Conservation of the Host-Interacting Proteins Tp0750 and Pallilysin among Treponemes and Restriction of Proteolytic Capacity to Treponema pallidum.

The spirochete Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum is the causative agent of syphilis, a chronic, sexually transmitted infection characterized by multiple symptomatic and asymptomatic stages. Although several other species in the genus are able to cause or contribute to disease, T.

Complete Genome Sequence of Leptospira interrogans Serovar Bratislava, Strain PigK151.

Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava infection occurs in multiple domestic and wildlife species and is associated with poor reproductive performance in swine and horses. We present the complete genome assembly of strain PigK151 comprising two chromosomes, CI (4.457 Mbp) and CII (358 kbp).

Host response to leptospira infection.

Pathogenic Leptospira has the capacity to infect a broad range of mammalian hosts. Leptospirosis may appear as an acute, potentially fatal infection in accidental hosts, or progress into a chronic, largely asymptomatic infection in natural maintenance hosts. The course that Leptospira infection follows is dependent upon poorly understood factors, but is heavily influenced by both the host species and bacterial serovar involved in infection.

Development of a real-time PCR for the detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in California sea lions.

Several real-time PCR assays are currently used for detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp.; however, few methods have been described for the successful evaluation of clinical urine samples. This study reports a rapid assay for the detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp.

Isolation of Leptospira from a phocid: acute renal failure and mortality from Leptospirosis in rehabilitated northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), California, USA.

During rehabilitation, acute renal failure due to leptospirosis occurred in eight male northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) that stranded along the central California coast in 2011. Characteristic histologic lesions including renal tubular degeneration, necrosis, and mineralization, and mild lymphoplasmacytic interstitial nephritis were noted in the six animals examined. Immunohistochemistry, bacterial culture, and PCR were positive in 2/3, 2/3, and 3/4 seals, respectively, and 6/8 had high serum antibody titers to Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of Treponema phagedenis-like spirochetes isolated from a bovine digital dermatitis lesion.

Background: Bovine papillomatous digital dermatitis (DD) is the leading cause of lameness in dairy cattle and represents a serious welfare and economic burden. Found primarily in high production dairy cattle worldwide, DD is characterized by the development of an often painful red, raw ulcerative or papillomatous lesion frequently located near the interdigital cleft and above the bulbs of the heel. While the exact etiology is unknown, several spirochete species have been isolated from lesion material.

Asymptomatic and chronic carriage of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus).

Since 1970, periodic outbreaks of leptospirosis, caused by pathogenic spirochetes in the genus Leptospira, have caused morbidity and mortality of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) along the Pacific coast of North America. Yearly seasonal epizootics of varying magnitude occur between the months of July and December, with major epizootics occurring every 3-5 years. Genetic and serological data suggest that Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona is the infecting serovar and is enzootic in the California sea lion population, although the mechanism of persistence is unknown.

Leptospira interrogans catalase is required for resistance to H2O2 and for virulence.

Pathogenic Leptospira spp. are likely to encounter higher concentrations of reactive oxygen species induced by the host innate immune response. In this study, we characterized Leptospira interrogans catalase (KatE), the only annotated catalase found within pathogenic Leptospira species, by assessing its role in resistance to H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress and during infection in hamsters.

Methylation and in vivo expression of the surface-exposed Leptospira interrogans outer-membrane protein OmpL32.

Recent studies have revealed that bacterial protein methylation is a widespread post-translational modification that is required for virulence in selected pathogenic bacteria. In particular, altered methylation of outer-membrane proteins has been shown to modulate the effectiveness of the host immune response. In this study, 2D gel electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF MS identified a Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130 protein, corresponding to ORF LIC11848, which undergoes extensive and differential methylation of glutamic acid residues.

A Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo vaccine induces a Th1 response, activates NK cells, and reduces renal colonization.

Chronic infection of cattle with Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo reduces animal production through reproductive failure and presents a persistent health threat to workers in the animal industry. Cattle are maintenance hosts for serovar Hardjo, and development of vaccines that establish long-term protective immunity has been problematic; induction of high titers of anti-serovar Hardjo antibody does not appear to be protective. Rather, development of an antigen-specific Th1 response appears to be critical for limiting renal colonization and urinary shedding of bacteria.

Transcriptional response of Leptospira interrogans to iron limitation and characterization of a PerR homolog.

Leptospirosis is a globally significant zoonosis caused by Leptospira spp. Iron is essential for growth of most bacterial species. Since iron availability is low in the host, pathogens have evolved complex iron acquisition mechanisms to survive and establish infection.

Global proteome analysis of Leptospira interrogans.

Comparative global proteome analyses were performed on Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni grown under conventional in vitro conditions and those mimicking in vivo conditions (iron limitation and serum presence). Proteomic analyses were conducted using iTRAQ and LC-ESI-tandem mass spectrometry complemented with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A total of 563 proteins were identified in this study.

Variable nucleotide tandem-repeat analysis revealing a unique group of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona isolates associated with California sea lions.

Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona isolates were compared by variable nucleotide tandem-repeat typing. Most cattle isolates grouped together, while isolates from pigs and wildlife were distributed across several groups. Significantly, California sea lion isolates formed a unique group, providing evidence that these animals are maintenance hosts of serovar Pomona.

Geographical dissemination of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona during seasonal migration of California sea lions.

Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread bacterial zoonoses in the world and affects most mammalian species. Although leptospirosis is well documented and characterized in terrestrial species, less information is available regarding the distribution and impact of leptospirosis in marine mammals. Additionally, the role of animal migrations on the geographical spread of leptospirosis has not been reported.

Identification of a divided genome for VSH-1, the prophage-like gene transfer agent of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae.

The Brachyspira hyodysenteriae B204 genome sequence revealed three VSH-1 tail genes, hvp31, hvp60, and hvp37, in a 3.6-kb cluster. The location and transcription direction of these genes relative to those of the previously described VSH-1 16.

Genetic diversity of the Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) genes in pathogenic Leptospira spp.

Recent serologic, immunoprotection, and pathogenesis studies identified the Lig proteins as key virulence determinants in interactions of leptospiral pathogens with the mammalian host. We examined the sequence variation and recombination patterns of ligA, ligB, and ligC among 10 pathogenic strains from five Leptospira species. All strains were found to have intact ligB genes and genetic drift accounting for most of the ligB genetic diversity observed.

Laboratory maintenance of pathogenic Leptospira.

Analysis of Leptospira requires use of specialized media for growth, maintenance, and storage of viable bacteria that can be used in experimental protocols in a predictable manner. However, pathogenic Leptospira are fastidious bacteria with unusual nutritional requirements. These problems make primary isolation, routine propagation, and storage of Leptospira difficult.

Conservation of the S10-spc-alpha locus within otherwise highly plastic genomes provides phylogenetic insight into the genus Leptospira.

S10-spc-alpha is a 17.5 kb cluster of 32 genes encoding ribosomal proteins. This locus has an unusual composition and organization in Leptospira interrogans.

Detection of pathogenic Leptospira bacteria in pinniped populations via PCR and identification of a source of transmission for zoonotic leptospirosis in the marine environment.

Leptospirosis, caused by the spirochete Leptospira, is a geographically widespread disease that affects a broad range of mammals, including marine mammals. Among pinniped populations, periodic epizootics of leptospirosis are responsible for significant die-offs. Along the west coast of North America, the most recent leptospirosis epizootic occurred in 2004, during which samples were collected from cases ranging from California to British Columbia.

Collateral effects of antibiotics: carbadox and metronidazole induce VSH-1 and facilitate gene transfer among Brachyspira hyodysenteriae strains.

Brachyspira hyodysenteriae is an anaerobic spirochete and the etiologic agent of swine dysentery. The genome of this spirochete contains a mitomycin C-inducible, prophage-like gene transfer agent designated VSH-1. VSH-1 particles package random 7.

Genome sequence of the saprophyte Leptospira biflexa provides insights into the evolution of Leptospira and the pathogenesis of leptospirosis.

Leptospira biflexa is a free-living saprophytic spirochete present in aquatic environments. We determined the genome sequence of L. biflexa, making it the first saprophytic Leptospira to be sequenced.

Papillomatous digital dermatitis spirochetes suppress the bovine macrophage innate immune response.

Papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD) is a polymicrobial infection in soft tissue adjacent to the hoof and is the leading cause of lameness in dairy cattle. Treponema phagedenis-like (TPL) spirochetes are a constant feature of PDD lesions and are localized deep in infected tissue. Host-cell response mechanisms to TPL spirochetes are poorly understood.

Lesion formation and antibody response induced by papillomatous digital dermatitis-associated spirochetes in a murine abscess model.

Papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD), also known as hairy heel wart, is a growing cause of lameness of cows in the U.S. dairy industry.

Induction and transcription of VSH-1, a prophage-like gene transfer agent of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae.

The anaerobic spirochete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae is host to a bacteriophage-like agent known as VSH-1. VSH-1 is a novel gene transfer mechanism which does not self-propagate and transfers random 7.5kb fragments of host DNA between B.

Response of Leptospira interrogans to physiologic osmolarity: relevance in signaling the environment-to-host transition.

Transmission of pathogenic Leptospira between mammalian hosts usually involves dissemination via soil or water contaminated by the urine of carrier animals. The ability of Leptospira to adapt to the diverse conditions found inside and outside the host is reflected in its relatively large genome size and high percentage of signal transduction genes. An exception is Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo, which is transmitted by direct contact and appears to have lost genes necessary for survival outside the mammalian host.