We determined the expression of UspA2 after cold shock on the surface of M. catarrhalis. Because the monoclonal antibody 17C7 recognizes both UspA1/A2, we used UspA1 and UspA2 mutants, respectively, of strain O35E. Expression of both UspA1 and UspA2 were increased on the surface of M. catarrhalis after cold shock (Figure 5A and 5B). UspA2

mediates serum resistance of M. catarrhalis by binding vitronectin. Given that cold shock induces UspA2 expression, we hypothesized that a temperature downshift might STA-9090 cell line increase surface binding of vitronectin. We preincubated M. catarrhalis grown at 26°C or 37°C with human vitronectin and determined vitronectin binding by flow cytomertry. Binding to vitronectin was increased when bacteria were exposed to 26°C (Figure 5C and 5D). The absence of UspA2 diminished binding of vitronectin but did not abolish it, possibly due to UspA1

interactions with vitronectin [29]. Serum bactericidal assay with M. catarrhalis strain O35E exposed to 26°C or 37°C demonstrated that cold shock did not influence serum resistance of O35E strain (data not shown). Figure 5 Cold shock results in upregulation of UspA2 and increases the binding of vitronectin on the surface of M. catarrhalis. Representative flow-cytometric https://www.selleckchem.com/products/nu7441.html profiles of M. catarrhalis strains O35E, O35E.uspA1 and O35E.uspA2 after exposure at 26°C (gray) or at 37°C (black) show cold shock-dependent UspA1/A2 upregulation (A) and UspA2-dependent binding to vitronectin (C). The dotted line represents the negative control (bacteria incubated with secondary antibodies only). The mean fluorescence intensity ± 1 standard deviation for 2 experiments performed is shown Fenbendazole (B and D). *, p < 0.05 for 26°C versus 37°C (one-way analysis of variance). Cold shock influences hag expression and binding of human IgD on the surface of M. catarrhalis To investigate the contribution of Hag to the cold shock response, we assessed the hag mRNA expression level of strain O35E exposed to

either 26°C or 37 C. The expression level of hag was significantly reduced at 26°C in comparison to expression at 37°C (Figure 6A). Addressing the question whether a decreased mRNA copy number of hag at 26°C translates into decreased expression of Hag on the bacterial surface, we performed immunoblot analysis with OMPs preparations of strains O35E and 300 exposed at 26°C or 37°C for 3 h using human salivary IgA antibodies which specifically recognize surface exposed OMPs, including Hag [20]. Immunoblot analysis revealed that M. catarrhalis strains O35E and 300 exposed at 26°C expressed selleck kinase inhibitor smaller amounts of Hag protein compared to bacteria incubated at 37°C (Figure 6B). The Hag-deficient O35E.hag strain did not bind the Hag-specific salivary IgA (data not shown). Since Hag has been found to be responsible for M. catarrhalis binding to IgD, we investigated IgD-binding on the surface of bacteria grown at 26°C or 37°C.