Sheep Infection Trials with 'Phase-Locked' Vpma Expression Variants of Mycoplasma agalactiae-Towards Elucidating the Role of a Multigene Family Encoding Variable Surface Lipoproteins in Infection and Disease.

ABSTRACT: The significance of large multigene families causing high-frequency surface variations in mycoplasmas is not well-understood. Previously, VpmaY and VpmaU clonal variants of the Vpma family of lipoproteins of M. agalactiae were compared via experimental sheep infections using the two corresponding 'Phase-Locked Mutants'. However, nothing is known about the infectivity of the remaining four Vpma expression variants VpmaX, VpmaW, VpmaZ and VpmaV as they were never evaluated in vivo. Here, in vivo infection and disease progression of all six Vpma expressers constituting the Vpma family of type strain PG2 were compared using the corresponding xer1-disrupted PLMs expressing single well-characterized Vpmas. Each of the six PLMs were separately evaluated using the intramammary sheep infection mode

SUBMITTER: Chopra-Dewasthaly R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9025108 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature