Recombinant Brucella suis biovar 1 Lectin-like protein BA14k (BRA0735, BS1330_II0728)

General Information

Recombinant Brucella suis biovar 1 Lectin-like protein BA14k, also referred to as BRA0735 or BS1330_II0728, is a protein that has lectin-like properties and is produced using recombinant DNA technology . It was initially identified as an immunogenic protein in animals infected with Brucella species . The protein is a 14-kDa protein of B. abortus .

Brucella suis is a bacterium that causes brucellosis, a zoonotic disease . Brucella suis biovar 1 is one of the biovars (biologic variants) within the Brucella suis species . The protein BA14k, is present in Brucella abortus, which is known to cause abortions in cattle and undulant fever in humans .

2.3. Post-translational Modifications

The post-translational modifications of Recombinant Brucella suis biovar 1 Lectin-like protein BA14k are not described in the the provided documents.

3.1. Recombinant Production

Recombinant BA14k protein is produced using genetic engineering techniques, where the gene encoding the protein is inserted into a host organism (e.g., yeast) to express and produce the protein in large quantities .

3.2. Availability

Recombinant Brucella suis biovar 1 Lectin-like protein BA14k is available for purchase from some vendors, generally for research purposes (e.g., ELISA) .

4.1. Lectin-like Properties

BA14k exhibits lectin-like properties, including immunoglobulin-binding and hemagglutination activities . Hemagglutination inhibition experiments suggest that the protein has an affinity towards mannose .

4.2. Role in Virulence

The 14-kDa protein of B. abortus is essential for the virulence of the species . Disruption of the gene encoding the 14-kDa protein in virulent B. abortus strain 2308 induces a rough-like phenotype with an altered smooth lipopolysaccharide (LPS) immunoblot profile . The mutant strain shows a significant reduction in its ability to replicate in mouse spleens . The BA14K lectin-like protein modulates LPS O-chain content, though the precise mechanism is not yet known .

4.3. Interaction with Host Cells

Brucella species employ various strategies for intracellular survival, including secreting proteins that can inhibit TNF-α production in human macrophages . Brucella LPS has lower biological activity compared to enterobacterial LPS, contributing to the survival of these pathogens in phagocytic cells .

5.1. ELISA

Recombinant Brucella suis biovar 1 Lectin-like protein BA14k can be used in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) .