MAbs recognizing permanently expressed epitopes. Eight different profiles could be defined. Great differences in epitope conservation were demonstrated with some area-specific strains completely lacking certain specific determinants. These results indicate that the antigenic variability of M. agalactiae relies not only upon surface switching mechanisms but also upon true epitope differences, partially related to the geographic origin of the isolates.