Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Expression of Group B Protective Surface Protein (BPS) by Invasive and Colonizing Isolates of Group B Streptococci

  • Published:
Current Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Group B protective surface protein (BPS) is expressed on the cell surface of some group B streptococcal (GBS) (Streptococcus agalactiae) strains and adds to the identification by capsular polysaccharide (CPS), and c or R proteins. We investigated the prevalence of BPS among GBS clinical isolates (303 invasive, 4122 colonizing) collected over 11 years in four American cities. Hot HCl cell extracts were tested by immunoprecipitation in agarose with rabbit antisera to BPS; the alpha (α) and beta (β) components of c protein; R1, R3, and R4 species of R protein; and CPS serotypes Ia–VIII. BPS was found in 155 isolates (seven invasive, 148 colonizing). Of these, 87 were Ia, 37 II, 20 V; none were III. BPS was expressed usually with another protein: a species of R by 87 or a component of c by 39. The predominant CPS/protein profiles with BPS were Ia/R1,BPS and II/c(α + β),BPS. Thus, along with CPS serotype and other surface proteins, BPS can be a valuable marker for precise strain characterization of unique GBS clinical isolates with complex surface protein profiles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Baker CJ, Rench MA, McInnes P (2003) Immunization of pregnant women with group B streptococcal type III capsular polysaccharide-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine. Vaccine 21:3468–3472

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bevanger L, Kvam AI, Mæland JA (1995) A Streptococcus agalactiae R protein analysed by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. APMIS 103:731–736

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Creti R, Fabretti F, Orefici G, von Hunolstein C (2004) Multiplex PCR assay for direct identification of group B streptococcal alpha-protein-like protein genes. J Clin Microbiol 42:1326–1329

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Diedrick MJ, Flores AE, Hillier SL, Creti R, Ferrieri P (2010) Clonal analysis of colonizing group B Streptococcus, serotype IV, an emerging pathogen in the United States. J Clin Microbiol 48:3100–3104

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Erdogan S, Fagan PK, Talay SR, Rohde M, Ferrieri P, Flores AE, Guzmán CA, Walker MJ, Chhatwal GS (2002) Molecular analysis of group B protective surface protein, a new cell surface protective antigen of group B streptococci. Infect Immun 70:803–811

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Ferrieri P (1988) Surface-localized protein antigens of group B streptococci. Rev Infect Dis 10(Suppl 2):S363–S366

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Ferrieri P, Baker CJ, Hillier SL, Flores AE (2004) Diversity of surface protein expression in group B streptococcal colonizing & invasive isolates. Indian J Med Res 119(Suppl):191–196

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ferrieri P, Flores AE (1997) Surface protein expression in group B streptococcal invasive isolates. In: Horaud T, Bouvet A, Leclercq R, de Montclos H, Sicard M (eds) Streptococci and the host. Proceedings of the XIII Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases, 1996 Sept. 16–20; Paris, France. Plenum Press, New York, pp 635–637

  9. Ferrieri P, Lynfield R, Creti R, Flores AE (2013) Serotype IV and invasive group B Streptococcus disease in neonates, Minnesota, USA, 2000-2010. Emerg Infect Dis 19:551–558

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Ferrieri P, Wallen LD (2012) Neonatal bacterial sepsis. In: Gleason CA, Devaskar SU (eds) Avery’s diseases of the newborn, 9th edn. Elsevier/Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 538–550

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  11. Flores AE, Erdogan S, Chhatwal GS, Baker CJ, Hillier S, Ferrieri P (2000) Expression of the R5 surface protein among polysaccharide serotypes of group B streptococci. In: Martin DR, Tagg JR (eds) Streptococci and streptococcal diseases: entering the new millennium. Proceedings of the XIV Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases, 1999 Oct. 11–15; Auckland, New Zealand. Securacopy, Auckland, pp191–194

  12. Flores AE, Ferrieri P (1989) Molecular species of R-protein antigens produced by clinical isolates of group B streptococci. J Clin Microbiol 27:1050–1054

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Flores AE, Ferrieri P (1996) Molecular diversity among the trypsin resistant surface proteins of group B streptococci. Zentralbl Bakteriol 285:44–51

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gherardi G, Imperi M, Baldassarri L, Pataracchia M, Alfarone G, Recchia S, Orefici G, Dicuonzo G, Creti R (2007) Molecular epidemiology and distribution of serotypes, surface proteins, and antibiotic resistance among group B streptococci in Italy. J Clin Microbiol 45:2909–2916

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Gravekamp C, Kasper DL, Paoletti LC, Madoff LC (1999) Alpha C protein as a carrier for type III capsular polysaccharide and as a protective protein in group B streptococcal vaccines. Infect Immun 67:2491–2496

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Hansen SM, Uldbjerg N, Kilian M, Sørensen UBS (2004) Dynamics of Streptococcus agalactiae colonization in women during and after pregnancy and in their infants. J Clin Microbiol 42:83–89

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Hickman ME, Rench MA, Ferrieri P, Baker CJ (1999) Changing epidemiology of group B streptococcal colonization. Pediatrics 104:203–209

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hordnes K, Tynning T, Kvam AI, Bevanger L, Brown TA, Jonsson R, Haneberg B (1998) Cervical secretions in pregnant women colonized rectally with group B streptococci have high levels of antibodies to serotype III polysaccharide capsular antigen and protein R. Scand J Immunol 47:179–188

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Johnson DR, Ferrieri P (1984) Group B streptococcal Ibc protein antigen: distribution of two determinants in wild-type strains of common serotypes. J Clin Microbiol 19:506–510

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Kong F, Gowan S, Martin D, James G, Gilbert GL (2002) Molecular profiles of group B streptococcal surface protein antigen genes: relationship to molecular serotypes. J Clin Microbiol 40:620–626

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Lancefield RC, McCarty M, Everly WN (1975) Multiple mouse-protective antibodies directed against group B streptococci. Special reference to antibodies effective against protein antigens. J Exp Med 142:165–179

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Mæland JA, Radtke A, Lyng RV, Mavenyengwa RT (2013) Novel aspects of the Z and R3 antigens of Streptococcus agalactiae revealed by immunological testing. Clin Vaccine Immunol 20:607–612

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Persson E, Berg S, Bevanger L, Bergh K, Valsö-Lyng R, Trollfors B (2008) Characterisation of invasive group B streptococci based on investigation of surface proteins and genes encoding surface proteins. Clin Microbiol Infect 14:66–73

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Poyart C, Tazi A, Réglier-Poupet H, Billoët A, Tavares N, Raymond J, Trieu-Cuot P (2007) Multiplex PCR assay for rapid and accurate capsular typing of group B streptococci. J Clin Microbiol 45:1985–1988

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Radtke A, Kong F, Bergh K, Lyng RV, Ko D, Gilbert GL (2009) Identification of surface proteins of group B streptococci: serotyping versus genotyping. J Microbiol Methods 78:363–365

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Wästfelt M, Stålhammar-Carlemalm M, Delisse A-M, Cabezon T, Lindahl G (1996) Identification of a family of streptococcal surface proteins with extremely repetitive structure. J Biol Chem 271:18892–18897

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Wilkinson HW (1972) Comparison of streptococcal R antigens. Appl Microbiol 24:669–670

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Wilkinson HW, Eagon RG (1971) Type-specific antigens of group B type Ic streptococci. Infect Immun 4:596–604

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Zaleznik DF, Rench MA, Hillier S, Krohn MA, Platt R, Lee M-LT, Flores AE, Ferrieri P, Baker CJ (2000) Invasive disease due to group B Streptococcus in pregnant women and neonates from diverse population groups. Clin Infect Dis 30:276–281

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Zhao Z, Kong F, Gilbert GL (2006) Reverse line blot assay for direct identification of seven Streptococcus agalactiae major surface protein antigen genes. Clin Vaccine Immunol 13:145–149

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by contracts N01-AI-125152, N01-AI-75326 and N01-AI-25495 from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 134, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Aurea E. Flores & Patricia Ferrieri

  2. Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Vaccine Research, GBF-German Research Centre for Biotechnology, 38124, Brunswick, Germany

    G. S. Chhatwal

  3. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Women’s Research Institute and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Sharon L. Hillier

  4. Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Carol J. Baker

Authors
  1. Aurea E. Flores
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. S. Chhatwal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sharon L. Hillier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Carol J. Baker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Patricia Ferrieri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patricia Ferrieri.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Flores, A.E., Chhatwal, G.S., Hillier, S.L. et al. Expression of Group B Protective Surface Protein (BPS) by Invasive and Colonizing Isolates of Group B Streptococci. Curr Microbiol 69, 894–898 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-014-0673-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-014-0673-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation