LsaA, an antigen involved in cell attachment and invasion, is expressed by Lawsonia intracellularis during infection in vitro and in vivo.

ABSTRACT: Lawsonia intracellularis has been identified recently as the etiological agent of proliferative enteropathies, which are characterized by intestinal epithelial hyperplasia and associated moderate immune responses. This disease complex has been reported in a broad range of animals, prevalently in pigs, and L. intracellularis has been linked with ulcerative colitis in humans. L. intracellularis is an obligate intracellular bacterium, and the pathogenic mechanisms used to cause disease are unknown. Using in vitro-grown organisms as a source of genomic DNA, we identified a Lawsonia gene which encodes a surface antigen, LsaA (for Lawsonia surface antigen), associated with attachment to and entry into cells. The deduced amino acid sequence of this protein showed some similarity to members of a n

SUBMITTER: McCluskey J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC128020 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature