Lipid Phenotype of Two Distinct Subpopulations of Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Tokyo 172 Substrain

• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.310037
• Publication Date: 2011-10-27T00:13:31Z
• Authors: Takashi Naka; Shinji Maeda; Mamiko Niki; Naoya Ohara; Saburo Yamamoto; Ikuya Yano; Jun-ichi Maeyama; Hisashi Ogura; Kazuo Kobayashi; Nagatoshi Fujiwara
• Keywords: Antigenicity; BCG vaccine; Lipid A

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) Tokyo 172 is a predominant World Health Organization Reference Reagent for the BCG vaccine. Recently, substrain was reported to consist of two subpopulations with different colony morphologies, smooth and rough. Smooth colonies had characteristic 22-bp deletion in Rv3405c region difference (RD) 16 (type I), rough were complete this II). We hypothesized that morphological related lipid phenotype affects their antigenicity. determined compositions biosynthesis types I II. Scanning electron microscopy showed type 1.5 times longer than Phenolic glycolipid (PGL) phthiocerol dimycocerosate (PDIM) found only I. Although it has been RD16 involved expression PGL, II did not possess PGL/PDIM. examined ppsA-E gene responsible PGL/PDIM existence caused by ppsA mutation regulated RD16. PGL suppressed host recognition total lipids via Toll-like receptor 2, suggests antigenic responses, acting as cell wall component. This first report show between phenotypes It important clarify heterogeneity vaccine substrains discuss evaluate quality, safety, efficacy