Academic literature on the topic 'Capsular Polysaccharide (CPS)'

ABSTRACT Vibrio vulnificus is a human pathogen that produces lethal septicemia in susceptible persons, and the primary virulence factor for this organism is capsular polysaccharide (CPS). The role of the capsule in V. vulnificus biofilms was examined under a variety of conditions, by using either defined CPS mutants or spontaneous CPS expression phase variants derived from multiple strains. CPS expression was shown to inhibit attachment and biofilm formation, which contrasted with other studies describing polysaccharides as integral to biofilms in related species.

ABSTRACT Many bacterial species produce capsular polysaccharides that contribute to pathogenesis through evasion of the host innate immune system. The gram-positive pathogen Enterococcus faecalis was previously reported to produce one of four capsule serotypes (A, B, C, or D). Previous studies describing the four capsule serotypes of E. faecalis were based on immunodetection methods; however, the underlying genetics of capsule production did not fully support these findings. Previously, it was shown that capsule production for serotype C (Maekawa type 2) was dependent on the presence of nine open reading frames (cpsC to cpsK). Using a novel genetic system, we demonstrated that seven of the nine genes in the cps operon are essential for capsule production, indicating that serotypes A and B do not make a capsular polysaccharide. In support of this observation, we showed that serotype C and D capsule polysaccharides mask lipoteichoic acid from detection by agglutinating antibodies. Furthermore, we determined that the genetic basis for the difference in antigenicity between serotypes C and D is the presence of cpsF in serotype C strains. High-pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection analysis of serotype C and D capsules indicated that cpsF is responsible for glucosylation of serotype C capsular polysaccharide in E. faecalis.

ABSTRACT The polysaccharide capsule is the primary virulence factor in Streptococcus pneumoniae. There are at least 90 serotypes of S. pneumoniae, identified based on the immunogenicity of different capsular sugars. The aim of this study was to construct pneumococcal strains that are isogenic except for capsular type. Serotype 4 strain TIGR4 was rendered unencapsulated by recombinational replacement of the capsular polysaccharide synthesis (cps) locus with the bicistronic Janus cassette (C. K. Sung, J. P. Claverys, and D. A. Morrison, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:5190-5196, 2001). In subsequent transformation with chromosomal DNA, the cassette was replaced by the cps locus derived from a strain of a different serotype, either 6B, 7F, 14, or 19F. To minimize the risk of uncontrolled recombinational replacements in loci other than cps, the TIGRcps::Janus strain was“ backcross” transformed three times with chromosomal DNA of subsequently constructed capsular type transformants. Capsular serotypes were confirmed in all new capsule variants by the Quellung reaction. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the cps locus confirmed the integrity of the cps region transformed into the TIGR strain, and RFLP of the flanking regions confirmed their identities with the corresponding regions of the recipient. Transformants had in vitro growth rates greater than or equal to that of TIGR4. All four strains were able to colonize C57BL/6 mice (female, 6 weeks old) for at least 7 days when mice were intranasally inoculated with 6 × 106 to 8 × 106 CFU. The constructed capsular variants of TIGR4 are suitable for use in studies on the role of S. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharide in immunity, colonization, and pathogenesis.

ABSTRACT Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) produces 1 of 91 capsular polysaccharides (CPS) that define the serotype. The cps loci of 88 pneumococcal serotypes whose CPS is synthesized by the Wzy-dependent pathway were compared with each other and with additional streptococcal polysaccharide biosynthetic loci and were clustered according to the proportion of shared homology groups (HGs), weighted for the sequence similarities between the genes encoding the shared HGs. The cps loci of the 88 pneumococcal serotypes were distributed into eight major clusters and 21 subclusters. All serotypes within the same serogroup fell into the same major cluster, but in six cases, serotypes within the same serogroup were in different subclusters and, conversely, nine subclusters included completely different serotypes. The closely related cps loci within a subcluster were compared to the known CPS structures to relate gene content to structure. The Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus mitis polysaccharide biosynthetic loci clustered within the pneumococcal cps loci and were in a subcluster that also included the cps locus of pneumococcal serotype 21, whereas the Streptococcus agalactiae cps loci formed a single cluster that was not closely related to any of the pneumococcal cps clusters.

ABSTRACT The leading cause of food poisoning in both Taiwan and Japan is Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, whose mechanism of enteropathogenesis is still unclear. To evaluate whether surface components are responsible for the intestinal adhesion of V. parahaemolyticus, we have developed a novel method for isolating the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) from V. parahaemolyticus (serotype O4:K8). We found that culturing of V. parahaemolyticus in broth for 1 week or more changed the colony form of the bacteria on an agar plate from opaque to translucent. The translucent colonies of V. parahaemolyticus contained little CPS and exhibited a much lower level of adherence to epithelial cells (Int-407) than the opaque colonies of the bacteria. Incubation of V. parahaemolyticus in medium supplemented with bile increased the levels of CPS and adherence. Treatment of V. parahaemolyticus with anti-CPS but not anti-LPS serum decreased the level of bacterial adherence. In addition, purified CPS bound to epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Intranasal administration of CPS to mice in the presence of adjuvants such as immunostimulatory sequence oligodeoxynucleotides or cholera toxin elicited CPS-specific mucosal and systemic immune responses. These results indicate that CPS plays an important role in the adherence of V. parahaemolyticus to its target cells and may be considered a potential target for the development of a vaccine against this pathogen.

ABSTRACT In order to develop a new system for the analysis of capsular biosynthetic pathways we have explored the possibility of expressing type 3 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) from the pathogenStreptococcus pneumoniae in Lactococcus lactis, an unencapsulated lactic acid bacterium being developed as a vaccine delivery vehicle for mucosal immunization. Only three of the four type 3 CPS biosynthesis genes were found to be necessary for the abundant formation (120 mg liter−1) of an extracellular type 3 CPS in L. lactis, implying a role for the type 3-specific synthase in the extracellular transport of the CPS or implying the existence of an alternative export system in L. lactis. The authenticity of the expressed heterologous polysaccharide was established by chemical and immunological analyses. Proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of CPSs purified from L. lactis and S. pneumoniae showed that the two CPS structures were identical. When mice were immunized intraperitoneally with 3.5 × 106 CFU of live recombinant lactococci expressing a total of approximately 0.5 μg of type 3 CPS, the immune responses elicited appeared identical to those observed in mice inoculated with 0.5 μg of type 3 CPS purified from S. pneumoniae. These findings show that L. lactis is a useful host in which to study the role and function of genes involved in the production of bacterial capsules. Additionally, L. lactis shows potential as a host for the safe production of capsule antigens and as a vaccine delivery vehicle for polysaccharide antigens.

ABSTRACT Vibrio vulnificus is a human pathogen whose virulence has been associated with the expression of capsular polysaccharide (CPS). Multiple CPS types have been described; however, virulence does not appear to correlate with a particular CPS composition. Reversible-phase variation for opaque and translucent colony morphologies is characterized by changes in CPS expression, as suggested by electron microscopy of cells stained nonspecifically with ruthenium red. Isolates with opaque colony morphologies are virulent and appear to be more thickly encapsulated than naturally occurring translucent-phase variants, which have reduced, patchy, or absent CPS. Previously, we have shown that the virulence of translucent-phase variants was intermediate between opaque-phase variants and acapsular transposon mutants, suggesting a correlation between virulence and the amount of CPS expressed. In the present study, CPS expression of phase variants and genetically defined mutants of V. vulnificusM06-24/O was examined by using a CPS-specific monoclonal antibody with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, and immunoelectron microscopy. Semiquantitative analyses of CPS expression correlated well among these assays, confirming that the translucent-phase variant was intermediate in CPS expression and retained type I CPS-specific epitopes. Cell surface expression of CPS varied with the growth phase, increasing during logarithmic growth and declining in stationary culture. Significantly greater CPS expression (P = 0.026) was observed for cells grown at 30°C than for those at 37°C. These studies confirm that phase variation and virulence in V. vulnificus correlate with the amount of CPS expressed and demonstrate the fluidity of bacterial polysaccharide expression in response to environmental conditions.

The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Streptococcus suis serotype 14 was purified, chemically modified, and characterized. Sugar and absolute configuration analyses gave the following CPS composition: d-Gal, 3; d-Glc, 1; d-GlcNAc, 1; d-Neu5Ac, 1. The Sambucus nigra lectin, which recognizes the Neu5Ac(α2–6)Gal/GalNAc sequence, showed binding to the native CPS. Sialic acid was found to be terminal, and the CPS was quantitatively desialylated by mild acid hydrolysis. It was also submitted to periodate oxidation followed by borohydride reduction and Smith degradation. Sugar and methylation analyses,1H and13C nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry of the native CPS or of its specifically modified products allowed to determine the repeating unit sequence: [6)[Neu5Ac(α2–6)Gal(β1–4)GlcNAc(β1–3)]Gal(β1–3)Gal(β1–4)Glc(β1–]n. S. suis serotype 14 CPS has an identical sialic acid-containing side chain as serotype 2 CPS, but differs by the absence of rhamnose in its composition. The same side chain is also present in group B Streptococcus type Ia CPS, except that in the latter sialic acid is 2,3- rather than 2,6-linked to the following galactose. A correlation between the S. suis CPS sequence and genes of the serotype 14 cps locus encoding putative glycosyltransferases and polymerase responsible for the biosynthesis of the repeating unit is proposed.

The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 was isolated, purified, chemically modified, and characterized. Sugar and absolute configuration analyses of the CPS gave the following composition: d-Gal, 3; d-Glc, 1; d-GlcNAc, 1; d-Neu5Ac, 1; l-Rha, 1. Sialic acid was found to be terminal, and the CPS was quantitatively desialylated by mild acid hydrolysis. The CPS was also submitted to periodate oxidation followed by borohydride reduction and Smith degradation. Sugar and methylation analysis,1H and13C nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry of the native CPS or of its specifically modified products allowed to determine the repeating unit sequence: [4)[Neu5Ac(α2–6)Gal(β1–4)GlcNAc(β1–3)]Gal(β1–4)[Gal(α1–3)]Rha(β1–4)Glc(β1-]n. The backbone sequence was found to be identical to that of Streptococcus agalactiae or group B Streptococcus (GBS) type VIII and Streptococcus pneumoniae type 23F. The S. suis CPS shares the sequence Neu5Ac-Gal-GlcNAc-Gal in common with GBS types Ia, Ib, II, III, and IV CPSs but differs from them by the presence of rhamnose and the fact that sialic acid is 2,6- rather than 2,3-linked to the following Gal. A correlation between the S. suis CPS sequence and genes of the serotype 2 cps locus encoding putative enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of the repeating unit was tentatively established.

Burkholderia pseudomallei has been shown to produce more than one capsular polysaccharide (CPS). Analysis of the B. pseudomallei genome has revealed that the organism contains four CPS operons (I–IV). One of these operons (CPS III) was selected for further study. Comparative sequencing analysis revealed that the genes encoding CPS III are present in B. pseudomallei and Burkholderia thailandensis but not in Burkholderia mallei. In this study, CPS III was not found to contribute to the virulence of B. pseudomallei. Strains containing mutations in CPS III had the same LD50 value as the wild-type when tested in an animal infection model. Production of CPS III was shown to be induced in water but inhibited in 30 % normal human serum using a lux reporter fusion assay. Microarray analysis of capsule gene expression in infected hamsters revealed that the genes encoding CPS III were not significantly expressed in vivo compared with the genes encoding the previously characterized mannoheptose capsule (CPS I), which is an important virulence factor in B. pseudomallei. Glycosyl-composition analysis by combined GC/MS indicated that the CPS III genes are involved in the synthesis of a capsule composed of galactose, glucose, mannose and xylose.

Carbohydrates are among the most abundant molecules found on the cell surfaces of bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Apart from the conventional roles of carbohydrates as energy sources and structural polymers, carbohydrates are also associated with cancer metastasis, protein stabilization, pathogen infection and the immune response. Cells of our body have sensors made out of carbohydrates on outer surface of plasma membrane and acts as sensors and can detect many kinds of stimuli, and can signal the immune system to respond. Carbohydrate-protein molecular recognition processes have pivotal roles in infections and in immune response to pathogens. To date, several vaccines based on isolated capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) are marketed against infectious diseases. However, the use of isolated capsular polysaccharide poses several limitations, as natural sources are generally limited and the isolation is very challenging. Additionally, the isolated polysaccharides are heterogeneous and often contains impurities. Furthermore, limited protection of certain CPS antigens impairs the efficiency of vaccines. To overcome limitations associated with isolated polysaccharides, synthetic oligosaccharides present an effective alternative with great potential to understand glycan immunology and rationally design effective antigens. Consequently, characterization and reconstruction of carbohydrate epitopes with authentic composition has become one of the major target in glycoscience. To this end, strategies are needed to facilitate the streamlined design and generation of these antigens. This thesis concerns the development of an effective synthetic strategy to obtain Group B Streptococcus (GBS) type II oligosaccharide for vaccine development. GBS, a Gram-positive bacterium, inhabits the intestinal and genitourinary tract of 10‐30% of humans. GBS is one of the primary causes of bacterial infections among neonates and pregnant women, resulting in many severe diseases such as sepsis, meningitis, abortion, and so on. Type II GBS is one of the predominant GBS serotypes and is associated with about 15% of the invasive infections in adults and infants; therefore, represents an important human pathogen. The development of effective preventive vaccine against GBS is much needed to help pregnant women protect their newborns. This thesis describes the effective synthetic strategy to synthesize GBS type II oligosaccharide to be applied for vaccine development. Herein, we present a new and convenient synthesis of the repeating unit of GBS type II capsular polysaccharide. The structure of GBS type II was elucidated in 1983 and the repeating unit of GBS type II is a heptasaccharide composed of α-Neu5Ac (2-3)-ß-D-Gal-(1-4)- ß-D-GlcNAc-(1-3)-[-ß-D-Gal-(1-6)]-ß-D-Gal-(1-4)-ß-D-Gal-(1-3)-ß-D-Glc. The presented synthetic strategy is based on the five subcomponents derived from the retro synthetic analysis. Suitably protected lactosamine and lactose derivatives are pivotal building blocks in our synthesis and both disaccharide fragments have been achieved from the cheap and readily available lactose. Having started from two disaccharides saves the efforts of glycosylation and reduces the number of synthetic steps. The building blocks have been obtained in good overall yield following the optimized synthetic approach. The synthesis of backbone linear chain trisaccharide [ß-D-Gal-(1-4)-ß-D-Gal-(1-3)-ß-D-Glc] and pentasaccharide [ß-D-Gal-(1-4)-ß-D-GlcNAc-(1-3)-ß-D-Gal-(1-4)-ß-D-Gal-(1-3)-ß-D-Glc] has been achieved in excellent yield (~80% yield). The final steps of the synthesis comprise- the incorporation of ß-D-Gal unit into the linear chain pentasaccharide (currently ongoing) followed by the enzymatic introduction of sialic acid (NeuNAc unit) and subsequent deprotection to yield the repeating unit of GBS type II capsular polysaccharide. To conclude, in this thesis we present an efficient and easy handling synthetic approach to the heptasaccharide repeating unit of GBS type II. Readily available and cheap dairy side-product lactose has been used as a key structure in the presented scheme, allowing the efficient synthesis of the pentasaccharide backbone of the target compound. The synthetic GBS II fragments will be used for glycan array and structural studies and immunochemical characterization with specific monoclonal antibodies. This thesis comprises of four main chapters and the experimental section containing the methods and synthetic procedures for the discussed schemes. Chapter one is a general introduction and deals with the necessity and the social importance of the described project. Chapter two of the thesis outlines the scientific background and pathogenesis of GBS, carbohydrates and their biological importance, and general introduction of vaccines and how the carbohydrates can be used as a suitable vaccine candidate. Chapter two establishes the importance of synthetic carbohydrates and how the synthetic carbohydrates can be used to develop suitable effective vaccines against GBS diseases. Chapter three of the thesis contains the general introduction and structural features of GBS II CPS and the retrosynthetic analysis of GBS II CPS to identify the building blocks for the synthesis of GBS CPS II. Chapter four of the thesis summarizes the synthetic strategies and results to achieve the building blocks described in chapter three and the recombination of fragments to achieve the final molecule GBS II CPS repeating unit. The last part of the thesis will consists of the experimental methods and synthetic procedures to achieve the proposed molecule along with the characterization data.

Campylobacter jejuni bacterial pathogen is among the primary causes of food-borne acute gastroenteritis in North America and the world. It has also been linked to severe post-infection sequelae such as Guillain-Barré syndrome. Previous studies identified C. jejuni surface capsular polysaccharide (CPS) as a target for creation of a carbohydrate based vaccine in which the CPS is conjugated to a carrier protein. In this thesis, following sample purification, aspects of C. jejuni HS:5 CPS structure were characterized using numerous analytical techniques such as NMR and GC-MS. CPS is comprised of α-DD-Heptoses linked at C2 to the anomeric carbons of glucose. The α-Glucose molecules are linked though C4 to the α-DD-Heptose anomeric carbon. The α-DD-Heptose structure also has an occasional ring structured amino acid modification. Following characterization the CPS was oxidized and developed into a prototype glycoconjugate vaccine using TEMPO oxidation and EDC-CRM197 coupling methods.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality associated with lower respiratory infections. Usually, it colonizes asymptomatically the human upper respiratory tract, but it can eventually migrate to other body sites to cause invasive and non-invasive diseases. The polysaccharide capsule (CPS) is the main pneumococcal virulence factor and it is used in the currently available vaccines against this pathogen. However, novel therapeutic and prevention approaches are urgently needed to target emergent non-vaccine serotypes, especially those associated with antimicrobial resistance. Besides CPS, pneumococcus has several other virulence factors that contribute to its pathogenesis, including surface proteins (e.g., CbpA), the pore-forming toxin pneumolysin (PLY), as well as enzymes that produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 ). Here, we describe the pathogenesis of pneumococcal infections as well as host cell molecular signaling, focusing on major molecules responsible for host cell invasion and translocation, and disturbance of mitochondrial function, resulting in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) leakage, inflammation and tissue damage. Understanding molecular and immuno inflammatory mechanisms underlying pathogenesis and pathogen-host cell interactions is crucial to developing novel approaches to prevent and treat pneumococcal diseases.

Fireblight, a disease of apples and pears, is caused by Erwinia amylovora. Mutants of E. amylovora that do not produce the extreacellular polysaccharide (EPS), amylovoran, are avirulent. A similar EPS, stewartan, is produced by E. stewartii, which caused Stewart's wilt of corn, and which has also been implicated in the virulence of this strain. Both stewartan and amylovoran are type 1 capsular polysaccharides, typified by the colanic acid slime produced by Escherichia coli. Extracellular polysaccharide slime and capsules are important for the virulence of bacterial pathogens of plants and animals and to enhance their survival and dissemination outside of the host. The goals of this project were to examine the importance of polysaccharide structure on the pathogenicity and survival properties of three pathogenic bacteria: Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia stewartii and Escherichia coli. The project was a collaboration between the laboratories of Dr. Gutnick (PI, E. coli genetics and biochemistry), Dr. Coplin (co-PI, E. stewartii genetics) and Dr. Geider (unfunded collaborator, E. amylovora genetics and EPS analysis). Structural analysis of the EPSs, sequence analysis of the biosynthetic gene clusters and site-directed mutagenesis of individual cps and ams genes revealed that the three gene clusters shared common features for polysaccharide polymerization, translocation, and precursor synthesis as well as in the modes of transcriptional regulation. Early EPS production resulted in decreased virulence, indicating that EPS, although required for pathogenicity, is anot always advantageous and pathogens must regulate its production carefully.

The objectives of the BARD proposal were to determine the mechanisms of nonspecific cytotoxic cells (NCC) that are necessary to provide heightened innate resistance to infection and to identify the antigenic determinants in Streptococcus iniae that are best suited for vaccine development. Our central hypothesis was that anti-bacterial immunity in trout and tilapia can only be acquired by combining "innate" NCC responses with antibody responses to polysaccharide antigens. These Objectives were accomplished by experiments delineated by the following Specific Aims: Specific aim (SA) #1 (USA) "Clone and Identify the Apoptosis Regulatory Genes in NCC"; Specific aim #2 (USA)"Identify Regulatory Factors that Control NCC Responses to S. iniae"; Specific aim #3 (Israel) "Characterize the Biological Properties of the S. iniae Capsular Polysaccharide"; and Specific aim #4 (Israel) "Development of an Acellular Vaccine". Our model of S. iniae pathogenesis encompassed two approaches, identify apoptosis regulatory genes and proteins in tilapia that affected NCC activities (USA group) and determine the participation of S.iniae capsular polysaccharides as potential immunogens for the development of an acellular vaccine (Israel group). We previously established that it was possible to immunize tilapia and trout against experimental S. difficile/iniaeinfections. However these studies indicated that antibody responses in protected fish were short lived (3-4 months). Thus available vaccines were useful for short-term protection only. To address the issues of regulation of pathogenesis and immunogens of S. iniae, we have emphasized the role of the innate immune response regarding activation of NCC and mechanisms of invasiveness. Considerable progress was made toward accomplishing SA #1. We have cloned the cDNA of the following tilapia genes: cellular apoptosis susceptibility (CAS/AF547173»; tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF / A Y 428948); and nascent polypeptide-associated complex alpha polypeptide (NACA/ A Y168640). Similar attempts were made to sequence the tilapia FasLgene/cDNA, however these experiments were not successful. Aim #2 was to "Identify Regulatory Factors that Control NCC Responses to S. iniae." To accomplish this, a new membrane receptor has been identified that may control innate responses (including apoptosis) of NCC to S. iniae. The receptor is a membrane protein on teleost NCC. This protein (NCC cationic antimicrobial protein-1/ncamp-1/AAQ99138) has been sequenced and the cDNA cloned (A Y324398). In recombinant form, ncamp-l kills S. iniae in vitro. Specific aim 3 ("Characterize the Biological Properties of the S.iniae Capsular Polysaccharide") utilized an in- vitro model using rainbow trout primary skin epithelial cell mono layers. These experiments demonstrated colonization into epithelial cells followed by a rapid decline of viable intracellular bacteria and translocation out of the cell. This pathogenesis model suggested that the bacterium escapes the endosome and translocates through the rainbow trout skin barrier to further invade and infect the host. Specific aim #4 ("Development of an Acellular Vaccine") was not specifically addressed. These studies demonstrated that several different apoptotic regulatory genes/proteins are expressed by tilapia NCC. These are the first studies demonstrating that such factors exist in tilapia. Because tilapia NCC bind to and are activated by S. iniae bacterial DNA, we predict that the apoptotic regulatory activity of S. iniae previously demonstrated by our group may be associated with innate antibacterial responses in tilapia.

In Israel and in the U.S., Streptococcus iniae is responsible for considerable losses in various fish species. Poor understanding of its virulence factors and limited know-how-to of vaccine formulation and administration are the main reasons for the limited efficacy of vaccines. Our strategy was that in order to Improve control measures, both aspects should be equally addressed. Our proposal included the following objectives: (i) construction of host-pathogen interaction models; (ii) characterization of virulence factors and immunodominant antigens, with assessment of their relative importance in terms of protection and (iii) genetic identification of virulence factors and genes, with evaluation of the protective effect of recombinant proteins. We have shown that two different serotypes are involved. Their capsular polysaccharides (CPS) were characterized, and proved to play an important role in immune evasion and in other consequences of the infection. This is an innovative finding in fish bacteriology and resembles what, in other fields, has become apparent in the recent years: S. iniae alters surface antigens. By so doing, the pathogen escapes immune destruction. Immunological assays (agar-gel immunodiffusion and antibody titers) confirmed that only limited cross recognition between the two types occurs and that capsular polysaccharides are immunodominant. Vaccination with purified CPS (as an acellular vaccine) results in protection. In vitro and ex-vivo models have allowed us to unravel additional insights of the host-pathogen interactions. S. iniae 173 (type II) produced DNA fragmentation of TMB-8 cells characteristic of cellular necrosis; the same isolate also prevented the development of apoptosis in NCC. This was determined by finding reduced expression of phosphotidylserine (PS) on the outer membrane leaflet of NCC. NCC treated with this isolate had very high levels of cellular necrosis compared to all other isolates. This cellular pathology was confirmed by observing reduced DNA laddering in these same treated cells. Transmission EM also showed characteristic necrotic cellular changes in treated cells. To determine if the (in vitro) PCD/apoptosis protective effects of #173 correlated with any in vivo activity, tilapia were injected IV with #173 and #164 (an Israeli type I strain). Following injection, purified NCC were tested (in vitro) for cytotoxicity against HL-60 target cells. Four significant observations were made : (i) fish injected with #173 had 100-400% increased cytotoxicity compared to #164 (ii) in vivo activation occurred within 5 minutes of injection; (iii) activation occurred only within the peripheral blood compartment; and (iv) the isolate that protected NCC from apoptosis in vitro caused in vivo activation of cytotoxicity. The levels of in vivo cytotoxicity responses are associated with certain pathogens (pathogen associated molecular patterns/PAMP) and with the tissue of origin of NCC. NCC from different tissue (i.e. PBL, anterior kidney, spleen) exist in different states of differentiation. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis revealed the "adaptation" of the bacterium to the vaccinated environment, suggesting a "Darwinian-like" evolution of any bacterium. Due to the selective pressure which has occurred in the vaccinated environment, type II strains, able to evade the protective response elicited by the vaccine, have evolved from type I strains. The increased virulence through the appropriation of a novel antigenic composition conforms with pathogenic mechanisms described for other streptococci. Vaccine efficacy was improved: water-in-oil formulations were found effective in inducing protection that lasted for a period of (at least) 6 months. Protection was evaluated by functional tests - the protective effect, and immunological parameters - elicitation of T- and B-cells proliferation. Vaccinated fish were found to be resistant to the disease for (at least) six months; protection was accompanied by activation of the cellular and the humoral branches.