Identification of immunoreactive proteins in murine sera after immunization with outer membrane vesicles isolated from Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica strain FSC200

Secretion of outer membrane vesicles (OMV) presents an important phenomenon in Gram-negative bacteria and they play multiple roles in their lifestyle including virulence and host-pathogen interaction. Francisella tularensis secretes unusually shaped tubular OMV filled with immunoreactive material and virulence factors. Mice were immunized with OMV isolated from Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica, fully virulent strain FSC200. Their sera were then used for detection of immunoreactive proteins.

外膜囊泡（outer membrane vesicles, OMV）的分泌是革兰氏阴性菌的重要生命现象之一，这类囊泡在细菌的生活史中发挥多重功能，涵盖毒力调控与宿主-病原体互作等过程。土拉弗朗西斯菌（Francisella tularensis）可分泌形态特异的管状外膜囊泡，此类囊泡内包裹有免疫反应性物质与毒力因子。研究人员以从强毒菌株FSC200中分离得到的土拉弗朗西斯菌（Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica）的外膜囊泡免疫小鼠，随后采集其血清用于免疫反应性蛋白的检测。