Microbiología Médica y Diagnóstico

Heterologous Expression of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B and Its Suitability for Development of Field Based Diagnostic Test System

Abstract

Tirpude RJ

Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) is one of the potent enterotoxins produced by certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. In the present context of its use as bio-terror agent, it is imperative to develop simple to use and rapid detection systems as well as therapeutic vaccines to detect SEB and protect against SEB intoxication. In the present study, recombinant staphylococcal enterotoxin B, produced as a NH2-terminal histidine hexamer fusion protein, expressed in heterologous expression system, was tested for its diagnostic potentials. His6-tagged SEB was immunogenic for IgG in mice and rabbits, either singly or in combination with adjuvant. Antigenic authenticity of the recombinant SEB to native SEB was confirmed by antibody-based capture detection assays across different host species. Using recombinant SEB as bound target, a sandwich ELISA was developed and utilized for detection of SEB in vitro and in vivo. The ELISA described here can be a useful tool for detection of SEB intoxication as well as infection due to SEB producing S. aureus bacteria. Data indicated potentials of recombinant SEB in diagnosis and vaccine development.