Authors : Arturo Jimenez-Pacheco , Alma Nunez-del Arco and Enrique Salas-Tellez
Abstract: The objective of the present study was to identify proteolytic activity in microvesicles (MVs) from Actinobacillus seminis. A reference strain A. seminis ATCC 15768 and a field strain isolated were used. The microvesicles were obtained from ultracentrifugation from 48 h cultures. The proteolytic activity was determined in PAGE-SDS (12%) copolimerized with gelatin at 1%. The protein profile of the microvesicles was also established. The size of MVs was determined with transmission electron microscopy and it was determined to range from 100-150 nm. The protein profile rendered a 75 kDa protein, previously reported to be specific for A. seminis. Proteolytic activity was detected in the bands located at 79.5, 59, 40, 27 and 13.5 kDa. These results demonstrated the presence of proteolytic activity in A. seminis MVs. Further investigation on protease characterization and assessment of their importance in ovine epididimitis pathogenesis is needed.
Arturo Jimenez-Pacheco , Alma Nunez-del Arco and Enrique Salas-Tellez , 2008. Microvesicles of Actinobacillus seminis Show Proteolytic Activity. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 7: 616-619.