This study presents the cloning and expression of gene encoding transferrin-binding protein A from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in Escherichia coli expression system and the development of an indirect TbpA-ELISA. The gene coding TbpA was amplified from the A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 genome using polymerase chain reaction and cloned to pET-28b expression vector under the control of strong, inducible T7 promoter. The recombinant plasmid was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The expressed fusion protein was analyzed using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The diagnostic potential of recombinant TbpA (rTbpA) was evaluated through an antibody-detection indirect ELISA based on the purified rTbpA. The TbpA antibodies were detectable in mice on day 7 after vaccination with purified rTbpA protein or infection with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 10 with the TbpA-based ELISA. In addition, the TbpA-ELISA was able to detect 12 serotyping rabbit antisera postinoculation (PI) with A. pleuropneumoniae 12 serotypes experimentally. The comparable result was obtained by detecting the 117 clinical serum samples using, respectively, the TbpA-ELISA and indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) based on multiplex antigen. The result indicates that the TbpA-ELISA was the more sensitive method compared with the Mix-IHA method because of its consistent presence in A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes. In conclusion, the conserved TbpA of A. pleuropneumoniae can be used for the development of a cross-serotype diagnostic method for the detection of antibodies against A. pleuropneumoniae.
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